Definition
Monitoring is the continuous observation and measurement of system performance, security, and operational status. It involves collecting data from various sources like logs, metrics, and traces to understand how applications and infrastructure are behaving. This practice allows IT professionals to proactively identify and address potential issues before they impact users or business operations. By analyzing real-time data, teams can detect anomalies, troubleshoot problems, and optimize resource utilization. For instance, monitoring server CPU usage can alert administrators to an impending performance bottleneck. It is distinct from simple logging, which primarily records events, as monitoring focuses on analyzing these events to derive actionable insights. You will encounter monitoring concepts extensively in cloud certifications like AWS and security certifications such as CCSP.