We tested them in a real-world cloud stack to uncover which tool deserves a place in your monitoring arsenal (and why most teams need both).

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OpenTelemetry Logs: A Complete Guide

Here are 8 reasons why monitoring your application is important in today's zero down-time world, along with some tried-and-tested best practices: 

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Learn how the OpenTelemetry Collector can help software development engineers tackle telemetric overload and simplify observability.

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<p>Imagine your store being flooded with thousands of calls and customer walk-ins. Would you and your team be overwhelmed and want to take a pause?</p>



<p>Your website goes through something similar when Black Friday sales season kicks in. On the busiest shopping day of the year in the 2022 holiday season, there was a <a href="https://queue-it.com/blog/2022-online-holiday-shopping-statistics/">47% surge in</a> website traffic compared to the average daily traffic during that season. </p>



<p>Specifically, Black Friday witnessed three times the usual traffic seen on a standard day in October 2022.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Black-Friday--1024x576.jpeg" alt="Black Friday Sales" class="wp-image-6397" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Black-Friday--1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Black-Friday--300x169.jpeg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Black-Friday--768x432.jpeg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Black-Friday--1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Black-Friday--1200x675.jpeg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Black-Friday-.jpeg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Image Credits: <a href="https://queue-it.com/blog/2022-online-holiday-shopping-statistics/">Queue-it</a></figcaption></figure>



<p>Navigating the digital rush of Black Friday requires a robust website. A seamless experience can lead to record-breaking sales, while downtime risks revenue and customer trust. </p>



<p>This guide outlines key strategies to ensure your website remains resilient during the shopping frenzy.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-establish-proper-observability-practices-for-peak-loads">Establish Proper Observability Practices For Peak Loads</h2>



<p>To keep your website strong during the Black Friday rush, it&#8217;s crucial to watch its performance closely. For this, you need to start planning well in advance.</p>



<p>For this, the first step is to anticipate the spike in traffic during these mega-events. Observability practices are the first step to establishing a roadmap for peak loads.</p>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/">Observability</a> is the process of gaining deep insights into how your website operates, both under normal circumstances and during periods of heightened demand. This includes monitoring crucial metrics such as server response times, error rates, and overall system health.</p>



<p>Moreover, it includes monitoring and alerting for potential risks and implementing processes to mitigate any detected risks.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Observability.jpeg" alt="Observability" class="wp-image-6398" width="610" height="270" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Observability.jpeg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Observability-300x133.jpeg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Observability-768x341.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px" /></figure>



<p>By peering into the heart of your system, you can identify potential bottlenecks and weak points that may otherwise go unnoticed.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Establish Synthetic Monitoring To Understand the Effect On Users</h2>



<p>Once you have observability practices in place, you will need to focus on the monitoring aspect of it. </p>



<p>To ensure a seamless and satisfying experience for users navigating your website during peak loads, it&#8217;s imperative to go beyond conventional monitoring and embrace synthetic monitoring.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>What is Synthetic Monitoring?</strong></h3>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/how-to-use-synthetic-monitoring/">Synthetic monitoring</a> is a proactive approach that involves simulating user interactions with your website through automated scripts. These scripts replicate common user journeys, allowing you to proactively assess your website&#8217;s performance from a user&#8217;s perspective.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="651" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Synthetic-Monitoring-.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-6399" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Synthetic-Monitoring-.jpeg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Synthetic-Monitoring--300x191.jpeg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Synthetic-Monitoring--768x488.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>Implementing Synthetic Monitoring helps:</p>



<ul><li>Identify users’ key paths on your website, including product searches, adding items to the cart, and completing transactions.</li><li>Select metrics that align with user experience, such as page load times, transaction completion rates, and server response times.</li><li>Establish a Monitoring Schedule and tests to be well-prepared for an anticipated surge in traffic, especially leading up to Black Friday and other holidays.</li></ul>



<p>Unlike traditional monitoring methods that rely on real user data, synthetic monitoring provides a controlled environment to understand how your website behaves under various conditions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Proactively Monitor Sites with Test Loads Prior to Black Friday</h2>



<p>One of the key steps in synthetic monitoring is stress testing. Stress testing involves intentionally subjecting your website to simulated loads that surpass normal operating conditions. </p>



<p>The goal is to identify the breaking points and weaknesses in your system before they become critical issues during peak traffic periods.</p>



<p>To derive maximum benefit and address identified issues, it&#8217;s crucial to conduct stress tests well in advance of Black Friday. This allows your team sufficient time to analyze results, implement optimizations, and retest the system to ensure the desired improvements have been achieved.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="536" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/website-performance-monitoring-tools.jpeg" alt="Website Monitoring tools for Black Friday" class="wp-image-6400" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/website-performance-monitoring-tools.jpeg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/website-performance-monitoring-tools-300x157.jpeg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/website-performance-monitoring-tools-768x402.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>For this, you may use<a href="https://middleware.io/blog/website-monitoring-tools/"> website performance monitoring tools</a> to assist you in tracking and optimizing your website’s performance. </p>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/">Middleware</a> is an end-to-end AI-powered observability platform that you can consider.</p>



<p>It specializes in complex, multi-tiered applications and can even help you perform tests on your website to track the performance of web pages and APIs for different metrics.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Taking Inventory of Performance Culprits</h2>



<p>Once you have synthetic monitoring tools and practices in place, you will get a detailed report on the culprits that can damage your website&#8217;s performance. </p>



<p>Take inventory of performance culprits on your website, especially in preparation for high-traffic events like Black Friday.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Common Culprits that can Slow Down your Website</h3>



<ul><li><strong>Heavy Image Sizes and Animations:</strong> Oversized images can significantly slow down page load times. According to Google, images should be optimized and properly formatted, which can save up to<a href="https://web.dev/explore/fast#optimize-your-images"> 50% in file size</a> without compromising quality.</li><li><strong>JavaScript and CSS Files:</strong> Uncompressed JavaScript and CSS files can lead to increased load times. Tools like Fast Velocity Minify can reduce HTTP requests by merging and minifying these files, potentially improving load times by<a href="https://pressable.com/knowledgebase/troubleshooting-website-performance-issues/"> up to 20%</a>.</li><li><strong>Cache Files:</strong> Caching can greatly improve your site’s Time to First Byte (TTFB). With Edge Cache, for example, you can serve page cache directly from the closest server to a site’s visitors, which can enhance performance metrics significantly.</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">More Best Practices to Consider</h3>



<ul><li><strong>Enabling Content Delivery Network (CDN):</strong> A CDN can distribute the load, save bandwidth, and improve access speed for your users. As per the Pressable knowledge base, enabling CDN can be a crucial step in troubleshooting website performance issues.</li><li><strong>Updating Themes and Plugins:</strong> Outdated themes and plugins not only pose security risks but can also slow down your website. Keeping them updated can improve response times and overall site performance.</li><li><strong>Use Performance Analysis Tools:</strong> Tools like GTMetrix and WebPageTest provide detailed insights into what might be affecting the load time of your site. For instance, an ideal TTFB should be<a href="https://pressable.com/knowledgebase/troubleshooting-website-performance-issues/"> 0.50 seconds or less</a>, as recommended by WebPageTest.</li><li><strong>Optimize for Mobile:</strong> With mobile traffic accounting for approximately half of the web traffic worldwide, having a responsive design is crucial. Google emphasizes mobile-first indexing, making it imperative to ensure your site performs well on mobile devices.</li><li><strong>Regularly Disable and Test Plugins:</strong> Plugins can often be the cause of slow loading times. Disabling them and testing site speed can help identify problematic plugins. Remember to back up your database before performing such tests.</li><li><strong>Monitor and Optimize Database Performance:</strong> Regular database optimization can prevent slow query times, which are common performance issues. Indexing and regular cleanups can significantly improve database response times.</li><li><strong>Assess Server Capacity: </strong>Ensure your hosting solution can handle traffic spikes. For example, cloud hosting solutions should offer scalability to manage sudden increases in traffic without performance degradation.</li><li><strong>Review Security Measures:</strong> Security features, while essential, can impact site speed. Efficient SSL/TLS protocols, for example, can reduce handshake times and improve load times.</li></ul>



<p>By addressing these areas and implementing recommended practices, you can mitigate potential performance issues and ensure your website is prepared for the increased traffic during Black Friday sales.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mapping Out Incident Response Practices</h2>



<p>Mapping out team practices to handle incidents is a critical aspect of IT incident management. Here&#8217;s a structured approach based on best practices and recent data:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Pre-Incident Preparation</h3>



<p>According to the Uptime Institute’s 2022 Outage Analysis report, a well-thought-out incident management plan is essential, as<a href="https://www.missioncriticalmagazine.com/articles/94144-uptime-institutes-2022-outage-analysis-finds-downtime-costs-and-consequences-worsening"> 20% of companies</a> have experienced a serious incident in the past three years. The incident management plan should be documented and practiced before it&#8217;s needed to mitigate risks effectively.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Incident Detection and Analysis</h3>



<p>Incorporating Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and Service Level Objectives (SLOs) can be invaluable in detecting incidents early.<a href="https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/incident-report-running-dry-on-memory-without-noticing"> Metrics-driven detection</a> is crucial for rapid discovery and resolution.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Communication Strategy</h3>



<p>Establish dedicated communication channels and maintain an up-to-date list of essential contacts to minimize confusion during an incident.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Post-Incident Analysis</h3>



<p>Conduct detailed discussions post-incident to evaluate what worked and what didn&#8217;t. This helps in refining the incident management plan for future incidents.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Continuous Improvement</h3>



<p>Schedule mock incidents to ensure the team is familiar with the incident response plan. This practice helps in identifying and smoothing out any rough spots in the plan.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Tooling and Infrastructure</h3>



<p>Implement observability tools and platforms like Middleware to find and fix incidents quickly. Ensure that tools are regularly reevaluated as part of the incident management plan.</p>



<p>By following these steps and incorporating the provided data, organizations can create a robust framework to handle incidents effectively, reducing the potential impact on operations and reputation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Using Observability for Security</h2>



<p>Using observability to detect runtime vulnerabilities and cyberattacks involves a multi-faceted approach that leverages modern technology and best practices. Here&#8217;s how to structure this process, along with relevant data and sources:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Establish Comprehensive Observability</h3>



<p>Implement real-time monitoring to detect anomalies as they occur. According to Dynatrace,<a href="https://www.dynatrace.com/news/blog/achieving-business-resilience-with-modern-observability-ai-and-automation/"> 79% of CISOs</a> believe that continuous runtime vulnerability management integrated with observability is key to addressing security gaps.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Integrate Security within Observability Platforms</h3>



<p>Security observability tools that create Runtime<a href="https://www.contrastsecurity.com/security-influencers/what-is-security-observability-contrast-security"> SBOMs</a> (Software Bill of Materials) can automatically detect which libraries are actively used by applications, helping to pinpoint vulnerabilities.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Leverage AI and Automation</h3>



<p>Utilize AI Observability tools, like Middleware, to analyze information in real-time, which can significantly speed up the response to cyber threats.<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2021/09/21/four-ways-to-build-a-more-resilient-and-future-proof-business/?sh=1de07fcd5821"> Forbes notes</a> that organizations using AI for real-time analysis can adapt more quickly and thrive.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Prioritize and Remediate Vulnerabilities</h3>



<p>Adopting dynamic observability can lead to an<a href="https://thenewstack.io/prioritize-runtime-vulnerabilities-via-dynamic-observability/"> 85% reduction</a> in noise because it helps prioritize vulnerabilities that are actually exploitable, as reported by The New Stack.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Continuous Improvement and Adaptation</h3>



<p>Continuously update and improve security measures based on observability data. PwC&#8217;s survey indicates that<a href="https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/crisis-solutions/global-crisis-survey.html"> 96% of organizations</a> have experienced business disruption since 2021, highlighting the need for constant vigilance and improvement.</p>



<p>By integrating these practices into your observability framework, you can create a robust system for detecting and responding to runtime vulnerabilities and cyberattacks, thereby enhancing your website&#8217;s security posture, especially during critical periods like Black Friday.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Closing Summary</h2>



<p>As Black Friday approaches, the stakes are higher than ever for online retailers gearing up to meet the demands of an influx of eager shoppers. </p>



<p>In this guide, we&#8217;ve explored essential strategies to fortify your website against potential outages and ensure a seamless experience for users during the holiday rush.</p>



<p>To ensure Black Friday becomes a dream sales day, leverage<a href="https://middleware.io/product/synthetic-monitoring/"> Middleware&#8217;s capabilities</a>, such as:</p>



<ul><li><strong>Real-Time Monitoring</strong> to catch issues instantly, preventing prolonged downtime.</li><li><strong>AI-Based Insights</strong> to predict and address potential outages before they affect users.</li><li><strong>Centralized Data Analysis:</strong> With Middleware, all telemetry data is in one place, simplifying analysis and response.</li><li><strong>Proactive Alerts:</strong> Set up alerts that notify you immediately of any system anomalies to tackle issues promptly.</li><li><strong>Security Observability:</strong> The platform&#8217;s security features help detect vulnerabilities, keeping customer data safe during the sales rush.</li><li><strong>Scalability: </strong>Middleware scales with your traffic, handling Black Friday surges without a hitch.</li></ul>



<p>By integrating Middleware, businesses can not only anticipate and mitigate risks but also ensure a smooth, secure, and successful Black Friday sales. </p>



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Ensure a stress-free Black Friday for your online business. Learn how to avoid website outages with our expert tips and best practices.

Best Practices to Avoid Website Outages on Black Friday


<p>It is that time of the year again! The time to celebrate, exchange gifts, and make the most of the discounts. </p>



<p>But businesses, be cautious—ensure your website performance is top-notch to handle the holiday rush.</p>



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<p>There was an<a href="https://platform.sh/company/press/ecommerce-websites-handle-more-traffic-beginning-holiday-season/"> 80%</a> increase in web traffic between Black Friday 2022 compared to an average Friday. Similarly, web traffic on Cyber Monday increased by 50% compared to an average Monday.</p>



<p>But there is a catch! </p>



<p>For website owners and e-commerce businesses, the holiday season brings both tremendous opportunities and significant challenges. </p>



<p>With every great sale comes higher-than-expected visitors to the store. The spike in website traffic can put immense pressure on your website&#8217;s performance and reliability.</p>



<p>If caught off-guard, it can ultimately lead to your website being slow or laggy and even cost you a sale. Worst, it could lead to your server crashing completely, meaning all those visitors coming to your page will be met with a &#8220;404 Page Not Found.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-1024x576.jpeg" alt="Website Performance during Holidays" class="wp-image-6373" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-1200x675.jpeg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed.jpeg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Image Credits: <a href="https://queue-it.com/blog/2022-online-holiday-shopping-statistics/">Queue-it</a></figcaption></figure>



<p>To steer clear of this issue, let’s explore some essential steps that you can take to improve your website’s performance and ensure that you are prepared to take on the additional demands this holiday season.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-optimizing-website-performance-for-the-holidays">Optimizing Website Performance for the Holidays</h2>



<p>Whether it is your website or web app that has experienced peak usage or is anticipating high activity, you can manage performance and availability in a few simple ways. </p>



<p>To help you out with this, check out the various<a href="https://middleware.io/blog/website-monitoring-tools/"> website monitoring tools</a> and follow the strategies outlined here:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Run a Wide Scan of Your Performance</h3>



<p>Before the holiday season, you need to have metrics in place that can help you anticipate the rise in activity. For this, it&#8217;s crucial to have a baseline understanding of your website&#8217;s performance.</p>



<p>Check your website’s functionality and performance metrics using a monitoring tool. There are two main categories in this:<a href="https://middleware.io/blog/rum-vs-synthetic-monitoring/"> synthetic monitoring and real user monitoring</a>.</p>



<p>These categories capture metrics related to the website’s performance, transaction monitoring, availability monitoring, user experience analysis, device and browser performance, demographic insights, and more.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="536" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-2.jpeg" alt="Viewing website performance on Middleware" class="wp-image-6374" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-2.jpeg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-2-300x157.jpeg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-2-768x402.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>For a comprehensive test, we recommend using an end-to-end observability and monitoring platform that specializes in tracking the performance of web pages and APIs at various levels.</p>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/">Middleware</a> is a great tool to consider since it can provide detailed insights into the following:</p>



<ul><li>Visualization of application performance and uptime data alongside key business metrics.</li><li>Root cause analysis using details of any breakdown, response errors, and delays.</li><li>Highly interactive dashboards and monitoring settings help you monitor your website for multiple areas.</li></ul>



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<p>Comprehensive performance testing helps you identify issues early and take action to address them.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Analyze Your Website&#8217;s Traffic Patterns</h3>



<p>Next, you must understand your website’s traffic patterns for planning and optimization. Look for areas that may be the cause of issues in the past, such as:</p>



<ul><li>Request Count</li><li>Page Load Time</li><li>Concurrent User Count</li></ul>



<p>This information will help you allocate resources effectively, ensuring your website can handle user surges without slowdowns or downtime.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Optimize Your Website&#8217;s Loading Times</h3>



<p>During peak traffic periods like Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales, slow load time is a common issue that most websites face. Slow load times are not just due to the increasing number of users visiting your page.</p>



<p>It has more to do with the kind of requests being made, the most visited pages, and other factors. To help decrease user frustration and even bounce rates, you should optimize the website’s load time by following the steps below:</p>



<ul><li>Optimizing images and other heavy elements on your page. Images that are too large or graphics with too many elements are the most common reasons for slow load time. Ensure you compress images and reduce file size without compromising image quality.</li><li>Cache static content to reduce server load and speed up page load times.</li><li>Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to distribute content from multiple servers located closer to your users. This helps to distribute the high traffic across networks and saves your website from taking the hit.</li><li>Reduce the number of requests your website makes to load a page by combining CSS and JavaScript files.</li><li><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/log-transaction-queries/">Analyze log queries</a> and transactions to gain insights into your website’s performance and the types of queries being generated.</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Increase Your Website&#8217;s Capacity</h3>



<p>Slow load time and lags are often due to high spikes in requests or traffic on your page. A good starting point to help avoid this is to correctly predict the expected peak responses and the period when these may happen.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-3-1024x576.jpeg" alt="Website performance during Black Friday" class="wp-image-6375" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-3-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-3-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-3-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-3-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-3-1200x675.jpeg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-3.jpeg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Image Credits: <a href="https://queue-it.com/blog/2022-online-holiday-shopping-statistics/">Queue-it</a></figcaption></figure>



<p>For example, peak traffic periods include the actual holiday season, a few days before, and the final few hours of the sale ending. You may also consider these steps:</p>



<ol><li>Upgrading your cloud hosting solution to auto-scale and accommodate for traffic spikes.</li><li>Distribute traffic spikes among multiple servers to prevent a single server from being overloaded and thereby slowing down the website.</li><li>Implementing server-side and browser caching to reduce the load on your web server.</li></ol>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Test Your Website&#8217;s Reliability</h3>



<p>A good approach is to conduct stress tests for your website to gauge its behavior during peak traffic. You can use the information from your analysis to define peak periods and conduct load tests or stress tests in the backend.</p>



<p>When conducting these tests, check for factors like:</p>



<ul><li>Issues with application or website architecture</li><li>Potential bottlenecks in website’s code or queries</li><li>Memory leaks or other issues with storage</li></ul>



<p>Depending on the findings of these tests, have a backup plan and prepare a worst-case scenario disaster recovery protocol. The idea is to ensure that you are prepared for any downtime and implement backup servers to ensure that this downtime is minimized.</p>



<p>You can also use continuous monitoring tools to detect issues in real-time and take action promptly, which can help you not just during the holiday season but throughout the year.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Remove Observability Blind Spots</h3>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/">Observability</a> measures and understands a website’s performance and behavior by relying on data points like logs, metrics, and traces. You can detect and resolve performance issues by implementing comprehensive observability for your website. Use website and<a href="https://middleware.io/product/database-monitoring/"> database observability tools</a> to help gain insights into your performance, including:</p>



<ul><li><a href="https://middleware.io/product/apm/">Application Performance Monitoring</a> (APM): This metric helps you monitor your website&#8217;s code and pinpoint performance bottlenecks.</li><li><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-real-user-monitoring/">Real User Monitoring (RUM)</a>: Track how real users experience your website, allowing you to optimize based on actual user behavior.</li><li><strong>Error Tracking</strong>: Identify and resolve errors that impact user experience quickly.</li></ul>



<p>Once you have set in the observability process, keep upgrading your observability metrics, including dashboards and areas of concern. This feedback-based optimization will help you better monitor website performance and address any anomalies or suspicious behavior proactively.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Closing Thoughts</h2>



<p>As the holiday season approaches, ensuring your website performs flawlessly, whether in high-pressure situations or otherwise, is essential. Website owners and e-commerce businesses need to understand that traffic spikes present both opportunities and challenges. </p>



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<p>The strategies that we have outlined will help you take action and better prepare for the peak season. However, optimizing and analyzing website performance shouldn&#8217;t be a &#8216;one and done&#8217; process; it is an ongoing process that requires your attention throughout the year. </p>



<p>If you want a streamlined solution to improve performance observability, consider exploring<a href="https://middleware.io/product/database-monitoring/"> Middleware&#8217;s performance monitoring and testing tools</a>. To keep getting updates on this topic,<a href="https://middleware.io/contact-us/"> sign up</a> for our expert insights today!&nbsp;</p>


Don't let the holidays bog down your site. Discover expert strategies for enhanced website performance and unwavering reliability.

How to Improve Website Performance and Reliability for the Holidays

Discover the top 10 APM tools that optimize your app's performance and ensure excellent user experience. Detailed breakdown with Pros & Cons

Top 10 Application Performance Monitoring (APM) Tools for 2023

This comprehensive guide will delve into understanding the nuances of serverless architecture, exploring its trends, benefits, challenges, use cases, and providing insights into efficient utilization for software development.

What is Serverless Architecture? A Complete Guide

In this article, we'll delve into the world of database monitoring, exploring what it is, along with top 5 Database monitoring software solutions.

Top 5 Database Monitoring Software for 2023

Audit logging is integral to cybersecurity, distinct from regular system logs, as it records security-related events. This article covers its definition, operation, advantages, challenges, best practices, and key use cases. 

Exploring Audit Logs: Use Cases, Challenges, Best Practices & Tools

Explore Python logging, from basics to use cases in compliance, incident response, and performance tracking. Learn best practices and middleware integration.

Everything a Dev Needs to Know about Python Logging

Discover how OpenTelemetry (OTel) redefines observability by unifying data collection, simplifying developer tasks, and shaping an open standard for comprehensive telemetry pipelines. Explore its components, challenges, solutions, and best practices in observability.

Cracking the Code of OpenTelemetry Observability


<p>From the inception of the World Wide Web in the early 1990s to the groundbreaking debut of the iPhone in 2007, innovation has catalyzed monumental leaps forward, ushering in new eras of progress and transforming industries beyond recognition.&nbsp;</p>



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<p>These groundbreaking technologies have not only disrupted industries but have also generated trillions in shareholder value. However, innovation is relentlessly accelerating, forging a perpetual cycle of change and discovery.</p>



<p>Enter Generative AI (Gen AI), the latest jewel in the crown of technological innovation. With the remarkable ability to create novel data patterns from existing ones, Gen AI stands as a formidable force poised to reshape countless industries. It can craft lifelike images, generate context-aware text, and process data at previously deemed unattainable speeds.</p>



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<p>In 2023, Gen AI took the tech world by storm, captivating tech enthusiasts, futurists, and mainstream audiences with its uncanny ability to produce remarkably human-like content. Its impressive applications stem from its training on massive datasets. GPT-4, the engine powering ChatGPT, reportedly underwent training on over one trillion parameters.</p>



<p>Other large language models (LLMs), such as Google&#8217;s PaLM2 and DeepMind&#8217;s Gopher, train on hundreds of billions of parameters. Rumors are heating up that GPT-5 could be on the horizon, and we should expect another significant leap in terms of size. Increasing the dataset size isn&#8217;t the only way to make an LLM smarter, but so far, it has proven to be the most reliable way of achieving improvements.</p>



<p>In the business world, Gen AI is already making significant strides. According to <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-state-of-ai-in-2023-generative-ais-breakout-year">McKinsey</a>, organizations are increasingly integrating generative AI into their operations.&nbsp;</p>



<p>One-third of all respondents reported that their organizations regularly use it in at least one function. This means that 60 percent of organizations with said AI adoption are utilizing Gen AI. Notably, 40 percent of those indicating AI adoption in their organizations expect to invest more in AI overall. Additionally, 28 percent state that Gen AI use is already on their board&#8217;s agenda.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Businesses are applying these <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-tool-consolidation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">innovative tools</a> across various functions, with marketing and sales, product and service development, and service operations, such as customer care and back-office support, leading the way as the most common applications.</p>



<p>Furthermore, the rising demand for Gen AI products may generate around $280 billion in new software revenue, driven by specialized assistants, innovative <a href="https://middleware.io/product/infrastructure-monitoring/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">infrastructure</a> products, and coding acceleration copilots.</p>



<p>Leading technology companies like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google, and Nvidia stand to benefit significantly as enterprises increasingly migrate workloads to the public cloud.&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/company/press/generative-ai-to-become-a-1-3-trillion-market-by-2032-research-finds/">Bloomberg Intelligence (BI)</a> foresees a remarkable transformation unfolding within the generative AI landscape. It accounts for less than 1% of total spending in IT, software services, advertising, and gaming markets. In a decade, the industry is projected to grow from $40 billion in 2022 to an astonishing $1.3 trillion by 2032, fundamentally reshaping technology trends and becoming an integral part of IT budgets, advertising strategies, and cybersecurity, driven primarily by Gen AI infrastructure-as-a-service, digital advertising, and specialized assistant software, which are expected to surge this share to 10%.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-generative-ai-s-infiltration-into-observability">Generative AI&#8217;s Infiltration into Observability</h2>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/">Observability</a> is a critical practice in monitoring systems, offering insights into system behavior and diagnosing issues. Its role in ensuring the seamless operation of production systems is paramount. With Gen AI gaining ground, the observability domain faces the impetus to adapt to fresh challenges and seize new opportunities.</p>



<p>Generative AI&#8217;s integration into observability marks a pivotal moment in delivering actionable insights to users, poised to revolutionize the observability landscape. It can analyze vast datasets efficiently, allowing organizations to make data-driven decisions that optimize software systems for superior performance.</p>



<p>According to the <a href="https://newrelic.com/resources/report/observability-forecast/2023/executive-summary" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2023 Observability Forecast</a>, achieving full-stack observability remains a challenge for most organizations (67%), but those that have embraced it have witnessed significant improvements in service-level metrics. Full-stack observability has led to fewer and shorter outages, resulting in lower outage costs.</p>



<p>Moreover, organizations are increasingly recognizing the business value of observability. Respondents in the survey reported receiving a median return of $2 for every $1 of investment in observability. A staggering 86% of respondents acknowledged the value derived from their observability investment, with 41% reaping annual values exceeding $1 million. This clear demonstration of the business benefits of observability underscores its importance.</p>



<p>By mid-2026, a significant industry shift in monitoring technology approaches is expected, with organizations deploying all 17 distinct observability capabilities, reaching an anticipated adoption rate of 82%.</p>



<p>Integrating Gen AI into observability further simplifies the ecosystem by alleviating complexities associated with accessing critical insights. Users will no longer need expertise in intricate query interfaces to unearth valuable data.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Generative AI effortlessly delivers pertinent insights and recommendations directly within the observability solution. This automation streamlines operations, enhances decision-making, and accelerates issue resolution, ultimately bolstering system uptime and reliability.</p>



<p>Organizations can realize generative AI&#8217;s true potential by going beyond its application in chatbots and language processing and instead by leveraging the right data sets within their engineering teams.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/trends/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">future of observability</a> is already here, and solutions built on generative AI can create a single source of truth, break down silos, deliver better business outcomes, and enable knowledge workers to work smarter, not harder. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-merits-of-generative-ai-in-observability">The Merits of Generative AI in Observability</h2>



<p>Integrating Generative AI into observability solutions provides several significant advantages, with the expeditious identification of root causes being the most prominent.</p>



<p>Traditional observability solutions served as the singular repository for insights into system health. Generative AI eliminates the need for engineers to navigate between various tools. Instead, users can directly access relevant insights within the observability solution.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seamless-insights">Seamless Insights</h3>



<p>Generative AI presents the opportunity to reduce engineers&#8217; workload drastically. Engineers can pivot their focus toward more strategic responsibilities by automating routine tasks, offering recommendations, and simplifying intricate procedures.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Furthermore, it has the potential to parse tacit knowledge within organizations, bridging expertise gaps and amplifying collaboration.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-automation-in-error-resolution">Automation in Error Resolution</h3>



<p>Another promising development that might arise from Generative AI&#8217;s presence in observability is automation. Engineers could instruct AI-powered assistants to effectuate recommendations autonomously, significantly curtailing the interval between issue detection and resolution.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This automated approach to error management holds the promise of substantially bolstering system uptime and reliability.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impact-on-observability-solution-providers">Impact on Observability Solution Providers</h3>



<p>Including Generative AI in observability solutions brings a new set of challenges and opportunities for solution providers. Traditional observability solutions handle structured data, while Gen AI primarily operates on unstructured data.</p>



<p>This transition necessitates a cohesive partnership between AI technology providers and observability solution vendors.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-a-data-moat">Building a Data Moat</h3>



<p>Establishing data technology partnerships is paramount as Generative AI-powered observability solutions take center stage. Solution providers must adapt their systems to accommodate unstructured data while closely collaborating with AI technology firms to harness the full potential of <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/how-ai-based-insights-can-change-the-observability/">AI-driven insights</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-need-for-ethical-frameworks">The Need for Ethical Frameworks</h3>



<p>The burgeoning prominence of AI in observability mandates a concerted effort to define ethical frameworks governing its deployment. Organizations must establish clear guidelines for the ethical utilization of AI in monitoring and root cause analysis.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These guidelines should ensure transparency in AI-driven processes and adherence to stringent privacy regulations, thus safeguarding user data.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pioneering-the-path-of-inferencing">Pioneering the Path of &#8220;Inferencing&#8221;</h2>



<p>As Generative AI revolutionizes observability, it brings forth a new paradigm—Inferencing.</p>



<p>Inferencing represents a profound departure from the conventional approach to observability, transcending mere <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability-vs-monitoring/">monitoring</a> to embrace a predictive and prescriptive model.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-essence-of-inferencing">The Essence of Inferencing</h3>



<p>Inferencing amalgamates Gen AI with real-time data analysis, identifying issues and furnishing insights into potential root causes. Its primary objective is to abbreviate the mean time to resolution (MTTR) by offering precise and actionable recommendations, thereby closing the chasm between issue detection and resolution.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-ai-native-architecture">An AI-Native Architecture</h3>



<p>To realize the aspirations of Inferencing, observability solutions must cultivate an AI-native architecture. Design this architecture to effectively handle unstructured data, adapt to changing data sources, and swiftly process information. Additionally, ensure that observability solutions include flexible data collection, processing, and storage customized for AI-driven analytics.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-streamlining-user-interface">Streamlining User Interface</h3>



<p>A streamlined and interactive user interface is equally critical in Inferencing. Empower users to interact with the system, ask questions, and receive instant responses and recommendations.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This pivot towards more intuitive interfaces promises to democratize observability, extending its accessibility to a broader spectrum of personnel within organizations.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-tenets-of-inferencing">The Tenets of Inferencing</h3>



<p>Inferencing beckons a paradigm shift in observability principles. Organizations should pledge allegiance to core tenets to embrace this novel approach.</p>



<ul><li><strong>AI-Native Architecture:</strong> Architecting observability solutions necessitates seamlessly integrating generative AI and inferencing from the ground up. This requires an architecture that exhibits flexibility in handling data, agility in processing, and scalability.</li><li><strong>Adaptive Data Handling:</strong> The evolving data landscape demands that observability solutions exhibit adaptability. Gen AI mandates the capability to process a panoply of data formats and sources, ensuring that no critical insights evade detection.</li><li><strong>Streamlined User Interface: </strong>The user interface should exude user-friendliness and intuitiveness, permitting users to interact fruitfully with the system. Integrating natural language processing and AI-driven chatbots can expedite and simplify user-system interactions.</li><li><strong>Ethical Deliberations:</strong> As is incumbent with any AI technology, ethical considerations take center stage. Organizations <a href="https://www.geyimedicals.es/">geyimedicals.es</a> must delineate unambiguous guidelines for AI utilization, ensuring transparency and adherence to privacy regulations.</li><li><strong>Continual Learning:</strong> Inferencing is not a one-time implementation; it necessitates perpetual learning and refinement. Organizations must invest in training data, fine-tuning models, and staying updated with AI advancements.</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crafting-ai-centric-strategies">Crafting AI-Centric Strategies</h2>



<p>The rush to implement Gen AI demands substantial investments in observability products to monitor and maintain these newly acquired capabilities.</p>



<p>Key facets of AI integration, including competing with formidable language models, fine-tuning models, and establishing efficient feedback loops, will drive the demand for advanced observability solutions.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These solutions must be specifically tailored to address the unique challenges posed by AI-powered technologies to ensure the uninterrupted functionalities.</p>



<p>As things stand, prominent organizations in the observability sphere are actively developing new generative AI solutions to automate the monitoring, visualization, and analysis of intricate systems. These innovations are on the cusp of revolutionizing our approach to system diagnostics and error resolution. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ushering-a-new-era-of-observability">Ushering a New Era of Observability&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Generative AI is poised to have a profound impact on the observability sector. Its capacity to generate data, automate workflows, and provide actionable insights is driving a paradigm shift in how organizations monitor and maintain their systems.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As the adoption of Generative AI continues to rise, we are on the cusp of a new era in observability &#8211; one characterized by Inferencing. Organizations that fully embrace generative AI and Inferencing will likely find themselves better equipped to navigate the complexities of modern technology. </p>



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<p>This can lead to reduced downtimes, enhanced system reliability, and a competitive edge within their industries.</p>



<p>Yet, ongoing tech industry mergers and acquisitions are compelling organizations to revamp IT management strategies, potentially intensifying the demand for cost-effective cloud-based observability platforms.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This poses a critical challenge for Gen AI solution developers, who must exhibit unwavering agility, foster relentless innovation, and champion unwavering ethical standards to drive the democratization of AI-driven observability. In rising to this challenge, they have the potential to reshape the future of observability for the better.</p>


The article explores how Generative AI is infiltrating the world of observability. With its remarkable capabilities, it promises to revolutionize data analysis, automate tasks, and simplify complex systems' understanding. The synergy of Generative AI and observability opens new frontiers of innovation and efficiency. 

