diff --git a/.env-devel b/.env-devel
index 3c743a086b1..af3cb9ae7cc 100644
--- a/.env-devel
+++ b/.env-devel
@@ -277,6 +277,7 @@ WB_API_WEBSERVER_PORT=8080
 WB_AUTH_WEBSERVER_HOST=wb-auth
 WB_AUTH_WEBSERVER_PORT=8080
 WB_AUTH_LOGLEVEL=INFO
+WB_AUTH_TRACING={}
 
 WB_GC_ACTIVITY=null
 WB_GC_ANNOUNCEMENTS=0
diff --git a/services/docker-compose.yml b/services/docker-compose.yml
index 696cd885b04..d10afadfccc 100644
--- a/services/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/services/docker-compose.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ x-dask-tls-secrets: &dask_tls_secrets
     target: ${DASK_TLS_CERT}
     # mode: 444 # not supported by docker stack compose as of 26.0.0
 
+x-tracing-open-telemetry: &tracing_open_telemetry_environs
+  TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT}
+  TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_BATCH_SIZE: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_BATCH_SIZE}
+  TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT}
+  TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_SAMPLING_PERCENTAGE: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_SAMPLING_PERCENTAGE}
+
+
 services:
   api-server:
     image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY:-itisfoundation}/api-server:${DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG:-latest}
@@ -43,8 +50,7 @@ services:
       WEBSERVER_PORT: ${WB_API_WEBSERVER_PORT}
       WEBSERVER_SESSION_SECRET_KEY: ${WEBSERVER_SESSION_SECRET_KEY}
       API_SERVER_TRACING: ${API_SERVER_TRACING}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT}
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
 
     deploy:
       labels:
@@ -130,8 +136,7 @@ services:
       REGISTRY_SSL: ${REGISTRY_SSL}
       REGISTRY_AUTH: ${REGISTRY_AUTH}
       AUTOSCALING_TRACING: ${AUTOSCALING_TRACING}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT}
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
     volumes:
       - "/var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock"
     deploy:
@@ -174,8 +179,7 @@ services:
       RABBIT_SECURE: ${RABBIT_SECURE}
       RABBIT_USER: ${RABBIT_USER}
       CATALOG_TRACING: ${CATALOG_TRACING}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT}
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
     networks:
       - default
 
@@ -244,8 +248,7 @@ services:
       WORKERS_EC2_INSTANCES_SUBNET_ID: ${WORKERS_EC2_INSTANCES_SUBNET_ID}
       WORKERS_EC2_INSTANCES_CUSTOM_TAGS: ${WORKERS_EC2_INSTANCES_CUSTOM_TAGS}
       CLUSTERS_KEEPER_TRACING: ${CLUSTERS_KEEPER_TRACING}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT}
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
     secrets: *dask_tls_secrets
 
   director:
@@ -282,10 +285,9 @@ services:
       STORAGE_ENDPOINT: ${STORAGE_ENDPOINT}
       SWARM_STACK_NAME: ${SWARM_STACK_NAME}
 
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT}
-
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
       TRAEFIK_SIMCORE_ZONE: ${TRAEFIK_SIMCORE_ZONE}
+
     volumes:
       - "/var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock"
     deploy:
@@ -386,9 +388,9 @@ services:
       SIMCORE_SERVICES_NETWORK_NAME: ${SIMCORE_SERVICES_NETWORK_NAME}
       SWARM_STACK_NAME: ${SWARM_STACK_NAME}
       TRAEFIK_SIMCORE_ZONE: ${TRAEFIK_SIMCORE_ZONE}
+
       DIRECTOR_V2_TRACING: ${DIRECTOR_V2_TRACING}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT}
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
 
