Cloud Monitoring – A Simple Guide in 5 Points

Introduction

With several companies opting for cloud based applications to help them with their services, processes and procedures, cloud monitoring is fast gaining prominence in the software world. 

1. What is Cloud Monitoring
2. Benefits
3. Tools
4. Services
5. Security

1) What is Cloud Monitoring

So what is cloud monitoring? It is a process of reviewing, observing, evaluation, monitoring the managerial operational workflow of cloud based applications, services and infrastructure. There are several manual and automated cloud monitoring techniques to measure the availability and performance of servers, websites, applications and other cloud based infrastructure. 

2) Benefits 

Cloud monitoring is a skill and not a full-time job. Cloud based architectures are implemented by developers, solution architects and staff dealing in operations that define a complete cloud monitoring strategy. These strategies need to focus on when service levels are not being met and reduce the negative impacts on user experiences. So what are the benefits of cloud monitoring? 

• It works in the organization of any size and helps in seamless scaling for increased activity.
• Tools and hardware are maintained by the host.
• Tools used are compatible with all kinds of devices like desktop computers, phones, tablets so that they can be monitored from any location.
• With simple infrastructure and configurations, installation is very simple.
• Systems do not suffer interruptions when there are local problems as resources are not part of the organization’s servers and workstations

3) Tools 

With numerous moving counterparts, the cloud has several aspects to safeguard for top performance and come together seamlessly. This necessitates a different kind of techniques and tools to customise them for the desired outcome by the user. A few best cloud monitoring tools are:

• Database monitoring

This tools reviews the queries, processes, availability and consumption of cloud database resources. It can be used to track queries, monitoring connections and data integrity to show real-time usage.  It can track access requests for security reasons.

• Website monitoring

A website is nothing but a set of files stored in a common place from where it is sent to other networks or computers. This tool helps to track traffic, availability, processes and utilization of resources on sites that are hosted via cloud.

• Virtual Network Monitoring

This tool creates software version of network technology like routers, load balancers and firewalls. Designed with software they serve as integrated tools to give wealth of data in terms of operation. The network adjusts itself to overload issues and optimizes data rather than having to swap hardware.

• Cloud Storage Monitoring

This tool helps to track multiple analytics along with monitoring storage resources and processed linked to virtual machines, databases, application and services. It is often used to host infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) and software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions. One can track processes, databases, available storage, performance metrics and users with this tool that helps to fix bugs that disrupt functionality.

• Virtual Machine Monitoring

This tool is a simulation of a computer within one- basically virtual infrastructure and virtual machines. Scaled in IaaS it hosts several virtual desktops. It can track users, the status of each machine and traffic. It offers the benefits of traditional IT infrastructure monitoring along with cloud monitoring solutions.

4) Services 

There are many types of cloud monitoring services. It is not just about monitoring services on host networks or servers. A lot of companies put a lot of effort to monitor cloud-based services. A few common services are:

• SaaS- these monitor Office 365, Salesforce etc
• PaaS- these monitor developer services like caching, SQL Databases, storage
• IaaS- these monitor servers like Azure, AWS, Digital Ocean hosted by cloud providers
• FaaS- these monitor new applications without servers like Azure Functions, AWS Lambda.

Although most of these applications can be monitored with traditional tools, cloud monitoring has unique requirements that offer additional services.

5) Security

There are several approaches to security monitoring in cloud computing. Some key aspects of cloud security monitoring include:

• Visibility– it brings more visibility into the application, file behaviour, user and identifies potential arracks or compromises.
• Scalability– it helps to monitor large volumes of data across various locations
• Timeliness– with its constant monitoring it helps new or modified files to be scanned real-time.
• Integration– it helps to integrate tools with a wider range of providers of cloud storage to help full monitoring of cloud usage by an organization.
• Auditing and Reporting– it helps to provide auditing and reporting capabilities to manage any compliance requirements for cloud security.

Conclusion

Cloud monitoring is an integral part of cloud security and management processed. Normally implemented through automated software it helps access and control cloud infrastructure.

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