High-cardinality attributes create many distinct values; oversized spans increase memory, network, and storage pressure. Both can degrade search and metric usefulness.
Find risky data
- Raw URLs containing identifiers
- User, session, request, or transaction identifiers used as metric dimensions
- Unbounded exception text or request and response bodies
- Large event arrays or repeated attributes
- Dynamic service and operation names
Correct the issue
- Keep identifiers only when they are required for trace lookup and permitted by data policy.
- Replace raw URL paths with stable route templates.
- Use bounded attributes for grouping and metric dimensions.
- Truncate or omit large payload content and repeated events.
- Measure span size and distinct-value growth after the change.
Do not capture secrets, authentication headers, or personal data as span attributes. Sampling lowers volume but does not make an individual oversized or sensitive span safe.