netstack.fm OpenTelemetry, eBPF, and Metoro
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Sep 2, 2025 Chris Batterbee, co-founder of Metoro and experienced software engineer, dives into the fascinating world of observability in modern software. He discusses how Metoro uses eBPF technology for automatic instrumentation, simplifying observability in Kubernetes environments. The conversation explores the integration of OpenTelemetry, common challenges developers face, and the potential of AI in diagnosing system issues. Chris also shares insights from his Y Combinator experience and highlights the competitive landscape of observability tools, positioning Metoro uniquely in the market.
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Lower OpenTelemetry Adoption Friction
- Reduce OpenTelemetry onboarding friction by offering higher-level abstractions that mirror familiar Prometheus patterns.
- Make defaults and tag conventions explicit so teams adopt OTEL faster with less cognitive overhead.
Clouds Could Copy You — Focus First
- Cloud providers could replicate Metoro's features, but startups can defend via focused niche work and rapid product progress.
- Competing with large clouds is possible but requires prioritizing core problems first.
eBPF Safety Misconception
- A common customer fear is that eBPF might crash production, but eBPF runs inside a kernel VM and is designed to prevent kernel crashes.
- Worst-case failure is loss of telemetry, not system stability.