Can Generative AI Transform Observability?

Performance monitoring is essential for app reliability and a seamless user experience. Discover best practices in our comprehensive guide. 

Optimizing Mobile App Performance: Best Practices for Seamless User Experiences

Frontend application monitoring is the process of tracking errors, fixing them, and maintaining the health of web applications. This approach focuses on closely monitoring various metrics and interactions to identify issues and improve overall usability. Learn its importance, best practices, and winning strategies in this article. 

Frontend Monitoring: Strategies, Best Practices, Tools, and More

With log transaction queries you can get end-to-end footprint tracing, identify performance bottlenecks and resolve errors faster. This article will help you understand how to group transactions and analyze them.

How To Analyze Processes With Log Transaction Queries


<p>We’re constantly evolving based on customer feedback and are excited to share the progress we’ve made over the past month!</p>



<p>We have new integrations with databases and APM. We also launched the much-awaited feature for frontend monitoring, RUM.</p>



<p>See below for more details.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-product-features"><strong>Product Features</strong></h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">1. <strong>Real User Monitoring (RUM)</strong></h3>



<p>Get end-to-end visibility into the user journey for web applications.<br>Collect data such as clicks, page loading, and time spent, visualize it in the <a href="https://middleware.io/product/real-user-monitoring/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RUM Dashboard</a>, and view session replays to understand user behavior.</p>



<p><a href="https://docs.middleware.io/docs/rum/getting-started">Set up RUM</a> in no time by reading our official docs or by following along with this video:</p>



<div style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0;"><iframe src="https://www.loom.com/embed/ed0f136a6dd7436ba951356c936e0ca3?sid=5b3b1d0e-dafd-41b3-89ee-0a2eb4e11753" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;"></iframe></div>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">2. <strong>MySQL Database Integration</strong></h3>



<p>Track the performance of your MySQL database with Middleware for enhanced insights into query performance and database health.&nbsp;</p>



<p>You can monitor database operations, DB objects such as schemes, tables, etc., and view key SQL events in Middleware.</p>



<div style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 54.895833333333336%; height: 0;"><iframe src="https://www.loom.com/embed/51d1a2b6cde248e79316c2b26a9119c7?sid=62d58fb1-6001-4679-b60f-677b418ccbed" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;"></iframe></div>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">3. <strong>.NET APM Integration</strong></h3>



<p>Get end-to-end visibility into your .NET application with our .NET <a href="https://middleware.io/platform/integrations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">APM integration</a>.</p>



<p>You can collect application metrics, profiling information, logs, and traces and improve application performance.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="563" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NET-APM-1-1024x563.jpg" alt=".NET APM Integration" class="wp-image-6014" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NET-APM-1-1024x563.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NET-APM-1-300x165.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NET-APM-1-768x422.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NET-APM-1-1536x844.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NET-APM-1-1200x659.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NET-APM-1.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">4. <strong>Redis Integration</strong></h3>



<p>With this integration, you can store, visualize, and correlate metrics between Redis and the rest of your stack, improving visibility into your infrastructure&#8217;s performance.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/0HzANz15i2TA_ATCs2gUCqYDvnNUHxhqF-GBs2YERkwk3uTMLh96ya9gKY5oxtJe0ZroNHBXvsrWfpCHHMUbsLOOTMDimY6-yOyKCEj0levmbF_NsZhN46w2Bvk2VD7ZVqc_86hzLV5N1pJJ1l1dsw" alt="Redis Integration"/></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Improvements</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Multiple routes in alerting</strong></h3>



<p>You can now use a single APM alerting rule for multiple HTTP/GRPC routes simultaneously, so you won&#8217;t need to create duplicate alert rules for each of your HTTP/GRPC routes.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Improvements in logs</strong></h3>



<p>Now you can search logs with queries and filter logs by time frames for easy access. </p>



<p>That’s all from last month. <a href="https://newsletters.middleware.io/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for weekly product updates and recommended reads from us.</p>


From launching RUM to improvement in logs & alerting. Check all major product updates released in August 2023 here:

August Product Update: Real User Monitoring (RUM)

Real User Monitoring (RUM) is a method used to observe and analyze how actual users interact with websites or applications.

What Is Real User Monitoring (RUM)?

No more guesswork! Resolve issues faster with real-time monitoring and session replays with Middleware real user monitoring (RUM).

Introducing Middleware’s Real User Monitoring


<p>We’re constantly evolving based on customer feedback and are excited to share the progress we’ve made over the past month!</p>



<p>We have new dashboards that enable you to make deeper insights on your stack, expanded custom metric capabilities for deeper analysis of your logs, and continuous profiling for next.js. See below for more details.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-all-in-one-dashboard">1. <strong>All-in-one Dashboard</strong></h3>



<p>With our new dashboard, you can easily see all your observability data for your entire tech stack in one dashboard. No more jumping between screens to get the insights you need.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This dashboard will be our default home dashboard which you will be directed to upon <a href="https://app.middleware.io/auth/register?utm_source=emailnewsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=productmonthly">logging in</a>. Our previous homepage dashboard &#8211; The Unified Dashboard &#8211; is still accessible through the <a href="https://p2i13hg.middleware.io/reports/builders/unified-dashboard">Dashboard Builder</a> screen.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="667" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/all-in-one-dashboard-1-1024x667.jpg" alt="All-in-one Dashboard" class="wp-image-5730" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/all-in-one-dashboard-1-1024x667.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/all-in-one-dashboard-1-300x195.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/all-in-one-dashboard-1-768x500.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/all-in-one-dashboard-1-1536x1000.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/all-in-one-dashboard-1-1200x782.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/all-in-one-dashboard-1.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">2. <strong>Custom metrics for Logs</strong></h3>



<p>You can now generate metrics for your logs. Custom metrics can help you gain deeper insights into your application’s behavior and performance by extracting meaningful information from your log data.</p>



<p>Utilizing log-based metrics provides a cost-effective method for condensing log data obtained from the entire ingestion stream.</p>



<p>Read our detailed <a href="https://docs.middleware.io/docs/log-monitoring/log-custom-metrics?utm_source=emailnewsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=productmonthly">documentation</a> to learn more about leveraging custom metrics for logs.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="570" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/custom-metrics-for-logs-1024x570.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-5731" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/custom-metrics-for-logs-1024x570.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/custom-metrics-for-logs-300x167.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/custom-metrics-for-logs-768x428.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/custom-metrics-for-logs-1536x855.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/custom-metrics-for-logs-1200x668.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/custom-metrics-for-logs.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">3. <strong>Dashboard for database monitoring </strong></h3>



<p>With our default dashboards, you can find all critical metrics for your databases (PostgreSQL and MongoDB) in one <a href="https://docs.middleware.io/docs/integrations/postgresql-integration">dashboard</a>. Get started monitoring your database and improving performance with our <a href="https://app.middleware.io/installation#integration/databasemonitoring">quick and easy install</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">4. <strong>Continuous Profiling</strong></h3>



<p>We now support continuous profiling for Next.js, which allows you to <a href="https://docs.middleware.io/docs/apm/continuous-profiling">profile</a> your service to visualize all your stack traces in one place. Using a heatmap style visualization, you can now simply click through all traces pertaining to an event and its child events to expedite troubleshooting and diagnosis.</p>



<p>That’s all from last month. <a href="https://newsletters.middleware.io/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for weekly product updates and recommended reads from us.</p>


From all-in-one dashboard to the ability to get custom metrics for logs. Check all major product updates released in July 2023 here:

July Product Update: Custom Metrics For Logs

In this article, we will delve into the topic of Datadog pricing in 2023, exploring its pricing model, and various offerings and comparing it with Middleware. We'll analyze the positive and negative aspects of Datadog's billing system and evaluate whether it's worth investing in their services.

Datadog Pricing: Is it Worth Spending for in 2023?

Searching for right logs from a pool of logs can be challenging. That's where custom query and filtering comes into picture. In this article, we will discover how to search logs effectively using Bash command & using free log management software.

How To Search Logs Effectively With Log Management

Container monitoring plays a vital role in ensuring containerized environments' performance, scalability, security, and efficiency. In this article, we evaluated and compared 10 best Container monitoring tools, you can use to monitor your container's performance. 

10 Best Container Monitoring Tools in 2023 (Free & Paid)


<p>From Vercel partnership to Database integration, we made quite a good update last month, and we are excited to share more details with you all.<br><br>Here’s what happened last month:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-vercel-middleware-partnership">1. Vercel &lt;&gt; Middleware partnership&nbsp;</h3>



<p>We are thrilled to announce that Middleware is an <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/">observability</a> partner of Vercel. You can find us on the <a href="https://vercel.com/integrations/middleware">Vercel </a>marketplace.  It brings you a monitoring solution for your Vercel serverless functions and performance. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="430" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/1686132461643.jpg" alt="Vercel Integration" class="wp-image-5315" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/1686132461643.jpg 800w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/1686132461643-300x161.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/1686132461643-768x413.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure>



<p>Read this article to <a href="https://newsletters.middleware.io/p/introducing-vercel-middleware-partnership">understand in detail </a>how you can leverage this integration.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-postgresql-database-integration">2. PostgreSQL Database integration</h3>



<p>Collect performance and health metrics for your Postgres Database and visualize it in Middleware to understand the behavior of database resource usage over time and other key metrics.&nbsp;</p>



<p>You can create alerts on your database metrics to <a href="https://middleware.io/product/database-monitoring/">monitor any unusual database performance</a>. </p>



<p>Integrate the PostgreSQL database in just a few simple <a href="https://docs.middleware.io/docs/integrations/postgresql-integration">steps</a>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="496" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Frame-1000002438-1-1-1024x496.jpg" alt="PostgreSQL Dashboard" class="wp-image-5501" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Frame-1000002438-1-1-1024x496.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Frame-1000002438-1-1-300x145.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Frame-1000002438-1-1-768x372.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Frame-1000002438-1-1-1536x744.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Frame-1000002438-1-1-2048x992.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Frame-1000002438-1-1-1200x581.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Frame-1000002438-1-1-1980x959.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-aws-cloudwatch-metrics-reports">3. AWS Cloudwatch Metrics Reports</h3>



<p>With our default reports of <a href="https://docs.middleware.io/docs/aws/kinesis-streams">AWS CloudWatch metrics</a>, you can conveniently monitor all the important metrics in one place. We provide a pre-created dashboard that eliminates the need to create one yourself. Simply use our default dashboard to monitor your AWS CloudWatch metrics effortlessly.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="547" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Group-1000003445-1-1-1024x547.jpg" alt="AWS Cloudwatch Metrics Reports" class="wp-image-5502" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Group-1000003445-1-1-1024x547.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Group-1000003445-1-1-300x160.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Group-1000003445-1-1-768x410.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Group-1000003445-1-1-1536x820.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Group-1000003445-1-1-2048x1094.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Group-1000003445-1-1-1200x641.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Group-1000003445-1-1-1980x1057.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-product-improvements"><strong>4. Product Improvements&nbsp;</strong></h3>



<p><strong>We now support application logs in Java applications</strong></p>



<p>Now, you can access logs for java based applications directly on our unified dashboard and within the log module.<br><br><strong>Log customization with advanced settings</strong></p>



<p>To offer you more control, we have introduced <a href="https://docs.middleware.io/docs/settings/advanced">advanced settings</a> for log collection. You can now specify which logs to monitor and even define custom log paths.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="541" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Frame-1000002434-1-1024x541.jpg" alt="advanced settings" class="wp-image-5503" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Frame-1000002434-1-1024x541.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Frame-1000002434-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Frame-1000002434-1-768x406.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Frame-1000002434-1-1536x811.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Frame-1000002434-1-2048x1082.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Frame-1000002434-1-1200x634.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Frame-1000002434-1-1980x1046.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p><strong>Custom dashboard with K8s service data.</strong></p>



<p>Now you can list and monitor K8s service in real-time by linking K8s pods and service data and creating graphs illustrating CPU, RAM, Disk, Network usage, and many more parameters.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-ux-update">5. UX update</h3>



<p>We have added a “save filter” option to save any filter and apply it with a single click to view log data.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="541" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/saveing-filters-in-Middleware-1024x541.jpg" alt="saving filters in Middleware" class="wp-image-5617" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/saveing-filters-in-Middleware-1024x541.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/saveing-filters-in-Middleware-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/saveing-filters-in-Middleware-768x406.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/saveing-filters-in-Middleware-1536x811.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/saveing-filters-in-Middleware-1200x634.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/saveing-filters-in-Middleware.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>That’s all from last month. <a href="https://newsletters.middleware.io/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for weekly product updates and recommended reads from us.</p>


From PostgreSQL integration to improved UX. Check all major product updates released in June 2023 here:

June Product Update: New Integrations

This article explains the key difference between Real User Monitoring (RUM) and Synthetic Monitoring, highlighting their unique benefits, challenges, and use cases.

RUM vs. Synthetic Monitoring: A DevOps Differential Guide

Amazon CodeGuru Profiler is the only first-party AWS Profiler by Amazon. Learn about its limitations, challenges, and expert-backed guidance on how to select the best AWS profiler:

AWS Profiler: Find and Fix Inefficiencies In Your Infrastructure

In this article, we have evaluated 15 best website monitoring tools for their features, pros, and cons. We also included our expert insights on selecting the best website monitoring tool that meets your requirements:

Top 15 website monitoring tools for 2023 (Free & Paid)

Learn the ins and outs of Python performance monitoring. Learn valuable tips, proven best practices and compare some of the best python APM tools in this guide

Python Performance Monitoring: A Deep Dive With Best Practices


<p>We are excited to bring the critical features, including continuous profiler, cloud watch metrics, new integrations, and UX improvements, in our latest release.</p>



<p>To see what’s new in May 2023, read this release along!</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-continuous-profiler">1. <strong>Continuous profiler</strong></h3>



<p>Gain real-time visibility into your application&#8217;s performance with our new Continuous Profiler. Visualize performance through interactive timeline graphs and flame charts, allowing you to identify bottlenecks quickly. Utilize comprehensive filters, labels and values to optimize your application performance.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Best of all, there&#8217;s no additional installation required! Start utilizing <a href="https://docs.middleware.io/docs/apm/continuous-profiling">Continuous Profiling</a> in our APM section today.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="268" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Continues-Profiler.jpg" alt="Continuous profiler" class="wp-image-5314" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Continues-Profiler.jpg 512w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Continues-Profiler-300x157.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">2. <strong>AWS Monitoring: AWS cloud watch metrics</strong></h3>



<p>With our latest AWS integration, we now support <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/aws-monitoring/">AWS monitoring</a>. Now you can correlate and track amazon cloud watch with related metrics, traces, network data, <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-log-monitoring/">logs</a>, and more from across your entire stack.</p>



<p>We provide a default dashboard featuring all the essential metrics:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="547" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Group-1000003445-1024x547.jpg" alt="AWS Monitoring dashboard" class="wp-image-5265" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Group-1000003445-1024x547.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Group-1000003445-300x160.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Group-1000003445-768x410.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Group-1000003445-1536x820.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Group-1000003445-2048x1094.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Group-1000003445-1200x641.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Group-1000003445-1980x1057.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>You also have the option to create a custom dashboard with AWS metrics that matter most to you.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">3. <strong>Vercel Integration</strong></h3>



<p>Thanks to our <a href="https://docs.middleware.io/docs/apm-configuration/next-js/vercel-integration">partnership with Vercel</a>, we now offer a monitoring solution for your Vercel serverless functions and <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/website-monitoring-tools/">website performance</a>. Monitor metrics such as latency, success rate, flame graphs, traces, and API performance.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="430" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/1686132461643.jpg" alt="Vercel Integration" class="wp-image-5315" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/1686132461643.jpg 800w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/1686132461643-300x161.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/1686132461643-768x413.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure>



<p>Integrating Vercel with Middleware is just a few steps away.✨ Try <a href="https://docs.middleware.io/docs/apm-configuration/next-js/vercel-integration">these steps</a></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">4. <strong>Pagerduty and OpsGenie Integration</strong></h3>



<p>In our ongoing effort to provide comprehensive alerting options, we have integrated with alert tools <a href="https://docs.middleware.io/docs/integrations/pagerduty-integration">Pagerduty</a> and OpsGenie. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Pagerduty-Integration.jpg" alt="PagerDuty Integration" class="wp-image-5316" width="612" height="331" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Pagerduty-Integration.jpg 512w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Pagerduty-Integration-300x162.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 612px) 100vw, 612px" /></figure>



<p>Now you can seamlessly send your Middleware alerts to Pagerduty and OpsGenie, and view all the alert details directly on your preferred alert platform.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Opsgenie.jpg" alt="OpsGenie" class="wp-image-5317" width="611" height="335" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Opsgenie.jpg 512w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Opsgenie-300x165.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 611px) 100vw, 611px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">5. <strong>UX Improvements</strong></h3>



<ul><li>We have made significant improvements to the user experience in Middleware. Enjoy a default dashboard that consolidates all your infrastructure metrics into one convenient location. Easily customize the dashboard to prioritize the data that matters most to you.</li><li>We have added the capability to perform on-premise <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/how-to-use-synthetic-monitoring/">synthetic monitoring</a>:<ul><li>Once you set up a synthetic test from Middleware UI and select the &#8220;on-premise&#8221; option, The Middleware agent, which is running inside your infrastructure, receives a job to perform this synthetic test from the agent itself and sends back the result to Middleware.</li></ul></li></ul>



<p>This way, you can test your endpoint with security and compliant concerns without performing a test from an external server.</p>



<p>That’s all from last month.&nbsp;<a href="https://newsletters.middleware.io/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a>&nbsp;for weekly product updates and recommended reads from us.</p>


From Continues profiling support to being able to monitor your AWS environment. Check all major product updates released in May 2023 here:

May Product Update: Continuous Profiler

Unlock the power of AWS monitoring with our comprehensive guide. Explore best practices, effective strategies, and essential tools to optimize performance, bolster security, and extract maximum value from your AWS infrastructure.

AWS Monitoring: The Ultimate Guide

Learn how to use Python logging to track errors, debug applications, and troubleshoot issues. This article covers best practices for configuring Python logging, including how to choose the right logging levels, format your logs, and filter your logs.

12 Python Logging Best Practices To Debug Apps Faster

APM helps identify performance issues before they affect users. This comprehensive guide delves into APM, its functioning, prevalent challenges, corresponding solutions, and recommended best practices.

Comprehensive Guide to APM: Everything You Need to Know

Struggling to adopt DevOps workflow in your organization? Don't know where to begin with? We got your covered! This article covers in-depth explanation about implementing DevOps Workflow (from development to production)

Adopting DevOps Workflow; From Development to Production


<p>We have released key features, including Database monitoring, Next.js, PHP APM, MS team integration, Jira integration, and UX improvements.</p>



<p>To see what’s new in April 2023, read this release along!</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-database-monitoring">1. <strong>Database monitoring</strong></h3>



<p>Get complete visibility into your databases across all of your hosts. Monitor your database with query metrics, track response time, throughput, errors, and most frequent queries, and optimize resources with database monitoring.<br><br>Get started with <a href="https://middleware.io/product/database-monitoring/">Database Monitoring</a> without extra installation.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="537" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/database-monitoring-dashboard-1024x537.jpg" alt="Database monitoring" class="wp-image-5007" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/database-monitoring-dashboard-1024x537.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/database-monitoring-dashboard-300x157.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/database-monitoring-dashboard-768x402.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/database-monitoring-dashboard-1536x805.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/database-monitoring-dashboard-2048x1073.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/database-monitoring-dashboard-1200x629.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/database-monitoring-dashboard-1980x1038.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">2. <strong>Next.JS APM</strong></h3>



<p>Monitor performance, issues, and errors for applications built in Next. JS. Keep track of browser-related metrics and application metrics like apdex score, Ajax request, page views, and throughput and find the root causes quickly.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Get started with Next.Js APM with simple <a href="https://docs.middleware.io/docs/nextjs">installation.</a></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="539" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002399-1024x539.jpg" alt="Next.JS APM" class="wp-image-5009" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002399-1024x539.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002399-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002399-768x404.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002399-1536x808.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002399-2048x1078.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002399-1200x632.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002399-1980x1042.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">3. <strong>Microsoft Team integration</strong></h3>



<p>You can now get notifications on your preferred communication channels. Real-time notifications in MS Team make communication easy, and your team can respond faster to any alert you receive.</p>



<p>Integrate Microsoft team and configure alerts with simple <a href="https://docs.middleware.io/docs/microsoft-team-integration">installation</a>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="539" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002402-1024x539.jpg" alt="Microsoft Team Integration" class="wp-image-5010" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002402-1024x539.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002402-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002402-768x404.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002402-1536x808.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002402-2048x1078.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002402-1200x632.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002402-1980x1042.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>4. Jira integration</strong></h3>



<p>Assign alerts, logs, metrics, and important data directly to your team in Jira with this integration. With our two-way integration, you can update the status of the Jira task directly and get updated status in Jira and Middleware.<br><br>Get started with Jira integration with simple <a href="https://docs.middleware.io/docs/jira-integration">installation</a>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="506" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/image-80-1024x506.png" alt="Jira Integration" class="wp-image-5011" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/image-80-1024x506.png 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/image-80-300x148.png 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/image-80-768x380.png 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/image-80-1536x760.png 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/image-80-1200x593.png 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/image-80.png 1919w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">5. <strong>Alert improvements</strong></h3>



<p>You can now directly assign an alert in Middleware to your team member in one step. Also, you can manage the status of alerts (Pending, resolved, ignored)</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">6. <strong>Custom Dashboard builder improvements</strong></h3>



<p>With our latest update in the dashboard builder, you can get data updated in real time without any delay in the custom dashboard.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="539" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002401-1024x539.jpg" alt="Custom Dashboard builder improvements" class="wp-image-5012" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002401-1024x539.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002401-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002401-768x404.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002401-1536x808.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002401-2048x1078.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002401-1200x632.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Frame-1000002401-1980x1042.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>We have added new visualization types for the dashboard builder; you can use a tree chart, pie chart, or top list chart view while building the custom dashboard.</p>



<p>That’s all from last month.&nbsp;<a href="https://newsletters.middleware.io/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a>&nbsp;for weekly product updates and recommended reads from us.</p>


From introducing the Database monitoring capabilities to improved alerts. Check all major product updates released in April 2023 here:

April Product Updates: Database Monitoring

Struggling to measure the performance of your DevOps team? Here are 10+ key DevOps metrics you should be tracking in 2023!

11 DevOps Metrics You Should Be Monitoring in 2023!

Discover the critical role of Kubernetes observability in managing containerized applications. Read this article to learn about essential components to monitor and best practices for maximum efficiency and reliability.

Mastering Kubernetes Observability: A DevOps Engineer’s Guide

Synthetic monitoring is essential for ensuring the optimal performance of websites and applications in the digital landscape. This article provides insights into how it works and how it can help organizations maintain high-performance standards and protect their bottom lines.

