Enable the Combined Mode for .NET Agent

Note: This feature is in beta phase and subject to Splunk AppDynamics Limited License Agreement.
You can configure the combined mode for .NET Agent (Splunk-only mode and Dual-signal mode). The combined mode is not supported in:
  • NuGet-based distributions and Azure AppService Extensions
  • Applications built on .NET 10
  • Self-contained applications

Enable Dual-signal mode

Ensure your .NET application is running on a supported runtime that is mutually compatible with both AppDynamics and OpenTelemetry (OTEL) profilers.

When the Java Agent runs in Dual Signal mode, the agent automatically adds the following attributes to spans which correspond to Business Transaction start. In most cases, these attributes will be root spans for traces:

  • appd.app.name
  • appd.bt.name
  • appd.request.guid
  • appd.tier.name (this attribute can also appear in the middle of a trace whenever the tier changes)

Also, when possible, Splunk AppDynamics snapshots captured in Dual Signal mode will provide the corresponding TraceId under the Data Collectors tab.

Enable Splunk-only mode

To enable this mode, set the following environment variables before starting your application:
  • AGENT_DEPLOYMENT_MODE=otel
  • DOTNET_ADDITIONAL_DEPS=<install_dir>/otel/AdditionalDeps
  • DOTNET_SHARED_STORE=<install_dir>/otel/store
  • DOTNET_STARTUP_HOOKS=<install_dir>/otel/net/OpenTelemetry.AutoInstrumentation.StartupHook.dll

Configure .Net OpenTelemetry Agent

After providing the required environment variables, you must also provide configuration for the OTEL component to successfully report data. At a minimum, you must define:
  • Service Identification: A unique name to identify your service in the observability platform.
  • Telemetry Export Destination: The endpoint (the Splunk Distribution of the OpenTelemetry Collector) where the agent should send telemetry data