Instana Monitoring Now Supports the CRI-O Kubernetes Runtime

Microservices monitoring company Instana now supports CRI-O, drop-in replacement for Docker’s runtime.

This addition gives more flexibility to customers that want to select their preferred orchestration engine and runtime containers, according to the company.

CRI-O is an implementation of the Kubernetes CRI (Container Runtime Interface). In addition to facilitating OCI (Open Container Initiative)-compatible runtimes, it gives people another option to explore besides depending on Docker as the runtime for Kubernetes. CRI-O also allows Kubernetes to use any OCI-compliant runtime when running pods.

As a replacement for Docker, CRI-O has potentially numerous attractive characteristics. For example, CRI-O is stable and developed and tested alongside the major and minor releases associated with Kubernetes. Plus, developers do not need to engage in much direct-command-line contact while using CRI-O. However, there are specific commands to use if desired during and monitoring. Those tools replace and enhance Docker’s command and service.

How Will Instana’s CRI-O Support Help Developers?

This new support for CRI-O should substantially cut the amount of time DevOps teams spend troubleshooting issues. Instana discovers, deploys, monitors and analyzes data from CRI-O, taking care of all those necessities automatically. It also correlates information about infrastructure and data with other monitoring-related details.

Kubernetes is a versatile system suitable for deployment in almost any environment, whether on-premise or in the cloud. It lets DevOps professionals tackle their container management needs at scale. Multiple components within Kubernetes run on continuous loops, observing the current status and making any required adjustments to remain in the desired state.

Instana’s recent announcement about support for CRI-O is not the first time the company accommodated non-Docker container technologies. However, this development is substantial because it marks the first time the brand offers details concerning CRI-O in the orchestration, container and application monitoring environments.

Instana spent the last two years building on its initial monitoring platform. This latest offering shows the company’s commitment to continually evolving to match customer requirements and expectations.

How Does Instana’s Application Performance Management Work?

Instana automates the whole application monitoring lifecycle, which means developers can use an all-encompassing product for their application monitoring needs. It addresses matters ranging from application infrastructure health to application discovery and mapping.

As a first step, Instana builds a correct depiction of an application’s structures and dependencies. But, that initial representation is not static. That’s because Instana can recognize updates to dynamic applications. After detecting one, it automatically makes the required adjustments, including mapping changes or tweaks to monitoring thresholds and health dashboards.

Also, since Instana lets users see all their applications on a single dashboard, it only takes seconds to verify that everything is as it should be or realize that something needs further attention. Instana sends data every second and processes it immediately.

As such, there is virtually no delay regarding when the system starts analyzing the data and feeding it to a user. More specifically, a window of only three seconds exists between the time when Instana processes information, and it appears on a user’s screen.

Instana also has advanced, built-in technologies that predict issues before they happen. For example, machine learning enables pattern detection, while neural networks anticipate future events. The company’s product can intelligently spot anomalies, too.

When DevOps teams have ever-increasing workloads, they particularly benefit from products that can streamline their workflows and reduce issues. Since Instana now provides support for CRI-O, users have more options for customizing their container management processes and minimizing preventable problems.

Feature image by Alexas_Fotos from Pixabay.