[processor/k8sattributesprocessor] Improve Logging for Missing Pod Metadata in k8sattributesprocessor to Aid Debugging and Taxonomy Compliance

[zoelandeyro]

Component(s)

processor/k8sattributes

Describe the issue you're reporting

Currently, when the k8sattributesprocessor attempts to enrich resource attributes using Kubernetes pod metadata, it silently fails if the pod cannot be found based on the provided identifier. There is no explicit log message or indication when this lookup fails. As a result, operators and developers lack visibility into why certain spans, logs, or metrics are missing expected Kubernetes metadata (such as service.name and service.namespace). This makes it difficult to troubleshoot issues related to resource attribute enrichment, especially in environments where observability signals may originate from pods on different nodes for example.

The absence of clear logging for failed pod lookups leads to:

• Unexplained gaps in metadata enrichment.
• Increased time and effort required to diagnose and resolve issues.
• False alarms and inconsistent correlation across observability signals.

Explicitly logging when a pod cannot be found would provide critical information for debugging and maintaining compliance with software taxonomy conventions.

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[github-actions]

Pinging code owners:

• processor/k8sattributes: @dmitryax @fatsheep9146 @TylerHelmuth @ChrsMark @odubajDT

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[paulojmdias]

@zoelandeyro, Assigning it to you as you already have a PR opened for review.