diff --git a/hack/.golint_failures b/hack/.golint_failures
index c7fcee78f1..c206feac73 100644
--- a/hack/.golint_failures
+++ b/hack/.golint_failures
@@ -583,7 +583,6 @@ staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/value
 staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/feature
 staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/flag
 staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/proxy
-staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace
 staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/webhook
 staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/wsstream
 staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/plugin/pkg/audit/log
diff --git a/pkg/scheduler/core/BUILD b/pkg/scheduler/core/BUILD
index a2ef61a73e..64b582126b 100644
--- a/pkg/scheduler/core/BUILD
+++ b/pkg/scheduler/core/BUILD
@@ -27,11 +27,11 @@ go_library(
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/errors:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/net:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets:go_default_library",
-        "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/listers/core/v1:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/rest:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue:go_default_library",
         "//vendor/k8s.io/klog:go_default_library",
+        "//vendor/k8s.io/utils/trace:go_default_library",
     ],
 )
 
diff --git a/pkg/scheduler/core/generic_scheduler.go b/pkg/scheduler/core/generic_scheduler.go
index f2086c7fac..59a4d40179 100644
--- a/pkg/scheduler/core/generic_scheduler.go
+++ b/pkg/scheduler/core/generic_scheduler.go
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ import (
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/labels"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/errors"
-	utiltrace "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace"
 	corelisters "k8s.io/client-go/listers/core/v1"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/scheduler/algorithm"
@@ -47,6 +46,7 @@ import (
 	pluginsv1alpha1 "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/scheduler/plugins/v1alpha1"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/scheduler/util"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/scheduler/volumebinder"
+	utiltrace "k8s.io/utils/trace"
 )
 
 const (
diff --git a/pkg/util/iptables/BUILD b/pkg/util/iptables/BUILD
index 9b289951f5..6e62709b6d 100644
--- a/pkg/util/iptables/BUILD
+++ b/pkg/util/iptables/BUILD
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ go_library(
         "//pkg/util/dbus:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/version:go_default_library",
-        "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace:go_default_library",
         "//vendor/github.com/godbus/dbus:go_default_library",
         "//vendor/k8s.io/klog:go_default_library",
         "//vendor/k8s.io/utils/exec:go_default_library",
+        "//vendor/k8s.io/utils/trace:go_default_library",
     ] + select({
         "@io_bazel_rules_go//go/platform:linux": [
             "//staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/errors:go_default_library",
diff --git a/pkg/util/iptables/iptables.go b/pkg/util/iptables/iptables.go
index c9f3d9860d..976f6d780d 100644
--- a/pkg/util/iptables/iptables.go
+++ b/pkg/util/iptables/iptables.go
@@ -28,10 +28,10 @@ import (
 	godbus "github.com/godbus/dbus"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
 	utilversion "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/version"
-	utiltrace "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace"
 	"k8s.io/klog"
 	utildbus "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/dbus"
 	utilexec "k8s.io/utils/exec"
+	utiltrace "k8s.io/utils/trace"
 )
 
 type RulePosition string
diff --git a/staging/src/BUILD b/staging/src/BUILD
index 0de07354dd..8aba52e5c3 100644
--- a/staging/src/BUILD
+++ b/staging/src/BUILD
@@ -104,7 +104,6 @@ filegroup(
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/globalflag:all-srcs",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/openapi:all-srcs",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/proxy:all-srcs",
-        "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace:all-srcs",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/webhook:all-srcs",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/wsstream:all-srcs",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/plugin/pkg/audit:all-srcs",
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/BUILD b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/BUILD
index 734fc9004b..009a8d4b2e 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/BUILD
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/BUILD
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ go_test(
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/example/v1:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/request:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/registry/rest:go_default_library",
-        "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace:go_default_library",
         "//vendor/github.com/evanphx/json-patch:go_default_library",
+        "//vendor/k8s.io/utils/trace:go_default_library",
     ],
 )
 