How to Use Synthetic Monitoring to Improve Application Performance

Want to free up your SREs, DevOps and IT teams time from doing the repetitive daily operations? Then tool consolidation is your answer! Know what is it and how it can help you here: 

Want to Achieve Full Observability? Tool Consolidation is the Key


<p>We have released key features, including AI-based Insights, performance enhancements, and UX improvements.</p>



<p>See what’s new in March 2023!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-middleware-advisor-ai-powered-insights">1. Middleware advisor (AI-powered insights)</h2>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/how-ai-based-insights-can-change-the-observability/">Middleware AI detection</a> will detect all the issues from infra and applications and give better and more detailed recommendations for fixing them.<br><br>To view AI-based insights and recommendations, follow these simple steps:</p>



<ul><li><a href="https://app.middleware.io/auth/login">Login to Middleware</a></li><li>Go to “Advisor” from the left menu</li><li>View issues and recommendations with the impacted resource in the table.</li><li>Click on any issue and see detailed recommendations with steps to fix that issue.</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-trace-php-applications">2. Trace PHP applications</h2>



<p>Once PHP APM is installed, it provides you with <a href="https://middleware.io/product/distributed-tracing/">distributed tracing</a> to visualize the full execution path of requests and detailed performance metrics for each of your services, endpoints, and database queries.</p>



<p><a href="https://docs.middleware.io/docs/php-apm-setup"><em>Install the PHP APM with easy steps.</em></a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-single-script-installation">3. Single script installation</h2>



<p>You can collect all the data from the application and infrastructure, including Metrics, Logs, Traces, Events, Errors, Kubernetes clusters, and app running into it, with one script and without giving a lot of resources to our agents. </p>



<p><em>Get started with <a href="https://docs.middleware.io/docs/installation">one script installation</a>.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-ui-updates">4. UI updates</h2>



<p>Here are some improvements in our internal systems to foster &amp; improve the user experience:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-i-trace-profiling">i) Trace profiling</h3>



<p>View the trace&#8217;s details in the timeline, including the time it took for each step and the execution time.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="643" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/traces-profiling-1024x643.jpg" alt="traces-profiling" class="wp-image-4491" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/traces-profiling-1024x643.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/traces-profiling-300x188.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/traces-profiling-768x482.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/traces-profiling-1536x964.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/traces-profiling-2048x1286.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/traces-profiling-1200x753.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/traces-profiling-1980x1243.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ii-custom-dashboard">ii) Custom Dashboard</h3>



<p>Create your custom dashboard with the data that matter most to you in just a few steps.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/custom-dashboard-by-Middleware.jpg" alt="custom dashboard by Middleware" class="wp-image-4709" width="611" height="296" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/custom-dashboard-by-Middleware.jpg 512w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/custom-dashboard-by-Middleware-300x145.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 611px) 100vw, 611px" /></figure>



<p>That&#8217;s all from last month. <a href="https://newsletters.middleware.io/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for weekly product updates and recommended reads from us. </p>


From AI-powered Insights to improved UI. Check all major product updates released in March 2023 here: 

March Product Update: AI-Powered Insights

Struggling to collect logs for your K8s application? We got you covered! Read more about K8s logging, various methods, best practices and tools in this detailed guide:

Kubernetes Logging 101: A Complete Guide


<p>Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the way we process and analyze data. In the field of observability, <strong>AI-powered insights</strong> are proving to be particularly valuable. Moreover, with the rise of cloud-native architectures and <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/microservices-architecture/">microservices</a>, observability has become essential for modern IT operations. </p>



<p>AI-powered insights can help organizations better understand and manage their complex systems by providing real-time analysis and automated actions based on collected data.</p>



<p>In this article, we will explore how AI-powered insights using GPT-4 can enhance observability and provide valuable insights for IT operations teams.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-standard-approach-to-infrastructure-monitoring">The standard approach to Infrastructure monitoring</h2>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/product/infrastructure-monitoring/">Infrastructure monitoring</a> has been an essential aspect of IT operations for a long time. The standard approach to infrastructure monitoring involves collecting data from different sources, such as servers, networks, and applications, and analyzing that data to gain insights into the performance and health of the infrastructure and send alerts in case of an issue.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, it is no longer the best approach in today&#8217;s fast-paced and complex IT environments.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The massive amounts of data generated by today&#8217;s applications and services make it difficult for human operators to identify issues and respond to issues quickly. As a result, IT teams are turning to AI-based insights to gain a better understanding of their <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-infrastructure-monitoring/">infrastructure performance</a>.</p>



<p>AI-based insights have transformed the infrastructure monitoring landscape by providing an intelligent and automated approach to <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/">observability</a>. This approach involves using machine learning algorithms to analyze large volumes of data to identify patterns that may indicate potential issues and AI-powered solutions to fix them.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-ai-based-insights-can-change-the-observability-space-in-2023">How AI-based insights can change the Observability space in 2023</h2>



<p>AI-based insights have revolutionized the world of DevOps, and it is expected to change the game even further in 2023. Integrating AI into Ops has enabled automating of various processes, streamlining workflows, and reducing Mean Time to Repair (MTTR).&nbsp;</p>



<p>With AI-based insights, organizations can <a href="https://middleware.io/platform/alerts/">leverage smart alerts</a> that can detect and diagnose issues in real time along with their possible solution, enabling IT teams to respond quickly and prevent further disruptions.</p>



<p>By leveraging machine learning algorithms and predictive analytics, AI-based insights can analyze vast amounts of data and identify potential issues before they occur. This helps IT teams to proactively address these issues, reducing the time required to identify and resolve them.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Furthermore, AI insights can help in root cause analysis, allowing teams to identify the underlying cause of the issue and prevent it from recurring in the future.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-data-does-middleware-provide-as-insights-using-ai-automation">What data does Middleware provide as insights using AI automation?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Middleware has integration with the most powerful AI tool, ChatGPT-4. And using ChatGPT-4, middleware predicts the root cause behind the issue and presents smart solutions to resolve them.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Here’s what it looks like in action:&nbsp;</p>



<div style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0;"><iframe src="https://www.loom.com/embed/29252ad8b7cd43f18ab81397c12fccd7" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen="" style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;"></iframe></div>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-middleware-s-ai-powered-insights-help"><strong>Middleware’s AI-powered insights help:</strong></h3>



<p>1. Auto-detect all the <a href="https://middleware.io/product/log-monitoring/">logs errors from infrastructure</a> and application to give better solutions within the platform</p>



<p>2. Get a list of all resources which need to be fixed.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="539" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2791-1-1024x539.jpg" alt="AI-powered insights dashboard" class="wp-image-4607" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2791-1-1024x539.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2791-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2791-1-768x404.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2791-1-1536x808.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2791-1-2048x1078.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2791-1-1200x632.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2791-1-1980x1042.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>3. Application error trace to find the route cause</p>



<p>4. Unify all the vital core issues in the platform</p>



<p>5. Find the solution (recommendation) for each issue with detailed steps.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="984" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2790-1-1024x984.jpg" alt="AI-powered Insights " class="wp-image-4610" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2790-1-1024x984.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2790-1-300x288.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2790-1-768x738.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2790-1-1536x1476.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2790-1-2048x1969.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2790-1-1200x1153.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2790-1-1980x1903.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>6. The critical insight of the platform issue and actionable items to fix it.</p>



<p>7. History of error produced and a 360-degree view of your infrastructure and applications</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-of-adopting-ai-powered-insights">Benefits of adopting AI-powered insights</h2>



<p>With Middleware’s AI-based insights, you don’t need to go and look at each service and machine to check issues. MW AI advisor lists all the issues with details like affected resources and detailed solutions so you can make the fix faster.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Additionally, AI-based insights will help you fix your infrastructure issues before your user get impacted.&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/">Middleware</a> offers three Categories (critical, medium, and low) that will help you identify and prioritize issues.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conclusion">Conclusion</h3>



<p>With AI-powered insights, IT operations teams can quickly identify and resolve issues, improving system performance, reducing downtime, and enhancing customer experiences.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Middleware is offering AI-powered insights for free to all its user. So grab the opportunity to give it a try. <a href="https://app.middleware.io/auth/register/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sign up now</a>; it’s free.&nbsp;</p>


AI-based insights have revolutionized the world of Observability, and it is expected to change the game even further in 2023. Here's how:

How AI-Based Insights Can Change The Observability in 2023


<p>AWS dominates the cloud computing industry, and rightfully so. With its simplified server and service setup, and powerful monitoring solution, AWS is the go-to choice for IT teams and organizations worldwide. Despite all that, AWS monitoring can still be a daunting task.</p>



<p>Therefore, it is crucial to understand AWS monitoring completely to ensure that your cloud-based tasks run efficiently. Today, we’ll discuss seven <strong>AWS monitoring best practices</strong> you must know. But let’s sort the basics first.</p>



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<div class="toc-list">&nbsp;</div>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-aws-monitoring"><strong>What is AWS Monitoring?</strong></h2>



<p>AWS monitoring is the practice of<strong> </strong>checking on the health and performance of your Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud infrastructure. The goal is to identify issues before they escalate, cause significant disruption, and ensure that your AWS resources run efficiently.</p>



<p>You can track metrics like CPU usage, memory usage, network traffic, and storage capacity. You can also <a href="https://middleware.io/platform/alerts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">set up alerts</a> to notify you of any anomalies in your infrastructure. This way, you can take timely action to prevent any potential downtime or performance issues.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-is-monitoring-aws-important"><strong>Why is Monitoring AWS important?</strong></h2>



<p>Monitoring AWS is crucial for several reasons. When you’re monitoring AWS, you&#8217;re constantly on the lookout for any signs of trouble, from sneaky resource hogs to suspicious security breaches. </p>



<p>Let’s look at these reasons in detail:</p>



<ol><li><strong>Identify and Resolve Issues: </strong>Monitoring AWS helps you identify and resolve issues before they escalate and hamper your operational efficiency.</li><li><strong>Ensure High Availability: </strong>AWS monitoring ensures that your resources are available and that you can take timely action to prevent any potential downtime.</li><li><strong>Optimize Resource Utilization: </strong>AWS monitoring can identify areas where you can reduce costs. This enables you to optimize your resource utilization.</li><li><strong>Ensure Security: </strong>AWS monitoring helps ensure the security of your cloud infrastructure by tracking any suspicious activities or security breaches. You can also follow multiple <strong>AWS monitoring and alerting best practices</strong> for the same.</li></ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-aws-monitoring-best-practices-you-must-know-in-2023"><strong>7 AWS Monitoring Best Practices You Must Know in 2023</strong></h2>



<p>Software engineers usually rely on application instrumentation frameworks to get insights into application issues. These frameworks provide valuable insights into the performance of code and applications and can include tools like breakpoints/debuggers and logging instrumentation.</p>



<p>However, relying solely on manual processes is not always practical in larger, multi-cloud environments. To help ensure AWS <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/">observability</a> in these more complex environments, you must keep the following AWS monitoring best practices in mind.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-define-monitoring-goals"><strong>1. Define Monitoring Goals</strong></h3>



<p>According to a<a href="https://aws.amazon.com/cloudops/monitoring-and-observability/?whats-new-cards.sort-by=item.additionalFields.postDateTime&amp;whats-new-cards.sort-order=desc&amp;blog-posts-cards.sort-by=item.additionalFields.createdDate&amp;blog-posts-cards.sort-order=desc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> survey</a> conducted by Amazon Web Services in 2021, 71% of IT decision-makers reported that <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability-vs-monitoring/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">monitoring and observability</a> were the top cloud initiatives for their organizations.</p>



<p>But, in order to do that effectively, you need to sort out and define your monitoring goals first.</p>



<p>Focus on the following questions:</p>



<ul><li>What are you trying to achieve?</li><li>What are your top priorities?</li></ul>



<p>Once you have the answers, you can develop a monitoring strategy that outlines the metrics you&#8217;ll use to track the health of your systems.</p>



<p>What next? Have clear processes in place for responding to alerts and incidents. In case of incidents, you’ll need to quickly identify the root cause of the issue and take action before it escalates. </p>



<p>Create an incident response plan with well-defined steps you&#8217;ll take to minimize the impact of any issues.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-collect-and-analyze-data-from-all-areas-of-your-aws-environment"><strong>2. Collect and Analyze Data from All Areas of Your AWS Environment:</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Multiple Amazon services (and platforms) have different roles and specifications. </strong>Some might seem like a better fit for your needs, and some won’t. However, creating a monitoring plan that collects data from all areas of your AWS environment is essential.</p>



<p>With complete visibility, you can efficiently collect and analyze data, enabling you to address multi-point failures as and when they occur quickly. </p>



<p>It&#8217;s important to have answers to basic monitoring questions to save time when navigating different areas of your <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/cloud-infrastructure-guide/">cloud infrastructure</a>. Some of these questions include:</p>



<ul><li>What resources are being monitored?</li><li>Who is responsible for monitoring them?</li><li>How often are they monitored?</li></ul>



<p>We at Middleware have integration with CloudWatch and CloudTrail, allowing you to collect data from all areas of your AWS environment.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-use-the-right-aws-monitoring-tools"><strong>3. Use the Right AWS Monitoring Tools</strong></h3>



<p>The right AWS monitoring tool is essential to monitor your AWS infrastructure effectively. There’s a variety of monitoring tools available, and hence selecting the right one becomes challenging.</p>



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<h3>Full-stack observability platform at scale.</h3>
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<p>Choose a tool that fits your needs and clearly understands your AWS infrastructure&#8217;s performance. Consider the following factors while selecting the right AWS monitoring tool for your organization:</p>



<ul><li>Level of automation to reduce routine tasks</li><li>Ease of use and customization capabilities</li><li>Cost-effectiveness and its value for money</li><li>The tool&#8217;s ability to integrate with your existing infrastructure</li><li>How well it can <a href="https://middleware.io/product/infrastructure-monitoring/">monitor your infrastructure&#8217;s various components</a>, such as servers, applications, and databases.</li></ul>



<p>Consider Middleware, a cloud-based monitoring platform that offers real-time visibility into your AWS monitoring infrastructure. You can use its comprehensive tools, automated alerting, customer dashboard, etc., to <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/aws-monitoring/">monitor your AWS environment</a>. </p>



<p>Other alternative options are,&nbsp; Datadog, <a href="https://middleware.io/comparison/dynatrace-alternative/">Dynatrance</a>, and AppDynamics.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-automate-monitoring-tasks-as-much-as-possible"><strong>4. Automate Monitoring Tasks as Much as Possible</strong></h3>



<p>Automating monitoring tasks is an essential part of maintaining a stable and efficient AWS infrastructure. It lets you can free up valuable time for your team to focus on more strategic tasks and minimize the risk of human error.</p>



<p>Here are some tips to help you automate your monitoring tasks in AWS:</p>



<ul><li><strong>Use AWS CloudFormation:</strong> It lets you define your infrastructure as code and automate the provisioning and configuration of your resources.</li><li><strong>Use AWS Lambda: </strong>A <a href="https://middleware.io/product/serverless-monitoring/">serverless computing service</a> that lets you run code in response to events or triggers. You can automate monitoring tasks like log processing and data aggregation using AWS Lambda.</li><li><strong>Use AWS Config</strong>: This service allows you to track changes to your AWS resources and enforce compliance policies. You can use Config rules to automate monitoring tasks, such as checking for security vulnerabilities and resource misconfigurations.</li><li><strong>Leverage machine learning: </strong>Machine learning algorithms can help you detect patterns and anomalies in your data that may be difficult to identify manually. AWS offers a range of machine learning services, such as Amazon SageMaker and Amazon Rekognition, that can be used for monitoring and analysis.</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-setup-alerts-and-smartly-route-them-to-the-correct-person"><strong>5. Setup Alerts and Smartly Route Them to the Correct Person</strong></h3>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/platform/alerts/">Setting up alerts</a> is a crucial aspect of AWS monitoring. It enables you to receive notifications at the time of incidents. This allows you to take quick action and resolve issues before it affects your end users.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="507" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002361-1-1024x507.jpg" alt="Alerts, AWS monitoring best practice" class="wp-image-4571" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002361-1-1024x507.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002361-1-300x148.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002361-1-768x380.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002361-1-1536x760.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002361-1-2048x1013.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002361-1-1200x594.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002361-1-1980x980.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>Ensure that these alerts are routed to the right person or team. Here are some best practices for setting up alerts in AWS:</p>



<ul><li>Define appropriate thresholds for your alerts. They should be based on the specific requirements of your infrastructure. Setting too high or too low thresholds can lead to unnecessary alerts or missed critical issues.</li><li>Configure notification preferences for alerts, including the method of notification (email, SMS, etc.), the recipient, and the severity level. Use AWS Simple Notification Service (SNS) to route notifications to multiple recipients or endpoints.</li><li>Use escalation policies to ensure that alerts are routed to the appropriate person or team based on severity level or time sensitivity.</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-check-the-log-files-on-your-ec2-instances"><strong>6. Check the Log Files on Your EC2 Instances</strong></h3>



<p>Checking log files on your <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/aws-terminology-101-a-complete-glossary/">EC2 instances</a> is one of the important AWS monitoring best practices. Log files provide valuable information about your system events, errors, and application performance.</p>



<p>To check log files on EC2 instances, you can SSH into the instance and navigate to the relevant log files.</p>



<p>Collect the following log data:</p>



<ul><li><strong>Database Logs:</strong> To detect slow queries.</li><li><strong>Application Logs:</strong> Understand the reasons behind application failure.</li><li><strong>AWS CloudTrail Logs:</strong> To detect API calls made to the application.</li><li><strong>OS Logs: </strong>To identify host-failure reasons.</li><li><strong>Web Server Logs:</strong> To capture firewall logs and VPC logs for patterns of access and attacks.</li></ul>



<p>However, manually checking log files can be time-consuming and inefficient, especially in larger environments. That&#8217;s where log monitoring tools, such as Middleware, can come in handy.</p>



<p>To simplify the process, you can use tools like Middleware to collect log data from multiple sources, including EC2 instances, and provides centralized log analysis.&nbsp;</p>



<p>You can search, filter, and <a href="https://middleware.io/product/log-monitoring/">analyze log data</a>, set up alerts and notifications, and quickly troubleshoot issues in your AWS environment.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="537" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002334-1-1024x537.jpeg" alt="Middleware for Log monitoring" class="wp-image-4569" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002334-1-1024x537.jpeg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002334-1-300x157.jpeg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002334-1-768x403.jpeg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002334-1-1536x806.jpeg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002334-1-2048x1074.jpeg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002334-1-1200x630.jpeg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002334-1-1980x1039.jpeg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-monitor-costs"><strong>7. Monitor Costs</strong></h3>



<p>Although AWS offers automatic scalability and elasticity to systems, monitoring costs continuously to ensure resource utilization stays within a budget is important.</p>



<p>Here are some tips to keep costs in check:</p>



<ul><li>Map resources to requirements: Reduce costs by stopping or resizing low-utilization instances, databases, and other resources.</li><li>Locate resource waste: Snapshot and delete low-utilization EBS volumes and idle load balancers to reduce costs. Use low-cost storage tiers for infrequently accessed S3 objects.</li><li>Ensure reliability: Monitor workloads using logs and metrics and set up notifications for significant events and threshold violations.</li></ul>



<p>Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers a varied range of tools (free and paid) to help you monitor your systems. Let’s have a look at the two most prominent first-party AWS monitoring tools.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-aws-cloudtrail"><strong>1. AWS CloudTrail</strong></h3>



<p>It enables you to track events across your account by automatically recording event logs and activity logs for your services and storing the data in S3.</p>



<p>These logs include critical information such as user identities, traffic origin IPs, and timestamps. While management events can be viewed for free for the last 90 days, data events and insights based on your data are available for an additional fee.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-aws-cloudwatch"><strong>2. AWS CloudWatch</strong></h3>



<p>CloudWatch lets you collect and analyze metrics from various sources.</p>



<p>It consists of two primary parts:</p>



<ul><li>Alarms: These generate notifications based on predefined thresholds for individual metrics.</li><li>Events: These enable you to automate actions based on metric values or system changes.</li></ul>



<p>Additionally, CloudWatch provides tools for visualizing metrics and logs, making it easier to monitor (and troubleshoot) your systems.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-top-third-party-aws-monitoring-tools"><strong>Top Third-Party AWS Monitoring Tools</strong></h2>



<p>AWS provides multiple built-in tools for monitoring your cloud environment. However, many organizations choose to use third-party tools to supplement these monitoring capabilities.</p>



<p>Let’s take a closer look at some of the top third-party AWS monitoring tools:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-middleware">1. Middleware</h3>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Middleware</a> is a monitoring platform that specializes in complex, multi-tiered applications. It provides comprehensive management of both the application layer and underlying infrastructure, as well as intelligent alerting and visualization features.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-datadog">2. Datadog</h3>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/comparison/datadog-alternative/">Datadog</a>, a cloud-based monitoring platform, offers real-time visibility into metrics and logs from your AWS infrastructure. It supports a wide range of AWS services and provides advanced features such as anomaly detection and machine learning-based forecasting.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-dynatrace">3. Dynatrace</h3>



<p><a href="https://www.dynatrace.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Dynatrace</a> is an AI-powered monitoring platform that provides full-stack observability for your AWS applications and infrastructure. It automatically discovers and maps your entire environment and uses machine learning to provide insights and recommendations for optimizing performance and reducing downtime.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-to-conclude"><strong>To Conclude</strong></h2>



<p>Utilizing appropriate AWS monitoring tools can significantly transform your cloud operations and enable you to:</p>



<ul><li>Detect cost inefficiencies</li><li>Allocate costs more confidently</li><li>And avoid unpleasant surprises during billing cycles.</li></ul>



<p>However, relying solely on tools won&#8217;t solve all monitoring challenges. Implementing the above-mentioned AWS monitoring best practices and using the right tools is essential for building a solid foundation. </p>



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<p>Adopting these practices and tools can help you prevent minor issues from escalating into major (and costly) problems.</p>



<p>Simplify the process and adopt a full-stack observability platform, Middleware, that comes with built-in AWS monitoring best practices. <a href="https://app.middleware.io/auth/register/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sign up now</a>; it’s free!&nbsp;</p>


Monitoring AWS environment continues to be one of the rising challenges in cloud computing industry. Here are 7 expert backed AWS monitoring best practices to help you monitor your AWS environment effectively:

7 AWS Monitoring Best Practices in 2024


<p>In 2023, modern systems and applications have become more complex and distributed, making it difficult to pinpoint the root cause of issues when they occur. Even the reliance on digital services has increased so much that organizations need to ensure their systems are always available and performing at their best.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Hence, <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/">observability</a> has become essential for organizations to monitor their systems and applications effectively. It helps organizations gain insights into their systems&#8217; behavior, including their dependencies and interactions, making identifying and troubleshooting issues easier.</p>



<p>It also provides a holistic view of system performance that includes metrics, logs, and traces, enabling IT, security, and DevOps teams to monitor and optimize their systems&#8217; health and reliability proactively.</p>



<p>Therefore, it becomes important to keep in touch with the latest observability trends and predictions expected to shape the industry in 2023. Let&#8217;s find out.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-critical-observability-trends-and-predictions-for-2023"><strong>6 Critical Observability trends and predictions for 2023</strong></h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-applied-observability-will-become-the-new-normal">1. Applied Observability will become the new normal</h3>



<p>Applied observability involves using observable data in a coordinated and integrated manner across various business functions, applications, and I&amp;O teams.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="732" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002888-1024x732.jpeg" alt="Applied observability Survey" class="wp-image-4524" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002888-1024x732.jpeg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002888-300x214.jpeg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002888-768x549.jpeg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002888-1536x1097.jpeg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002888-1200x857.jpeg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002888.jpeg 1754w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>The goal is to enable quick decision-making and proactive planning by minimizing the time between taking action and seeing results.</p>



<p>In one of their reports,<a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/4020028"> Gartner</a> ranked applied observatory as number two on its list of top ten strategic <strong>observability trends</strong> for 2023.</p>



<p>This pertains to using holistic and coordinated data-driven decision-making and strategies and implementing enterprise and data architectures and Data Ops practices in a cross-functional or business unit capacity.</p>



<p>On top of that, Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG)<a href="https://opsmatters.com/posts/2023-trends-aiops-observability-and-itops"> predicts</a> that in 2023, investing in observability can reduce average downtime costs by almost 90%. From $23.9 million for organizations in the early stages of their observability journey to just $2.5 million for those with mature programs, resulting in significant ROI.</p>



<p>Additionally, IDC&#8217;s research indicates that organizations that implement observability can benefit in various ways, such as:</p>



<ul><li><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/developer-productivity/">Improving productivity</a> and collaboration among IT staff</li><li>Enabling faster and more accurate IT and business decision-making</li><li>Strengthening their cybersecurity posture and practices</li><li>Driving digital innovation</li><li>Enhancing customer and employee digital experiences</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="integrated-observability-business-data">2. Integrated Observability &amp; business data</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="584" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002887-1-1024x584.jpg" alt="Evolution of Observability" class="wp-image-4526" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002887-1-1024x584.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002887-1-300x171.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002887-1-768x438.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002887-1-1536x875.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002887-1-1200x684.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002887-1.jpg 1604w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>As the volume of data generated by organizations continues to grow, it has become challenging to gain meaningful insights from disparate sources of information.</p>



<p>Integrated observability solutions that consolidate data like (database logs, activity logs, timestamps, etc.) from various sources into a single, unified platform are gaining traction.&nbsp;</p>



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<p>Integrating observability with business data can help break down silos between IT and business units. For instance, some time back, Hotstar (an OTT platform that streams cricket matches) was at its peak live visitors during India vs. Pakistan cricket match, when they suddenly noticed a sudden decline in live visitors.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Reason? They had a payment gateway after five minutes, and when a user tried to pay for the purchase, the payment gateway would not process the transaction. As a result, the application didn’t allow them to continue watching the match.&nbsp;</p>



<p>They quickly found and resolved the error because they had one unified observability solution to monitor their entire end-to-end infrastructure. And more importantly, they knew how a single error could affect the entire business.&nbsp;</p>



<p>With a shared understanding of how IT impacts business outcomes, teams can work together more effectively to drive innovation and improve performance. Organizations can also comprehensively understand how their IT systems impact business outcomes.</p>



<p>It also enables IT teams to identify issues and opportunities that can impact the business. For example, identifying:</p>



<ul><li>The root cause of a performance issue that is impacting the user experience</li><li>A trend in customer behavior can inform new product development</li></ul>



<p>Some key players that have caught up with this trend are <a href="https://middleware.io/">Middleware</a> and <a href="https://middleware.io/comparison/datadog-alternative/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Datadog</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="use-ai-observability">3. Use of AI in Observability</h3>



<p>Automation (one of the hottest <strong>observability trends</strong>) will play a crucial role in 2023 as businesses face economic challenges and aim to do more with less. It enables companies to redirect skilled resources toward tasks with the most impact, speeding up <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-digital-transformation/">digital transformation</a> and innovation efforts.</p>



<p>AI-powered observability solutions will continue to help IT teams:</p>



<ul><li>Detect issues on the agent level, providing granular visibility into system performance. These platforms can also help IT teams search and filter vast amounts of data quickly, making pinpointing the root cause of issues easier.</li><li>Create custom dashboards that provide real-time visibility into system performance. It enables IT teams to monitor critical metrics and track trends over time.</li><li>Provide alerts and suggestions for fixing issues, enabling IT teams to resolve problems quickly and efficiently.</li><li>Detect anomalies that may be indicative of issues. By leveraging machine learning algorithms, observability platforms can identify patterns that deviate from the norm, helping IT teams to identify issues before they become critical problems.</li><li>Provide actionable insights by summarizing data into easy-to-understand visualizations. This feature allows IT teams to monitor system performance and make informed decisions quickly.</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="organizations-will-cut-multiple-observability">4. Organizations will cut the use of multiple observability tools</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="662" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Group-1000002881-1-1024x662.jpg" alt="DevOps Monitoring &amp; Observability tools" class="wp-image-4474" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Group-1000002881-1-1024x662.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Group-1000002881-1-300x194.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Group-1000002881-1-768x497.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Group-1000002881-1-1200x776.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Group-1000002881-1.jpg 1252w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>Using multiple observability tools can create silos between different teams, making it harder to comprehensively view system performance. According to Grafana’s 2023 observability report, that surveyed 250+ respondents, 11% said their company uses 16 or more observability tools.</p>



<p>The challenge with having multiple observability tools is that each tool has its own learning curve, <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/opentelemetry-collector/">data collection method</a>, agents, and cost.</p>



<p>Therefore, in 2023, organizations are more likely to cut the use of these tools and go for an integrated approach.</p>



<p>Integrated observability solutions like Middleware provide a single source of truth for system performance, enabling teams to monitor critical metrics and track trends over time.</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/best-practices/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Observability best practices</a></p></blockquote>



<p>These solutions provide a unified view of system performance across the entire technology stack. This will help teams to identify issues faster, resolve them more efficiently, and improve overall system performance.</p>



<p>In addition, solutions like Middleware can provide automated root cause analysis, making it easier for teams to identify the underlying cause of issues and resolve them quickly.</p>



<p>By reducing the need for manual analysis, teams can free up time to focus on more strategic tasks, such as innovation and digital transformation.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="observability-cybersecurity">5. Observability for cybersecurity</h3>



<p>Cybersecurity is something that is majorly missing from the beginning of the development process.</p>



<p>Many vendors build security mechanisms, but usually, engineers are conditioned to outsource the responsibility of secure code to the security team and expect them to identify the system’s vulnerabilities.</p>



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<p>This system doesn’t work anymore. How about you provide sufficient signals to engineers with controls and policies in place? For instance, engineers couldn’t deploy or merge code unless the security parameters were met.</p>



<p>This ensures that security becomes aforethought in the development process from the beginning. Although some may view these measures as burdensome for engineering teams, failing to meet security or cost standards can lead to delayed responses and increased risks.</p>



<p>Addressing security concerns upfront can streamline the development process and prevent the need for time-consuming and inefficient fixes later on.</p>



<p>The<a href="https://newrelic.com/observability-forecast/2022/state-of-observability"> 2022 Observability Forecast</a> highlights the growing importance of security, governance, risk, and compliance in driving the need for observability, with 49% of respondents citing it as a top <strong>observability trend.</strong></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="finOps-will-use-cost-golden-signal">6. FinOps will use cost as a golden signal</h3>



<p>Another <strong>observability trend </strong>that will become increasingly important in 2023 is the need to monitor and optimize the cost per transaction.</p>



<p>As organizations look at cost-cuttings in the current economic climate, traditional metrics such as latency, throughput, and errors are no longer sufficient.</p>



<p>Instead, FinOps departments are being established to oversee budget consumption, and engineers are being involved in the process to make more informed decisions about what to work on and how to deploy code.</p>



<p>Organizations must consider cost as a &#8220;golden signal&#8221; and analyze it alongside other metrics to gain better visibility into resource usage.</p>



<p>This enables engineers to make data-driven spending decisions and optimize costs. Companies have utilized this approach and tools like sensitivity analysis to maximize business value by analyzing cost data in the context of the business function it supports.</p>



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<p>The trend towards more holistic observability is expected to continue to grow in importance in 2023. It involves the involvement of engineers in the cost optimization process.</p>



<p>By considering a broader range of metrics and involving cross-functional teams in the monitoring and optimization process, organizations can gain a more comprehensive view of system performance and make better-informed decisions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="in-conclusion"><strong>In Conclusion</strong></h2>



<p>The observability market is set to change as it moves towards comprehensive end-to-end observability solutions.</p>



<p><strong>Observability trends </strong>in 2023 reflect the need for organizations to balance efficiency and innovation while navigating challenging economic times.</p>



<p>Applied observability, integrated observability, business data, the use of AI in observability, cutting the use of multiple observability tools, observability for cybersecurity, and democratizing observability are the key trends and predictions for 2023.</p>



<p>By implementing these trends, organizations can gain real-time visibility into system performance, improve decision-making, strengthen cybersecurity posture, drive digital innovation, and enhance customer and employee digital experiences.</p>


Observability trends in 2023 reflect the need for organizations to balance efficiency and innovation while navigating challenging economic times. Read more about emerging Observability trends in this article.

