Exception Request: Structured Logging 1.21 Beta

[Elana Hashman]

• Enhancement name: Structured Logging
  
• Enhancement status (alpha/beta/stable): Beta
  
• SIG: Instrumentation (ccing SIG Node as we are migrating kubelet this release)
  
• Owners: Marek Siarkowicz, Elana Hashman
  
• k/enhancements repo issue #: https://github.com/kubernetes/enhancements/issues/1602
  
• PR #’s: See board: https://github.com/orgs/kubernetes/projects/53
• Additional time needed (in days): Requesting extension to EOD Mon. Mar. 15 (one week)
  
• Reason this enhancement is critical for this milestone: First major step towards graduation of structured logging, which has been in progress (alpha) since 1.19. We need to fully migrate one component before we can choose other components for migration. The overall feature can only graduate when the full codebase of k/k is migrated, which is a long and multi-release graduation effort.
  
• Risks from adding code late: Relatively low risk as only log line formats are being changed.
  
• Risks from cutting enhancement: Partial migration of the kubelet, which is about 30% migrated to structured logs currently with ~14 more PRs awaiting approval. This would cause extra end-user churn with a migration split across multiple releases, and end users will not be able to use the JSON log-format for kubelet in 1.21 properly if we do not complete the migration.
  

Note that this feature is very complex from a coordination standpoint; we are migrating hundreds of log-lines and working with dozens of contributors. We currently have over 30 PRs we are tracking but are doing our best!

[Elana Hashman]

Because this feature is so large, let me review the graduation criteria for beta and clarify what exactly we are asking for an exception request, as this is being tracked already.

It is currently split into the following issues:

• Prevent regressions after structured logging migration: done
• Kubelet panics when trying to set structured logging: marked critical-urgent, fix awaiting review, no extension required
  
• Migrate kubelet to structured logging: requires 1 week extension on code freeze deadline
• JSON format should support same set of feature flags as text format: may require 1 week extension on code freeze deadline, has assignee, Marek is tracking
  
• Benchmark log size changes for kubelet: no code changes required, no extension required, will be completed before test freeze
  
• Add e2e test scenario for JSON flag on kubelet: this e2e is a follow-up on the panic above to prevent the regression in the future, improving test coverage of existing code, and thus should not require an extension and will be completed before test freeze
• Update logging conventions guide to use structured logging: no code changes required, no extension required, will be completed before doc freeze
  

[Nabarun Pal]

Hi Elana,

After the discussion with SIG Instrumentation
(https://kubernetes.slack.com/archives/C20HH14P7/p1615482607018800),
we are APPROVING this exception for getting in the remaining kubelet
structured logging migrations in this project board
(https://github.com/orgs/kubernetes/projects/53).

Also, since the consensus was to keep the Structured Logging
Enhancement in Alpha, we hope that the Alpha graduation criteria are
updated soon with the new plan.

Best,
Nabarun Pal // Kubernetes 1.21 Release Lead