Choosing a telemetry agent involves analyzing how the system handles data during backend outages. Key factors include batching mechanisms, queue management, and persistence strategies to prevent data loss when connectivity is interrupted.
OpenTelemetry Collector offers high versatility but requires complex configuration for batching and queues. It supports file-based storage to survive restarts, though it cannot simultaneously use RAM and disk buffers. Users must carefully tune parameters like send_batch_size and block_on_overflow to manage backpressure.
Grafana Alloy utilizes different components for metrics, logs, and traces, each with unique buffering logic. Metrics are stored in a mandatory Write-Ahead Log (WAL), while logs and traces rely on RAM or disk queues. Recovery involves increasing parallel threads, which can temporarily stress the backend.
Vector provides a distinct model where each sink maintains independent buffers. It supports both RAM and disk storage, including an overflow mode that writes to disk when memory limits are reached. The tool also features end-to-end acknowledgments to confirm successful data delivery to the receiver.