6 Key Observability Trends and Predictions for 2023


<p>According to data from the latest IT spending <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1105798/it-spending-share-revenue-by-industry/">reports</a>, SaaS companies spend 18% of their total revenue on IT. The number is 11% for Tech hosting/cloud companies. That’s why reducing IT costs is vital in 2023.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Observability is the key that can help businesses reduce their IT spending.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>So, What is observability? And how to reduce IT Costs with observability?&nbsp;</strong></p>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/">Observability</a>, as we all know, is the ability to identify a system’s internal state based on the data from its external state.&nbsp;</p>



<p>We&#8217;ll answer the second question by breaking it down into seven ways to use observability to reduce costs while improving uptime, data transparency and analytical power. Continue reading for more!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observability-and-it-costs-an-overview"><strong>Observability and IT costs- An Overview</strong></h2>



<p>Many enterprises are under pressure to cut IT costs.</p>



<p>According to a recent survey by<a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2022-10-19-gartner-forecasts-worldwide-it-spending-to-grow-5-percent-in-2023"> Gartner</a>, an average enterprise will spend 5.1 percent of its IT operations and maintenance (O&amp;M), with an estimated 11.3 percent going toward software licenses.&nbsp;</p>



<p>That&#8217;s a significant portion of the overall budget that can be put to better use elsewhere. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce IT costs through observability.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-ways-to-reduce-costs-with-observability"><strong>7 Ways To Reduce Costs With Observability</strong></h2>



<p>You may have heard about observability from people discussing monitoring, logging and metrics. While those are all critical parts of observability, it&#8217;s more than just the tools used to capture data.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s also about how you use that data to decide about your services, applications and <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-infrastructure-monitoring/">infrastructure</a>.</p>



<p>By using the following observability techniques mentioned below, you can reduce costs:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-building-an-agile-development-culture"><strong>1. Building an Agile development culture</strong></h3>



<p>With observability tools, you can quickly identify and reduce unnecessary resource use (e.g., CPU) that affects performance before it affects users or applications.</p>



<p>For example, if an application runs on a server that needs only 50% of its CPU but currently uses 100%, this could be due to an inefficient algorithm or lousy code.</p>



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<p>By identifying this kind of problem early on, you can optimize your code and prevent future performance issues from arising.</p>



<p>The ability to respond quickly to changing business needs is critical for any software company. If your application stops working at any moment, it may cause huge losses for your company and your clients and partners.</p>



<p>For example, with observability tools, you can easily monitor how your system behaves from start to finish without writing a single line of code or restarting your app every time it crashes unexpectedly.</p>



<p>You can also see how long each request takes from beginning to end, so you&#8217;ll know exactly what&#8217;s going wrong if there&#8217;s any problem with an endpoint or <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/microservices-architecture/">microservice</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-reduce-the-need-for-multiple-observability-tools"><strong>2. Reduce the need for multiple observability tools</strong></h3>



<p>Using one centralized platform for managing all your applications and infrastructure allows you to get a holistic view of the health of your entire system.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="662" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Group-1000002881-1-1024x662.jpg" alt="DevOps Monitoring &amp; Observability Tools" class="wp-image-4474" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Group-1000002881-1-1024x662.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Group-1000002881-1-300x194.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Group-1000002881-1-768x497.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Group-1000002881-1-1200x776.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Group-1000002881-1.jpg 1252w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>This is especially important regarding security incidents because they can happen anywhere in the system.</p>



<p>Once you&#8217;ve got everything in one place, you can quickly identify problems and take action before they turn into serious issues that impact customer experience or business operations.</p>



<p>Grafana Labs’ latest <a href="https://grafana.com/observability-survey-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Observability 2023 report</a> claims, &#8220;Centralized observability saves other teams from having to build their own monitoring infrastructure.”</p>



<p>With a single, centralized observability tool like Middleware, you can get all the data you need in one place: logs, traces and metrics.</p>



<p>Middleware lets you collect data from all over your stack — from microservices and containers to message queues and databases — so that you don&#8217;t have to use separate tools for each part of your application stack.</p>



<p>Middleware helps you reduce the need for multiple <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/cloud-monitoring-tools/">cloud monitoring tools</a> by providing visibility into all aspects of your infrastructure. It is a powerful observability platform that offers insights into your applications, servers, containers and networks.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-decrease-data-storage-costs"><strong>3. Decrease data storage costs</strong></h3>



<p>In today’s zero-downtime world, you need to know how your systems perform and if they meet their SLAs (service-level agreements).</p>



<p>But, it possesses a key challenge, data and the associated cost behind handling, storing, and reading the data.</p>



<p>Yes, having observability data is important and a general <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability-best-practices/">observability best practice</a>. But, only storing the data which matters to you can help reduce cost.&nbsp;</p>



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<p>Middleware only sends the necessary data, and we save data on S3/customer&#8217;s own cloud storage if needed to save data cost by up to 10X.</p>



<p>Access to the right data to the right people at the right time can help you significantly optimize your systems and reduce the chances of downtime.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-reduction-in-mttr-mean-time-to-respond-and-mtbf-mean-time-between-failures"><strong>4. Reduction in MTTR (mean time to respond) and MTBF (mean time between failures)</strong></h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="453" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002879-1024x453.jpeg" alt="MTTR" class="wp-image-4472" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002879-1024x453.jpeg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002879-300x133.jpeg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002879-768x340.jpeg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002879-1200x531.jpeg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Group-1000002879.jpeg 1268w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>MTTR (Mean Time To Resolution) measures how long it takes for an issue to be identified, diagnosed, and fixed.</p>



<p>Observability tools help reduce MTTR by providing visibility into what&#8217;s happening inside your application at any given time and <a href="https://middleware.io/platform/alerts/">alerting</a> you when something goes wrong so that you can fix it as soon as possible.</p>



<p>This allows you to resolve issues faster, with less downtime and fewer errors for your users.</p>



<p>MTBF is a measure of how often an item fails during its lifetime.</p>



<p>Observability tools allow you to catch failures early on so that they don&#8217;t happen again later on down the road — which means that failures are less likely to occur repeatedly throughout an application&#8217;s lifetime or across multiple instances of its deployment.</p>



<p>Middleware’s <a href="https://middleware.io/product/distributed-tracing/">distributed tracing</a> feature can help teams identify various factors like latency, response time, and errors which help them reduce MTTR and MTBF</p>



<p>You can reduce MTBF and increase the overall reliability of your application by catching failures early on and fixing them before they become problems.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-improve-uptime-with-proactive-root-cause-analysis"><strong>5. Improve uptime with proactive root cause analysis</strong></h3>



<p>Collecting data from multiple sources gives you a holistic view of your application&#8217;s performance. But sending all that data to an observability tool can be expensive if you&#8217;re not careful about how much data you collect and send.</p>



<p>Data sent to observability tools should be as minimal as possible. We should only send the necessary data instead of everything we have.</p>



<p>For example, if you are using Middleware for monitoring, you should only send metrics required by Middleware and not send metrics it doesn&#8217;t need.&nbsp;</p>



<p>There are many ways to do this:</p>



<ul><li>Use custom time series for metrics that aren&#8217;t critical but might affect performance if they become too large (such as the number of requests per second).</li><li>Send only high cardinality metrics (i.e., those with more than one value) when possible instead of a tuple containing every value in your application (e.g., request latency).</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-reduce-incidents-outages-and-unplanned-work"><strong>6. Reduce incidents, outages and unplanned Work</strong></h3>



<p>It&#8217;s common for an IT department to spend 30% of its time on non-value-added activities. An observability tool can help reduce incidents, outages and unplanned work by providing visibility into your application&#8217;s performance or availability.</p>



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<p>Reduce incidents by creating more visibility into production systems (physical or virtual). With more visibility, you can detect anomalies before they become problems.</p>



<p>This lets you quickly resolve issues before they impact your users or customers.</p>



<p>Reduce unplanned work by helping your team find root causes faster. You can spot patterns across the entire infrastructure and identify issues at the source — instead of just reacting to symptoms.</p>



<p>Reduce outages by detecting problems before they impact customers and users. Detecting issues early on, you can take action before they become a problem — like getting a server back online quickly after an outage.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-prepare-for-the-unplanned"><strong>7. Prepare for the unplanned</strong></h3>



<p>Real-time diagnostics help you quickly identify problems as they occur.</p>



<p>By monitoring your systems&#8217; performance over time, you can determine whether there is any deviation from standard behavior patterns and take action accordingly.</p>



<p>This will help reduce downtime costs associated with fixing critical bugs in production environments<strong>.</strong></p>



<p>Before deploying observability tools, it&#8217;s hard to diagnose problems in real-time. For example, you might have a slow worker node or a resource contention issue.</p>



<p>The only way to find out is by <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-log-monitoring/">inspecting the logs</a> afterward. With observability tools, you can monitor your application in real-time and get visibility into your systems so you can fix issues as they happen.</p>



<p>This will help you avoid unplanned downtimes and increase uptime for your customers.</p>



<p>One of the most common ways to reduce costs is to identify and monitor for anomalies. For example, if you&#8217;re paying for storage only when needed, you can avoid paying for unused capacity.</p>



<p>Similarly, if your application uses 10TB of data per month but never more than 2TB at any one time, you can limit your storage costs by storing only 2TB in S3.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-takeaways"><strong>Key takeaways</strong></h2>



<p>Observability is vital to maintaining a healthy infrastructure and reducing costs.</p>



<p>As we see in the above examples where sites that have suffered from downtime due to cascading errors, observability ensures that even simple changes are appropriately authorized and accounted for before implementation.</p>



<p>That&#8217;s what it means to keep an eye on your applications.</p>



<p>More and more companies are going to start pushing the envelope when it comes to increasing the <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-infrastructure-monitoring/">visibility of their infrastructure</a>. It&#8217;s not just important that your Apache servers are healthy.</p>



<p>Whether you&#8217;re operating a modern SaaS, large-scale websites, or enterprise applications, there&#8217;s no reason to lose sleep over troubleshooting that minor issue.</p>



<p>Middleware is here to help ensure you have all the information you need to make the best decisions. It&#8217;s never been so simple or cost-efficient. <a href="https://app.middleware.io/auth/register/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sign up now</a> to see it in action!</p>


Businesses are under the constant pressure of reducing IT spend. This post highlights 7 ways observability can help reduce IT costs.

7 Ways to Reduce IT Costs with Observability


<p>Given the importance of Observability in today’s complex systems, having a set of <strong>Observability best practices</strong> becomes critical.</p>



<p>This is because <strong>Observability best practices</strong> provide a set of guidelines for sustained and efficient development which are compliant with standards and regulations while providing a path for continuous improvement.</p>



<p>Wait, what is observability?</p>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/">Observability</a> is the extent to which you can understand a complex system’s internal state or condition based only on knowledge of its external outputs in real time.</p>



<p>With multiple components like hardware, software, <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/cloud-infrastructure-guide/">cloud infrastructure</a>, containers, etc., modern systems generate a huge volume of records.</p>



<p>Observability analyzes <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-opentelemetry/">telemetric data</a> for resolving issues and keeping the system efficient and reliable. Data like metrics, traces, and logs are analyzed to gain actionable knowledge or insights.</p>



<p>As per recent <a href="https://newrelic.com/resources/report/observability-forecast/2023/state-of-observability/benefits">studies</a>, companies using observability on some level have witnessed improvements in system uptime and reliability, real-user experience, and developer productivity and an increase in operational efficiency and security management.</p>



<p>Having understood observability and its importance, let us look at 10 <strong>observability best practices</strong> every DevOps engineer should implement.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-10-observability-best-practices-every-devops-should-implement"><strong>10 observability best practices every devops should implement</strong></h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-know-your-platform"><strong>1.  Know your platform</strong></h3>



<p>You need to have a detailed knowledge of the physical platform to identify all possible data feed sources.</p>



<p>Different platforms and systems require different <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability-vs-monitoring/">monitoring and observability</a> approaches, and understanding the unique characteristics of your platform can help you optimize your observability practices.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="512" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/image-1544355361.jpg" alt="Know your platform" class="wp-image-6593" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/image-1544355361.jpg 512w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/image-1544355361-300x300.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/image-1544355361-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>



<p>Some factors to consider for understanding your platform are:</p>



<ul>
<li>&nbsp;Platform architecture, including the components, dependencies, and communication patterns between services.</li>



<li>&nbsp;Workloads running on your platform, such as batch jobs, real-time services, and background tasks.</li>



<li>The operating system running on your platform, including its performance characteristics, resource utilization, and limitations.</li>



<li>&nbsp;In the case of a cloud platform, the cloud infrastructure’s monitoring and observability capabilities and limitations.</li>



<li>&nbsp;Relevant data sources for monitoring and observability, such as logs, metrics, traces, and events, and how to collect and analyze them.</li>
</ul>



<p>Understanding the unique characteristics of your platform can help you optimize your observability practices.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-you-don-t-need-to-monitor-everything-just-monitor-what-s-important"><strong>2.  You don’t need to monitor everything, just monitor what’s important?</strong></h3>



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<p>IT platforms generate a lot of data, and not all of it is useful.&nbsp; Observability systems should be designed for filtering data as close to the source, at multiple levels, to avoid cluttering with excess data.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This will enable faster data analysis in real-time.</p>



<p>Of course, care should be taken to ensure that data that may be unimportant from an operational perspective but important from a business analysis perspective should not be deleted.</p>



<p>Monitoring selectively has the following benefits:</p>



<ul>
<li>Focusing only on critical metrics and events reduces the amount of noise in the monitoring data, making it easier to identify and address issues in critical areas faster, thus reducing downtime.</li>



<li>DevOps teams can scale monitoring efforts more effectively by focusing resources on the most critical areas, thereby improving cost-effectiveness.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-put-alerts-only-for-critical-events"> <strong>3. Put alerts only for critical events</strong></h3>



<p>Alerts can be configured to send notifications for a critical event, like when an application behaves outside of predefined parameters.</p>



<p>It detects important events in the system and <a href="https://middleware.io/platform/alerts/">alerts</a> the responsible party. An alert system ensures that developers know when something has to be fixed so they can stay focused on other tasks.</p>



<p>An effective observability tool like <a href="https://middleware.io/">Middleware</a> will pick up on critical early-stage problems or zero-day attacks on the platform.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="772" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002333-1024x772.jpeg" alt="Alerts in Middleware" class="wp-image-4394" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002333-1024x772.jpeg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002333-300x226.jpeg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002333-768x579.jpeg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002333-1536x1158.jpeg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002333-2048x1544.jpeg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002333-1200x905.jpeg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002333-1980x1493.jpeg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>Using pattern recognition, they secure platforms from internal and external threats.</p>



<p>Developers can use self-healing infrastructure or automation to resolve non-critical issues. However, issues that are business-critical require developers to be more hands-on, tapping into data and analytics.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-create-a-standardized-data-logging-format"><strong>4. Create a standardized data logging format</strong></h3>



<p>Data produced by <a href="https://middleware.io/product/log-monitoring/">logging</a> can help DevOps teams identify problem occurrences in a system and also to isolate the root cause of the problem.</p>



<p>Hence, log data should be formatted for maximizing usage by structuring logs in a standardized manner.</p>



<p>Structured logging represents all crucial log elements as attributes with associated values that can easily be ingested and parsed.</p>



<p>This allows teams to use the log management platform optimally with data visualization features that enhance the ability to recognize application or <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/cloud-native-infrastructure-challenges/">infrastructure problems</a> and respond to them.</p>



<p>This becomes critical, especially when you are dealing with a large volume of log data.</p>



<p>Ensure that data logging has been enabled, and use Network Management Protocols or other means of standardized logging wherever possible.</p>



<p>You can use connectors that can translate your data into a standardized format.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-store-logs-that-only-give-insights-about-critical-events"><strong>5.  Store logs that only give insights about critical events</strong></h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="537" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002334-1024x537.jpeg" alt="Log monitoring in Middleware" class="wp-image-4392" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002334-1024x537.jpeg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002334-300x157.jpeg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002334-768x403.jpeg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002334-1536x806.jpeg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002334-2048x1074.jpeg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002334-1200x630.jpeg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002334-1980x1039.jpeg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>Storing only logs that provide insights about critical events is an observability best practice.</p>



<p>Certain logs must be managed and monitored:</p>



<ul>
<li>Failed login attempts can be red flags that something is wrong. Multiple login failures in a short time period could indicate an attempt to break into the system. Of course, compliance reasons make it a must to manage and monitor them.&nbsp;</li>



<li>Firewalls and other intrusion detection devices are an important first line of security. Though advanced attacks can nowadays circumvent most firewalls, still <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-log-monitoring/">monitoring logs</a> here is a must.&nbsp;</li>



<li>When control policies are not being followed, or some unauthorized changes are occurring, it could be unprofessional behavior, but it could be something sinister. These changes could be catastrophic and actually bring down a network.</li>
</ul>



<p>Applications also <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/search-logs-effectively-with-log-management/">generate a lot of logs</a> that need to be monitored.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-ensure-data-can-be-aggregated-and-centralized"> <strong>6. Ensure data can be aggregated and centralized</strong></h3>



<p>DevOps culture is based on collaborative, consistent, and <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/ci-cd-best-practices/">continuous delivery</a>, and centralized logging plays an important role in it.</p>



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<p>Without centralized data, management will not be efficient in the complex, large-scale environments in which <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-devops/">DevOps</a> teams work.</p>



<p>With individual management of logs, the workload increases. And compromises the team’s ability to integrate and correlate data from multiple logs when troubleshooting a problem.</p>



<p>This goes against the grain of DevOps culture.</p>



<p>Centralized logging by aggregating logs from all stages of the software delivery pipeline into a single place gives developers and IT engineers the end-to-end visibility they need to deliver software continuously and consistently.</p>



<p>With centralization, logs from development and testing environments are collected in the same place as production logs, making it easier for all to view and correlate data.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-don-t-rely-on-default-dashboards"><strong>7.  Don’t rely on default dashboards</strong></h3>



<p>Default dashboards may provide a starting point, but they are not designed to capture the unique characteristics of each system.</p>



<p>Custom dashboards can help to highlight important metrics, provide insights into the performance of critical components, and help identify potential issues before they impact the system.</p>



<p>Custom dashboards can help identify and highlight important metrics specific to the system. Making it easier for IT teams to analyze and interpret data.</p>



<p><strong>With Middleware, you can create custom dashboards in just a few easy steps and under a minute:</strong></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="496" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002337-1024x496.jpeg" alt="how to create custom dashboard in Middleware" class="wp-image-4390" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002337-1024x496.jpeg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002337-300x145.jpeg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002337-768x372.jpeg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002337-1536x744.jpeg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002337-2048x993.jpeg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002337-1200x582.jpeg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002337-1980x960.jpeg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="496" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002336-1024x496.jpeg" alt="custom dashboard - Middleware" class="wp-image-4388" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002336-1024x496.jpeg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002336-300x145.jpeg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002336-768x372.jpeg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002336-1536x744.jpeg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002336-2048x993.jpeg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002336-1200x582.jpeg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/opt_Frame-1000002336-1980x960.jpeg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>Also, dashboards have a larger audience than just system administrators and IT teams and are also important for senior IT managers and business clients.</p>



<p>Dashboards should show the root cause of problems with trend analysis for IT professionals, along with the consequent business impacts that management requires.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-leverage-integrations"><strong>8. Leverage integrations</strong></h3>



<p>Automation can be integrated with observability systems for <a href="https://middleware.io/product/continuous-profiler/">continuous ecosystem monitoring</a> for any issues.</p>



<p>Tools like the Middleware platform use AI-powered algorithms to collect and analyze data from across the entire infrastructure to spot signs of potential problems before they even occur.</p>



<p>Artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms can help to incorporate automation into observability.</p>



<p>You can store and process vast amounts of data and recognize unique patterns or insights that will help you to improve application efficiency.</p>



<p>Moreover, it also allows you to scale up easily while eliminating the element of human error.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-9-integrate-with-automated-remediation-systems-wherever-possible"><strong>9. Integrate with automated remediation systems wherever possible</strong></h3>



<p>Observability often identifies relatively low-level issues related to the kernel or the operating system level.</p>



<p>Such issues are routinely addressed by system administrators who have tooling in place to automatically fix such issues by patching or by the application of extra resources to a workload.</p>



<p>Observability software like Middleware can be integrated with the existing ecosystem to maintain an optimized environment.</p>



<p>Having such a filter can ensure that even where automation is not possible, IT teams can focus on the critical issues and fix them on priority.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-10-feedback-loops-should-be-present-and-effective"><strong>10. Feedback loops should be present and effective</strong></h3>



<p>Feedback loops are basically an internal review of how teams, systems, and users function, not necessarily in the context of Observability but also in the larger DevOps context.</p>



<p>They are critical because they help improve development quality while ensuring deliverables are on time. The objective of feedback loops is to create a loop between DevOps business units, i.e., development and user.</p>



<p>When a change happens in one unit, it causes a change in the other unit, eventually leading to a change in the first unit.</p>



<p>This makes the organization agile for performing required corrections continually. Using a feedback loop to collect data and create a constant flow of information translates into enhanced Observability in the DevOps context.</p>



<p>Of course, feedback is great, provided&nbsp; you act on it. And that’s where you need to close the loop by solving the problem and tightening it for speed.</p>



<p>Else with an open loop, things will start failing, and teams will be lost as they have failed to find the root cause and communicate it.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conclusion"><strong>Conclusion</strong></h2>



<p>Observability has become a necessary infrastructure enabler as organizations migrate to decentralized IT platforms.</p>



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<p>Without the capability to aggregate and analyze data from all IT platform areas, organizations open themselves up to problems ranging from inadequate application performance through a poor user experience to major security issues.</p>



<p>This is why implementing the 10 <strong>observability best practices</strong> mentioned above will differentiate how well organizations perform in today’s complex and dynamic environment.</p>


In this article we have mentioned top 10 observability best practices that every DevOps engineer should implement in their organization.

10 Observability Best Practices Every DevOps Should Implement


<p>We have released key features, including synthetic monitoring, performance enhancements, and UX improvements.</p>



<p>See what’s new in February 2023!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-synthetic-monitoring">1. <strong>Synthetic monitoring</strong></h2>



<p>You can use synthetic monitoring to see how your systems and applications are performing by simulating requests and actions from around the world.</p>



<p>This monitors the performance of your webpages and APIs from the backend to the frontend, as well as at various network levels (HTTP, SSL, DNS, WebSocket, TCP, UDP, ICMP, and gRPC), alerting you to faulty behavior such as regressions, broken features, high response times, and unexpected status codes.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>How to set up API tests &amp; synthetic tests in Middleware</strong></h3>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Step 1: Create a new monitor (Test)</h4>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/how-to-use-synthetic-monitoring/">Synthetic monitoring</a> allows you to launch single or chained requests to perform verifications on your key systems at various network levels: HTTP test, SSL test, DNS test, WebSocket test, TCP test, UDP test, ICMP test, and gRPC test.<br><br>You can create a new monitor by clicking on the &#8216;Create Monitor&#8217; button:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="540" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002338-1024x540.jpg" alt="Create Monitor" class="wp-image-4424" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002338-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002338-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002338-768x405.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002338-1536x811.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002338-2048x1081.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002338-1200x633.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002338-1980x1045.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Create a monitor in Middleware</figcaption></figure>



<p>Now, select the request type to create the monitor:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="540" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002339-1024x540.jpg" alt="Select request" class="wp-image-4426" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002339-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002339-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002339-768x405.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002339-1536x810.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002339-2048x1080.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002339-1200x633.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002339-1980x1044.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Select the request type</figcaption></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Step 2: Define the request</h4>



<p>Define the request with a name and an environment, then enter the URL where you want to run the test. With an advanced setting option, you can add put request headers, authentication, and query parameters.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="540" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002340-1024x540.jpg" alt="Define the Request" class="wp-image-4428" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002340-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002340-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002340-768x405.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002340-1536x810.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002340-2048x1080.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002340-1200x633.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002340-1980x1044.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Defineing the request</figcaption></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Step 3: Define assertions and select the location</h4>



<p>Add as many assertions as you need for your request. If you need more specific testing, assertions can help (for example, the status code should be 200 only).</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="539" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002342-1-1024x539.jpg" alt=" Define assertions and select the location" class="wp-image-4432" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002342-1-1024x539.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002342-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002342-1-768x404.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002342-1-1536x808.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002342-1-2048x1078.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002342-1-1200x632.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002342-1-1980x1042.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Defining assertions and selecting the location</figcaption></figure>



<p>You can choose where you want this test to run. Location selection is useful when you have global users, and your API is accessed worldwide</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Step 4: Specify test frequency and setup retry rules</h4>



<p>You can specify the test frequency by selecting a time interval such as every 1m, 5m, etc., or you can define a custom time interval with a day selection (ex: every Monday at 09:00 AM)</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="539" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002341-1024x539.jpg" alt="Specify Test frequency" class="wp-image-4434" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002341-1024x539.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002341-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002341-768x404.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002341-1536x808.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002341-2048x1078.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002341-1200x632.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002341-1980x1042.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Specify test frequency</figcaption></figure>



<p>You can configure when the system should retry the test if it fails.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Step 5: Configure the alert monitoring for the test</h4>



<p>You can choose who to notify and what to notify about your test.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="539" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002342-2-1024x539.jpg" alt=" Configuration for alert monitoring" class="wp-image-4436" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002342-2-1024x539.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002342-2-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002342-2-768x404.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002342-2-1536x808.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002342-2-2048x1078.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002342-2-1200x632.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002342-2-1980x1042.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Configuration for alert monitoring</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>View your tests and their details </strong></h3>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">List of all created monitors</h4>



<p>View a list of all monitors with information such as uptime, interval, status, and the ability to pause/start, edit, or delete the test.</p>



<p>You can also filter the list by request type or location.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002344-1024x540.jpg" alt="List view of custom monitors" class="wp-image-4438" width="610" height="321" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002344-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002344-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002344-768x405.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002344-1536x811.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002344-2048x1081.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002344-1200x633.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002344-1980x1045.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px" /><figcaption>View all monitors in one place</figcaption></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">View details of specific test</h4>



<p>Select the test from the list to view all the details, including response time by location, network timing, and test run results.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="540" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002345-1024x540.jpg" alt="View details of specific test" class="wp-image-4440" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002345-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002345-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002345-768x405.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002345-1536x811.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002345-2048x1081.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002345-1200x633.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002345-1980x1045.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>View details of specific test</figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="540" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002346-1024x540.jpg" alt="test run results" class="wp-image-4442" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002346-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002346-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002346-768x405.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002346-1536x811.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002346-2048x1081.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002346-1200x633.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002346-1980x1045.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Test run results</figcaption></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">View details of a specific result</h4>



<p>You can view the response time timeline for each test result.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="540" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002347-1024x540.jpg" alt="View details of a specific result" class="wp-image-4444" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002347-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002347-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002347-768x405.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002347-1536x811.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002347-2048x1081.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002347-1200x633.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002347-1980x1045.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>View details of a specific result</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. <strong>APM updates</strong></h2>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/product/apm/">APM</a> with an improved user interface and charts for better visibility of traces and other data.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="540" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002348-1024x540.jpg" alt="APM Dashboard" class="wp-image-4446" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002348-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002348-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002348-768x405.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002348-1536x811.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002348-2048x1081.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002348-1200x633.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002348-1980x1045.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="542" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002351-1024x542.jpg" alt="New updates in APM Module" class="wp-image-4448" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002351-1024x542.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002351-300x159.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002351-768x406.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002351-1536x813.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002351-2048x1083.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002351-1200x635.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002351-1980x1048.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. <strong>Alert update</strong></h2>



<p>With this updated <a href="https://middleware.io/platform/alerts/">Alert</a> UI, you can define the rule and set the alert condition all in one screen. The chart data will be filtered based on your selected criteria, giving you a better idea of your data so you can set alerts accordingly.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="540" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002350-1024x540.jpg" alt="Alert Update" class="wp-image-4450" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002350-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002350-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002350-768x405.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002350-1536x811.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002350-2048x1081.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002350-1200x633.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002350-1980x1045.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">4. <strong>Log filters</strong></h2>



<p>Use filters and advanced search for logs to get log data.<br>In the search bar, select multiple parameters as per your need and get the data accordingly.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="540" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002349-1024x540.jpg" alt="updated log filters" class="wp-image-4452" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002349-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002349-300x158.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002349-768x405.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002349-1536x811.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002349-2048x1081.jpg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002349-1200x633.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Frame-1000002349-1980x1045.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>That&#8217;s it from our February updates! Stay tuned by subscribing to our newsletter for more updates.</p>



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Here's a summarized article highlighting all major product updates rolled out during Feb. 2023.

Feb Product Update: Synthetic Monitoring

This guide aims to explain OpenTelemetry (OTel) from ground up, how it works, why it's still important in 2023 and it's potential use cases.

What is OpenTelemetry?

In this article, we will cover Golang logging, highlighting how you can collect and measure logs (manually, and using Middleware) and cover some Golang logging best practices.