@@ -82,12 +82,12 @@ go_library(
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/httplog:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/dryrun:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/feature:go_default_library",
-        "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/wsstream:go_default_library",
         "//vendor/github.com/evanphx/json-patch:go_default_library",
         "//vendor/golang.org/x/net/websocket:go_default_library",
         "//vendor/k8s.io/klog:go_default_library",
         "//vendor/k8s.io/kube-openapi/pkg/util/proto:go_default_library",
+        "//vendor/k8s.io/utils/trace:go_default_library",
     ],
 )
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/create.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/create.go
index 7774f849e1..4cb722664d 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/create.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/create.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/registry/rest"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/dryrun"
 	utilfeature "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/feature"
-	utiltrace "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace"
+	utiltrace "k8s.io/utils/trace"
 )
 
 func createHandler(r rest.NamedCreater, scope RequestScope, admit admission.Interface, includeName bool) http.HandlerFunc {
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/delete.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/delete.go
index e38e1c2972..1353ed8250 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/delete.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/delete.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/registry/rest"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/dryrun"
 	utilfeature "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/feature"
-	utiltrace "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace"
+	utiltrace "k8s.io/utils/trace"
 )
 
 // DeleteResource returns a function that will handle a resource deletion
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/get.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/get.go
index 1c0950b8d1..cfa8a6872b 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/get.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/get.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/metrics"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/request"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/registry/rest"
-	utiltrace "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace"
+	utiltrace "k8s.io/utils/trace"
 )
 
 // getterFunc performs a get request with the given context and object name. The request
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/patch.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/patch.go
index 8ca8b47f85..384c276685 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/patch.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/patch.go
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/registry/rest"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/dryrun"
 	utilfeature "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/feature"
-	utiltrace "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace"
+	utiltrace "k8s.io/utils/trace"
 )
 
 // PatchResource returns a function that will handle a resource patch.
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/rest.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/rest.go
index 5d7abf229c..43b0919452 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/rest.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/rest.go
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/metrics"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/request"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/registry/rest"
-	utiltrace "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace"
 	openapiproto "k8s.io/kube-openapi/pkg/util/proto"
+	utiltrace "k8s.io/utils/trace"
 )
 
 // RequestScope encapsulates common fields across all RESTful handler methods.
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/rest_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/rest_test.go
index 4938e94c30..d410bc461f 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/rest_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/rest_test.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ import (
 	examplev1 "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/example/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/request"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/registry/rest"
-	utiltrace "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace"
+	utiltrace "k8s.io/utils/trace"
 )
 
 var (
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/update.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/update.go
index ad2fc6ef19..9080b9b42b 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/update.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/handlers/update.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/registry/rest"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/dryrun"
 	utilfeature "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/feature"
-	utiltrace "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace"
+	utiltrace "k8s.io/utils/trace"
 )
 
 // UpdateResource returns a function that will handle a resource update
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/BUILD b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/BUILD
index af3a14a8fb..cdffbdf0b1 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/BUILD
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/BUILD
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ go_library(
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/features:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/feature:go_default_library",
-        "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache:go_default_library",
         "//vendor/k8s.io/klog:go_default_library",
+        "//vendor/k8s.io/utils/trace:go_default_library",
     ],
 )
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/cacher.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/cacher.go
index e3515148c3..34cf190175 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/cacher.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/cacher.go
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/features"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage"
 	utilfeature "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/feature"
-	utiltrace "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache"
+	utiltrace "k8s.io/utils/trace"
 )
 
 // Config contains the configuration for a given Cache.
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/watch_cache.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/watch_cache.go
index 527b81dda2..c3ac70a666 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/watch_cache.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/watch_cache.go
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/clock"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/watch"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage"
-	utiltrace "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache"
+	utiltrace "k8s.io/utils/trace"
 )
 
 const (
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd3/BUILD b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd3/BUILD
index 9ca061e8ca..2d064bac40 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd3/BUILD
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd3/BUILD
@@ -63,11 +63,11 @@ go_library(
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd:go_default_library",
         "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/value:go_default_library",
-        "//staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace:go_default_library",
         "//vendor/github.com/coreos/etcd/clientv3:go_default_library",
         "//vendor/github.com/coreos/etcd/etcdserver/api/v3rpc/rpctypes:go_default_library",
         "//vendor/github.com/coreos/etcd/mvcc/mvccpb:go_default_library",
         "//vendor/k8s.io/klog:go_default_library",
+        "//vendor/k8s.io/utils/trace:go_default_library",
     ],
 )
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd3/store.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd3/store.go
index 129b593f53..2413a6674a 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd3/store.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd3/store.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/etcd"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/value"
-	utiltrace "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace"
+	utiltrace "k8s.io/utils/trace"
 )
 
