Real User Monitoring configuration naming

[pellared]

From https://github.com/signalfx/gdi-specification/blob/v1.5.0/specification/configuration.md

Splunk-specific configuration variables defined in the GDI specification MUST be prefixed with SPLUNK_.

Therefore shouldn't the all configuration like have a splunk prefix e.g.

• rumAccessToken -> splunkAccessToken
• realm -> splunkRealm

I know that the section is marked as "Stable". But I believe it is still experimental. See #247

[breedx-splk]

I think this is a good find...there is probably inconsistency there. My preference is to leave stable but correct the implementations to match the spec. It should be implemented as an additive change, so that the old name still works but the new name is documented and preferred.

[breedx-splk]

Actually, after another read though I think I disagree with this assertion. This quote:

Splunk-specific configuration variables defined in the GDI specification MUST be prefixed with SPLUNK_.

...I think was intending to specifically be referring to environment variables. The two RUM items you call out above are NOT injected through the environment, and I think therefore are not subject to the requirement.

I still think we should keep it stable.

[pellared]

@t2t2 @seemk What is your opinion on this? Would you prefer to keep the existing configuration naming? Changing it would probably be annoying for the users. On the other hand, the splunk prefix can help in differentiating Splunk specific configuration if OTel defines some standards for RUM (Client Instrumentation).

PS. I am fine closing this issue. It is just a double-check before our distro goes GA.

[seemk]

I guess splunk* makes more sense, but can just keep the existing one for backwards compatibility.

[pellared]

@seemk Do you want to deprecate existing ones (and still support them) and define new ones?

[t2t2]

I don't think it makes as much sense, in case of environment variables SPLUNK_ prefix ensures there's no conflicts with different vendors expecting their own access tokens, while in RUM case all of the configuration parameters are explicitly passed into splunk libraries - following from documentation examples:

// Browser
   SplunkRum.init({
      realm: '<realm>',
      rumAccessToken: '<your_rum_token>',

// IOS
SplunkRum.initialize(beaconUrl: "https://rum-ingest.<realm>.signalfx.com/v1/rum",
      rumAuth: "<rum-token>",

// Android
      SplunkRum.builder()
               .setApplicationName("<name_of_app>")
               .setDeploymentEnvironment("<name_of_env>") // Environment
               .setRealm(realm)
               .setRumAccessToken(rumAccessToken)

Closest match to environment variables problem would be build-time replacement of variables, eg

   SplunkRum.init({
      realm: 'us0',
      rumAccessToken: process.env.REACT_APP_SPLUNK_RUM_ACCESS_TOKEN,

But as this passes into developer decisions of how to include the library, it is not relevant

[pellared]

Closing.