Sold by: IBM SoftwareÂ
Deployed on AWS
Instana Operator is a free, Kubernetes-native observability solution designed to run on Amazon EKS. Available as an Amazon EKS add-on, it provides real-time metrics, distributed traces, and AI-powered alerts - deployable in just a few clicks.
Overview
The Instana Operator delivers full-stack, high-fidelity observability for workloads running on Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (Amazon EKS). Available as a native Amazon EKS add-on, it simplifies monitoring by automatically discovering Kubernetes services, containers, and infrastructure components - without requiring code changes.
To use the Instana Operator, you must have an active Instana subscription. You can buy or start a free trial at https://ibm.biz/aws_marketplace-instana_paygoÂ
With Instana on Amazon EKS, you gain:
- 1-second resolution metrics and full-fidelity distributed traces for every request
- Dynamic service and dependency mapping across your Kubernetes workloads
- SmartAlerts that detect anomalies and reduce alert fatigue through AI-powered root cause analysis
- Fast deployment and upgrade cycles using the Amazon EKS add-on interface, managed directly through the AWS Management Console -Integration with over 300 technologies, including AWS services such as AWS Lambda, Amazon RDS, Amazon DynamoDB, and AWS Fargate
Whether you are building microservices, operating a service mesh, or running hybrid cloud workloads, Instana provides DevOps, SRE, and platform teams with the visibility and context needed to optimize performance, maintain reliability, and accelerate remediation across the entire application stack.
Please find a detailed guide on how to deploy Instana agents to Amazon EKS clusters at https://ibm.biz/instana-eks_add-on-blog_postÂ
Highlights
- Delivered as a native Amazon EKS add-on and accessible directly through the Amazon EKS console. Supports both managed and self-managed node groups. Provides auto-updates and lifecycle management aligned with your Amazon EKS cluster operations.
- Gain 1-second metrics, full-fidelity distributed traces, and real-time dependency maps. Achieve complete visibility into Kubernetes components, containers, services, workloads, and infrastructure. Includes out-of-the-box support for popular technologies such as Envoy, Istio, Apache Kafka, PostgreSQL, Redis, and AWS services including AWS Lambda, Amazon RDS, and Amazon DynamoDB.
- Automatically discovers containers, services, and dependencies - no manual instrumentation or configuration required.
Details
Sold by
Categories
Delivery method
Supported services
Delivery option
IBM Instana Observability Operator - Helm chart
Latest version
Operating system
Linux
Deployed on AWS
Unlock automation with AI agent solutions
Fast-track AI initiatives with agents, tools, and solutions from AWS Partners.
Features and programs
Financing for AWS Marketplace purchases
AWS Marketplace now accepts line of credit payments through the PNC Vendor Finance program. This program is available to select AWS customers in the US, excluding NV, NC, ND, TN, & VT.
Pricing
This product is available free of charge. Free subscriptions have no end date and may be canceled any time.
Additional AWS infrastructure costs may apply. Use the AWS Pricing Calculator to estimate your infrastructure costs.
Vendor refund policy
All fees are non-cancelable and non-refundable, and Client shall not be entitled to a refund for any amounts already paid except as otherwise provided in the End User License Agreement (EULA).
Legal
Vendor terms and conditions
Upon subscribing to this product, you must acknowledge and agree to the terms and conditions outlined in the vendor's End User License Agreement (EULA)Â .
Content disclaimer
Vendors are responsible for their product descriptions and other product content. AWS does not warrant that vendors' product descriptions or other product content are accurate, complete, reliable, current, or error-free.
Delivery details
IBM Instana Observability Operator - Helm chart
Supported services: Learn moreÂ
- Amazon EKS
EKS add-on
An add-on is software that provides supporting operational capabilities to Kubernetes applications but isn't specific to the application. This includes software like observability agents or Kubernetes drivers that allow the cluster to interact with underlying AWS resources for networking, compute, and storage. Add-on software is typically built and maintained by the Kubernetes community, cloud providers like AWS, or third-party vendors. Amazon EKS add-ons provide installation and management of a curated set of add-ons for Amazon EKS clusters. All Amazon EKS add-ons include the latest security patches and bug fixes, and are validated by AWS to work with Amazon EKS. Amazon EKS add-ons allow you to consistently ensure that your Amazon EKS clusters are secure and stable and reduce the amount of work that you need to do to install, configure, and update add-ons.