Golang Logging: A Step-by-step Guide


<p>Developers continue to seek faster production cycles and iterate with solutions that quicken the Software delivery lifecycle. They iterate with cloud service providers, <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-container-orchestration/">container orchestration tools</a>, and programming languages and leapfrog from tool to tool. </p>



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<p>As an open-sourced, statically typed high-level programming language, Golang offers code efficiency for faster software delivery. Also known as Go, Google developed it in 2007 to outmatch other programming languages like C, JavaScript, and Python in speed.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Although Golang bears syntactical similarity to the C programming language, it is built with greater simplicity as it possesses garbage collection, structural typing, and CSP-style concurrency. </p>



<p>However, given Golang&#8217;s vastness, it requires proper monitoring for run-time efficiency. In this article, we deep-dive into <strong>Golang monitoring </strong>and its importance in the efficiency of Golang applications.&nbsp;</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-golang-monitoring">What is Golang monitoring?</h2>



<p><strong>Golang monitoring</strong> is the practice of managing Golang infrastructures and observing the performance of its applications. It involves collecting and analyzing performance data and tracking applications&#8217; availability to understand their behaviors and ensure proper service delivery.</p>



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<p>Golang application monitoring enables developers to identify issues, optimize performance, and ensure that the application functions as intended. Having a glance at the whole Golang architecture reveals the health status of every application and helps with quick discovery and troubleshooting of problems.</p>



<p>It is a monitoring best practice to gather relevant metrics such as memory storage, error rates, and latency for effective results. Setting up a notification feature for alerting is also vital, as well as monitoring dependencies to understand how they affect your <a href="https://middleware.io/product/apm/">application&#8217;s performance</a>.</p>



<p>The monitoring exercise is crucial for distributed applications and <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/microservices-architecture/">microservices</a>, which are composed of many small services running on different <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-virtual-machine/">virtual machines</a>. Identifying the source of performance issues or errors could be difficult without monitoring such environments.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-importance-of-performance-monitoring-in-golang-applications">Importance of performance monitoring in Golang applications</h2>



<p>Golang application performance monitoring fosters the availability and scalability of Golang applications. Some of the key importance of Golang performance monitoring are:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="471" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Importance-of-performance-monitoring-in-Golang-applications-1024x471.jpg" alt="Importance of performance monitoring in Golang applications" class="wp-image-4271" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Importance-of-performance-monitoring-in-Golang-applications-1024x471.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Importance-of-performance-monitoring-in-Golang-applications-300x138.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Importance-of-performance-monitoring-in-Golang-applications-768x353.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Importance-of-performance-monitoring-in-Golang-applications-1536x706.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Importance-of-performance-monitoring-in-Golang-applications-1200x551.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Importance-of-performance-monitoring-in-Golang-applications.jpg 1604w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-error-tracking">1. Error tracking</h3>



<p>Golang performance monitoring enables you to keep track of errors in your application and enables quick response to the same. By keeping tabs on key metrics such as memory usage, CPU utilization, and network traffic, you can detect timely errors and fix them before they go out of hand. This helps enhance user experience.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-services-and-api-performance">2. Services and API performance</h3>



<p>Monitoring your Golang applications provides you with services and API performance metrics, which are resourceful information for improving your applications. These metrics may include the most frequently used endpoints, excessive resource consumption, and slow queries, and they help you maintain the reliability of your software.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-latency-checks">3. Latency checks&nbsp;</h3>



<p>An application that takes longer than three seconds to load loses users and potential customers. Latency checks provide information about your application&#8217;s performance too slowly and provide root cause analysis to optimize software health.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-performance-feedback">4. Performance feedback</h3>



<p>Real-time and real-life data on application performance helps in the overall optimization of Golang infrastructures. <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability-vs-monitoring/">Monitoring</a> provides you with intelligence-based data on application performance, which helps in the troubleshooting exercise. These data are sometimes displayed in charts and graphs depending on the implemented monitoring tools.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-timely-alerts">5. Timely Alerts</h3>



<p>Golang application monitoring also provides timely and timeous alerts on inconsistent performance or misbehavior, such as memory leaks, suspicious intrusion, or when certain thresholds are exceeded. You can configure this <a href="https://middleware.io/platform/alerts/">alert</a> feature to send notifications on critical events to specific teams that will take action. This real-time error detection feature helps minimize application downtime by enabling swift troubleshooting and fixing.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-golang-application-monitoring-works">How Golang application monitoring works</h2>



<p>Golang application monitoring is automated to discover application topology and interdependencies and <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-distributed-tracing/">trace application</a> behavior. It gives end-to-end visibility into your Golang environment, including its infrastructures, architecture, and applications. </p>



<p>It works by collecting and analyzing various metrics, data points and <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/golang-logging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">logs from a running Golang application</a>, then displaying them on the dashboard for visibility or using them to send alerts. Golang monitoring often follows this sequence:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-step-1-instrumentation">Step 1: Instrumentation</h3>



<p>To collect requisite metrics for monitoring, the Golang application is instrumented. This is done by adding code monitoring libraries to the application to capture critical metrics, such as CPU usage, memory consumption, error rates, network traffic, and request latency.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-step-2-data-collection">Step 2: Data Collection</h3>



<p>Once the application is instrumented, data collection commences. The relevant data can be collected in the log files, system performance counters, or through any available features in a specialized monitoring tool.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-step-3-data-aggregation">Step 3: Data Aggregation&nbsp;</h3>



<p>The collected or gathered data are aggregated and stored in a central location, such as a <a href="https://middleware.io/product/database-monitoring/">Golang database</a> or monitoring system. This process allows for easy analysis of metrics.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-step-4-visualization">Step 4: Visualization</h3>



<p>The data or metrics are then visualized in a comprehensive display. This could be in dashboards that display end-to-end visibility into the Golang applications with charts and graphs showing events&#8217; trends in real-time. The insights gathered from the monitoring exercise can be used to improve Golang applications.</p>



<p>Golang monitoring allows you to proactively identify and address issues with your application, optimize performance, and ensure availability for your users. The monitoring exercise is easily implemented using a comprehensive monitoring tool.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-step-5-data-analysis">Step 5: Data Analysis</h3>



<p>The collected and aggregated data are analyzed to identify patterns or anomalies that may indicate issues with the Golang application. For instance, you might look at CPU or memory usage trends over time or for correlations between request latency and error rates.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-step-6-alerting">Step 6: Alerting</h3>



<p>At this stage, alerts can be configured to notify you when certain events occur, such as high memory usage or an increase in error rates.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-monitoring-golang-applications-with-middleware">Monitoring Golang applications with Middleware</h2>



<p>Middleware follows the six-tiered process of Golang monitoring highlighted above. After installing the <a href="https://docs.middleware.io/docs/golang-apm-setup">Middleware agent</a>, the agent instruments your application, collects data about your application and its dependencies, aggregates it, analyses it, and presents it as logs and traces in a unified dashboard.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The dashboard displays the requisite information about your Golang application. To view errors and performance leaks in your Golang application, you can check the logs list, an example of which is graphically illustrated below:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="569" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Traces-view-in-Middleware-2-1024x569.jpg" alt="Traces view in Golang monitoring, Middleware" class="wp-image-4284" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Traces-view-in-Middleware-2-1024x569.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Traces-view-in-Middleware-2-300x167.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Traces-view-in-Middleware-2-768x427.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Traces-view-in-Middleware-2-1536x853.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Traces-view-in-Middleware-2-1200x667.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Traces-view-in-Middleware-2.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-golang-monitoring-tools">Best Golang Monitoring Tools</h2>



<p>Three of the best Golang Monitoring tools are:&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-middleware">1. Middleware&nbsp;</h3>



<p><a href="https://app.middleware.io/auth/register/">Middleware</a> is a monitoring and alerting tool for managing Golang architecture at the application, endpoint, and customer levels. It gives end-to-end visibility into your Golang Infrastructures and provides root cause analysis of issues causing bottlenecks, thereby enhancing end-user experience.</p>



<p>Middleware is built upon the <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/ebpf-observability/">eBPF approach</a> to application performance management. This tool is highly sophisticated, with mechanisms that display end-to-end visibility of your Golang applications and their dependencies. In addition, it has notification features that help you set <a href="https://middleware.io/platform/alerts/">alerts</a> for the most critical metrics or events.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Golang-monitoring-tool-Middleware-1-1024x576.png" alt="Golang Monitoring Tool, Middleware" class="wp-image-4282" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Golang-monitoring-tool-Middleware-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Golang-monitoring-tool-Middleware-1-300x169.png 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Golang-monitoring-tool-Middleware-1-768x432.png 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Golang-monitoring-tool-Middleware-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Golang-monitoring-tool-Middleware-1-1200x675.png 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Golang-monitoring-tool-Middleware-1.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>Middleware gathers all correlating metrics, logs, KPIs, traces, and data in real-time in one all-encompassing platform. Apart from simply detecting errors, this monitoring solution provides analysis that helps you properly troubleshoot and fix your applications. It is also an effective <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/kubernetes-monitoring/">monitoring solution for Kubernetes</a> and <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/nodejs-performance-monitoring/">Node.js applications</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-prometheus">2. Prometheus&nbsp;</h3>



<p>Prometheus is an open-source<a href="https://middleware.io/blog/cloud-monitoring-tools/"> cloud monitoring tool</a> built with a multi-dimensional data model that collects and stores time-series data and a flexible query language known as PromQL that helps in the real-time selection and aggregation of time-series data. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="837" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Promethus-1024x837.webp" alt="Prometheus  for monitoring Golang performance" class="wp-image-4286" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Promethus-1024x837.webp 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Promethus-300x245.webp 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Promethus-768x628.webp 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Promethus-1200x981.webp 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Promethus.webp 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>The tool effectively juxtaposes data from previous events with the system&#8217;s current situation. This helps you to understand the progress or otherwise of your Golang application&#8217;s performance. It also has a notification feature that sends alerts at important but critical events.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-grafana">3. Grafana</h3>



<p>Grafana is a monitoring tool with great visualization and dashboarding features that display the performance or condition of your application in charts and graphs for easier interpretation and understanding. It runs data analytics on your Golang infrastructures and provides insight into the Golang environment and performance. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1000" height="796" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Grafana.jpg" alt="Grafana" class="wp-image-4288" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Grafana.jpg 1000w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Grafana-300x239.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Grafana-768x611.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>With Grafana, you can create visualizations, such as graphs, tables, and alerts, and organize them into dashboards to monitor and analyze real-time data. It also offers templating, annotations, and alerts to help users build complex, customized dashboards.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



<p>For its speed, flexibility, and scalability, developers have migrated from other programming languages to Golang, an excellent language for building high-performance and scalable services. Although Golang provides various built-in tools and libraries for monitoring applications, such as profiling, tracing, and metrics collection, these tools do not possess end-to-end visibility features.</p>



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<p>The monitoring ecosystem in Golang is continually evolving and expanding, with numerous open-source libraries and tools available to developers. Golang&#8217;s simplicity, concurrency support, and built-in garbage collector make it an excellent language for building microservices, which can be monitored and managed effectively using these monitoring tools.</p>



<p>Monitoring is essential to ensuring that Golang applications perform optimally and reliably. By leveraging the correct monitoring tools like Middleware, developers can gain insight into their applications&#8217; behavior and quickly diagnose and resolve issues, improving their reliability and uptime. </p>



<p><a href="https://app.middleware.io/auth/register/">Middleware</a> provides detailed performance data through graphical, end-to-end visibility that helps you discover faults and provides information on what needs to be improved.</p>


In this article, we will cover Golang monitoring from ground up. We will talk about importance of Golang monitoring, it's benefits, best Golang monitoring tools and more! 

Golang Monitoring: A Step-by-step Guide


<p>The cloud has transformed the way we do business. It has enabled companies to operate globally with the agility that wasn&#8217;t possible before. But as the use of the cloud becomes more commonplace, so do the <strong>cloud-native infrastructure challenges</strong> that come with it.</p>



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<p>This is why we have listed 10 of the most common <strong>cloud-native infrastructure challenges </strong>in the sections below. However, since different companies face unique challenges, the list is by no means exhaustive.</p>



<p>Nonetheless, knowing these primary challenges is invaluable info for anyone looking to switch to cloud-native.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-10-common-cloud-native-infrastructure-challenges"><strong>10 Common cloud-native infrastructure challenges</strong></h2>



<p>Here are the top 10 most common challenges with cloud-native infrastructure:&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-identifying-the-right-tools-or-platforms"><strong>1. Identifying the right tools or platforms</strong></h3>



<p>If you&#8217;re new to cloud-native infrastructure, one of the first challenges is identifying the right tools or platforms.</p>



<p>As many options are available, knowing which will work best for your company can be difficult.</p>



<p>Fortunately, there are some tips you can follow to help you make the right decision.&nbsp;</p>



<p>First, you need to understand your company&#8217;s needs and requirements, namely:</p>



<ul><li>What are you trying to achieve?&nbsp;</li><li>What are your goals?&nbsp;</li><li>What kind of tool do you need to achieve your goals?</li></ul>



<p>Once you clearly understand your goals, you can start researching the different options.</p>



<p>There are many factors to check when choosing a tool or platform; some common ones include the following:&nbsp;</p>



<ul><li>Cost</li><li>Ease of use</li><li>Features</li><li>Support</li></ul>



<p>Spend time comparing all the different options before making a final decision.</p>



<p>The best approach is working with an all-inclusive tool that offers cloud observability services, so you can have someone technically savvy working alongside you to help manage and <a href="https://middleware.io/product/infrastructure-monitoring/">monitor your infrastructure</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-ability-to-filter-important-metrics-from-the-pool-of-metrics"><strong>2. Ability to filter important metrics from the pool of metrics</strong></h3>



<p>Cloud-native infrastructure generates a ton of metrics that you can easily get lost in the pile of data. Remember, your priority is to store and focus on data that matter. After all, no need to pay an abnormally high cost to store data that you don&#8217;t need.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This is where an excellent monitoring solution comes in.</p>



<p>A platform like <a href="https://middleware.io/">Middleware</a> allows you to customize your cloud so you can only keep the datasets you need in S3. It will help you identify and filter the important metrics, so you can focus on the ones that matter most.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This is essential in understanding your system&#8217;s health/performance and detecting any possible issues.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-monitoring-microservices"><strong>3. Monitoring microservices</strong></h3>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/microservices-architecture/">Microservices</a> can be difficult to monitor because they produce so much data.</p>



<p>The monitoring process is hectic because one microservice can run on 100 machines, and 100 microservices run on one device, and you need to track multiple metrics per service.&nbsp;</p>



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<p>As such, manual monitoring may not be feasible, so you need a system that automatically tracks performance and flags issues.</p>



<p>That&#8217;s where a tool like Middleware comes in. We can monitor all your microservices and filter out the essential data so you can quickly identify and fix any issues.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-cost"><strong>4. Cost</strong></h3>



<p>Cost and confusing pricing models are other common <strong>cloud-native infrastructure challenges</strong>.</p>



<p>The cost of deploying and maintaining a cloud-native infrastructure can be high, especially for smaller companies that don&#8217;t have the budget to support the necessary <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/devops-tools/">DevOps tools</a> or resources.</p>



<p>Some cloud providers offer various services to help companies save money, but those costs can add up quickly. In addition, teams may need to watch out for hidden costs associated with their cloud deployments.</p>



<p>For example, when spinning up a new server, teams must consider the cost of hosting and software licensing fees associated with the same. Additionally, specific tasks that require automation or specialized personnel incur additional expenses.</p>



<p>But partnering with the right companies can help you reduce the costs associated with maintaining a cloud-native infrastructure without sacrificing security or stability.</p>



<p>For example, organizations can leverage tools such as Middleware&#8217;s unified platform to monitor performance and identify potential <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/cloud-cost-optimization/">cost-saving opportunities</a>.</p>



<p>This way, you can track your spending on cloud services while ensuring that your systems are running optimally and efficiently, thereby preventing any unwanted <strong>cloud-native infrastructure challenges.</strong></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-security-compliance"><strong>5. Security &amp; Compliance</strong></h3>



<p>Security and compliance remain major challenges for cloud-native infrastructure.</p>



<p>As the digital world continues to evolve, new security protocols are being added, and companies must ensure their infrastructure complies with these standards.</p>



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<p>Additionally, companies must ensure that authorized users and services have access to the data stored in their infrastructure.</p>



<p>One way to address these issues is to deploy a cloud <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/">observability</a> platform that provides insights into your system&#8217;s security status and flags any anomalies ASAP.</p>



<p>This is because access to real-time metrics from your system can help you identify potential security threats, respond to them effectively, and remain compliant with industry regulations.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Additionally, having an observability platform that provides visibility into your cloud infrastructure can help you keep your system secure by monitoring user activity, network connections, and more.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-reliability-issues"><strong>6. Reliability issues</strong></h3>



<p>Reliability issues can be difficult to identify and tackle because they can stem from different elements in the infrastructure.</p>



<p>This makes it hard to pinpoint the root cause of errors and bugs. Remember, it may take a while before identifying the exact cause, even if you suspect it&#8217;s due to intermittent availability, sudden latency spikes, or even complete outages.</p>



<p>A unified platform can aggregate data across multiple sources and services so that you can quickly pinpoint problems and take preventive measures.</p>



<p>This will enable you to monitor the health of your <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/cloud-infrastructure-guide/">cloud infrastructure</a> and identify potential reliability issues before they become serious problems.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The best way to avoid reliability issues is to use a platform that allows easy monitoring, <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-log-monitoring/">logging</a>, and analyzing of the key metrics so that you can address all the problems in real-time.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-lack-of-visibility-in-distributed-systems"><strong>7. Lack of visibility in distributed systems</strong></h3>



<p>The cloud is a distributed environment, which makes it difficult to gain visibility across disparate systems.</p>



<p>You&#8217;ll find yourself struggling to track relevant metrics, make out trends and even correlate events from various individual services.</p>



<p>This is because traditional monitoring tools are built on a traditional IT environment, making them inadequate for the cloud-native infrastructure.</p>



<p>Cloud observability services can thus provide you with a holistic view of your entire system.</p>



<p>A unified platform with <a href="https://middleware.io/product/distributed-tracing/">distributed tracing</a> capabilities can get you intelligent insights into all your microservices and enable you to identify and fix any arising performance issues proactively. </p>



<p>It should also have an intuitive interface to easily and accurately interpret system data.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-keeping-up-to-date-with-outdated-technologies"><strong>8. Keeping up to date with outdated technologies</strong></h3>



<p>Keeping up to date with outdated technologies can be challenging for cloud users. To make this process easier, it&#8217;s essential to understand the technology you are using and baseline its current capabilities.</p>



<p>Additionally, you&#8217;ll want to utilize tools explicitly built for cloud-native infrastructure&#8211; and are under constant update and improvement.</p>



<p>That way, you&#8217;re sure to enjoy the latest trends in the market– and won&#8217;t ever have to worry about obsolete tools.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-9-lack-of-technical-expertise"><strong>9. Lack of technical expertise</strong></h3>



<p>One of the biggest challenges for organizations transitioning to cloud-native infrastructure is the lack of adequate technical expertise.</p>



<p>Building and managing <strong>cloud-native infrastructure</strong> often requires people with the right skill set and experience who understand the nuances of modern application architectures and cloud platforms.</p>



<p>This means that companies need to develop a qualified and certified workforce to manage their cloud-native applications.</p>



<p>In addition, there needs to be a well-defined process for onboarding new resources, training existing personnel, and keeping an eye on market trends and emerging technologies.</p>



<p>To help build up these capabilities within organizations, developers should take advantage of the vast resources—blogs, tutorials, webinars, etc.—that offer insights into best practices for building cloud-native infrastructure.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Additionally, leveraging specialized vendors or service providers with experienced teams, such as Middleware, can be immensely helpful in setting up their systems for success.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-10-need-for-organizational-shifts-and-team-shifts"><strong>10. Need for organizational shifts and team shifts</strong></h3>



<p>You may also discover that you must restructure your organization and teams for a successful <strong>cloud-native infrastructure</strong>. Companies often underestimate the importance of organizational changes, especially when moving to the cloud.</p>



<p>First, identify the roles and responsibilities that need to be added or changed when transitioning from a traditional environment to the cloud.</p>



<p>This can include shifting the organization&#8217;s focus from operational tasks such as server provisioning and configuration to more complex functions like automation, security compliance, and <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/elasticity-vs-scalability/">scalability</a>.</p>



<p>Understanding how existing roles will change in a new cloud-native environment is also important. For example, teams used to working with physical servers may find themselves in unfamiliar territory with <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-virtual-machine/">virtual machines</a> or containers.</p>



<p>Therefore, members must acquire new skills and develop an understanding of different tools related to the cloud-native environment.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-takeaway"><strong>The takeaway</strong></h2>



<p>With so many <strong>cloud-native infrastructure challenges</strong> ahead, it&#8217;s safer to shift into cloud-native with an experienced and supportive partner.</p>



<p>So, what about Middleware?</p>



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<p>Well, for one, it offers a unified cloud observability platform. This allows companies to identify, understand and fix issues across their cloud infrastructure.</p>



<p>Additionally, Middleware is always up-to-date with the latest technologies, so companies don&#8217;t have to worry about being left behind. It also has the technical expertise to help your team shift to a cloud-native infrastructure.&nbsp;</p>


Moving to cloud can introduce unexpected challenges. Here are top 10 cloud-native infrastructure challenges & their solutions.

10 Common Challenges with Cloud-Native Infrastructure


<p>January 2023 was an excellent month for Middleware; We shipped the most code and products. In addition, this month was the kick-off <a href="https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/middleware">YC W23 batch</a>, and we closed our multiple paid customers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-new-in-middleware">What’s New in Middleware?</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-custom-dashboard"><strong>1. Custom dashboard</strong>&nbsp;</h3>



<p>Customer dashboard where you can build a dashboard by drag and drop interface. We support all the metrics data in that right now.<br>Build a dashboard with no query language or coding and see the data that matter most to you.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="497" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/custom-dashboard-1-1024x497.png" alt="Custom dashboard builder" class="wp-image-4350" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/custom-dashboard-1-1024x497.png 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/custom-dashboard-1-300x146.png 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/custom-dashboard-1-768x373.png 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/custom-dashboard-1-1536x746.png 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/custom-dashboard-1-1200x583.png 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/custom-dashboard-1.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-cloudflare-worker-support"><strong>2. Cloudflare worker support</strong>&nbsp;</h3>



<p>We start supporting cloud flare workers to install so you can collect all the traces and logs of your application and monitor the health and performance of your Cloudflare workers and load balancing utilities.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="617" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Cloudflare-Workers-installation-process-1-1024x617.png" alt="Cloudflare worker integration in Middleware" class="wp-image-4352" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Cloudflare-Workers-installation-process-1-1024x617.png 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Cloudflare-Workers-installation-process-1-300x181.png 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Cloudflare-Workers-installation-process-1-768x462.png 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Cloudflare-Workers-installation-process-1-1536x925.png 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Cloudflare-Workers-installation-process-1-2048x1233.png 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Cloudflare-Workers-installation-process-1-1200x722.png 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Cloudflare-Workers-installation-process-1-1980x1192.png 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-custom-metrics"><strong>3. Custom metrics</strong>&nbsp;</h3>



<p>We support custom metrics from your infrastructure, and you can create a custom metrics dashboard. We are entirely free to collect custom metrics and create a dashboard. There is no extra cost for that.<br>Add custom metrics by following these steps:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="849" height="1024" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Frame-1000002319-1-1-849x1024.png" alt="How to collect custom metrics" class="wp-image-4348" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Frame-1000002319-1-1-849x1024.png 849w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Frame-1000002319-1-1-249x300.png 249w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Frame-1000002319-1-1-768x926.png 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Frame-1000002319-1-1-1274x1536.png 1274w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Frame-1000002319-1-1-1698x2048.png 1698w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Frame-1000002319-1-1-1200x1447.png 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Frame-1000002319-1-1.png 1912w" sizes="(max-width: 849px) 100vw, 849px" /></figure>



<p>Once Custom metrics are added, you can visualize them by creating a custom report for those metrics. While creating a custom report, you can select your metrics and visualize the data.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="500" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/custom-metrics-2-1-1024x500.png" alt="Custom metrics" class="wp-image-4346" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/custom-metrics-2-1-1024x500.png 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/custom-metrics-2-1-300x146.png 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/custom-metrics-2-1-768x375.png 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/custom-metrics-2-1-1536x750.png 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/custom-metrics-2-1-1200x586.png 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/custom-metrics-2-1.png 1912w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-error-traces"><strong>4. Error traces</strong>&nbsp;</h3>



<p>We start supporting error traces in the APM tool. Error Tracking enables you to reason about errors at a higher level—and investigate more effectively—by automatically grouping application errors.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="497" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Error-traces-1-1024x497.png" alt="Error traces" class="wp-image-4342" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Error-traces-1-1024x497.png 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Error-traces-1-300x146.png 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Error-traces-1-768x373.png 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Error-traces-1-1536x746.png 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Error-traces-1-1200x583.png 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Error-traces-1.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>You can get the context you need for root cause analysis—and reduce your mean time to resolution.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="497" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Error-traces-2-1-1024x497.png" alt="Error traces, extended view" class="wp-image-4344" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Error-traces-2-1-1024x497.png 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Error-traces-2-1-300x146.png 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Error-traces-2-1-768x373.png 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Error-traces-2-1-1536x746.png 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Error-traces-2-1-1200x583.png 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Error-traces-2-1.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-default-alerts">5. Default alerts&nbsp;</h3>



<p>With default alerts, you can start alerting on critical monitoring data from your environment, so you can focus your attention on growing your business—without worrying about undetected problems in your ecosystem.<br>You can customize these alerts and set thresholds based on your needs.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="497" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/default-alert-1-1024x497.png" alt="Default alerts " class="wp-image-4340" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/default-alert-1-1024x497.png 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/default-alert-1-300x146.png 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/default-alert-1-768x373.png 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/default-alert-1-1536x746.png 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/default-alert-1-1200x583.png 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/default-alert-1.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-slack-integration"><strong>6. Slack integration</strong>&nbsp;</h3>



<p>Integrate slack with Middleware and get all the alerts on your slack workspace. Set the necessary permissions by clicking on slack in the integration section. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="497" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/slack-integration-1-1024x497.png" alt="Slack integration " class="wp-image-4336" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/slack-integration-1-1024x497.png 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/slack-integration-1-300x146.png 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/slack-integration-1-768x373.png 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/slack-integration-1-1536x746.png 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/slack-integration-1-1200x583.png 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/slack-integration-1.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>Once it&#8217;s done, you will receive alerts in your selected slack channel, and it will look something like this: </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1010" height="536" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Slack-in-Middleware.png" alt="Alerts in Slack" class="wp-image-4338" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Slack-in-Middleware.png 1010w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Slack-in-Middleware-300x159.png 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Slack-in-Middleware-768x408.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1010px) 100vw, 1010px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-are-we-doing">How are we doing?</h2>



<p>Please keep us updated on your Middleware experience. Have a query? Didn’t like any particular thing? We are all ears…</p>



<p>Fill out the contact us form or chat with us using the live chat option on the home page.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>You can <a href="https://middleware.io/contact-us/">contact us</a> using the same contact us form if you have any specific feature requests. </p>


Here's a summarized article highlighting all major product updates rolled out during Jan. 2023. 

Jan Product Update: Custom Dashboard

This article highlights the importance of Node.js performance monitoring, what metrics you should monitor in your node.js application, and the best practices you can follow. 

Node.js Performance Monitoring: A Complete Guide

This article explains Kubernetes monitoring from root-level. It covers K8s monitoring methods, its importance, key metrics, best practices, and more!

Kubernetes Monitoring: A Complete Guide

Monitoring Java applications is not easy. That’s why, we complied this guide to help you understand why monitoring java applications is difficult, how to overcome it, and which tools can assist you in the process:  

Java Performance Monitoring: An SREs Guide


<p>The holidays are coming, and with them, the mad rush of consumers looking to get what they need upfront. If you&#8217;re an SRE, or an IT administrator, you would agree that infrastructure management during the holiday season is one of the most crucial parts of your job.</p>



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<p>We know his is going to be your busiest time of year. But don&#8217;t worry, we&#8217;ve got your back.</p>



<p>This post walks you through 15 tips to help you with i<strong>nfrastructure management during the holiday season</strong>. We&#8217;ll kick off with the basics and work our way up to more advanced tips, so whether you&#8217;re a seasoned pro or a rookie administrator, there&#8217;s something for everyone.</p>



<p>Before discussing the tips, let&#8217;s understand why IT preparedness is a must-do for all business, be it SaaS, PaaS or eCommerce!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-you-should-be-proactive-during-the-festive-season"><strong>Why you should be proactive during the festive season</strong></h2>



<p>Today&#8217;s cloud-first applications require a 24/7 uptime strategy. This is even more important for <strong>infrastructure management during the holiday season</strong>. Many customers will visit your site or your store, and you want them to have a pleasant experience.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-avoid-losing-revenue-customers"><strong>1. Avoid losing revenue &amp; customers</strong></h3>



<p>Remember, even a few minutes of downtime can lead to the loss of hundreds of dollars. If a customer cannot purchase something because your website is down, they could go to your competitor or never come at all. This means you will not close any sales from those customers while they&#8217;re there, and they may never return.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-get-protection-against-litigation"><strong>2. Get protection against litigation</strong></h3>



<p>Another reason to maintain your infrastructure during the holiday is it protects you against litigation risks tied to online shopping, e.g., intellectual property rights infringement claims. It also safeguards you from other legal issues related to third-party products (e.g., counterfeit goods).</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-you-have-a-backup-plan"><strong>3. You have a backup plan</strong></h3>



<p>Plus, if you are going to be away from your office for a long, it would be wise to have a backup plan. That way, an alternative solution is still available for continued operations when something goes wrong. This could include using another system or software application as a backup for your primary one.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-data-security"><strong>4. Data security</strong></h3>



<p>It&#8217;s essential to understand how vulnerable your data is during this period. Not only do you need to ensure your systems are running smoothly, but it&#8217;s also vital to keep them up-to-date with the latest patches and updates.</p>



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<p>A <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/cloud-infrastructure-guide/">proactive approach to IT management</a> should prevent any problems from arising during this busy period. It also ensures your company has all its bases covered regarding security and data protection.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-15-tips-for-infrastructure-management-during-the-holiday-season"><strong>15 Tips for Infrastructure management during the holiday season</strong></h2>



<p>Before heading out to your local holiday shindig or family gathering, ensure you have a system to keep your tech stack and infrastructure humming.</p>



<p>Here are some tips:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-pre-inspect-your-tech-stack-infrastructure"><strong>1. Pre-inspect your tech stack &amp; infrastructure</strong></h3>



<p>Checking your network configuration is essential as you may want to add or remove devices from the network over the holiday period. Before the holiday, you should also review server hardware, software, and operating systems.&nbsp;</p>



<p>You should also check for any newly installed applications or programs. If you plan on transferring data over a holiday period, back up all data on disk onto another drive or server. This can help prevent data loss if an error happens.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-plan-predict-the-necessary-resource-usage"><strong>2. Plan &amp; predict the necessary resource usage</strong></h3>



<p>Before the holiday season hits in full swing, take some time to plan and predict the necessary resource usage. There are a few ways to optimize infrastructure management during the holiday season:</p>



<ul><li>Create a holiday plan that maps out your expected traffic and peak hours.</li><li>Ensure that your bandwidth can handle the load by testing it ahead of time.</li><li>Add extra storage space, and plan enough backup power to support your systems.</li><li>Inform staff of the company&#8217;s holiday policies and procedures, including acceptable use of company resources.</li><li>Train your team on how to use new tools and applications, or review the basics.</li><li>Review security protocols and ensure you have enough staff to manage increased security threats.</li><li>Plan for downtime and have a backup plan in case of emergencies.</li></ul>



<p>Lastly, <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-infrastructure-monitoring/">monitor your systems closely</a> during the holiday season and be prepared to make changes as needed.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-stress-test-load-test-your-infrastructure"><strong>3. Stress test &amp; load test your infrastructure</strong></h3>



<p>You want to ensure your systems can handle the increase in traffic that the festive season brings. That&#8217;s why it&#8217;s essential to load test and stress test your infrastructure before things get too busy.</p>



<p><strong><em>Load testing</em></strong><em> simulates real-world traffic conditions to help you see how your systems will perform</em>. On the other hand, <strong><em>stress testing</em></strong><em> is designed to push your systems to their limits to find potential weak spots.</em></p>



<p>By running these tests, you can identify and fix any problems before they cause any significant issues. The last thing you want is for your online shop to crash during the busiest shopping time of the year.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-have-additional-resources-on-standby"><strong>4. Have additional resources on standby</strong></h3>



<p>If you&#8217;re expecting a surge in traffic, the best to do is to have additional resources on standby. That way, you can quickly switch to the backup server if your website slows down or crashes.</p>



<p>You should also plan how you will scale up your resources. This might mean adding more servers or upgrading existing ones. Whatever it is, ensure you plan for infrastructure management during the holiday season<strong>, </strong>so you don&#8217;t scramble when things get busy.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-use-observability-for-complete-application-infrastructure-monitoring"><strong>5. Use observability for complete application &amp; infrastructure monitoring</strong></h3>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/">Observability</a> is a method that allows you to get complete visibility into all aspects of your system. This approach helps you identify and diagnose issues before they cause problems.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s crucial to have full observability during the holiday season because there&#8217;s more traffic and activity. That also means there&#8217;s a greater chance of something going wrong. By monitoring everything, you can quickly identify and fix any arising issues.</p>



<p>Using open-source tools like <a href="https://middleware.io/">Middleware</a> should be sufficient for most people. However, our paid versions are available if you need more features or support.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-configure-databases-to-auto-grow-data-files"><strong>6. Configure databases to auto-grow data files</strong></h3>



<p>If you&#8217;re unfamiliar with the term, auto-growth means a database automatically allocates more space as needed. This is crucial because your databases will work overtime, and you want them to stay in space and safe.</p>



<p>Here&#8217;s how to configure auto-growth:</p>



<ul><li>Open up your database in SQL Server Management Studio&nbsp;</li><li>Click on the &#8220;Properties&#8221; tab.&nbsp;</li><li>From there, click on the &#8220;Options&#8221; page</li><li>Next, scroll down to the &#8220;Auto Grow&#8221; section.&nbsp;</li><li>Lastly, set the &#8220;Database&#8221; and &#8220;Log&#8221; files to &#8220;Enabled.&#8221;</li></ul>



<p>That&#8217;s it! This is a small but vital step to ensure your databases handle the increased holiday workload.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-implement-microservices-containerized-applications-to-improve-resiliency"><strong>7. Implement microservices &amp; containerized applications to improve resiliency</strong></h3>



<p>The holiday is a great time to implement microservices and containerized applications. These two technologies can make your IT infrastructure resistant to outages and disruptions.</p>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/microservices-architecture/">Microservices are a software architecture</a> that allows you to break down a monolithic application into smaller, more manageable services. This can help improve your applications&#8217; availability and the speed at which you can deploy new features and updates.</p>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/containerization/">Containerized applications</a> are another way to improve the resiliency of your IT infrastructure. Containers enable you to package an app with all its dependencies, making it easy to deploy and run on any environment. This can reduce the time it takes to recover from an outage and the risk of human error when deploying new updates.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-review-container-migration-restart-policies"><strong>8. Review container migration &amp; restart policies&nbsp;</strong></h3>



