Observability in Azure API Management

Observability is the ability to understand the internal state of a system from the data it produces and the ability to explore that data to answer questions about what happened and why.

Azure API Management helps organizations centralize the management of all APIs. Since it serves as a single point of entry of all API traffic, it is an ideal place to observe the APIs.

Overview

Azure API Management allows you to choose to use the managed gateway or self-hosted gateway.

The table below summarizes all the observability capabilities supported by API Management to operate APIs and what deployment models they support. These capabilities can be used by API publishers and others who have permissions to operate or manage the API Management instance.

Note

For API consumers who use the developer portal, a built-in API report is available. It only provides information about their individual API usage during the preceding 90 days.

Tool Useful for Data lag Retention Sampling Data kind Supported Deployment Model(s)
API Inspector Testing and debugging Instant Last 100 traces Turned on per request Request traces Managed, Self-hosted, Azure Arc
Built-in Analytics Reporting and monitoring Minutes Lifetime 100% Reports and logs Managed
Azure Monitor Metrics Reporting and monitoring Minutes 90 days (upgrade to extend) 100% Metrics Managed, Self-hosted2, Azure Arc
Azure Monitor Logs Reporting, monitoring, and debugging Minutes 31 days/5GB (upgrade to extend) 100% (adjustable) Logs Managed1, Self-hosted3, Azure Arc3
Azure Application Insights Reporting, monitoring, and debugging Seconds 90 days/5GB (upgrade to extend) Custom Logs, metrics Managed1, Self-hosted1, Azure Arc1
Logging through Azure Event Hubs Custom scenarios Seconds User managed Custom Custom Managed1, Self-hosted1, Azure Arc1
OpenTelemetry Monitoring Minutes User managed 100% Metrics Self-hosted2

1. Optional, depending on the configuration of feature in Azure API Management

2. Optional, depending on the configuration of the gateway

3. The self-hosted gateway currently does not send diagnostic logs to Azure Monitor. However, it is possible to configure and persist logs locally where the self-hosted gateway is deployed. For more information, please see configuring local metrics and logs for self-hosted gateway

Next Steps