       # WEBSERVER_AUTH_SETTINGS
       WEBSERVER_HOST: ${WB_AUTH_WEBSERVER_HOST}
@@ -441,8 +443,8 @@ services:
       EFS_MOUNTED_PATH: ${EFS_MOUNTED_PATH}
       EFS_PROJECT_SPECIFIC_DATA_DIRECTORY: ${EFS_PROJECT_SPECIFIC_DATA_DIRECTORY}
       EFS_GUARDIAN_TRACING: ${EFS_GUARDIAN_TRACING}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT}
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
+
   invitations:
     image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY:-itisfoundation}/invitations:${DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG:-latest}
     init: true
@@ -460,8 +462,8 @@ services:
       LOG_FORMAT_LOCAL_DEV_ENABLED: ${LOG_FORMAT_LOCAL_DEV_ENABLED}
       LOG_FILTER_MAPPING: ${LOG_FILTER_MAPPING}
       INVITATIONS_TRACING: ${INVITATIONS_TRACING}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT}
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
+
   payments:
     image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY:-itisfoundation}/payments:${DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG:-latest}
     init: true
@@ -505,8 +507,7 @@ services:
       SMTP_PROTOCOL: ${SMTP_PROTOCOL}
       SMTP_USERNAME: ${SMTP_USERNAME}
       PAYMENTS_TRACING: ${PAYMENTS_TRACING}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT}
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
 
   resource-usage-tracker:
     image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY:-itisfoundation}/resource-usage-tracker:${DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG:-latest}
@@ -542,9 +543,8 @@ services:
       RESOURCE_USAGE_TRACKER_MISSED_HEARTBEAT_COUNTER_FAIL: ${RESOURCE_USAGE_TRACKER_MISSED_HEARTBEAT_COUNTER_FAIL}
       RESOURCE_USAGE_TRACKER_S3: ${RESOURCE_USAGE_TRACKER_S3}
       RESOURCE_USAGE_TRACKER_TRACING: ${RESOURCE_USAGE_TRACKER_TRACING}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT}
       RESOURCE_USAGE_TRACKER_PORT: ${RESOURCE_USAGE_TRACKER_PORT}
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
 
   dynamic-schdlr:
     image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY:-itisfoundation}/dynamic-scheduler:${DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG:-latest}
@@ -594,8 +594,8 @@ services:
       REDIS_SECURE: ${REDIS_SECURE}
       REDIS_USER: ${REDIS_USER}
 
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT}
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
+
   docker-api-proxy:
     image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY:-itisfoundation}/docker-api-proxy:${DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG:-latest}
     init: true
@@ -819,10 +819,7 @@ services:
       STUDIES_DEFAULT_SERVICE_THUMBNAIL: ${STUDIES_DEFAULT_SERVICE_THUMBNAIL}
 
       WEBSERVER_TRACING: ${WEBSERVER_TRACING}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_BATCH_SIZE: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_BATCH_SIZE}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_SAMPLING_PERCENTAGE: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_SAMPLING_PERCENTAGE}
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
 
       # WEBSERVER_PROJECTS
       WEBSERVER_PROJECTS: ${WEBSERVER_PROJECTS}
@@ -1094,6 +1091,7 @@ services:
       WEBSERVER_STUDIES_DISPATCHER: ${WB_GC_STUDIES_DISPATCHER}
       WEBSERVER_TAGS: ${WB_GC_TAGS}
       WEBSERVER_TRACING: ${WB_GC_TRACING}
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
       WEBSERVER_USERS: ${WB_GC_USERS}
       WEBSERVER_WALLETS: ${WB_GC_WALLETS}
 
@@ -1155,7 +1153,7 @@ services:
       WEBSERVER_PUBLICATIONS: 0
       WEBSERVER_RABBITMQ: "null"
       WEBSERVER_REALTIME_COLLABORATION: "null"
-      WEBSERVER_REDIS: "null" # TODO: cache?
+      WEBSERVER_REDIS: "null"
       WEBSERVER_RESOURCE_USAGE_TRACKER: "null"
       WEBSERVER_SCICRUNCH: "null"
       WEBSERVER_SOCKETIO: 0
@@ -1163,7 +1161,11 @@ services:
       WEBSERVER_STORAGE: "null"
       WEBSERVER_STUDIES_DISPATCHER: "null"
       WEBSERVER_TAGS: 0
+      WEBSERVER_TRACING: ${WB_AUTH_TRACING}
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
       WEBSERVER_USERS: "null"
+    networks:
+      - default
 
   agent:
     image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY:-itisfoundation}/agent:${DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG:-latest}
@@ -1196,8 +1198,7 @@ services:
       RABBIT_SECURE: ${RABBIT_SECURE}
 