<p>This is the time when people shop online more than ever, so you want to ensure your container migration and restart policies are in good shape.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="922" height="1024" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Image-1-922x1024.jpg" alt="container migration &amp; restart policies" class="wp-image-3618" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Image-1-922x1024.jpg 922w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Image-1-270x300.jpg 270w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Image-1-768x853.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Image-1-1382x1536.jpg 1382w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Image-1-1200x1333.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Image-1.jpg 1531w" sizes="(max-width: 922px) 100vw, 922px" /></figure>



<p>First, take a look at your container migration policy. This will determine how your containers move around, and you want to ensure they&#8217;re efficient and up-to-date. Next, review your container restart policy. This is important because if a container goes down, you want to ensure it comes back up quickly and without any issues.</p>



<p>Both policies are essential for ensuring a smooth and prosperous holiday season for your IT infrastructure.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-9-check-thresholds-autoscale-policies-rules"><strong>9. Check thresholds &amp; autoscale policies/rules</strong></h3>



<p>If you&#8217;re using <a href="https://middleware.io/whitepaper/the-ultimate-guide-to-auto-scaling-your-application-infrastructure/">cloud-based autoscaling</a>, ensure your thresholds and autoscale policies/rules are good. You don&#8217;t want your system scaling up and down excessively, causing performance issues.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s a good idea to monitor your system closely during the holiday season so that you can fine-tune these as needed. But if you set up everything correctly, you should be able to relax and enjoy the holidays knowing that your IT infrastructure is ready to handle the increased traffic.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-10-configure-all-the-alerts-correctly"><strong>10. Configure all the alerts correctly</strong></h3>



<p>Alerts are a critical part of <a href="https://middleware.io/product/infrastructure-monitoring/">infrastructure management</a> during the holiday season. You want alerts as soon as an issue occurs in your system. So it&#8217;s essential to configure them correctly. For critical alerts, you should integrate with SMS via Pagerduty, and for standard warnings, you can use slack or email.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-11-real-user-monitoring"><strong>11. Real user monitoring</strong></h3>



<p>Real User Monitoring (RUM) is a process that allows you to track what users are doing on your system in real-time. It&#8217;s similar to how Google Analytics works, but instead of capturing data at the server level, it collects information from user-level agents.</p>



<p>This means that when a user logs into your application or attempts to access sensitive data, RUM can capture their actions to provide insight into what&#8217;s happening on your network and how it impacts business operations.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-12-change-traffic-routing-policies"><strong>12. Change traffic routing policies</strong></h3>



<p>Another way to optimize<strong> </strong>infrastructure management during the holiday season is changing your servers&#8217; routing policies.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="707" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Image-2-1024x707.jpg" alt="traffic routing policies" class="wp-image-3616" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Image-2-1024x707.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Image-2-300x207.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Image-2-768x531.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Image-2-1536x1061.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Image-2-1200x829.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Image-2.jpg 1840w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>For example, if you use a load balancer for your web servers, you can change the default route to an internal IP address so that only requests from local clients are routed to them. This helps avoid unexpected downtime because most of the traffic comes from other servers in your network instead of from outside sources.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-13-double-check-your-code"><strong>13. Double-check your code</strong></h3>



<p>Another thing that you can do is optimize the code. When you make any changes to your website during the holidays, there may be bugs in the code that need urgent fixing. Therefore, you should check every single code line carefully and ensure everything works correctly before leaving for vacation.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-14-avoid-late-untested-changes"><strong>14. Avoid late untested changes</strong></h3>



<p>One way to keep your IT infrastructure running smoothly during holidays is by avoiding late untested changes.</p>



<p>You may need to make changes at the last minute due to the holiday season, but this can cause downtime if they are tested thoroughly after time. Make sure any new changes are tested before going live, or at least as part of your routine testing process.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-15-distributed-uptime-monitoring"><strong>15. Distributed uptime monitoring</strong></h3>



<p>Another way to ensure your infrastructure runs smoothly during the holidays is by using distributed monitoring solutions.</p>



<p>These tools allow you to keep tabs on all your servers across different locations and provide real-time alerts when something goes wrong so that you can react quickly and resolve issues quickly before they become widespread. Using these tools can help prevent downtime in your organization.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-final-words"><strong>Final words</strong></h2>



<p>The most important thing to remember is there&#8217;s no such thing as &#8216;work&#8217; and &#8216;holiday&#8217; when it comes to your IT infrastructure. Don&#8217;t forget your IT infrastructure during the holiday season; you could end up paying the price in terms of productivity, data loss, and downtime – and nobody wants that. We hope you&#8217;ve found our tips helpful.</p>


Infrastructure management during the holiday season is one of the most challenging tasks for all SREs and IT administrators. Not this year, we have put together 15 tried and tested strategies to ease your time off: 

15 Tips to prepare your IT Infrastructure for the holiday season

eBPF, a new Linux Kernel technology, is a powerful tool that offers deep visibility & control. If you're looking for a guide to eBPF observability, look no further

The Ultimate Guide to eBPF Observability


<p>Demands on engineers are constantly increasing. Consumers, investors, executives—everyone wants their IT teams to do more with less.&nbsp;</p>



<p>So as an IT leader, it&#8217;s critical to know where you’re devoting resources and whether your efforts are moving the needle. A data-driven approach to software engineering helps you visualize how work is being done, the quality and quantity of output, and how to improve your team’s daily work life.&nbsp;</p>



<p>While taking the time to adopt a data-driven approach may seem like a distraction from design and coding, it presents significant benefits:&nbsp;</p>



<ul><li>According to data from Accenture, data-driven organizations have an <a href="https://www.accenture.com/nl-en/blogs/insights/data-driven-enterprise">annual growth rate of 30% or more</a></li><li>McKinsey found that organizations that use users’ behavioral insights <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/capturing-value-from-your-customer-data">outperform their competitors by 85%</a></li><li>McKinsey also has stated that by 2025, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-data-driven-enterprise-of-2025">most employees will use data</a> to optimize nearly every aspect of their work</li></ul>



<p>Adopting a data-driven approach is certainly worth the investment. Here’s how to get started within your own organization.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-a-data-driven-approach-to-engineering">What is a data-driven approach to engineering?</h2>



<p>Data-driven engineering collects information regarding <strong><a href="https://middleware.io/product/real-user-monitoring/">real user behavior</a></strong> to help software engineers <strong>prioritize the products, features, and designs</strong> that will <strong>drive deeper user engagement. </strong></p>



<p>Additionally, a data-driven approach involves optimizing the working process of your software engineering team to generate more efficiency, better results, and greater customer satisfaction.</p>



<p>Generally, there are three ways to make decisions in software engineering:</p>



<ul><li><strong>Human intuition. </strong>While a powerful tool for brainstorming and innovation, intuition cannot tell you which features and designs will be most used and impactful for the customer.</li></ul>



<ul><li><strong>Usability studies.</strong> There are plenty of insights from these studies. But ultimately, they take place in an artificial environment and do little to show you how your application will function in the marketplace.&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Data. </strong>By seeing how users actually engage with your software, you can base your development efforts on solid information and insights.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<p>While the first two approaches have their benefits, data-driven is the only approach that bases your decisions on verifiable facts. This mitigates risk and improves the odds of success.&nbsp;</p>



<p>There are many aspects to a data-driven engineering approach. Here are some of the most important.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-company-vision">Company vision</h3>



<p>While it’s not technically a pillar of data transformation, a strong company vision provides a foundation that enables everyone to determine KPIs and OKRs. As such, leadership plays a critical role in defining this vision and clarifying the “why” behind your efforts.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-performance-indicators-kpis">Key performance indicators (KPIs)</h3>



<p>Key performance indicators (KPIs) measure your ongoing business performance, from profitability to other mission critical metrics. KPIs are the “North Star” to keep everyone rowing in the same direction.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-objectives-key-results-okrs">Objectives &amp; key results (OKRs)</h3>



<p>Objectives &amp; key results (OKRs) are more transitory than KPIs, often limited to specific achievements or improvements within a particular time frame (month, quarter, or year). Generally, OKRs focus on smaller accomplishments that, over time, drive KPIs.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-engineering-metrics">Engineering metrics</h3>



<p>While KPIs and OKRs are generally simpler to define—because they tie back to revenue and profitability—engineering metrics are more fluid. They depend on specific priorities within your engineering department:</p>



<ul><li>What constitutes “good” software development?</li><li>What constitutes a “good” engineer or developer?</li><li>What are the standards we expect from engineers?</li><li>What defines our quality of work?&nbsp;</li></ul>



<p>If you don’t define the expected quality of your work product, you can’t be upset when engineers don’t meet that bar. As such, engineering metrics are necessary for consistent productivity.&nbsp;</p>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-positive-behavioral-metrics">Positive behavioral metrics</h3>



<p>Software development depends heavily on personnel quality. Your team&#8217;s mental and physical state determines your ability to produce efficiently. As such, it’s important to quantify areas like physical health, mental health, morale, motivation, energy, etc., to keep your team motivated and engaged, even during difficult times.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-benefits-of-data-driven-engineering">What are the benefits of data-driven engineering?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The first step to adopting a data-driven approach is to generate buy-in among your team. If your developers don’t understand its benefits, they’re not going to be motivated to include it in their process.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-business-impact">Business Impact</h3>



<p>Every business function should want to justify its existence by measuring impact. A data-driven approach enables software engineers to show that their long hours and constant iteration are actually contributing to the business’s bottom line.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-real-time-observability">Real-time observability</h3>



<p>Part of a data-driven approach is investing in appropriate enablement technologies. One particularly helpful class is real-time <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/">observability</a>. These tools enable you to <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/search-logs-effectively-with-log-management/">view your entire organization&#8217;s logs</a>, metrics, and traces in real-time. By identifying errors at the source, you can fix small issues before they balloon into major problems. </p>



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<h3>Get real-time metrics, traces and logs in one place with Middleware&#8217;s unified dashboard.</h3>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-team-coordination">Team coordination</h3>



<p>When you don’t have insight into where your team is putting their efforts, it can be difficult to coordinate with various arms of the business. A data-driven approach enables transparency to answer questions about your team’s workload, timelines, and output.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-continuous-improvement-and-optimization">Continuous improvement and optimization</h3>



<p>It’s impossible to improve or optimize without a way to measure where you’ve been and where you’re going. Data-driven engineering provides the insights and metrics you need to track improvement across time. That way, your team can make the incremental changes needed to fully optimize your resources and efforts.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-risk-mitigation">Risk mitigation</h3>



<p>Uninformed decisions can be costly. At worst, they can threaten your business’s very existence. You can reduce errors and mitigate your risk exposure by basing decisions on real data.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-does-a-data-driven-approach-work">How does a data-driven approach work?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Once you’ve generated buy-in among your team regarding the value of data-driven engineering, now you put it into practice.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-data-collection">Data collection</h3>



<p>The first step is to collect your data. In an increasingly distributed world, this is easier said than done. Here are some key components of modern, <a href="https://middleware.io/whitepaper/cloud-native-observability-the-new-normal-for-enterprises/">cloud-native observability</a> that make distributed data collection possible. </p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-metrics">Metrics</h4>



<p>Metrics are the numerical values that represent and describe the overall behavior of a service or component measured over time. Examples include timestamps, names, and values. Because they’re structured by default, they’re easy to query and optimize for storage.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For observability purposes, metrics enable engineers to define what is normal and what is not.&nbsp; However, they do have limits. When triggered, they can indicate when maximum or minimum thresholds are reached, not <em>why </em>the issue occurred or <em>what </em>the user experiences on the front end.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-traces">Traces</h4>



<p>If metrics tell you <em>that</em> an issue is occurring, traces can help you investigate the precise service causing the issue, enabling developers and engineers to identify and fix the root cause quickly. Through traces, engineers can analyze request flow and understand the entire lifecycle of a request in a <a href="https://middleware.io/product/distributed-tracing/">distributed application</a>, as each operation is encoded with critical data related to the microservices performing that operation.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-logs">Logs</h4>



<p>Logs are immutable, timestamped records of discrete events that happened over a set time frame within an application. Developers can use logs to uncover emergent and unpredictable behaviors within each component in a <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/microservices-architecture/">microservices architecture</a>. </p>



<p>There are three types of logs:</p>



<ul><li>Plain text</li><li>Structured&nbsp;</li><li>Binary</li></ul>



<p>Every component of a cloud-native application emits one of these log types. This can lead to a lot of noise. Thus, it is critical for engineers to centralize and <a href="https://middleware.io/product/log-monitoring/">analyze these logs</a> to uncover actionable insights from them. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-data-measurement-analysis">Data measurement &amp; analysis</h3>



<p>Once you have solid methods for collecting key data, the next step is to interpret that data. Here are a number of insights that are key to <a href="https://middleware.io/product/apm/">optimizing software development and performance</a>. </p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-feature-usage">Feature usage</h4>



<p>Feature usage focuses on user behavior surrounding a particular product feature rather than the overall product itself. These metrics enable developers to drill down into which aspects of the product generate engagement and offer the most value.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-entry-points">Entry points</h4>



<p>For complex, distributed systems, functional entry points are critical to a seamless user experience. Collecting insights into entry points enables you to identify high load-bearing assets, so you can prioritize resources to best service those assets.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-errors">Errors</h4>



<p>There are three constants in life: death, taxes, and software errors. The key to providing seamless user experiences is to identify errors in real-time, determine the root cause, and fix the error as quickly as possible. Full-stack observability tools enable you to do this across your entire tech stack.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-success-criteria">Success criteria</h4>



<p>By collecting data surrounding key success criteria, you can justify building or cutting certain features, fix usability issues, and optimize reliability and performance. This enables you to justify the bottom-line contribution of your development efforts to the business as a whole.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-team-efficiency">Team efficiency</h4>



<p>Although much of the data you collect will focus on external factors, you can also collect internal data to make your team work more efficiently. This starts with prioritizing products, features, and designs that generate the most value for the customer but also looking at where individual engineers spend their time. Small adjustments to individual and team behaviors can have exponential benefits.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-data-driven-decisioning">Data-driven decisioning</h3>



<p>Once you’ve collected insights into key aspects of software usage and team performance, you can use those insights to make decisions that drive the business forward.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-resource-allocation">Resource allocation</h4>



<p>Development teams have limited resources, and it is important to allocate those resources where they can have the biggest impact. Data gives you the ability to identify which products, features, updates, etc., have the greatest potential for impact.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-task-project-prioritization">Task &amp; project prioritization</h4>



<p>Individual team members are responsible for ensuring their daily, and weekly efforts are contributing to long-term goals. As such, managers should leverage data to help their teams direct their efforts in the most impactful direction possible.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strategic-planning">Strategic planning</h4>



<p>As CIOs are increasingly responsible for contributing to the strategic development of the business, you can leverage data to inform these key strategic decisions—and remain profitable.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-examples-of-data-driven-engineering">Examples of data-driven engineering</h2>



<p>Given those broad concepts mentioned above, it may be helpful to understand how a data-driven approach can be part of your day-to-day operations.&nbsp;</p>



<ul><li>Incorporate data into daily stand-ups to build accountability and prioritize activities in real time</li><li>Use data in 1-on-1s to provide objectivity to your evaluation of a developer’s or engineer’s performance.</li><li>Enrich your sprints by using <a href="https://coresignal.com/use-cases/data-enrichment/" target="_blank" rel="follow noopener">data enrichments</a> to track performance and efficiency, and find areas for improvement&nbsp;</li><li>Provide meaningful retrospectives by basing your analysis on data</li><li>Identify which features generate value for the business and user to prioritize team activities</li><li>Give leadership insight into your team’s performance and progress—so they can see the value you add to the business</li><li>Test new business practices to see whether your new methods move the needle</li></ul>



<p>Ultimately, data should play a key role in every step of the development process. The more it becomes embedded within your organization, the more you’ll be able to realize its benefits.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-empower-your-engineers-to-adopt-a-data-driven-approach">How to empower your engineers to adopt a data-driven approach</h2>



<p>For all its benefits, a data-driven approach won’t work without one critical component: your engineers actually have to adopt it. There is a cultural component to this, but equipping your team with the right tools is just as critical.</p>



<p>At its core, data-driven engineering asks the following:&nbsp;</p>



<ul><li>Are your teams prioritizing the right projects?</li><li>Are your teams moving the needle on user experience and business objectives?</li><li>Is your organization allocating the proper resources to meet your objectives?&nbsp;</li></ul>



<p>If you want your engineers to adopt a data-driven approach, you need to encourage them to ask these questions (culture) and give them the tools necessary to answer them (technology).&nbsp;</p>



<p>Here are some tips to empower your engineers with this approach:</p>



<ol><li>Involve every member of your organization in data-driven engineering—not just engineering and C-suite executives.&nbsp;</li><li>Instill data-driven methodology into every step of the process (e.g., build-measure-learn)</li><li>Focus your efforts not only on building great software but measuring its impact and learning from those measurements</li><li>Create processes that encourage continuous improvement and interaction</li><li>Invest in observability software to provide the insights necessary to adopt a data-driven approach</li></ol>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/">Observability</a> tools are central to data-driven engineering. By providing full-stack visibility into every aspect of your operation, engineers can collect and implement information throughout every development stage.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The best observability platforms will enable you to:&nbsp;</p>



<ul><li>Pull metrics, traces, and logs into a unified dashboard you can share with your team</li><li>Reduce the need to go back and forth between various platforms to see and fix problems</li><li>Drill down to identify root causes of issues and high load-bearing assets</li><li>Improve ability to respond to challenges—both internal and external—to remain adaptive and innovative</li></ul>



<p>To learn more about how cloud-native observability is key to adopting a data-driven approach in your organization, <a href="https://middleware.io/whitepaper/cloud-native-observability-the-new-normal-for-enterprises/">check out our latest whitepaper here.</a></p>


A data driven approach to software engineering is critical to mitigating risk and adapting to changing consumer expectations. Here’s how to adopt it within your own organization. 

How to empower your Engineers to adopt data-driven approach


<p>Although still in its infancy, Web3 is quickly dominating the marketplace: </p>



<ul><li>In H1 of 2022, Web3 companies raised more than $1.8 billion</li><li>46% of finance apps are based on the Web3 technology</li><li>There were 18,416 monthly active Web3 developers in December 2021</li></ul>



<p>If you don’t want to be blindsided by the oncoming transformation, it’s important to start considering how your processes will adapt to Web3 architecture. Specifically: how will Web3 observability differ from previous iterations?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-web3-architecture">What is Web3 architecture?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Web3 is (not surprisingly) the third iteration of how internet applications are built and run. In short, this three-phase can be described as follows:</p>



<ul><li>Web 1.0 is the “read-only Web,” where developers could build webpages for people to visit and view, but there was no way for users to interact with them</li><li>Web 2.0 is the “social Web,” where users can add and edit website content, enabling everything from social media to cloud applications.</li><li>Web 3.0 (or Web3) is the “distributed Web” or the “semantic Web,” which includes both machine readability as well as the rise of blockchain-based application architecture.</li></ul>



<p>While there are many differences between Web 2.0 and Web3, perhaps the most important for <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/">observability</a> is that of <strong>distribution</strong>. With assets spread across the cloud and connected only through blockchain, it will require a complete transformation of how <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-application-performance-monitoring/">applications are built and monitored</a>. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-web-2-0-vs-web3-applications">Web 2.0 vs. Web3 applications</h3>



<p>At their core, Web 2.0 applications require three central components:&nbsp;</p>



<ul><li>Data storage, which in turn requires a constantly updated database</li><li>Backend code (e.g. Java or Python) that defines the application’s business logic</li><li>Frontend code (e.g. JavaScript, HTML, and CSS) that defines the application’s UI logic</li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="1024" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Web2-vs-Web3-applications1-780x1024.jpeg" alt="web2 vs web3 application" class="wp-image-3387" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Web2-vs-Web3-applications1-780x1024.jpeg 780w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Web2-vs-Web3-applications1-228x300.jpeg 228w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Web2-vs-Web3-applications1-768x1009.jpeg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Web2-vs-Web3-applications1-1169x1536.jpeg 1169w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Web2-vs-Web3-applications1-1200x1576.jpeg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Web2-vs-Web3-applications1.jpeg 1263w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>



<p>The primary difference between Web 2.0 architecture and Web3 architecture is that Web3 eliminates the middleman. There’s no longer a need for a database to store information or a centralized server where the backend logic resides.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Instead, Web3 developers leverage blockchain to build apps on a decentralized state machine maintained by anonymous nodes on the internet. Blockchains are state machines that have an instantiated genesis state, and very strict rules define a state transition.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In terms of control, no single entity controls the decentralized state machine—everyone on the network collectively maintains it.&nbsp;</p>



<p>So instead of operating a backend server, Web3 developers <strong>write smart contracts</strong> that define the logic of applications, then deploy them onto the decentralized state machine. This allows any person who wants to build a blockchain application to deploy code on this shared state machine. The front end, generally speaking, remains the same.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="772" height="1024" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Web2-vs-Web3-applications-772x1024.jpeg" alt="web2 vs web3 applications" class="wp-image-3383" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Web2-vs-Web3-applications-772x1024.jpeg 772w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Web2-vs-Web3-applications-226x300.jpeg 226w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Web2-vs-Web3-applications-768x1019.jpeg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Web2-vs-Web3-applications-1158x1536.jpeg 1158w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Web2-vs-Web3-applications-1200x1591.jpeg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Web2-vs-Web3-applications.jpeg 1263w" sizes="(max-width: 772px) 100vw, 772px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-web3-application-architecture-components">Web3 application architecture components</h3>



<p>In the previous section, we described several components that go into Web3 application architecture. Now let’s take a closer look at each of them.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blockchain">Blockchain</h4>



<p>There are multiple types of blockchains, but each of them has fundamentally the same structure. Blockchains are globally accessible, deterministic state machines maintained by a peer-to-peer (P2P) network of nodes. State changes on the blockchain are governed by rules of consensus that peers in the network follow.</p>



<p>Data written into the blockchain can only be written, not updated. This is because data is not maintained centrally but collectively by everyone in the network.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smart-contracts">Smart contracts</h4>



<p>Smart contracts define the logic of your applications and deploy them onto the decentralized state machine. In this paradigm, web servers and traditional databases are no longer needed since everything is done on or around the blockchain. Smart contracts are written in high-level languages, such as Solidity or Vyper.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-virtual-machine">Virtual machine</h4>



<p>The central component of Web3 architecture is the <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-virtual-machine/">virtual machine</a>. This system executes the logic defined in smart contracts and processes the state changes that happen. For this work, developers must compile high-level languages into bytecode, which the virtual machine then executes.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-p2p-database">P2P database</h4>



<p>Because blockchain is slow and expensive, P2P databases form an essential component of the system. P2P databases enable developers to access data off-chain, which reduces access points and, by extension, costs. This architecture eliminates centralized database servers and local storage.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-authentication">Authentication</h4>



<p>One of the unique advantages of blockchain is that in order to access a smart contract, users must provide authentication at every step. This happens through private keys that are unique to each user. As such, the very structure of authentication and security changes when adopting a Web3 infrastructure.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In Web3, applications don’t hold user data but wallets that leverage cryptographic signatures to prove ownership of specific blockchain addresses. If a user loses their private key to the wallet address, no one can recover it for them.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-front-end">Front end</h4>



<p>Finally, there’s the part of the application that the user will engage with themselves. Generally speaking, the front-end technologies for Web3 are the same as Web 2.0. The only difference is that developers need to reimagine the UX of the application to accommodate authentication and processing in the blockchain.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complications-of-web3-applications">Complications of Web3 applications</h3>



<p>Although Web3 applications are filled with potential, they’re still a new technology. As such, there are complications and drawbacks that developers need to know.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scalability">Scalability</h4>



<p>Decentralized applications (or dapps) have difficulty scaling up because the cost of running them on a particular blockchain server increases with usage. Each transaction requires a fee (called “gas”), which is subject to extreme price volatility.</p>



<p>To solve this problem, developers can adopt decentralized, off-chain storage solutions like Interplanetary File Systems (IPFS) or Swarm, which leverage P2P network architecture.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-user-experience">User experience</h4>



<p>Dapps generally have a poor user experience compared to traditional web applications. The primary reason: their complex architecture, technical limitations, and environmental impact make them slow, difficult to use, and not very reliable. This is one reason why there are no mainstream dapps to speak of, even in 2022. Most current dapps are related to money—namely cryptocurrency.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-data-collection-storage">Data collection &amp; storage</h4>



<p>The thing that sets software companies apart is not their features and functionality, UI/UX, or business logic but the data they’ve aggregated. Web3 disrupts this reality, making every application composable by sharing and consuming data between applications.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observability">Observability</h4>



<p>In Web 2.0, <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/">observability</a> has become a norm. In Web3, however, the transformation of systems architecture makes this observability much more complicated. While some centralized aspects of Web3 can rely on Web 2.0 observability tools and tactics, there are still significant blind spots that developers need to overcome if they’re going to adopt a Web3 architecture.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-web3-observability-and-how-does-it-work">What is Web3 observability, and how does it work?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>No complex system is ever fully healthy. If this was true for Web 2.0, it’s even more true for Web3. Highly decentralized systems are inherently unpredictable. Without observability, developers and engineers are stuck making assumptions about system behavior and basing their decisions on those assumptions.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In Web 2.0, observability depends on three fundamental components: logs, metrics, and traces. By processing these data into a usable format, observability platforms surface the most important insights, enabling developers and engineers to quickly address errors at the root cause.&nbsp;</p>



<p>So how do developers maintain their current observability expectations in a distributed Web3 environment? Here’s how those three observability components function differently in Web3.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-web3-logs">Web3 logs</h3>



<p>A <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-log-monitoring/">log</a> is an immutable, timestamp record of discrete events over time. Its primary function is to provide insights into application performance over time, particularly when evaluated within its proper context. By <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-log-monitoring/">collecting logs</a>, engineers can catch issues in real-time. </p>



<p>The primary difference between logging in to Web 2.0 and Web3 is the volume of logs. Every bit of data that a smart contract incurs will require more “gas.” <a href="https://middleware.io">Observability platforms</a> need to become smarter in sorting through the most relevant data, leaving out events that aren’t critical for assessing system performance.&nbsp;</p>



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<p>Most modern <a href="https://middleware.io/product/log-monitoring/">log management systems</a> collect logs and automatically aggregate, index, and analyze them to surface the most important insights. This capability will become even more important as Web3 increases the volume of logs that observability platforms compile.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-web3-metrics">Web3 metrics</h3>



<p>A metric is the numerical representation of data measured over time. Metrics in observability detect system anomalies, which can clue engineers into problems as they arise. Metrics are stored in a time series database and contain a name, label, numeric value, and timestamp in milliseconds.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Web3 metrics aren’t that different from their Web 2.0 counterparts. Blockchain data is public data, and each entry in the distributed ledger already has a timestamp. All developers and engineers have to do are set up the data pipeline and warehouse.</p>



<p>One key difference, however, is that Web3 enables the collection of additional metrics related to specifications of transactions:</p>



<ul><li>Event logs</li><li>Gas burn</li><li>Time elapsed until confirmation</li><li>Input/output specifics</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-web3-traces">Web3 traces</h3>



<p>While logs and metrics are fairly straightforward in Web3, tracing is different. To implement tracing, every component in the path of a request needs to propagate that tracking information. Because of the decentralized nature of blockchain, this is more difficult than in a centralized cloud platform.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It is important here to consider the two most common types of tracing methods:&nbsp;</p>



<ul><li><strong>Stack tracing </strong>consists of logs and metadata issued by an application runtime, containing all invocations from the start of a threat until an exception&nbsp;</li><li><strong><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-distributed-tracing/">Distributed tracing</a></strong> is the observation of the end-to-end path of causally related distributed events flowing as a request through a distributed system, allowing developers to see which services are involved in the request.</li></ul>



<p>Stack tracing is the only method that works for Web3, as there is no way to follow a transaction from the UI to persistence layers without further context. Many developers are now employing a hybrid approach, using distributed tracing for Web 2.0 components and adapting stack tracing for Web3.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, overall there are severe limitations to Web3 tracing. Overcoming this challenge needs to be a priority for developers and engineers in the Web3 space if these types of applications are ever going to become mainstream.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why existing web2 tools don&#8217;t work in web3</h2>



<p>There are a few key reasons why existing web2 tools don&#8217;t work in web3.&nbsp;</p>



<p>First, web2 is built on a centralized architecture, whereas web3 is built on a decentralized architecture. This means that web2 tools rely on central servers, while web3 tools do not.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Second, web2 tools are typically designed to be used by humans, while web3 tools are designed to be used by machines. This means that web2 tools are not well-suited for interacting with the decentralized data and applications of the web3 world.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Finally, web2 tools are often closed and proprietary, while web3 tools are open and decentralized. This means that web2 tools cannot take advantage of the many benefits of the web3 world, such as the ability to connect to and interact with a variety of different decentralized networks.</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p><em>Therefore the best way is to build your applications on web3 based architecture Alchemy instead of hosting on AWS, and then, you can easily monitor your smart contracts and decentralized applications.&nbsp;</em></p></blockquote>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">When do you need to think about web3 observability&nbsp;</h2>



<p>When you’re either already running web2 applications, partially moving to or creating standalone web3 applications, then you should consider web3 observability at different stages of your company&#8217;s development.&nbsp;</p>



<p>We at <a href="https://middleware.io/">Middleware</a> provide full-stack observability for web2 and web3 applications.&nbsp; So, if you’re already using tools A, B, and C, then you should probably think about using Middleware. Motivate your readers to think about where they are in their journey and if they should think about web3 observability.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-benefits-of-web3-observability">The benefits of Web3 observability</h2>



<p>The benefits of Web3 observability are similar to the benefits of Web2, with one notable difference: Web3 observability is uniquely set up to function in a decentralized environment. As such, some of the benefits are slightly different depending on context:</p>



<ul><li>Because decentralized systems have no single source of truth, Web3 observability provides much-needed transparency</li><li>Engineers can document the production environment and get the information needed to improve it without spending hours accessing various blocks and nodes.</li><li>Develop a comprehensive understanding of the distributed environments</li><li>Detect issues as they arise, and address the problem in real-time</li></ul>



<p>At the end of the day, Web3 engineers are dealing with a complex array of systems with multiple points of failure. While decentralization does help mitigate overall risk, it is important to understand where points of failure occur and have a comprehensive idea of overall system health. Without it, they’ll be flying blind.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-final-thoughts-on-web3-observability">Final thoughts on Web3 observability</h2>



<p>Like the architecture itself, Web3 observability is in its nascent stage. In order for companies to rely on these new technologies to provide the foundation for their business, they’ll have to become more mature.</p>



<p>Yet perfect should never be the enemy of good. By leveraging the available technologies to improve observability in Web3 environments, engineers can create more reliable, efficient, and innovative applications and take advantage of decentralization and its benefits.</p>



<p><em>Learn more about how <a href="https://middleware.io/">Middleware</a> can provide observability into your entire tech stack here.</em></p>


As more applications adopt Web3 architecture, observability tools are even more critical to maintaining the health of decentralized systems. Learn how to monitor web3 applications. 

