Sustaining OpenTelemetry: Moving from Dependency Management to Stewardship

Modern software runs on open source. In fact, “free” and open source software generates more than $500 billion in annual value in the U.S. alone and an estimated $8.8 trillion in total global value. For most organizations, “dependency management” means tracking what you use, scanning for known vulnerabilities, and patching when you’re forced to. That work matters—but it mostly addresses what’s visible: direct dependencies, known CVEs, and near-term upgrades. However, the real risk lives below the surface.