Distributed Tracing in .NET Core and Azure

In distributed systems where a single user request flows through multiple microservices, databases, and external APIs, understanding system behavior becomes exponentially more complex. Traditional logging provides isolated snapshots from individual components, but fails to reveal

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This article is part of the Comprehensive Guide to Microservices Architecture in .NET Core, Cloud and Azure series.

This article explores distributed tracing in .NET applications, covering built-in support through the Activity API, integration with OpenTelemetry for vendor-neutral instrumentation, and deployment to Azure with Application Insights for production monitoring.

What is Distributed Tracing?

Distributed tracing is a diagnostic technique that tracks requests as they traverse different components of a distributed system, including microservices, databases, message queues, and external APIs.

Key benefits:

Distributed Tracing in .NET Core and Azure

Distributed Tracing in .NET Core and Azure

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Related reading

Trace Azure-managed services in .NET applications with Datadog | Datadog

Distributed Tracing 101: The Mental Model, the Standards, and Your First…

Deployment Strategies in .NET Core and Azure

Service Communication Patterns in .NET Core and Azure

Distributed Tracing | Monitor Performance Across Services

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