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In this post, you'll learn what distributed tracing is, how it works, how it differs from logging, its benefits and challenges, and the type of tools that can help you accomplish this practice.

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CI/CD Pipeline is an agile DevOps approach to improve and automate software development lifecycle. Learn more about CI/CD pipelines, their application along with an example:

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Infrastructure monitoring ensures that all your containers and hosts are always up and running. In this article, you will learn how Infrastructure monitoring works, its benefits and potential use cases.

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Container orchestration automates containers' deployment, management, scaling, and networking. Learn more about its benefits, use cases and challenges in this article: 

What is Container orchestration: Explained with benefits and challenges


<p>Programming paradigms like stream processing are needed with the rise of big data and analytical technologies. DevOps analysts can analyze a simple data packet without any interdependence. The problem arises when dealing with data streams.</p>



<p>For the same reason, they depend on <strong>stream processing</strong>, which can apply queries on data streams. Before the adaptation of stream processing, people referred to it as real-time processing. As of now, it is a specific manner for taking action on a series of data. Read on to know more about stream processing and its importance.&nbsp;</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-stream-processing"><strong>What is stream processing?</strong></h2>



<p>Simply put, stream processing is the practice of taking action on a series of data at the time of data creation. Some people may refer to it as real-time processing. Both indicate the same thing, which is analyzing the data when and whenever it is required.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Stream processing helps data experts to take action on a series of incoming data. Tasks on the incoming data streams are performed serially or parallelly, depending upon the requirement.&nbsp;</p>



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<p>Data experts complete the entire process in a <strong>stream processing</strong> pipeline. It is the workflow through which the stream data is generated, processed, and delivered to the required location. There are numerous actions related to data streams. These actions include aggregation, ingestion, enrichment, analytics, transformation, and other data-related activities.</p>



<p>With the help of <strong>stream processing</strong>, one can respond to the new data at the moment it’s generated. Therefore, it is one of the most critical programming paradigms in different languages and technologies. Stream processing applications are often developed with big data, Spark, Java, Azure, IoT, and other technologies.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-does-stream-processing-work"><strong>How does stream processing work?</strong> &nbsp; &nbsp;</h2>



<p>One should know that <strong>stream processing</strong> is applied when data is available as a series of events. For example, it can help analyze the data produced from a payment gateway page because gateway pages produce streams of data in a series of events. Similarly, stream processing is applied to data produced from <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-log-monitoring/">server logs</a> and application logs.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="456" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/How-Stream-Processing-Work-1024x456.jpeg" alt="How Stream Processing Works" class="wp-image-2546" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/How-Stream-Processing-Work-1024x456.jpeg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/How-Stream-Processing-Work-300x134.jpeg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/How-Stream-Processing-Work-768x342.jpeg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/How-Stream-Processing-Work-1536x684.jpeg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/How-Stream-Processing-Work-2048x912.jpeg 2048w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/How-Stream-Processing-Work-1200x535.jpeg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/How-Stream-Processing-Work-1980x882.jpeg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>After a publisher/source generates the data, it is transferred to a <strong>stream processing</strong> <strong>application</strong>. The application/algorithm will test, enrich, and transform the data streams.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Once the desired action has been taken on the data stream, it is moved to the final location. In the context of a stream processing application, the data is always transferred to the sink or subscriber. From a technical point of view, the sinks and sources for stream processing include big data repositories or data grids.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For example, <strong>stream processing Kafka</strong> in Java helps analyze data streams as they occur.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-is-stream-processing-needed"><strong>Why is stream processing needed?</strong></h2>



<p>Every data point holds a value or an insight. However, the case might not be the same with data streams. Some insights (after data processing) are valuable only at the exact moment. After a period, the data insight might not be as useful as before.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Therefore, there is an eminent need to process insights faster in most cases, even within milliseconds. <strong>Stream processing</strong> makes it possible to generate insights in real-time.</p>



<p>Some more reasons to use <strong>stream data processing</strong> are as follows:&nbsp;</p>



<ul><li>Sometimes, we encounter never-ending streams of data. We have to detect the insights and generate results in a never-ending circle. Where other programming paradigms fail, stream processing<strong> </strong>can easily handle never-ending streams of data and perform actions.&nbsp;</li><li>Sometimes, we need to spread the data processing over a period. Unfortunately, other programming paradigms, like batch processing, fail to achieve this objective.&nbsp;</li><li>There are instances when approximate answers are ample. Stream processing applications use systematic load shedding to produce approximate solutions with ease.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Sometimes, we cannot store vast amounts of data packets. In such a case, <strong>data stream</strong> processing helps handle large volumes of data and retain only valuable bits.&nbsp;</li><li>The demand for stream processing<strong> </strong>applications will also increase with the rise of streaming data. In addition, with the growth of IoT devices, websites, payment portals, and digital transactions, there is a need to handle streaming data. To put things into perspective, here’s a quick fact. An average person produces over two quintillion bytes of streaming data.</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-use-cases-examples"><strong>Use Cases: Examples&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<p>Some use cases of <strong>stream processing</strong> around us are as follows:&nbsp;</p>



<ol><li><strong>Infrastructure monitoring:</strong></li></ol>



<p><strong>Stream processing </strong>algorithm is used in <a href="https://middleware.io/product/infrastructure-monitoring/">Infrastructure monitoring</a>, where one agent continuously processes the data generated from server logs and application logs for any errors or faults. The same agent then sends that data to the analytics system to display it visually.</p>



<ol start="2"><li><strong>Fraud prevention</strong></li></ol>



<p>Stream processing is widely used around the globe for detecting fraud and anomalies in real-time. For example, stream processing algorithms can monitor credit card transactions continuously. They can block or generate an alert for an unauthorized or fraudulent transaction.&nbsp;</p>



<ol start="3"><li><strong>Personalized Ads</strong></li></ol>



<p>Marketers rely on stream processing algorithms to offer customers personalized ads and marketing content.&nbsp;</p>



<ol start="4"><li><strong>Data analysis&nbsp;</strong></li></ol>



<p>Manufacturing, refinery, and logistics companies have to deal with huge volumes of data. Many companies rely on IoT devices to collect information regarding operations. With stream processing, companies are making sense of the large volumes of data.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stream-processing-vs-batch-processing-what-s-the-difference"><strong>Stream processing vs. Batch processing: What’s the difference&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<p>Batch processing takes action on the available data according to a schedule. For example, there can be a rule that the data will be processed daily at 1 PM. The threshold could also be that the data will be processed when it reaches 100 GB. However, the pace and volume of data have augmented, and batch processing fails.</p>



<p>Contrary to batch processing, stream processing makes sense of data streams in real time. Therefore, we can respond to new data events when they occur with stream processing.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-history-of-the-origin-of-stream-processing"><strong>History of the origin of stream processing&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<p>When active databases were developed, stream processing started to gain hype. Active databases allowed users to run queries on the stored data. As a result, many stream processing frameworks have been developed over the years. TelegraphCQ is among the first stream processing frameworks. In the last few years, stream processing and complex <a href="https://dzone.com/articles/why-do-you-need-to-move-from-crud-to-event-sourcin">event processing</a> have been merged in most of the frameworks.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conclusion"><strong>Conclusion</strong></h2>



<p>Data scientists and experts should know <strong>what stream processing is.</strong> It is already being used for personalized marketing, IoT edge analytics, real-time fraud detection, and other purposes. Start analyzing streams of data in real-time with <strong>stream processing</strong>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Now that you know what stream processing is and how it works. <a href="https://app.middleware.io/auth/register/">Signup on our platform</a> to experience how we use it to provide container monitoring, log monitoring, Infrastructure monitoring and more.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-faqs"><strong>FAQs</strong></h2>


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				<h3>What do you mean by stream processing?</h3>				<div>
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<p>It is a programming paradigm to derive insights from data streams in real-time.</p>

			</div>
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				<h3>Why is stream processing important?</h3>				<div>
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<p>Programming paradigms like batch processing cannot perform real-time analytics.&nbsp;<strong>Stream processing frameworks</strong>&nbsp;address this drawback.</p>

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				<h3>What are stream processing engines?</h3>				<div>
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<p>A stream processing engine will perform analysis when the data is in motion. On the other hand, a map-reduce engine performs analysis when the data stream is at rest.</p>

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				<h3>What is Kafka stream processing?</h3>				<div>
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<p>Kafka is a&nbsp;<strong>stream processing library</strong>&nbsp;available for Java users. It can help develop programs to analyze data streams in real-time.&nbsp;</p>

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				<h3>What is event stream processing?</h3>				<div>
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<p>It is a type of reactive programming that analyses and filters the data as it arrives from the streaming source.</p>

			</div>
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Stream processing services and architecture is growing tremendously because they help to combine data feed from various sources. In this article, we will learn about stream processing, how it works, its importance and its use cases.

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<p><a href="https://www.domo.com/learn/infographic/data-never-sleeps-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">90% of all the data</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that exists today was created in the last two years. The measures come to about 2.5 quintillion bytes produced every single day.</span></i></p>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Everywhere you look, you will find data. There is data on your phone, on your laptop, in your email account, on your instant messengers – everything that is digital has data on it. Some of this data is structured, and most of it is unstructured.</span></p>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The thing is that structured data has a lot more utility for meaningful activities than unstructured data. In this blog, let us attempt to understand </span><b>structured vs. unstructured data</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in detail.</span></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-structured-data"><b>What is Structured Data?</b></h2>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Quite literally, the data that follows a well-defined structure is called structured data. Structure is basically a syllogistic format that categorizes data based on multiple attributes. This works to make it easily discoverable and accessible to humans and computer programs equally.</span></p>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can also define structured data as quantitative data.</span></p>



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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Structured data follows a set of clear rules and logic that give it an understandable, digestible architecture. The best part of structured data is that it can be easily read and understood by modern technological implements of artificial intelligence and machine learning.</span></p>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Structured data can be queried using SQL because it is meticulously organized in multiple ways to make it more discoverable. Some of the more common examples of structured data are barcodes, point-of-sale data, weblog statistics, etc.</span></p>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Structured data can be human or computer-generated. The fact that it makes operations and processes simpler and more streamlined is the major reason why it is preferred over unstructured data.</span></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-structured-data"><b>Advantages and Disadvantages of Structured Data</b></h2>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Structured data is mostly advantageous to the users; however, it has a few disadvantages that may hinder organizational processes. Let’s understand the pros and cons of structured data.</span></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pros-of-structured-data"><b>Pros of Structured Data</b></h3>



<ul><li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is more accessible. Structured data has been around for longer than unstructured data. As such, there are more tools in the market that you can use to access, manage, and modify it. Furthermore, structured data can be called using SQL, which improves its accessibility more</span></li><li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is easily usable by modern technology. The well-defined architecture of structured data allows it to be readable and usable by machine learning algorithms. Querying it becomes easier for such technology</span></li><li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is human-friendly. Structured data does not need an in-depth knowledge of how it behaves/functions for it to be understood and manipulated. This makes it easier for the decision-makers to access, interpret and use it for business operations</span></li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cons-of-structured-data"><b>Cons of Structured Data</b></h3>



<ul><li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Usage Limitations. The predefined structure of the data makes it necessary to use it a certain way. This puts limitations on the flexibility and versatility of structured data</span></li><li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rigid Storage Options. Since structured data needs to be stored in a certain way, it necessitates the storage to have a predefined schema. These <a href="https://justtotaltech.com/what-is-data-warehouse/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data warehouses</a> are resource-intensive to manage whenever there is a need to change data requirements</span></li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-structured-data-tools"><b>Structured Data Tools</b></h2>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Below is a list of useful tools that can help you manage your structured data well:</span></p>



<ul><li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><b>SQLite</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">. This tool assists you with implementing a relational database that is zero-configuration, self-contained, serverless, and transactional</span></li><li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><b>PostgreSQL</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">. This tool utilizes high-tier programming languages like C and C++, Python, Java, and more to manage structured data. Additionally, it supports SQL and JSON</span></li><li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><b>OLAP</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">. This tool can be implemented on centralized data storage with unified data, to perform speedy data analysis that is multidimensional</span></li><li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><b>MySQL</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">. You can utilize MySQL to embed data into the software. This tool is best used for mission-critical systems</span></li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-unstructured-data"><b>What is Unstructured Data?</b></h2>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unstructured data doesn’t have any structure to it. The data randomly gathered from various devices and online sources is more or less unstructured. You can say it leans more towards the qualitative side than the quantitative; it isn’t categorical. </span></p>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unstructured data is more characteristic and non-utilitarian; it can only be used after it is analyzed and compiled into insights that mean something to a business.</span></p>



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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Most of the data that you see today is unstructured data. A few examples include the data gathered from social media listening, your messages, emails to a business, etc.</span></p>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The proverbial “Big Data” that is in the talks today is mostly unstructured.</span><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rkulkarni/2019/02/07/big-data-goes-big/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Forbes</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> reports that 95% of the businesses feel a pressing need for solutions to manage this unstructured data. While unstructured data can deliver useful insights when processed right, there is a need to manage it efficiently.</span></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-unstructured-data"><b>Advantages and Disadvantages of Unstructured Data</b></h2>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unstructured data has the potential to provide great insights into business decisions. However, it is scattered, disparate, and uncategorized. The necessity to process it through intelligent data processors is imperative. Let’s look at a few pros and cons of unstructured data.</span></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pros-of-unstructured-data"><b>Pros of Unstructured Data</b></h3>



<ul><li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Native and nascent. Unstructured data is stored in the format that it is created. This nascent nature allows it to be adaptable to various other file formats, increasing its versatility. Data scientists need only fetch the data they need to work with, instead of calling the entire stack</span></li><li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Quick collection. Unstructured data doesn’t need to be treated prior to storing it. This makes it faster to collect and store. It can be stored as quickly as it is discovered or created</span></li><li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Data Lakes. Unstructured data is stored in data lakes (large areas with data storage) which usually function on a pay-as-you-use basis. This allows companies to make their data storage cost-effective since it eliminates the need to maintain in-house data servers</span></li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cons-of-unstructured-data"><b>Cons of Unstructured Data</b></h3>



<ul><li><span style="font-weight: 400;">It needs experts to be digestible. Unstructured data doesn’t have any specifics or attributes from the get-go. It is just a random collection of raw information sourced from the internet. As such, data scientists are needed to process this data and make sense of it</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: 400;">The need for special tools. Unstructured data can’t be utilized as-is. It needs to be processed through special data processors that sort it out enough to be utilizable</span></li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unstructured-data-tools"><b>Unstructured Data Tools</b></h2>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is difficult to process and manage unstructured data. However, the tools listed below can potentially make this task a lot easier for you.</span></p>



<ul><li><span style="font-weight: 400;">An implement run by Microsoft, Azure is an agile cloud computing platform that lets you create and manage on-premises, hybrid, and <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/multi-cloud-strategy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">multi-cloud</a> apps using data centers of the company</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Amazon DynamoDB is a tool offered by Amazon and offers a high-speed NoSQL database for structured data. The tool offers in-memory caching, backup, restoration, and inbuilt data security</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: 400;">MongoDB is a cross-platform database program that is document-oriented. It is a source-available NoSQL-based program for structured data</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: 400;">This tool facilitates managing structured data using simple programming without the need for formatting requirements</span></li></ul>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-structured-vs-unstructured-data-understanding-the-differences"><b>Structured Vs. Unstructured Data: Understanding The Differences</b></h2>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The major difference between these two data is evidently understood – one has a defined structure, while the other is collected at random. However, there are more differences between the two datasets. Let’s take a look at the key differences between structured vs. unstructured data in detail:&nbsp;</span></p>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td><b>Property</b></td><td><b>Structured Data</b></td><td><b>Unstructured Data</b></td></tr><tr><td><b>Sources</b></td><td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Structured data is usually obtained from sources like spreadsheets, online forms, OLTP systems, network and web servers, etc.</span></td><td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unstructured data can be sourced from anywhere: email messages, media files, instant messages, collaboration software, and more.</span></td></tr><tr><td><b>Scalability</b></td><td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Structured data is stored on database schemas which makes it a bit hard to scale up or down</span></td><td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unstructured data is stored in its raw format without treatment, which makes it more scalable</span></td></tr><tr><td><b>Forms</b></td><td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Structured data can be considered as conforming to a tabular format with a definite relationship between the columns</span></td><td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unstructured data is accessible in various forms, like rich media, geo-spatial and surveillance data, etc.</span></td></tr><tr><td><b>Format</b></td><td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Structured data has a predefined format</span></td><td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unstructured data can be anything; it has no specific format</span></td></tr><tr><td><b>Nature</b></td><td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Structured data can be considered quantitative; mathematical</span></td><td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unstructured data is uncategorized and qualitative</span></td></tr><tr><td><b>Storage</b></td><td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Structured data is stored in data warehouses</span></td><td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unstructured data is stored in data lakes</span></td></tr><tr><td><b>Use Case</b></td><td><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some of the most popular use cases for structured data are CRMs, online bookings, and accounting systems</span></td><td><span style="font-weight: 400;">A few use cases for unstructured data are data mining, chatbots, predictive analytics, etc.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-semi-structured-data"><b>What is Semi-Structured Data?</b></h2>



<p>Since we are discussing structured vs. unstructured data, it&#8217;s important to include semi-structured data because&nbsp;<span style="font-weight: 400;">semi-structured data lies somewhere in the way between structured and unstructured data. </span></p>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At its core, it is still unstructured and scattered; however, certain elements in this data are defined with attributes and metadata attached to them.</span></p>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The presence of metadata makes this unstructured data eligible to be cataloged into repositories with some defining, structuring properties. Semi-structured data is more easily utilized than purely unstructured data because of the presence of metadata and attributes; it can be more easily processed and stored, recalled, and utilized.</span></p>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One good example of semi-structured data would be a tab-delimited file. As compared to a random collection of email messages, this file would be more readable.</span></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-data-unstructured-vs-structured-or-unified"><b>The Future of Data: Unstructured vs Structured, or Unified?</b></h2>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For your organization to benefit from the data it collects, it is important for you to maintain a single source of truth and data integrity for the company to draw from. This may necessitate using data management facilities and software catered to as SaaS.</span></p>



<p><a href="https://www.dataversity.net/the-future-of-data-management-five-predictions-for-2022/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Trends</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> suggest that the Big Three data management platforms – Amazon, Google, and Microsoft – are likely to get more competition in the future, seeing how the market for data is growing.</span></p>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Additionally, Gartner has suggested an innovative future for data in</span><a href="https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/data-fabric-architecture-is-key-to-modernizing-data-management-and-integration"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">this</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> report. They predict that data usage by entities will transform into a highly integrated, interconnected fabric of data and allied processes. A unifying data layer will form the backbone of this fabric, a single source for all the disparate applications that draw from it.</span></p>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The truth is that data hasn’t fully evolved yet, and new methodologies are likely to keep emerging with time.</span></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conclusion"><b>Conclusion</b></h2>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It depends on the nature of your business operations and the use of data it has that determines whether you should opt for unstructured or structured data or a mix of both. Use this guide to understand structured vs unstructured data and which one could be more advantageous to your business in the long run.</span></p>


Have a look at the key differences between structured vs. unstructured data (along with pros & cons) and choose the one that meets your business needs.

Structured Vs. Unstructured data: What’s the difference?

Explore the essence of observability, its importance, workings, challenges, and benefits in navigating modern IT systems. Learn more about observability tools and best practices.

Understanding Observability: A Definitive Guide [Updated 2024]


<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether you’re a DevOps engineer, a data analyst, or someone who runs a business that produces and uses data sets, you need to know about<strong> cloud analytics</strong>.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Cloud analytics is a part of the cloud computing technology stack that helps businesses make informed decisions using data visualization in real-time.&nbsp;</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Now let&#8217;s go beyond cloud analytics hype and get down to brass tacks. This article will cover key components of cloud analytics, including its cost, types, and benefits for individuals, businesses, and organizations.</span></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><b>What is Cloud Analytics?</b></h2>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Cloud analytics refers to storing and analyzing data on vendor-managed infrastructure to extract actionable business insights.</strong> Cloud analytics allows businesses to process large data sets in a more scalable, secure and affordable manner.&nbsp;</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The primary purpose of cloud analytics is to allow companies to view their data in real-time, understand the trends and make business decisions based on the insights gained from the data.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;</span></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="958" height="690" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Amount-of-data-created-in-a-day.jpg" alt="Amount of data generated globally in a day" class="wp-image-2701" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Amount-of-data-created-in-a-day.jpg 958w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Amount-of-data-created-in-a-day-300x216.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Amount-of-data-created-in-a-day-768x553.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 958px) 100vw, 958px" /></figure>



<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cloud analytics unifies diverse heterogeneous data sets so that analytics can be performed globally on a single data lake. This processed data can be used for various purposes such as fraud detection, customer churn analysis and forecasting revenues.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Cloud analytics tools are typically used to analyze large amounts of unstructured data, including text, images, audio and video file data, that’s difficult to analyze using traditional BI solutions.&nbsp;</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Cloud analytics tools help businesses make sense of this data by providing visualizations and interactive dashboards that allow them to explore their data in new ways.</span></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-types-of-cloud-analytics"><strong>Types of Cloud Analytics</strong></h2>



<p>Cloud analytics is a subset of business intelligence (BI), but it has a more specific focus.&nbsp; While traditional Business intelligence uses data from multiple sources to help businesses make better decisions and improve operations. Cloud analytics focuses specifically on cloud computing as a source of data and the analysis of that data.&nbsp; When it comes to cloud computing market domination, AWS remains in the first place with a <a href="https://www.epcgroup.net/top-50-cloud-computing-statistics-and-trends-for-2022/">33% share</a>, followed by Microsoft Azure with 16%. Cloud analytics can be broken down into three categories:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-public-cloud"><strong>1. Public Cloud</strong></h3>



<p>Public cloud analytics refers to analyzing data stored on servers available to anyone with an internet connection. This means anyone with access can view or manipulate the data stored on these servers. Still, there are also many advantages for businesses that utilize public cloud computing services such as <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/proven-practices-to-reduce-aws-cost/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amazon Web Services</a> (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-private-cloud"><strong>2. Private Cloud</strong></h3>



<p>Private cloud analytics refers to analyzing data within a private network that isn&#8217;t accessible from outside networks like the Internet or from other locations where people may have access. This type of network is often referred to as an intranet because it connects computers within a single company or organization.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-hybrid-cloud"><strong>3. Hybrid Cloud</strong></h3>



<p>A hybrid cloud refers to a combination of private cloud and public clouds such as <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/aws-terminology-101-a-complete-glossary/">Amazon Web Services (AWS)</a>. Hybrid clouds allow businesses to take advantage of the benefits of both models while minimizing their drawbacks. For example, a company may use public cloud storage for backup purposes but keep their core systems private cloud for security reasons.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-does-cloud-analytics-work"><strong>How does cloud analytics work?</strong></h2>



<p>Vital elements of <strong>cloud analytic</strong>s like data sources, data models, processing applications, computing power, analytic models and sharing or storage of results are provided by a cloud service provider (CSP). </p>



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<p>The CSP will provide you with access to these resources through software application programming interfaces (APIs), which allow you to create your custom software applications or use pre-built tools from the CSP&#8217;s marketplace or library. </p>



<p>Cloud analytics involves using various cloud-based tools and services to perform complex analyses on your data. The critical elements of cloud analytics include:</p>



<ul><li><strong>Data sources</strong> &#8211; Data sources are defined as locations where the database tables reside and they can include both structured data (such as customer information) and unstructured data (such as social media posts).</li><li><strong>Data models</strong> &#8211; Cloud analytics applications typically require you to define a schema for your data to be adequately analyzed. You can use any number of different tools, such as SQL-based databases or NoSQL databases. The schema defines how individual pieces of information are related to one another.</li><li><strong>Processing applications</strong> are software programs that perform calculations on the raw data stored in your chosen data model. For example, if you want to analyze <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/proven-practices-to-reduce-aws-cost/">AWS cost</a> spending over time, you would need to run SQL queries against your AWS account history database to generate a report containing billing information for each month during the past six months.</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-of-cloud-analytics"><strong>Benefits of cloud analytics</strong></h2>



<p>The cloud is the future of data analytics. It&#8217;s easy to see why: cloud-based solutions are more cost-effective, scalable, and secure than traditional on-premise options. The most significant <strong>benefit of cloud analytics</strong> is that you can save time and money. Cloud-based systems involve less overhead in hardware and infrastructure, which means reduced costs. </p>



<p>Moreover, the cost per user decreases as your organization grows because you only pay for what you use. The scalability of cloud-based systems allows you to add more users or upgrade your plan when needed. This means you don&#8217;t have to worry about whether or not your current solution will be able to handle future growth or additional needs.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="457" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Benefits-of-cloud-analytics-1024x457.jpg" alt="Benefits of cloud analytics" class="wp-image-4000" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Benefits-of-cloud-analytics-1024x457.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Benefits-of-cloud-analytics-300x134.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Benefits-of-cloud-analytics-768x343.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Benefits-of-cloud-analytics.jpg 1169w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p> Benefits of cloud analytics:</p>



<ul><li><strong>Scalability</strong> &#8211; Cloud-based solutions can be <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/vertical-vs-horizontal-scaling/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scaled up or down</a> as your business grows or contracts. This gives you the flexibility that&#8217;s impossible to replicate with an on-premise solution.</li><li><strong>Easy Access and Collaboration </strong>&#8211; Cloud solutions offer 24/7 access via any device to get your hands on the information you need whenever it suits you. And collaborative features mean you can share data with colleagues or clients without having to worry about privacy issues.</li><li><strong>Flexibility</strong> &#8211; Cloud solutions are built on a pay-as-you-go basis, so there&#8217;s no need for long-term contracts or upfront payments. You only pay for what you need when you need it, making them perfect for businesses that want to keep their costs down while still benefiting from top-of-the-line technology.</li><li><strong>Data consolidation</strong> &#8211; Cloud solutions come with tools that allow you to consolidate data from multiple sources into one central location, which makes it easier for everyone involved in your business to understand how everything works together</li><li><strong>Low cost and high ROI-</strong> The cost savings from moving from on-premises software to the cloud are often significant, especially when you consider how much more efficient it is at analyzing large amounts of data.</li><li><strong>Easy deployment and maintenance</strong>. Cloud providers manage all aspects of operating the infrastructure required by their tools, so there’s nothing you have to do except sign up with them — which usually takes less than five minutes!</li></ul>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-top-3-cloud-analytics-tools"><strong>Top 3 cloud analytics tools</strong></h2>



<p>Cloud analytics tools are software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications that help you analyze business data. They often come with pre-built dashboards and reports, which can be customized to suit your needs. </p>



<p>Typically, cloud analytics tools are more affordable than on-premise solutions because they don&#8217;t require any hardware or software installation. Cloud analytics tools also offer more flexibility because they can be accessed from anywhere and from any device.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-microsoft-power-bi"><strong>1. Microsoft Power BI</strong></h3>



<p>Power BI is Microsoft&#8217;s business intelligence (BI) product that helps users visualize, explore, and understand data across various platforms. It offers a wide range of features and options for business users and IT professionals alike. Users can choose from several different data visualization options, including charts, tables, and maps, depending on what kind of information they want to present or analyze. It offers a variety of features such as interactive dashboards, multiple data source integration, real-time insights, and many more.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-zoho-analytics"><strong>&nbsp;2. Zoho Analytics</strong></h3>



<p>Zoho Analytics is another leading cloud analytics tool that allows users to build reports by dragging and dropping data fields into columns or rows of a table; users can also create custom charts based on their requirements using its graphical user interface (GUI). You can also create dashboards and share them with others in your organization so they can see what you&#8217;re working on and help you make decisions based on what they see in the dashboard.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-ibm-cognos-analytics"><strong>&nbsp;3. IBM Cognos Analytics</strong></h3>



<p>IBM Cognos Analytics is another top cloud analytics tool developed by IBM for enterprise-level businesses that need advanced reporting capabilities. It offers everything from essential reporting tools like Excel spreadsheets to advanced analytics tools like predictive models and visualizations that give you an overview of your business at any given time. Hence, you know where it&#8217;s headed in the future and how you can make improvements accordingly.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-choose-the-best-cloud-analytics-platform"><strong>How to choose the best cloud analytics platform?</strong></h2>



<p><strong>Cloud analytics platforms</strong> are designed to allow users to process and analyze large amounts of data. They are instrumental for companies that have collected massive amounts of data through their business operations but don&#8217;t have the time or expertise to analyze it themselves. Many cloud analytics platforms use machine learning algorithms to analyze data automatically, but they also allow users to apply their own algorithms if necessary manually. The cloud platform will then run all of your algorithms on the same data set, allowing you to compare results from different models easily. When choosing a tool for your business, you should look for features like:</p>



<ul><li><strong>Easy-to-use interface</strong>: A good cloud analytics tool should be easy to navigate and understand. That way, even if you don&#8217;t have much experience with databases or other types of data analysis software, you&#8217;ll be able to use it without issue.</li><li><strong>Data mining and analysis capability</strong>: Cloud analytics tools should be able to mine through large amounts of data quickly and easily. Put your supposed cloud analytics tool in action using a test database as a source and see if it can justify your data needs.</li><li><strong>Data visualization capability</strong>: A Cloud analytics platform should allow you to visualize your data in many different ways. Your chosen platform should be able to process <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/structured-vs-unstructured-data/">structured and unstructured</a> in a visually presentable way, such that even a non-technical person can read it.</li><li><strong>Your Requirements</strong>: Lastly, when it comes to choosing a cloud analytics tool, anything that matters the most (other than pricing) is ‘your specific requirements.’ Justifying your specific requirements should be the bottom line when it comes to choosing the right cloud analytics tools&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>



<p>Cloud analytics tools are often reserved for larger companies with extensive databases. However, even smaller businesses can benefit from cloud analytics platforms because they eliminate the need for IT personnel and other employees who might otherwise be tasked with analyzing data on their own time<strong>.</strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wrapping-up"><strong>Wrapping Up</strong></h2>



<p>For small to medium-sized businesses, Cloud Analytics is an excellent way to keep track of your business from multiple locations. In addition to the tools mentioned in this article, there are many other options. The best way to determine which type will work best is to try a few, test them out and see which one will serve your business needs.</p>


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				<h3>What is a cloud analysis?</h3>				<div>
						<div class="sc_fs_faq__content">
				

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cloud analytics refers to storing and analyzing data on vendor-managed infrastructure to extract actionable business insights. </span></p>

			</div>
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				>
				<h3>How does cloud analytics work?</h3>				<div>
						<div class="sc_fs_faq__content">
				

<p>Vital elements of&nbsp;<strong>cloud analytic</strong>s like data sources, data models, processing applications, computing power, analytic models and sharing or storage of results are provided by a cloud service provider (CSP). </p>



<p>The CSP will access these resources through software application programming interfaces (APIs), allowing you to create custom software applications or use pre-built tools from the CSP’s marketplace or library.</p>

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Cloud analytics refers to storing and analyzing data on cloud infrastructure to extract actionable business insights. Know more in this guide

What is cloud analytics? Types, benefits & tools included

When it comes to choosing the right Cloud monitoring tools, there are many popular players, but which one is best for you? Find here:

16 Best cloud monitoring tools & services in 2023 (Updated)

What Is the Docker ecosystem? Should you use it for software development? Read on to find out.