       AGENT_TRACING: ${AGENT_TRACING}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT}
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
 
   notifications:
     image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY:-itisfoundation}/notifications:${DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG:-latest}
@@ -1224,8 +1225,7 @@ services:
       RABBIT_SECURE: ${RABBIT_SECURE}
       RABBIT_USER: ${RABBIT_USER}
 
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT}
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
 
   dask-sidecar:
     image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY:-itisfoundation}/dask-sidecar:${DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG:-latest}
@@ -1282,8 +1282,7 @@ services:
       DATCORE_ADAPTER_LOG_FILTER_MAPPING: ${LOG_FILTER_MAPPING}
       DATCORE_ADAPTER_LOG_FORMAT_LOCAL_DEV_ENABLED: ${LOG_FORMAT_LOCAL_DEV_ENABLED}
       DATCORE_ADAPTER_TRACING: ${DATCORE_ADAPTER_TRACING}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT}
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
 
   storage:
     image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY:-itisfoundation}/storage:${DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG:-latest}
@@ -1320,8 +1319,7 @@ services:
       STORAGE_PROFILING: ${STORAGE_PROFILING}
       STORAGE_PORT: ${STORAGE_PORT}
       STORAGE_TRACING: ${STORAGE_TRACING}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_PORT}
-      TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT: ${TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT}
+      <<: *tracing_open_telemetry_environs
     networks: &storage_networks
       - default
       - interactive_services_subnet
diff --git a/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/application.py b/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/application.py
index 9c5b1bbfbd3..6fc915ec07a 100644
--- a/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/application.py
+++ b/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/application.py
@@ -195,6 +195,8 @@ def create_application() -> web.Application:
 def create_application_auth() -> web.Application:
     app = create_safe_application()
     setup_settings(app)
+    setup_app_tracing(app)  # WARNING: must be UPPERMOST middleware
+
     setup_rest(app)
     setup_db(app)
 
diff --git a/services/web/server/tests/unit/with_dbs/03/test_login_auth_app.py b/services/web/server/tests/unit/with_dbs/03/test_login_auth_app.py
index 9cebfe587d0..e0cf82a3e8e 100644
--- a/services/web/server/tests/unit/with_dbs/03/test_login_auth_app.py
+++ b/services/web/server/tests/unit/with_dbs/03/test_login_auth_app.py
@@ -44,6 +44,13 @@ def app_environment_for_wb_authz_service_dict(
         == "WEBSERVER_AUTHZ_APP_FACTORY"
     )
 
+    # expected tracing in the docker-environ BUT we will disable it for tests
+    assert "WEBSERVER_TRACING" in docker_compose_service_environment_dict
+    assert (
+        "TRACING_OPENTELEMETRY_COLLECTOR_ENDPOINT"
+        in docker_compose_service_environment_dict
+    )
+
     return {
         **docker_compose_service_environment_dict,
         # NOTE: TEST-stack uses different env-vars
@@ -55,7 +62,7 @@ def app_environment_for_wb_authz_service_dict(
         "POSTGRES_USER": postgres_cfg["user"],
         "POSTGRES_PASSWORD": postgres_cfg["password"],
         "HOSTNAME": docker_compose_service_hostname,
-        # TODO: add everything coming from Dockerfile?
+        "WEBSERVER_TRACING": "null",  # BUT we will disable it for tests
     }
 
 
@@ -83,6 +90,7 @@ def app_environment_for_wb_authz_service(
     assert settings.WEBSERVER_DB is not None
     assert settings.WEBSERVER_SESSION is not None
     assert settings.WEBSERVER_SECURITY is not None
+    assert settings.WEBSERVER_TRACING is None, "No tracing for tests"
 
     return mocked_envs