 // authenticatedDataString satisfies the value.Context interface. It uses the key to
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace/BUILD b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace/BUILD
deleted file mode 100644
index 4e93ff5b49..0000000000
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace/BUILD
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,27 +0,0 @@
-package(default_visibility = ["//visibility:public"])
-
-load(
-    "@io_bazel_rules_go//go:def.bzl",
-    "go_library",
-)
-
-go_library(
-    name = "go_default_library",
-    srcs = ["trace.go"],
-    importmap = "k8s.io/kubernetes/vendor/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace",
-    importpath = "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace",
-    deps = ["//vendor/k8s.io/klog:go_default_library"],
-)
-
-filegroup(
-    name = "package-srcs",
-    srcs = glob(["**"]),
-    tags = ["automanaged"],
-    visibility = ["//visibility:private"],
-)
-
-filegroup(
-    name = "all-srcs",
-    srcs = [":package-srcs"],
-    tags = ["automanaged"],
-)
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace/trace.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace/trace.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 9049a17d0d..0000000000
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/trace/trace.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,89 +0,0 @@
-/*
-Copyright 2015 The Kubernetes Authors.
-
-Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-You may obtain a copy of the License at
-
-    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-
-Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-limitations under the License.
-*/
-
-package trace
-
-import (
-	"bytes"
-	"fmt"
-	"math/rand"
-	"time"
-
-	"k8s.io/klog"
-)
-
-type traceStep struct {
-	stepTime time.Time
-	msg      string
-}
-
-type Trace struct {
-	name      string
-	startTime time.Time
-	steps     []traceStep
-}
-
-func New(name string) *Trace {
-	return &Trace{name, time.Now(), nil}
-}
-
-func (t *Trace) Step(msg string) {
-	if t.steps == nil {
-		// traces almost always have less than 6 steps, do this to avoid more than a single allocation
-		t.steps = make([]traceStep, 0, 6)
-	}
-	t.steps = append(t.steps, traceStep{time.Now(), msg})
-}
-
-func (t *Trace) Log() {
-	// an explicit logging request should dump all the steps out at the higher level
-	t.logWithStepThreshold(0)
-}
-
-func (t *Trace) logWithStepThreshold(stepThreshold time.Duration) {
-	var buffer bytes.Buffer
-	tracenum := rand.Int31()
-	endTime := time.Now()
-
-	totalTime := endTime.Sub(t.startTime)
-	buffer.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("Trace[%d]: %q (started: %v) (total time: %v):\n", tracenum, t.name, t.startTime, totalTime))
-	lastStepTime := t.startTime
-	for _, step := range t.steps {
-		stepDuration := step.stepTime.Sub(lastStepTime)
-		if stepThreshold == 0 || stepDuration > stepThreshold || klog.V(4) {
-			buffer.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("Trace[%d]: [%v] [%v] %v\n", tracenum, step.stepTime.Sub(t.startTime), stepDuration, step.msg))
-		}
-		lastStepTime = step.stepTime
-	}
-	stepDuration := endTime.Sub(lastStepTime)
-	if stepThreshold == 0 || stepDuration > stepThreshold || klog.V(4) {
-		buffer.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("Trace[%d]: [%v] [%v] END\n", tracenum, endTime.Sub(t.startTime), stepDuration))
-	}
-
-	klog.Info(buffer.String())
-}
-
-func (t *Trace) LogIfLong(threshold time.Duration) {
-	if time.Since(t.startTime) >= threshold {
-		// if any step took more than it's share of the total allowed time, it deserves a higher log level
-		stepThreshold := threshold / time.Duration(len(t.steps)+1)
-		t.logWithStepThreshold(stepThreshold)
-	}
-}
-
-func (t *Trace) TotalTime() time.Duration {
-	return time.Since(t.startTime)
-}