Create Unified Metrics Doc for NGINX OSS and Plus

[travisamartin]

Goal

Create a single, authoritative document that clearly explains which metrics are available in NGINX OSS (NOSS) and which are exclusive to NGINX Plus (N+). This doc should help customers understand the full observability benefits of NGINX Plus and reduce confusion about what’s included in each edition.

Background / Why Now

There is currently no standalone documentation that compares the observability and monitoring features of OSS and Plus. Customers often want a clearer understanding of the additional value they receive with a Plus subscription.

This project is a proof of concept (POC): historically, NGINX OSS and NGINX Plus documentation has been kept conceptually distinct, reflecting separate audiences and use cases. This effort explores whether a unified approach can tell a more complete story while demonstrating the value of NGINX Plus.

This doc should support a range of users—from those actively configuring monitoring in production environments, to those evaluating product capabilities and trying to understand how observability features improve operational confidence, visibility, and workflow design.

User Stories

• As an NGINX OSS user, I want to know what observability metrics are available to me, so I can evaluate whether I need to upgrade to NGINX Plus.
• As an NGINX Plus customer, I want to see all the additional metrics I get with my subscription, so I understand the value I’m receiving.
• As a product lead for internal tooling, I want to clearly compare OSS and Plus observability features, so I can evaluate the product and explain the benefits of upgrading to others.
• As a solutions engineer or customer success manager, I want to point customers to a single source that explains OSS vs. Plus observability differences, so I don’t have to explain it manually each time or write my own gap documentation.
• As someone configuring observability for production environments, I want a single resource that includes setup instructions and metric definitions for both OSS and Plus, so I can avoid context switching between multiple doc sets.

Sub-Tasks

Planning and Research

• Identify content goals and success criteria based on user stories
• Inventory existing NGINX documentation covering OSS and Plus observability features
• Identify and validate authoritative sources for metrics and setup guidance across OSS and Plus
• Review third-party content (e.g., DataDog, blog posts, forum threads) to identify coverage gaps, SEO opportunities, and framing techniques
• Create low-fidelity IA prototypes in Figma to explore different structures (e.g., single page, task-based sections, use-case driven navigation)
• Draft a high-level structure for the unified doc (e.g., headings, layout, comparison model)
• Recommend a format for showing feature differences (e.g., table vs. inline annotations)
• Document risks and guardrails for combining OSS and Plus content (e.g., value dilution, user confusion, maintenance complexity)
• Define story-level tasks for content creation and review

Content Development

• Draft unified observability document based on approved structure
• Write introduction that frames purpose, audience, and scope
• Document OSS observability metrics and setup guidance
• Document NGINX Plus observability metrics and setup guidance, clearly distinguishing added value
• Create or integrate a visual comparison of features (e.g., table or summary)
• Review for clarity, flow, and relevance across multiple user types
• Incorporate stakeholder feedback

Review and Publication

• Share draft with stakeholders for review and input
• Revise based on reviewer feedback
• Publish finalized document to the appropriate location in the official docs site
• Notify internal teams (e.g., Support, CSM) of publication
• Track performance and user feedback post-publication

Success Criteria

• A unified doc is published that clearly distinguishes between OSS and Plus observability features
• OSS users can identify available metrics and configuration steps without confusion
• NGINX Plus users can easily see what added value they’re getting
• The doc reduces the need for CSMs and support engineers to manually explain OSS vs. Plus differences
• The published doc is discoverable, referenced by internal teams, and shows engagement patterns consistent with effective task completion (for example, low bounce rate, meaningful time on page, internal adoption)