API Application Insights good practice to use

Question

I read this documentation: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/application-insights/app-insights-api-custom-events-metrics

There are many different API method to

Answer 1

You can track all metrics/exceptions/traces/events independently. To make information events related to each others use TelemetryContext

Is it necessary? Or just need to track only exception? Then I lose different info, like who try to add these changes etc... When each of these methods should be used?

It only depends on your needs. If you need that information - send it.

Answer 2

This is the best practice for 2.5.1 AI SDK. Will highlight parts which might not be required in upcoming AI SDK releases.

The right way to do end-to-end tracing is to rely on new Activity class in .NET framework. Until AI supports Activity.Tags (https://github.com/Microsoft/ApplicationInsights-dotnet/issues/562) you need to propagate them manually using TelemetryInitializer:

public class ActvityTagsTelemetryInitializer : ITelemetryInitializer
{
    public void Initialize(ITelemetry telemetry)
    {
        Activity current = Activity.Current;

        if (current == null)
        {
            current = (Activity)HttpContext.Current?.Items["__AspnetActivity__"];
        }

        while (current != null)
        {
            foreach (var tag in current.Tags)
            {
                if (!telemetry.Context.Properties.ContainsKey(tag.Key))
                {
                    telemetry.Context.Properties.Add(tag.Key, tag.Value);
                }
            }

            current = current.Parent;
        }
    }
}

Then register it in ApplicationInsights.config:

  <TelemetryInitializers>
    ...
    <Add Type="<namespace>.ActvityTagsTelemetryInitializer, <assemblyname>"/>
  </TelemetryInitializers>

Then you can populate proper tags:

[AjaxErrorHandling]
[HttpPost]
public async Task SyncDriverToVistracks(int DriverID)
{
    Activity.Current.AddTag("DriverID", DriverID.ToString());
    Activity.Current.AddTag("UserID", User.Identity.Name);

    try
    {
        if ([condition])
        {
            // some actions here

            try
            {
                // If below call is HTTP then no need to use StartOperation
                using (telemetryClient.StartOperation<DependencyTelemetry>("AddNewDriverToVistrackAsync"))
                {
                    driver.VistrackId = await _vistracksService.AddNewDriverToVistrackAsync(domain);
                }

                // If below call is HTTP then no need to use StartOperation
                using (telemetryClient.StartOperation<DependencyTelemetry>("SaveChanges"))
                {
                    await db.SaveChangesAsync();
                }
            }
            catch (VistracksApiException api_ex)
            {
                // external service throws exception type VistracksApiException 
                throw new AjaxException("vistracksApiClient", api_ex.Response.Message);
            }
            catch (VistracksApiCommonException common_ex)
            {
                // external service throws exception type VistracksApiCommonException 
                throw new AjaxException("vistracksApiServer", "3MD HOS server is not available");
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                // something wrong at all
                throw new AjaxException("General", ex.Message);
            }
        }
        else
        {
            // condition is not valid
            throw new AjaxException("General", "AccountId is not found");
        }
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        // Upcoming 2.6 AI SDK will track exceptions for MVC apps automatically.
        telemetryClient.TrackException(ex);
        throw;
    }
}

You should have the following telemetry:

1. Incoming request
2. Outgoing requests (dependencies)
3. Exceptions for failed requests

All telemetry will be stamped with ChangedBy and DriverID