Service Mapping approaches
Quick answer
Map application services accurately with tag based, traffic based and pattern based approaches.
Key takeaways
- Top down, tag based and traffic based each suit different estates
- Cloud tags carry the ownership data mapping needs
- Validate maps with application owners before publishing
- Unmaintained maps become misleading quickly
Three approaches
Top down mapping starts from an entry point and follows connections using patterns. Tag based mapping groups cloud resources by tag into an application service. Traffic based mapping infers relationships from observed connections, which is useful where patterns do not cover a technology.
Choosing per estate
Cloud native estates map well with tags because the tags already carry ownership. Traditional data centre estates rely on entry points and patterns. Most organisations end up using two of the three.
Keeping maps trustworthy
A wrong map is worse than no map.
- Review new maps with the application owner before publishing
- Re run mapping after major releases, topology changes
- Watch for CIs added by traffic that are not really part of the service
- Publish only the services you will maintain
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Check your understanding
Which approach suits a cloud estate with good tagging?
- A. Top down patterns
- B. Tag based mapping
- C. Manual mapping
- D. Traffic based only
Show answer
B. Tag based mapping
Tags already group resources by application and owner.
What is the risk of traffic based mapping?
- A. It is slow
- B. It can include unrelated systems seen in traffic
- C. It needs no credentials
- D. It ignores cloud
Show answer
B. It can include unrelated systems seen in traffic
Observed connections are not always part of the service.