Install Jaeger for Efficient Tracing

How to Install Jaeger for Efficient Tracing

Jaeger is a leading open-source tool for tracing and monitoring distributed systems. Developed by Uber Technologies, it helps engineers understand and debug complex systems by providing comprehensive details about the execution paths of requests. In this guide, you will learn how to install Jaeger to enhance observability in your application infrastructure.

Prerequisites

A running Kubernetes cluster or Docker environment.
Basic knowledge of microservices architecture.
Administrator access to your server or cloud instance.
Updated Helm package manager, if using Kubernetes.

Step-by-Step Installation Guide

1. Install Jaeger using Docker

For a quick start with Docker, you can use the following command to pull Jaeger’s all-in-one image:

docker run -d --name jaeger \
   -e COLLECTOR_ZIPKIN_HTTP_PORT=9411 \
   -p 5775:5775/udp \
   -p 6831:6831/udp \
   -p 6832:6832/udp \
   -p 5778:5778 \
   -p 16686:16686 \
   -p 14268:14268 \
   -p 14250:14250 \
   -p 9411:9411 \
   jaegertracing/all-in-one:1.22

This command sets up Jaeger’s all-in-one Docker image, which encompasses an agent, collector, query service, and UI.

2. Install Jaeger on Kubernetes using Helm

Jaeger can be deployed on a Kubernetes cluster using Helm, the package manager for Kubernetes. Start by adding the Jaeger Helm repository:

helm repo add jaegertracing https://jaegertracing.github.io/helm-charts

Update your Helm repository to get the latest charts:

helm repo update

Install Jaeger with the following command:

helm install my-jaeger jaegertracing/jaeger

You can customize your installation by specifying configurations using Helm values files.

3. Verify the Installation

Once Jaeger is installed, verify its operation. If using Docker, visit http://localhost:16686 to access the Jaeger UI.

For Kubernetes, run this command to find your Jaeger service:

kubectl get svc -l app.kubernetes.io/instance=my-jaeger

4. Configure Your Services for Tracing

Integrate Jaeger with your services by using a tracer client. Most popular languages have support for Jaeger clients. Add the necessary dependencies to your project and configure the tracer client to send traces to the Jaeger agent endpoint exposed above.

Troubleshooting

No traces appearing: Ensure your application is configured correctly to send traces, and check network connectivity between components.
Installation issues: Verify that the Docker service is running or that your Kubernetes cluster is correctly set up.