TIS0902 - Using Tracing Configuration in MeshConfig Is Not Recommended

Configuring tracing directly in MeshConfig is discouraged in recent versions of Istio. Instead, Istio’s Telemetry API is the recommended way to manage tracing configurations and providers, offering more flexibility and maintainability.

Recommendation: Use the Telemetry API for Tracing

By using the Telemetry API to configure tracing, you can take advantage of fine-grained controls, future Istio enhancements, and best-practice approaches to observability.

Example

1. ConfigMap Including Tracing in MeshConfig

   apiVersion: v1
   kind: ConfigMap
   metadata:
   name: istio
   namespace: istio-system
   data:
   mesh: |-
     defaultConfig:
       discoveryAddress: istiod.istio-system.svc:15012
       tracing:
         sampling: 10
         zipkin:
           address: zipkin.istio-system:9411
     defaultProviders:
       metrics:
       - prometheus
     enablePrometheusMerge: true
     rootNamespace: istio-system
     trustDomain: cluster.local
   meshNetworks: 'networks: {}'

   Explanation: This configuration uses tracing under mesh.defaultConfig, which is an older pattern. While it may continue to function, it’s no longer recommended. Future Istio releases may deprecate this approach in favor of the Telemetry API, leading to potential issues or missing functionality if you rely solely on MeshConfig tracing settings.

Recommendation

1. Migrate Tracing Configuration to the Telemetry API

   Instead of embedding tracing settings in MeshConfig, define them via the Telemetry custom resource:

   apiVersion: telemetry.istio.io/v1alpha1
   kind: Telemetry
   metadata:
     name: default
     namespace: istio-system
   spec:
     tracing:
         sampling: 10
       providers:
       - name: zipkin
         zipkin:
           address: zipkin.istio-system:9411

   This approach allows you to tailor tracing at different scopes (namespace, workloads, etc.) and stay aligned with current and future Istio best practices.

2. Gradually Phase Out Deprecated MeshConfig Fields

   If you’re currently using MeshConfig for tracing, begin removing or disabling these fields once your Telemetry resource is in place. This helps ensure compatibility with new Istio versions and reduces the risk of configuration conflicts.