elastic/kibana

[EBT] Add remote `OptInConfig` to allow us to disable buggy or no-longer-relevant event-types

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#132253 opened on May 16, 2022

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Feature:TelemetryTeam:Coreblockedgood first issue

Description

We'd like to be able to remotely disable event types coming through the Event-based telemetry client. The configuration to poll should be similar to the OptInConfig interface to allow us to configure if a channel should be completely disabled or only enabled to some shippers.

The configuration should be published per Kibana version so we can disable only those streams from versions we know are buggy or that their data is no longer relevant for whatever reason.

Open Questions:

  • Should this apply to EBT only? Or should we extend it to snapshot collectors?
  • How does this work with the existing FullStory allowlist? Is it a replacement or should we keep both? I'd vote for keeping both because FullStory only works on Cloud and the allowlist can be controlled via kibana.yml. But I reckon it may be confusing to have 2 places where one could set this up.
  • How to handle the initial state (external configuration not downloaded yet)? Can we assume an "all-in" in those cases?
    • Browser
    • Server's early events?
    • Server behind a firewall (can't reach the remote list)
  • We need a good piece of logic to handle all sources of configuration: kibana.yml + Saved Objects + External URL.
    • The first 2 inputs are based on a user decision and they should be prioritized. Should they though?
      • Bugs we want to disable?
      • User manual opt-in for self-audit purposes?

Contributor guide

Tech stack
typescriptnodejs
Domain
backend
Issue type
feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
4
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
over 1 week
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
stale
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
unclear
Prerequisites
Understanding of Kibana's telemetry systemKnowledge of TypeScriptFamiliarity with OptInConfig interfaceUnderstanding of remote configuration polling
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
20
Research direction
This issue involves designing a remote configuration mechanism for Event based telemetry (EBT) in Kibana, with multiple open questions about scope, integration with existing FullStory allowlist, and handling of initial state and multiple configuration sources. The starting point is the existing OptInConfig interface at packages/analytics/client/src/analytics client/types.ts. To proceed, one should review the open questions in the issue description, comment on them to get maintainer feedback, and propose a concrete design that addresses the prioritization of configuration sources and the behavior for environments without remote access.