The Cloud Monitoring Journey

Cloud monitoring is a multi-phase journey that companies undertake as they adopt cloud technologies to ensure quality of service and cost efficiency. Starting with the "Firefighter" phase, where no monitoring exists and actions are purely reactive, companies progress through stages of increasing sophistication: "Receptionist," focusing on external black-box monitoring; "Gardener," which emphasizes resource allocation like CPU and memory; "Doctor," where internal application metrics are collected for performance tuning; and "Engineer," where custom metrics are integrated into in-house applications for comprehensive oversight. The final phase, "Strategist," involves using these insights for organizational-wide benefits, including cost optimization and service level agreements, engaging departments beyond IT such as finance and legal. This progression underscores the importance of a well-structured monitoring strategy to enhance efficiency and support business objectives.