This guide walks you through instrumenting AWS Lambda with OpenTelemetry and Middleware. These instructions can also be found on the Installation page in your Middleware Account.

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Prerequisites

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Install

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Step 1: Add OTel Collector Layer

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Step 1a: Access layer-collector/

Navigate to the opentelemtry-lambda repository and access the layer-collector

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Step 1b: Match AWS Region and CPU Architecture

Copy the Amazon Resource Name (ARN) and set the configuration to match the AWS region and CPU architecture of your lambda function like the following example:

arn:aws:lambda:us-east-2:184161586896:layer:opentelemetry-collector-amd64-0_4_0:1

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Step 1c: Add Layer

Navigate to Lambda -> Functions -> YOUR_FUNCTION -> Layers and click Add Layer

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Step 1d: Specify ARN

Navigate to Choose Layer and specify the ARN you configured earlier

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Step 1e: Add New Collector

Verify your new OTel Collector Layer and click Add

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Step 2: Add OTel Instrumentation Layer

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Step 2a: Access Language-Specific Layer

Navigate to the opentelemtry-lambda repository and access the layer-<PROGRAMMING_LANGUAGE>/

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Step 2b: Match AWS Region and CPU Architecture

Copy the Amazon Resource Name (ARN) and set the configuration to match the AWS region and CPU architecture of your lambda function like the following example:

arn:aws:lambda:us-east-2:184161586896:layer:opentelemetry-python-0_4_0:1

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Step 2c: Add Layer

Navigate to Lambda -> Functions -> YOUR_FUNCTION -> Layers and click Add Layer

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Step 2d: Specify ARN

Navigate to Choose Layer and specify the ARN you configured earlier

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Step 2e: Add New Collector

Verify your new OTel Collector Layer and click Add

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Step 3: Set Environment Variables

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Step 3a: Navigate to Environment Variables

Navigate to Lambda -> Functions -> YOUR_FUNCTION -> Configuration > Environment Variables

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Step 3b: Change Your App Entry Point

Change your application’s entry point:

AWS_LAMBDA_EXEC_WRAPPER=/opt/otel-handler

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Step 4: Verify OTel Log Collection

Import OpenTelemetry in the Code source editor of your function. Deploy and test your application to ensure OpenTelemetry logs should be visible.

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Step 5: Export Your Telemetry Data

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Step 5a: Set Environment Variables

Navigate to Lambda -> Functions -> YOUR_FUNCTION -> Configuration > Environment Variables

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Step 5b: Route Telemetry Data to Middleware

Initialize and save the following variables:

OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT=<YOUR_MIDDLEWARE_URL> 
OTEL_RESOURCE_ATTRIBUTES=mw.account_key=<YOUR_ACCOUNT_KEY>

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Step 5c: Verify Installation

Deploy and Test your application to ensure logs from OpenTelemetry no longer appear. Check your Middleware account for traces by navigating to APM -> Services and finding the name of your function in the services list.