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Truth Source: Repository schemas and tests are authoritative.

Observability — Conceptual Overview

Audience: Implementers, Architects, DevOps Governance Rule: DGP-30

1. What Observability Refers To​

Observability in MPLP refers to the introspection dimension that concerns how system behavior can be understood from external outputs. It spans Trace, 12 event families, and W3C trace context compatibility.

Observability is not a monitoring tool. It is a conceptual area for structured system introspection.

2. Conceptual Areas Covered by Observability​

Conceptual AreaDescription
Trace ModuleRelates to immutable execution audit records
12 Event FamiliesConcerns structured event taxonomy
W3C Trace ContextIs involved in distributed tracing compatibility
Span StructureRelates to hierarchical execution segments

3. What Observability Does NOT Do​

  • ❌ Define specific tracing backends (Jaeger, Zipkin, etc.)
  • ❌ Mandate metrics collection strategies
  • ❌ Prescribe alerting rules
  • ❌ Define log formats

4. Where Normative Semantics Are Defined​

Normative SourceWhat It Covers
Trace Module (mplp-trace.schema.json)Trace structure, segments
Event Schemas (events/*.schema.json)12 event families
Observability Invariants12 rules for event structure

5. Conceptual Relationships​

6. Reading Path​

  1. Observability Overview
  2. Event Taxonomy
  3. Trace Module

Governance Rule: DGP-30 See Also: Observability Anchor (Normative)