Setting up an effective monitoring system requires finding a balance between too much and too little information, akin to a "Goldilocks Zone," to avoid becoming overwhelmed by noise, especially as systems grow in complexity. To achieve this, it's crucial to take inventory of all alert and metric sources, ensure they align with desired behaviors, and configure alerts based on actual needs rather than potential causes. Regularly updating this inventory helps maintain clarity and transparency within teams, while the effectiveness of alerts should be evaluated post-incident to determine their utility and accuracy. It is important to ask key questions about each alert's necessity and performance, and to make adjustments or removals as needed to maintain a lean and reliable monitoring setup that only notifies when necessary.