Native cloud monitoring tools or observability tools?

Native cloud monitoring tools or observability tools?

February 10, 2024Posted inCloud Computing, Observability, SRE
Native cloud monitoring tools like AWS CloudWatch offer ease of use and basic free services, yet may lack comprehensive observability, especially in multi-cloud or custom application scenarios, often requiring additional costs. Third-party observability tools provide deeper insights and customization but come with higher costs, longer procurement, and maintenance demands. Choosing between native and third-party tools depends on project requirements, monitoring depth, and budget, without a one-size-fits-all solution for systemic health and performance management.
DBS takes accountability of its IT resilience

DBS takes accountability of its IT resilience

February 9, 2024Posted inSRE
Mr. Gupta, CEO of DBS Bank, acknowledged the bank's recent technological failings and its $25 million expenditure toward a $80 million goal for tech improvements. Following service outages that disrupted customer transactions, the bank faced regulatory sanctions, including a ban on non-essential IT changes and higher capital requirements. Senior executives took pay cuts, including a 30% salary reduction for Gupta, as a part of accountability measures. The events underscore the need for robust site reliability practices in Singapore's advanced digital payment landscape.
getting started with observability

Getting started with observability

February 8, 2024Posted inCloud Computing, Observability, Tutorials
This tutorial explains monitoring cloud infrastructure using eG Innovations' SaaS, detailing steps from signing up for a trial to monitoring AWS cloud instances. The process, utilizing a remote agent, covers discovering cloud resources, installing agents for converged monitoring (Metrics, Events, Logs, Traces), and receiving alerts for anomalies. Observability without writing scripts through Metrics-Events-Logs-Traces (MELT) is emphasized, with the promise to later discuss different monitoring methods.
5-steps-to-monitor-Amazon-LightSail-VM-with-AWS-CloudWatch

5 Steps to Monitor Lightsail VM using Amazon Cloud Watch

February 5, 2024Posted inCloud Computing, Observability
Amazon Cloud Watch and Azure Monitor are native cloud monitoring tools that can be bundled with cloud subscriptions, sparking debate over their sufficiency for full observability and SRE MELT goals. The post details a five-step process for monitoring AWS Lightsail VMs using Amazon Cloud Watch, covering installation and configuration of the AWS CLI and CloudWatch agent. This process is vital as Lightsail VMs do not natively include AWS CloudWatch agents. Additional metrics, such as memory and network consumption, can also be monitored, though troubleshooting may be necessary for some metrics to appear.
What is MELT? Why is it Essential for Observability?

What is MELT? Why is it Essential for Observability?

February 4, 2024Posted inObservability, SRE
MELT, an acronym for Metrics, Events, Logs, and Traces, is a framework essential in SRE for comprehensive system performance monitoring. It facilitates observability by providing data on system health, recording events, offering detailed logs, and tracing complex transactions. Through MELT, businesses can proactively manage their systems and enhance user experiences.