Merge pull request #269232 from KennedyDenMSFT/US212420

Update FAQ & OpenTelemetry article re: Distro justification & advantages

Author: prmerger-automator[bot]

articles/azure-monitor/app/opentelemetry-enable.md

@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@ ms.reviewer: mmcc
 
 # Enable Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry for .NET, Node.js, Python, and Java applications
 
-This article describes how to enable and configure OpenTelemetry-based data collection to power the experiences within [Azure Monitor Application Insights](app-insights-overview.md#application-insights-overview). We walk through how to install the "Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Distro." The Distro [automatically collects](opentelemetry-add-modify.md#automatic-data-collection) traces, metrics, logs, and exceptions across your application and its dependencies. To learn more about collecting data using OpenTelemetry, see [Data Collection Basics](opentelemetry-overview.md) or [OpenTelemetry FAQ](#frequently-asked-questions).
+This article describes how to enable and configure OpenTelemetry-based data collection to power the experiences within [Azure Monitor Application Insights](app-insights-overview.md#application-insights-overview). We walk through how to install the *Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Distro*. The Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Distro provides an [OpenTelemetry distribution](https://opentelemetry.io/docs/concepts/distributions/#what-is-a-distribution) that includes support for features specific to Azure Monitor. The Distro enables [automatic](opentelemetry-add-modify.md#automatic-data-collection) telemetry by including OpenTelemetry instrumentation libraries for collecting traces, metrics, logs, and exceptions, and allows collecting [custom](opentelemetry-add-modify.md#collect-custom-telemetry) telemetry. You can also use the [Live Metrics](live-stream.md) feature included in the Distro to monitor and collect more telemetry from live, in-production web applications. For more information about the advantages of using the Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Distro, see [Why should I use the "Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Distro"?](#why-should-i-use-the-azure-monitor-opentelemetry-distro) in [OpenTelemetry FAQ](#frequently-asked-questions).
+ 
+To learn more about collecting data using OpenTelemetry, see [Data Collection Basics](opentelemetry-overview.md) or [OpenTelemetry FAQ](#frequently-asked-questions).
 
 ## OpenTelemetry Release Status
 

articles/azure-monitor/includes/azure-monitor-app-insights-opentelemetry-faqs.md

@@ -30,28 +30,36 @@ See [OpenTelemetry Status](https://opentelemetry.io/status/).
 
 ### What is the "Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Distro"?
 
-You can think of it as a thin wrapper that bundles together all the OpenTelemetry components for a first class experience on Azure. This is also called [Distribution](https://opentelemetry.io/docs/concepts/distributions/) in OpenTelemetry.
+You can think of it as a thin wrapper that bundles together all the OpenTelemetry components for a first class experience on Azure. This wrapper is also called a [distribution](https://opentelemetry.io/docs/concepts/distributions/) in OpenTelemetry.
 
 ### Why should I use the "Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Distro"?
 
 There are several advantages to using the Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Distro over native OpenTelemetry from the community:
 
 - Reduces enablement effort
 - Supported by Microsoft
-- Brings in Azure Specific features such as:
-   - Preserves traces with service components using Application Insights SDKs
+- Brings in Azure-specific features such as:
+   - Sampling compatible with classic Application Insights SDKs
    - [Microsoft Entra authentication](../app/azure-ad-authentication.md)
    - [Offline Storage and Automatic Retries](../app/opentelemetry-configuration.md#offline-storage-and-automatic-retries)
    - [Statsbeat](../app/statsbeat.md)
    - [Application Insights Standard Metrics](../app/standard-metrics.md)
-   - Detect resource metadata to autopopulate [Cloud Role Name](../app/app-map.md#understand-the-cloud-role-name-within-the-context-of-an-application-map) on Azure
-   - [Live Metrics](../app/live-stream.md) (future)
+   - Detect resource metadata to autopopulate [Cloud Role Name](../app/java-standalone-config.md#cloud-role-name) and [Cloud Role Instance](../app/java-standalone-config.md#cloud-role-instance) on various Azure environments
+   - [Live Metrics](../app/live-stream.md)
 
 In the spirit of OpenTelemetry, we designed the distro to be open and extensible. For example, you can add:
 
-- An OTLP exporter and send to a second destination simultaneously
+- An OpenTelemetry Protocol (OTLP) exporter and send to a second destination simultaneously
 - Other instrumentation libraries not included in the distro
 
+Because the Distro provides an [OpenTelemetry distribution](https://opentelemetry.io/docs/concepts/distributions/#what-is-a-distribution), the Distro supports anything supported by OpenTelemetry. For example, you can add more telemetry processors, exporters, or instrumentation libraries, if OpenTelemetry supports them.
+
+> [!NOTE]
+> The Distro sets the sampler to a custom, fixed-rate sampler for Application Insights. You can change this to a different sampler, but doing so might disable some of the Distro's included capabilities.
+> For more information about the supported sampler, see the [Enable Sampling](../app/opentelemetry-configuration.md#enable-sampling) section of [Configure Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry](../app/opentelemetry-configuration.md).
+
+For languages without a supported standalone OpenTelemetry exporter, the Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Distro is the only currently supported way to use OpenTelemetry with Azure Monitor. For languages with a supported standalone OpenTelemetry exporter, you have the option of using either the Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Distro or the appropriate standalone OpenTelemetry exporter depending on your telemetry scenario. For more information, see [When should I use the Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry exporter?](#when-should-i-use-the-azure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter).
+
 ### How can I test out the Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Distro?
 
 Check out our enablement docs for [.NET, Java, JavaScript (Node.js), and Python](../app/opentelemetry-enable.md).
@@ -64,9 +72,9 @@ Adopting OpenTelemetry now prevents having to migrate at a later date.
 
 ### When should I use the Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry exporter?
 
-For ASP.NET Core, Java, Node.js, and Python, we recommend using the OpenTelemetry distro. It's one line of code to get started.
+For ASP.NET Core, Java, Node.js, and Python, we recommend using the Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Distro. It's one line of code to get started.
 
-For all other .NET scenarios (like classic ASP.NET, Console apps etc.), we recommend using the .NET Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry exporter: `Azure.Monitor.OpenTelemetry.Exporter`.
+For all other .NET scenarios, including classic ASP.NET, console apps, etc., we recommend using the .NET Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry exporter: `Azure.Monitor.OpenTelemetry.Exporter`.
 
 For more complex Python telemetry scenarios that require advanced configuration, we recommend using the Python [Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Exporter](/python/api/overview/azure/monitor-opentelemetry-exporter-readme?view=azure-python-preview&preserve-view=true).