Version release notes
Initial release of the EKS add-on for the IBM Instana Observability Operator
Additional details
Usage instructions
Once the add-on is installed into your cluster, it requires final steps to configure IBM Instana Observability for your environment:
Steps to complete the IBM Instana Observability configuration:
-
On the home page of the Instana UI, click "Deploy Agent".
-
On the agent deployment catalog page, click the tile "Kubernetes - Operator".
-
Enter the cluster name and the agent zone (optionally) that you want the cluster to be part of. The cluster name (<your_cluster_name>) is the customized name of the cluster that is monitored by this daemonset. The agent zone (<your_zone_name>) is used to customize the zone grouping, which is displayed on the infrastructure map.
-
Create a custom resource YAML file by copying the YAML template provided in the Instana UI. The YAML template is pre-filled with your agent key, host agent endpoint, cluster name, and agent zone.
Final step
Apply the custom resource YAML file you created in step 4:
"kubectl apply -f instana-agent.customresource.yaml"
Optional
Edit the custom resource YAML file:
The Instana agent custom resource supports the exact same configuration as the Instana Helm chart. For a detailed list of all the configuration parameters and examples, see Instana Helm chart documentation at https://ibm.biz/BdGUdnÂ
Extended information
This product requires an ongoing internet connection. The following ongoing external services are required to properly function:
- Instana SaaS backend and valid Agent key
With default settings, the EKS cluster needs access to the IBM Container registry at icr.io and to the IBM Instana Maven repository at artifact-public.instana.io.
Required configuration options in the Instana Agent CustomResource:
- Instana SaaS endpoint URL and port: You can get your Instana SaaS endpint URL and port from the "Install Agents" page in the Instana UI.
- Cluster name: The cluster name is required to identify your EKS cluster in the Instana Kubernetes view.
- Agent key: The Agent key authorizes IBM Instana Observability to send data to the Instana SaaS platform. You can get your Agent key from the "Install Agents" page in the Instana UI.
The following container images will be deployed during installation:
- ibm-software/instana/agent
- ibm-software/instana/operator
- ibm-software/instana/k8s-sensor
For manual installation of IBM Instana Observability into EKS or Kubernetes, follow the steps as layed out in the official Instana documentation here: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/instana-observability/current?topic=agents-installing-amazon-elastic-kubernetes-service-eksÂ
Resources
Support
Vendor support
Support contact at https://ibm.biz/instana-supportÂ
Pricing FAQ: https://ibm.biz/instana-pricing-faqÂ
We also offer shared Slack Channels during trial and subscription.
AWS infrastructure support
AWS Support is a one-on-one, fast-response support channel that is staffed 24x7x365 with experienced and technical support engineers. The service helps customers of all sizes and technical abilities to successfully utilize the products and features provided by Amazon Web Services.
Similar products
IBM Instana Professional Services by Eshnav
By Eshnav Information Systems
Comprehensive consulting, configuration, and support services for IBM Instana observability platform. Delivered by Eshnav's certified professionals.
IBM Granite 3.2 Instruct 8B
By IBM Data and AI
IBM Granite 3.2 Instruct is an open-source model with controllable reasoning, offering strong performance and enhanced complex thinking.
IBM Granite 8B Code Instruct - 128K
By IBM Data and AI
IBM Granite 8B Code Instruct 128K is a model fine-tuned to solve long-context problems while maintaining short-context performance.
IBM Security QRadar SIEM v7.5.0 (BYOL)
By IBM Security
IBM QRadar SIEM empowers security analysts and security operations teams with the visibility, automation and insights needed to quickly detect anomalies and uncover advanced threats in real-time.
IBM Granite 34B Code Instruct - 8K
By IBM Data and AI
IBM Granite 34B Code Instruct 8K is a model fine-tuned to enhance instruction following, logical reasoning, and problem-solving skills.
IBM Granite 3B Code Instruct - 128K
By IBM Data and AI
IBM Granite 3B Code Instruct 128K is a model fine-tuned to solve long-context problems while maintaining short-context performance.
Customer reviews
0 ratings
0 AWS reviews
|
397 external reviews
Star ratings include only reviews from verified AWS customers. External reviews can also include a star rating, but star ratings from external reviews are not averaged in with the AWS customer star ratings.
Consumer Electronics
A lot of potential
Reviewed on Sep 10, 2025
Review provided by G2
What do you like best about the product?
- easy to deploy
- easy to install
- support has been helpful and patient
- event detection and related automation policies (custom) do catch faults and address them very quickly
- easy to install
- support has been helpful and patient
- event detection and related automation policies (custom) do catch faults and address them very quickly
What do you dislike about the product?
