Instrument your application using OBI

Overview

OBI can automatically instrument your Linux applications and capture telemetry without requiring code changes or application restarts. You can install OBI along with the Splunk Distribution of the OpenTelemetry Collector or enable OBI when the Collector is already installed.

OBI supports multiple deployment models based on your environment. According to the OpenTelemetry project, OBI can operate as a standalone process, run side-by-side with a Collector, or integrate with Kubernetes using standard orchestration tools. These options enable OBI to be deployed on single hosts or large distributed clusters. For more information, see the OpenTelemetry documentation.

Install OBI with the OTel Collector using the guided setup

The easiest way to install OBI is by using the OpenTelemetry Collector guided setup in Splunk Observability Cloud. The guided setup generates the installation commands needed for your operating system and application environment.

To access the guided setup:

• Log in to Splunk Observability Cloud.
• In the navigation menu, select Data Management.
• Open the Available integrations tab and select the Collector tile.
• When Linux or Kubernetes is selected, an opt-in option to enable OBI appears under the zero-code instrumentation section.
• Follow the instructions in the guided setup to complete the installation.

Install OBI manually

You can also install OBI manually. Manual installation gives you more control over the configuration and supports customized environments.

Use one of the following installation methods:

• Install OBI on Kubernetes using a Helm-based setup that deploys both OBI and the Splunk OpenTelemetry Collector. This approach ensures consistent deployment across nodes and integrates with existing Collector settings. For details, see OpenTelemetry OBI Kubernetes setup.
• Run OBI as a standalone process directly on the host. This mode is suitable for development, testing, isolated hosts, or scenarios where the Collector runs remotely. OBI collects telemetry locally and can forward it to a local or remote Collector. For details, see OBI standalone setup.

The default configuration sends telemetry to a local Collector. OBI can also send data to remote Collectors following the delivery patterns described in the OpenTelemetry configuration guidelines. See OBI configuration reference.

OBI as a Collector receiver

Support for using OBI as a native OpenTelemetry Collector receiver is currently in progress. The OpenTelemetry project outlines how OBI may provide telemetry directly to the Collector without requiring a separate OBI process.

For updates and conceptual information, see the OpenTelemetry documentation at OBI Collector receiver.