Compare Container Insights approaches
Two Container Insights approaches are available for Amazon EKS clusters, each with different
capabilities, deployment models, and support levels. Both use the same
amazon-cloudwatch-observability Amazon EKS add-on — the difference is the add-on
version and configuration.
Use this page to understand the differences between the two approaches and determine which one is right for your environment. For detailed setup instructions, see OTel Container Insights (Recommended) or Enhanced Container Insights (Classic).
Feature comparison
The following table compares the two Container Insights approaches across key attributes.
| Attribute | OTel Container Insights | Enhanced Container Insights (Classic) |
|---|---|---|
| Supported signals | Metrics, logs | Metrics, logs |
| Enhanced Observability | Yes | Yes |
| Maintenance status | Active development | Maintenance mode |
| Deployment complexity | Low | Low |
| Setup method | Amazon EKS add-on (OTel-based) | Amazon EKS add-on (managed) |
| Minimum Amazon EKS version | 1.28 | 1.25 |
| Minimum add-on version | v6.2.0 | Prior to v6.2.0 |
| Configuration model | Add-on configuration | Add-on configuration |
| Metric format | Prometheus/PromQL-native | CloudWatch-format (EMF) |
Capabilities and limitations
Each approach has specific strengths and constraints. Review the following sections to understand what each approach provides and where it has limitations.
OTel Container Insights (Recommended)
OTel Container Insights provides the following capabilities:
-
Full-signal observability through a single OpenTelemetry-based agent
-
Active development with new features delivered regularly
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Simplified deployment as a managed Amazon EKS add-on
-
PromQL-queryable metrics with up to 150 labels per metric
OTel Container Insights has the following limitations:
-
Requires Amazon EKS 1.28 or later
-
Requires add-on version v6.2.0 or later
-
Newer offering with a smaller ecosystem of community examples
For setup instructions, see Quick start: OTel Container Insights on Amazon EKS.
Enhanced Container Insights (Classic)
Enhanced Container Insights (Classic) provides the following capabilities:
-
Managed Amazon EKS add-on with automated lifecycle management
-
Supports Enhanced Observability
Enhanced Container Insights (Classic) has the following limitations:
-
In maintenance mode — receives security patches only
-
Limited configuration flexibility
-
Metrics use proprietary CloudWatch-format names, not compatible with standard PromQL dashboards
For setup instructions, see Setup guide (AWS CLI).
Decision guide
Use the following table to determine which approach is right for your situation.
| Selection criteria | Recommended approach | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| New Amazon EKS deployment | OTel Container Insights | Actively developed, full signal coverage, lowest complexity |
| Need full Enhanced Observability | OTel Container Insights | Only actively developed option |
| Already running Classic in production | Classic (short-term), OTel (migration target) | Continue for stability, then plan migration |
| Prefer managed add-on with minimal overhead | OTel Container Insights | Low configuration burden |
| Need PromQL-compatible metrics | OTel Container Insights | Preserves original Prometheus metric names |
If you are currently running Enhanced Container Insights (Classic) and want to migrate, see Migration guides for step-by-step instructions.
Prerequisites summary
The following table lists the prerequisites for each approach.
| Prerequisite | OTel Container Insights | Enhanced Container Insights (Classic) |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Amazon EKS version | 1.28 | 1.25 |
| Minimum add-on version | v6.2.0 | Prior to v6.2.0 |
| IAM permissions | CloudWatchAgentServerPolicy | CloudWatchAgentServerPolicy |
| Required tools | kubectl, AWS CLI | kubectl, AWS CLI |
| OIDC provider required | Yes (for IRSA) | Yes (for IRSA) |
Next steps
After you choose an approach, use the following links to get started:
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Quick start: OTel Container Insights on Amazon EKS — Set up OTel Container Insights with the fastest path.
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Setup guide (AWS CLI) — Set up Enhanced Container Insights (Classic).
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Migration guides — Migrate from Classic to OTel Container Insights.