Working on Instana for IBMi specifically, you can clearly tell that as far as IBMi is concerned there's still a long way to go in terms of what can be added or improved.
What you get directly from the installation is good for having a very basic monitoring, although when things get into details you can tell that it's in early stages.
IBMi is indeed special so it might require a different approach compared to other installations, although i'm sure that there will be improvements.
Unfortunately i can't tell for other platforms..
What you get directly from the installation is good for having a very basic monitoring, although when things get into details you can tell that it's in early stages.
IBMi is indeed special so it might require a different approach compared to other installations, although i'm sure that there will be improvements.
Unfortunately i can't tell for other platforms..
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Re-working the monitoring solution for IBMi LPARs.
Tanmay M.
Journey with IBM instana
Reviewed on Sep 10, 2025
Review provided by G2
What do you like best about the product?
I had used the IBM instana, it was great experience and the services and working approach they are using is best and I would like to say, they can explore in technical field like services, torbuleshooting steps etc. Rest part are fantastic.
What do you dislike about the product?
Hmm, sometimes due to some deep technical issue, service delayed, need to improve.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
It solved many problems with IBM instana.
1.Complex IT environment - many apps. Like jupyter notebook and grafana hard to monitor, it help to solve all these modern problem.
2. Performance issues.
3.solve lack of visibility
4.Slow troubleshooting
Benefits -
1. Full stack observability - help to monitor the gpu, cpu and nodes performance, network in single monitor
2.Automatic Discovery - Auto- detect the new services, pods, kernels no need manual coding
3.helo in root cause analysis.
4.improved user experience
5.supoort HPC workloads.
1.Complex IT environment - many apps. Like jupyter notebook and grafana hard to monitor, it help to solve all these modern problem.
2. Performance issues.
3.solve lack of visibility
4.Slow troubleshooting
Benefits -
1. Full stack observability - help to monitor the gpu, cpu and nodes performance, network in single monitor
2.Automatic Discovery - Auto- detect the new services, pods, kernels no need manual coding
3.helo in root cause analysis.
4.improved user experience
5.supoort HPC workloads.
Roushan K.
Instana! RealTime Insights Done Right
Reviewed on Sep 09, 2025
Review provided by G2
What do you like best about the product?
What I like best about IBM Instana is how effortless it makes monitoring complex applications. The automatic discovery of services and dependencies saves a ton of setup time, and I don’t have to manually configure dashboards, it just maps everything out for me. The real-time visibility is also a big win; if something goes wrong, I can quickly trace the root cause without digging through endless logs. It feels very modern compared to traditional APM tools, and the UI makes it easy to navigate even when the environment is huge.
What do you dislike about the product?
there’s a lot of data and metrics, and the learning curve is steeper than some lighter monitoring tools. The pricing can also be on the higher side if you’re running it across many services. In some cases, the UI feels a bit busy, and it takes time to tune alerts so they’re meaningful and not just noise.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
IBM Instana helps me quickly identify performance bottlenecks and trace issues across microservices without digging through logs. It saves time during incidents, reduces downtime, and gives clear visibility into how different services interact , which makes troubleshooting and optimization much faster.
Gitesh P.
I can setup the ibm instana very quick
Reviewed on Sep 09, 2025
Review provided by G2
What do you like best about the product?
Ibm instana setup is quite quick for me when I use this I dnt use that much of manual work to find the services it's easier for me and our sre team also you can also use dashboard in this which also impressed me like it's live of performance I can see all the performance through this
What do you dislike about the product?
Honestly when I first visit the ibm instana I am little bit confused i am trying to figure out things I think it's due to the ui which is little confusing for me and I asked my team mates and all DevOps team we found the price could little bit low for little team like ours we can't afford high price sadly we can also discuss and figure out something like in IBM instana thatsome services takes much time to loading that's annoying for us it's cancelled improved for better performance
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
When I introduced to ibm instana I am so eager to know what I can do with this them I setup it for my servers for monitoring them I can setup the alerts in this so I can reduce the downtime with that that's how it's benifit me
Information Technology and Services
powerfull apm tool
Reviewed on Sep 09, 2025
Review provided by G2
What do you like best about the product?
it provides real time observation across applications, infrastructures.
What do you dislike about the product?
not so much beginner friendly, and the pricing also bit more for new or small users, sometimes customization require extra technical knowledge
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
it helps us to identify and resolve the application performance issue, provides end to end visiblity of services, api. and better user experience