Understanding the Docker ecosystem: A basic to advance guide

Designing to use microservices in Docker needs fresh thinking and approaches. Today, we will learn about microservice, containerization & docker and a tutorial on how microservices can be containerized with Docker.

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<p>Automating processes is an essential component of DevOps culture and practice. Different teams have different approaches to achieve this goal but struggle to implement it from technical, cultural, and political perspectives. This guide summarizes <strong>some of the best practices for defining, building, and maintaining <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-a-ci-cd-pipeline/">CI/CD pipelines</a></strong> to meet modern software development needs.</p>



<p>For many companies, the move to DevOps is a pivot to operational excellence while capitalizing on its many benefits. And one of the fundamentals of DevOps is <strong>Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD)</strong>. But what exactly is CI/CD?</p>



<p>CI/CD is a core practice for most companies looking to deploy features and releases with little or no downtime. Google, Facebook, Spotify, and Netflix are just a few big names leveraging the benefits of CI/CD. Why is it so popular? Because it revolutionizes work and speeds up deliverable quality.</p>



<p>But why should your team care if you already have a deployment pipeline? Let&#8217;s learn more about the benefits of CI/CD for your team with its principles and best practices.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-ci-cd"><strong>What is CI/CD?</strong></h2>



<p><strong>CI/CD </strong>is the combined practice of automating building, testing, and deploying code in application or software development. It helps develop and ship quality software, significantly improving <a href="https://www.upsilonit.com/blog/how-to-develop-a-minimum-viable-product-the-ultimate-guide" target="_blank" rel="follow noreferrer noopener">software development workflow</a>.</p>



<p>CI/CD comprises two methods: <strong>continuous integration (CI)</strong> and <strong>continuous delivery (CD)</strong>. Continuous integration automates code building and testing every time a developer submits changes to version control. This allows a development team to detect bugs quicker and locate them more easily. Continuous delivery takes these automated builds (including code and tests) and runs automated tests on them before pushing them into test and production environments.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="594" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CI-CD-Survey-responses-1024x594.jpg" alt="CI/CD Survey responses" class="wp-image-2661" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CI-CD-Survey-responses-1024x594.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CI-CD-Survey-responses-300x174.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CI-CD-Survey-responses-768x446.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CI-CD-Survey-responses-1536x892.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CI-CD-Survey-responses-1200x697.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CI-CD-Survey-responses.jpg 1795w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>The best way to understand what CI/CD means for your company is to look at its benefits. The end goal of implementing CI/CD is to <strong>deliver value faster</strong> and more frequently while maintaining quality.</p>



<p>Some of the other benefits of implementing CI/CD are:</p>



<ul><li>Increased deployment frequency</li><li>Reduced deployment failure rate</li><li>Faster recovery from failed deployments</li><li>Faster feature delivery</li><li>Accelerated lead time between fixes</li></ul>



<p>With CI/CD, companies can deliver better software faster by shortening the feedback loop between development and operations. This leads to improved customer satisfaction, accelerated time-to-market, lower delivery costs, and incredible product innovation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-ci-cd-best-practices"><strong>8 CI/CD best practices</strong></h2>



<p>The biggest threat to DevOps is the development team itself. Fifty-eight percent of respondents in the <a href="https://about.gitlab.com/developer-survey/">2021 Global DevSecOps Survey</a> believed DevOps would fail due to a lack of trust and cooperation between teams. Only<a href="https://about.gitlab.com/developer-survey/"> 25 percent</a> said their development and operations teams were fully aligned, and<a href="https://about.gitlab.com/developer-survey/"> 19 percent</a> said they weren’t aligned at all.</p>



<p>To overcome these obstacles and encourage collaboration among DevOps teams, it’s essential to establish and follow CI/CD best practices.</p>



<p>Eight CI/CD best practices drive much-needed collaboration and synergy in DevOps.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-prioritize-security-testing-and-time-to-release"><strong>1. Prioritize security, testing, and time to release</strong></h3>



<p>Before configuring your CI/CD pipeline, prioritize security, testing, and time to release. This determines how you approach each step in your pipeline. For example, if security is a top priority, you can implement more controls on your code before it’s deployed.</p>



<p>Furthermore, enforce additional static analysis checks as part of the build process or use a third-party tool like <a href="https://www.sonarqube.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SonarQube</a>. If <strong>testing is a top priority</strong>, consider <strong>adding performance testing </strong>to the pipeline. Developers should know how their changes impact the application&#8217;s performance in production before the release.</p>



<p>For example, <strong>security must be your top priority</strong> if you work <strong>in a highly regulated industry</strong> with strict compliance guidelines, such as healthcare or financial services. You need to test more and review changes before they’re released because it’s harder to fix mistakes later.&nbsp;</p>



<p>On the other hand, in less regulated industries like media or social media, time-to-release may precede security since the risk isn&#8217;t as high.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-test-code-in-the-early-stages"><strong>2. Test code in the early stages</strong></h3>



<p>You can catch bugs and identify issues at different testing stages. For example, if developers find a problem on their local machine, they can fix issues in the staging environment before moving the code to production.</p>



<p>CI/CD brings new features to users quickly. Unfortunately, many teams spend a lot of time testing their code’s quality after deployment. This <strong>wastes significant time</strong> that they could use to troubleshoot or build new features instead. To overcome this issue, you need to integrate testing into the early stages of your development process.</p>



<p>For example, rather than waiting until deployment to test functionality and usability, you should run tests at each stage of the software development cycle – from initial coding to final deployment – to prevent bugs and other issues from entering the pipeline.</p>



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<p>The best way to do this is to implement unit testing in your application codebase that runs automatically when a developer pushes a code change into the master code repository. You can also <strong>run automated integration tests</strong> after each build to make sure components not only work independently but together as well.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-identify-tests-that-can-be-automated"><strong>3. Identify tests that can be automated</strong></h3>



<p>Any test that doesn&#8217;t require human interaction should be automated and integrated into the pipeline as a rule of thumb. You should adopt an &#8220;automate everything” mindset but also understand not all tests can be automated.</p>



<p>Start by creating a list of all your testing activities and identify what to automate. Focus on automating<strong> more complex tests first</strong>. These will likely have the most significant impact on your pipeline. Once you automate complex tests, you can start automating simpler tests.</p>



<p>You can automate CI/CD pipeline testing in two ways: <strong>bots</strong> and <strong>wrappers</strong>. Bots are hands-off; you tell them what to do, and they do it. Wrappers require a little more work but offer a better return on investment (ROI).</p>



<p>Bots help perform specific test types. If you&#8217;re looking to automate only web or API testing, you can use supportive bot frameworks like Selenium WebDriver (or its cousin, JavaEE WebDriver). Selenium is particularly good at handling complex interactions across pages and ensuring the right elements are loaded in the right order.</p>



<p>A key benefit of wrappers is defining which tests to run because they control the entire test execution flow. A wrapper also provides information about what each step in the process should look like and when it should fire, enabling you to create specific tests for a CI/CD pipeline.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-commit-daily"><strong>&nbsp;4. Commit daily</strong></h3>



<p>High-performing teams can commit to their repository once a day. This requires extensive automation to ensure high quality with each new version, but it’s well worth the effort.</p>



<p>Your teams’ commitment makes it easier for them to work together. This helps keep DevOps teams on the same page, knowing they’re working (as a single unit) on the same project. When your teams commit daily, they help incorporate features into production. Introducing changes quickly into production can save you time in the long run.</p>



<p>Once a change is tested and validated, it should be committed to your version control systems and rolled out immediately. This reduces the potential for errors revolving around the human element and encourages continuous delivery.</p>



<p>DevOps engineers are just as important as developers. Many other roles help deliver software, from operations and infrastructure engineers to security and operations. These teams need to work together for a smooth CI/CD implementation.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="931" src="https://middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CI-CD-implementation-1024x931.jpg" alt="CI/CD implementation" class="wp-image-2664" srcset="https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CI-CD-implementation-1024x931.jpg 1024w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CI-CD-implementation-300x273.jpg 300w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CI-CD-implementation-768x698.jpg 768w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CI-CD-implementation-1536x1396.jpg 1536w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CI-CD-implementation-1200x1091.jpg 1200w, https://wpstage.middleware.io/backend/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CI-CD-implementation.jpg 1613w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-choose-tools-that-support-your-priorities"><strong>5. Choose tools that support your priorities</strong></h3>



<p>When choosing <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/devops-tools/">DevOps tools</a>, consider what matters most to you as a developer and business analyst. Do you heavily focus on infrastructure automation? Does an application lifecycle management (ALM) methodology drive your work? Do you manage multiple <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/what-is-virtual-machine/">virtual machines</a>? Consider vendor options designed explicitly for CI/CD operations to address these fundamental concerns.</p>



<p>For example, if security is a priority, choose tools that support security scannings, such as <strong>OWASP ZAP </strong>or<strong> SonarQube</strong>.&nbsp; To achieve continuous integration and deployment, you need tools to help you get there.</p>



<p>If you use Jenkins for CI, but it doesn&#8217;t integrate with a CD-like Spinnaker or Kubernetes tool, you can’t fully implement CI/CD in your project. Pick a CI/CD tool or suite of tools that enables collaboration between developers, QA engineers, and operations teams, offering visibility across all development and deployment stages.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-see-if-you-re-ready-to-adopt-a-microservices-architecture"><strong>6. See if you&#8217;re ready to adopt a microservices architecture</strong></h3>



<p><a href="https://middleware.io/blog/microservices-architecture/">Microservices architecture</a> is a way to structure software applications so that each component functions, updates, and scales independently.</p>



<p>It allows you to break large, monolithic applications into smaller components for easy development and update. Microservices also enable continuous integration and delivery because the components are smaller, less complicated, and targeted to specific updates.</p>



<p>To adopt a microservices architecture, consider how you manage your infrastructure (including CI/CD pipelines) across services. This is where DevOps best practices like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrastructure_as_code" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">infrastructure as code (IaC)</a> can help.</p>



<p>If you want to expand a microservices architecture, identify which application parts to split into independent services. Ideally, each service should perform a single function and deploy independently.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For example, separate the reporting service from your application if it’s evolved for other complex tasks. Or break out the payment processing service if many applications use it so that multiple teams can use it. Additionally, ensure that each service can be developed, tested, and deployed independently of other benefits.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-use-on-demand-testing-environments"><strong>7. Use on-demand testing environments</strong></h3>



<p>The ease of creating a new testing environment at the click of a button helps run tests as early and often as possible. As a result, developers can make the most of their time knowing they’ll complete their work quickly.</p>



<p>On-demand environments offer you a clean spacer to run tests or deployment pipelines. You don&#8217;t need to worry about other teams&#8217; code or previous builds affecting your current environment. On-demand environments also help drive down CI/CD costs by recycling resources when they&#8217;re no longer in use.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-involve-the-whole-team-in-the-ci-cd-implementation"><strong>8. Involve the whole team in the CI/CD implementation</strong></h3>



<p>Involving each team member in the CI/CD process is critical to CI/CD implementation. CI/CD isn&#8217;t technical; it&#8217;s cultural. Make it clear that CI/CD isn’t just a technical step but an essential part of the company culture to seek active participation in the process.</p>



<p>Remember that your developers are software development experts and not necessarily DevOps experts, so they may be hesitant to adopt CI/CD at first. The best way to get them on board is to show them how it’ll support their workflow and make their lives easier, not harder.</p>



<p>IT teams should include product owners, developers, quality assurance engineers, and operations engineers in the implementation. It’ll also help if you involve external stakeholders, such as customers and end-users, for review and feedback. This way, everyone feels connected to the implementation and can provide valuable input.</p>



<p>DevOps teams that embrace CI/CD best practices benefit the most from improving their software delivery. As we move toward a more automated world, this is far from a mere nicety.&nbsp; Active team engagement is a non-negotiable building block for any team serious about maintaining its competitive edge in a dynamic market.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">9. Add an observability tool to your pipeline</h3>



<p>To help system admins continuously monitor and troubleshoot their CI/CD process and to help developers increase the reliability and speed of their CI/CD pipelines, add an observability platform like <a href="https://middleware.io/">Middleware</a>, Datadog or Splunk.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Adding an <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/observability/">observability</a> tool in your CI/CD Pipeline can help you answer questions like:</p>



<ul><li>Which release failed?</li><li>Did all commits fail for the same reason?</li><li>Which deployment caused the downtime?</li><li>Did a specific machine fail?</li><li>And many more performance-related questions.</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-ci-cd-effective">Is CI/CD effective?</h3>



<p>The transition from an effective CI/CD process to a highly effective one is about improvement. No DevOps team uses all best practices on day one, and no team is 100% efficient on any single component of their pipeline. A successful CI/CD process focuses on improvement. And today&#8217;s best practices give way to tomorrow&#8217;s as you refine your skills.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>In the world of DevOps, there&#8217;s always room for optimization and growth. And this is what <a href="https://middleware.io/">Middleware solutions</a> are based on.</strong></p>


In this blog we will learn about the benefits of CI/CD for your team with its principles and best practices.

Top 8 CI/CD best practices for your DevOps team’s success


<p>Docker packages software into a complete filesystem with everything needed to run it: code, runtime, system tools, system libraries – anything you can install on a server. It helps run software anywhere, regardless of its environment.&nbsp;</p>



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<p>However, when working with Docker, you can end up piling up unused images, containers, and datasets that clutter the output and take up disk space. The good news is that Docker offers useful tools to help you clean up your system and stay organized.</p>



<p>Finding the right information on Docker cleanup can be a little back-breaking. This is essential when you <strong>completely remove an image from your system</strong> or <strong>reduce your project’s size</strong> to fit a shared host. So how do you get started?</p>



<p>This quick tutorial shows the different ways to rid your system of unused and unnecessary Docker files and enable smoother system performance.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-docker-prune-command">Docker prune command</h2>



<p>Docker has a single command that cleans up all dangling resources, such as images, containers, volumes, and networks, not tagged or connected to a container.</p>



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<span>docker </span> system prune
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<p>The Docker prune<strong><em> </em></strong>command automatically removes the resources not associated with a container. This is a quick way to get rid of old images, containers, volumes, and networks.</p>



<p>You can use additional indicators with this command:</p>



<ul><li>Add <strong><em>-a</em></strong> to display all resources, and<em> </em><strong><em>-q</em></strong><strong> </strong>to display only ID</li><li>Add<strong><em> -f</em></strong> to bypass confirmation dialog</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-is-docker-cleanup-important">Why is Docker cleanup important?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>If you use Docker for development, you probably run <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/containerization/">multiple containers</a>, creating new images and giving a <strong>lot of space on your disk to things you don&#8217;t need</strong>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>If you don’t address the storage issue at the right time<strong>, your root directory will quickly fill up</strong> the available disk space. When you maximize, your system may not work properly or keep crashing. </p>



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<p>This can disrupt daily operations and expose you to data breaches.<strong> </strong>If you have any <strong>sensitive data </strong>in Docker containers:</p>



<ul><li>Install vital data in local directories</li><li>Make a <a href="https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/backing-up-a-docker-container/">backup</a> of your files</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-do-you-need-to-clean-up-docker"><strong>What do you need to clean up Docker?</strong></h3>



<p>Getting started with Docker cleanup is simple. You need:</p>



<ul><li><strong>Docker-enabled</strong> system</li><li>Access to a <strong>terminal or command line</strong> (on Ubuntu, Ctrl+Alt+T, on CentOS, Alt+F2)</li><li>A user account with <strong>sudo capabilities</strong></li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-clean-up-docker-resources">How to clean up Docker resources</h2>



<p>When cleaning up Docker, first check all the available resources using the following commands:</p>



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<span>docker </span> container ls
<span>docker </span> image ls
<span>docker </span> volume ls
<span>docker </span> network ls
<span>docker </span> info
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<p>Delete all these resources one by one.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-removing-docker-images"><strong>1. Removing Docker images</strong></h3>



<p>Put simply, a <a href="https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/commandline/image/">Docker image</a> is a template that includes the program and all the dependencies (multi-layered files to run programs within a container) needed to run it on Docker.</p>



<p>While producing an image, it can go through several revisions. <strong>Old and outdated</strong> images clog up your system, eating up storage space and complicating searches.</p>



<p>To delete a Docker image, you first need to list images to obtain information about a specific image, such as its ID and name.</p>



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<span>docker images </span> or docker images -a
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<p>Now run the following command to delete the selected image (using image ID):</p>



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<span>docker rmi </span> <span class="red"><image-id></image-id></span>
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<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-remove-multiple-images"><strong>Remove multiple images</strong></h4>



<p>If you want to remove multiple images at once, you need image IDs and list them as:</p>



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<span>docker rmi </span> <span class="red"><image-id></image-id></span> <span class="red"><image-id></image-id></span> ...
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<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-remove-all-images-at-once"><strong>Remove all images at once</strong></h4>



<p>If you want to remove all images, simply run:</p>



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<span>docker rmi </span>$(docker images -q) 
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<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-remove-dangling-images"><strong>Remove dangling images</strong></h4>



<p><strong>Layers with no relation to labeled images are called dangling images.</strong> They’re outdated and take up unnecessary disk space. You can find them using the docker images command with the <strong><em>-f </em></strong>filter parameter set to <strong><em>dangling=true.&nbsp;</em></strong></p>



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<span>docker images -f</span> dangling=true
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<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-removing-docker-images-with-filters"><strong>Removing Docker images with filters</strong></h4>



<p>Docker contains two filters: <strong>until</strong> and <strong>label</strong>. Although few, they&#8217;re effective resource management tools for Docker.</p>



<p>To delete all resources for a specific period, use the <strong><em>until </em></strong>filter.</p>



<div class="code-block content-copy">
<div class="pre" id="code-blog"><pre><code>
<span>docker image prune -a</span> -a --filter "until=12h"
</code>
</pre>
</div>
<a class="copy-btn" id="first-button"></a>
</div>



<p>Here <strong><em>-a</em></strong> removes all the images created in the last 12 hours. Containers, images, and filters can all be used with this command. It accepts Unix timestamps, date-formatted timestamps, and a duration calculated from the machine time.</p>



<p>To delete labeled assets, use the <strong><em>label</em> </strong>command.</p>



<div class="code-block content-copy">
<div class="pre" id="code-blog"><pre><code>
<span>docker image prune</span> --filter="label=unused"
</code>
</pre>
</div>
<a class="copy-btn" id="first-button"></a>
</div>



<p>This command simplifies your work. It deletes docker images marked &#8220;unused.&#8221;</p>



<p>&nbsp;A breakdown of label commands:</p>



<div class="code-block content-copy">
<div class="pre" id="code-blog"><pre><code>
<span>label </span> = <span class="red"><key></key></span>
<span>label </span> = <span class="red"><key></key></span> = <span class="red"><key></key></span>
<span>label! </span> = <span class="red"><key></key></span>
<span>label! </span> = <span class="red"><key></key></span> = <span class="red"><key></key></span>
</code>
</pre>
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</div>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-removing-docker-container"><strong>2. Removing Docker container&nbsp;</strong></h3>



<p><a href="https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/commandline/container/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Docker containers</a> prepare different environments for development without the need for installing dependencies or messing anything up. These containers are based on Linux systems with the necessary tools to run applications in a secure environment.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Many containers are produced, tested, and abandoned during the <a href="https://sumatosoft.com/blog/what-is-software-development" target="_blank" rel="follow noreferrer noopener">development lifecycle</a>. Therefore, it&#8217;s critical to understand how to <strong>locate and eliminate unwanted containers</strong>.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-list-containers"><strong>List containers</strong></h4>



<p>You can use the<strong><em> ls</em></strong> command with the <strong><em>-a</em></strong> option to get a list of all containers.</p>



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<div class="pre" id="code-blog"><pre><code>
<span>docker container</span> ls -a
</code>
</pre>
</div>
<a class="copy-btn" id="first-button"></a>
</div>



<p>This command displays a list of active containers, including their IDs, names, and other details.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stop-containers"><strong>Stop containers</strong></h4>



<p>Run the following command to terminate a <strong>specific container:</strong></p>



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<div class="pre" id="code-blog"><pre><code>
<span>docker container stop</span> [id]
</code>
</pre>
</div>
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</div>



<p>You can use the same command to provide multiple container IDs.</p>



<p>Run this command to<strong> stop containers:</strong></p>



<div class="code-block content-copy">
<div class="pre" id="code-blog"><pre><code>
<span>docker container stop</span> $(docker container ls -aq)
</code>
</pre>
</div>
<a class="copy-btn" id="first-button"></a>
</div>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-remove-a-stopped-container"><strong>Remove a stopped container</strong></h4>



<p>Use this command to delete a paused container:</p>



<div class="code-block content-copy">
<div class="pre" id="code-blog"><pre><code>
<span>docker container rm</span> [id]
</code>
</pre>
</div>
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</div>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-remove-stopped-containers"><strong>Remove stopped containers</strong></h4>



<p>To remove stopped containers:</p>



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<div class="pre" id="code-blog"><pre><code>
<span>docker container rm</span> $(docker container ls -aq) 
</code>
</pre>
</div>
<a class="copy-btn" id="first-button"></a>
</div>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-remove-one-or-more-containers"><strong>Remove one or more containers</strong></h4>



<p>The commands below delete one or more containers:</p>



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<div class="pre" id="code-blog"><pre><code>
<span>docker rm</span> ID_or_Name ID_or_Name 
</code>
</pre>
</div>
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</div>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-remove-all-docker-containers"><strong>Remove all Docker containers</strong></h4>



<p>Use this command to completely wipe and restart Docker.</p>



<div class="code-block content-copy">
<div class="pre" id="code-blog"><pre><code>
<span>docker container stop</span> $(docker container ls -aq) &amp;&amp; docker system prune -af --volumes  
</code>
</pre>
</div>
<a class="copy-btn" id="first-button"></a>
</div>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-removing-container-with-filters"><strong>Removing container with filters</strong></h4>



<p>You may also delete the items that don’t fit into a certain category.</p>



<div class="code-block content-copy">
<div class="pre" id="code-blog"><pre><code>
<span>docker container prune</span> --filter="label=maintainer=john"  
</code>
</pre>
</div>
<a class="copy-btn" id="first-button"></a>
</div>



<p>The above command instructs Docker to delete all containers with the maintainer &#8220;john”.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-removing-docker-volumes"><strong>3. Removing Docker volumes</strong></h3>



<p><a href="https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/commandline/volume_create/">Docker volume</a> is a feature introduced in Docker Engine 1.13.18 that allows users to create, mount, and share filesystems. With this capability, you can store and mount images at runtime. Common use cases include acting as a working directory and a storage medium for data files or databases in an application container.</p>



<p>To get a list of available Docker volumes, use the following command:</p>



<p><strong>Note: </strong>All commands listed below apply to Docker 1.9 and later.</p>



<div class="code-block content-copy">
<div class="pre" id="code-blog"><pre><code>
<span>docker volume</span> ls  
</code>
</pre>
</div>
<a class="copy-btn" id="first-button"></a>
</div>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-remove-one-or-more-specific-volumes"><strong>Remove one or more specific volumes&nbsp;</strong></h4>



<p>You can use this docker volume command to delete one or more volumes:</p>



<div class="code-block content-copy">
<div class="pre" id="code-blog"><pre><code>
<span>docker volume rm</span> vol_name vol_name2  
</code>
</pre>
</div>
<a class="copy-btn" id="first-button"></a>
</div>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-remove-dangling-volumes"><strong>Remove dangling volumes&nbsp;</strong></h4>



<p>A dangling volume is a volume that exists but is no longer attached to any container.</p>



<div class="code-block content-copy">
<div class="pre" id="code-blog"><pre><code>
<span>docker volume ls</span> -f dangling=true 
</code>
</pre>
</div>
<a class="copy-btn" id="first-button"></a>
</div>



<p>With docker volume prune, you can get rid of dangling volumes.</p>



<div class="code-block content-copy">
<div class="pre" id="code-blog"><pre><code>
<span>docker volume</span> prune
</code>
</pre>
</div>
<a class="copy-btn" id="first-button"></a>
</div>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-removing-docker-networks"><strong>4. Removing Docker networks</strong></h3>



<p><a href="https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/commandline/network/">Docker networks </a>allow containers to freely connect while preventing traffic from leaving the network.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-removing-a-single-network"><strong>Removing a single network</strong></h4>



<p>With the command, docker network ls, you can see a list of existing Docker networks. Use the following command to remove these networks.</p>



<div class="code-block content-copy">
<div class="pre" id="code-blog"><pre><code>
<span>docker network rm</span> <span class="red">[networkID] </span>
</code>
</pre>
</div>
<a class="copy-btn" id="first-button"></a>
</div>



<p>If you get errors, remove the containers using the network.</p>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-middleware-an-end-to-end-cleanup-solution"><strong>Middleware, an end-to-end cleanup solution&nbsp;</strong></h3>



<p style="line-height:1.5">Docker cleanup is essential to save your cloud space and <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/cloud-cost-optimization/">extra costs</a>. It&#8217;s a hassle to check the unwanted resources that are slowing your system constantly.<strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>



<p><strong>A platform like </strong><a href="http://middleware.io"><strong>Middleware</strong></a><strong> can help you manage your resources by automatically informing you in case of a system failure. </strong></p>


Remove unnecessary Docker files via Docker command line tool in Linux systems.

Docker cleanup: How to remove Images, containers, and volumes

In this guide, you will learn what is docker, how to configure docker logging driver and its strategies in detail.

Understanding Docker logging from basic to advance


<p>Most companies today use some form of <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/containerization-vs-virtualization/">virtualization</a>.</p>



<p>In fact, stats shows that more than 90 percent of businesses use server virtualization. Virtual machines, in particular, offer businesses many IT benefits such as <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/vertical-vs-horizontal-scaling/">scalability</a>, flexibility, reduced overhead, downtime, energy consumption, and so on.</p>



<p>But what exactly virtual machine is, and what makes it so valuable? Let&#8217;s look at some exciting answers to common virtual machine concerns.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-a-virtual-machine"><strong>What is a virtual machine?&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<p>A <strong>virtual machine (VM)</strong> is the virtualization or emulation of a physical computer system. It provides all the functionalities of a real, physical computer, but is not a tangible physical object, only an emulation of one. </p>



<p>A virtual machine (VM), also called a &#8220;guest,” is built on a physical computer called a &#8220;host,&#8221; using resources such as a computer’s CPU core and memory. You can best understand a VM from two perspectives: <strong>the backend (how it works)</strong> and <strong>the frontend (what a VM user experiences)</strong>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-vms-work"><strong>How VMs work</strong></h2>



<p>A VM is created on a physical machine, a regular server with physical computer components like CPU cores, a motherboard, RAM, storage disks, a GPU, and more. Depending on the type of hypervisor, this server either has an operating system (OS) installed or runs with a bare-metal hypervisor without an OS.</p>



<p>A hypervisor enables virtualization. It’s software that helps create, run, and manage VMs and the underlying shared physical resources. It allows a physical machine to run multiple virtual machines on it.&nbsp;</p>



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<p>With a hypervisor, an IT administrator spins new virtual machines and allocates physical resources to them. It monitors resource usage and isolates VMs. Each VM has its OS (it can also have different operating systems), and the hypervisor facilitates communication between the VM&#8217;s operating system and the underlying physical server.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Resource usage is flexible in a virtual environment, meaning a hypervisor can easily help increase or decrease the resources allocated to a VM. In this way, hypervisors create multiple virtual machines (or virtual servers) on one physical server. Each VM is a standalone computer with an operating system and resources (borrowed from the underlying physical resources).</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-end-users-perceive-vm">How end-users perceive VM</h3>



<p>From a user&#8217;s perspective, a virtual machine works just like a <strong>single physical machine</strong>.</p>



<p>Front-end users can access individual VMs just like a regular single-computer environment. Users log in to see the home screen and access, load, store, update and manipulate files, applications, and data just as they would on a single physical computer.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-virtual-machines"><strong>Why virtual machines?</strong></h2>



<p>A virtual machine(VM) doesn’t need any new components; it just shares what’s available. This enables businesses to provision multiple machines without taking up huge server space, buying multiple physical parts, and benefiting in many other ways.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-efficient-use-of-resources"><strong>Efficient use of resources</strong></h3>



<p>Most applications only use small amounts of the available physical resources at a time. By creating VMs, you can divide physical resources and ensure multiple apps running on different VMs optimally use them.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-security"><strong>Security</strong></h3>



<p>A virtual machine is isolated from the server&#8217;s host, OS, and other VMs. This means it acts as a sandbox environment, an isolated system that doesn’t affect other VMs or hosts during a security breach. Any malicious activity is isolated to the individual VM and provides better organizational security.</p>



<p>Businesses also use VMs to test software, applications, and updates before deploying them to the production environment. You can use VMs to test the impact of new software or updates without affecting other systems in the production environment.</p>



<p>Replicating VMs helps with data backup and disaster recovery, adding another layer of data security. Production VMs can be easily and quickly duplicated. These duplicates migrate to different physical servers and are stored as a disaster recovery backup.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-portability"><strong>Portability</strong></h3>



<p>Virtual machines can be easily migrated from one physical server to another in the following ways:</p>



<ul><li><strong>Cold migration:</strong> Disabled and migrated&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Hot migration: </strong>Migrated while still running to ensure uninterrupted operations&nbsp;</li></ul>



<p>This makes it very easy for companies to move servers and data centers or migrate from on-premises to the cloud.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-iaas-cloud"><strong>IaaS cloud</strong></h3>



<p>The infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) cloud model includes on-demand provisioning of computing resources, and VMs enable you to do just that. You may not want to become an IaaS cloud provider, but your IT team can make compute resources available to teams when they need them.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cost-efficient"><strong>Cost-efficient</strong></h3>



<p>Using VMs is a cost-effective process in terms of internal (like storage and RAM) and external (server room space and utilities) resource usage. VMs allow you to host multiple servers and applications on one physical server instead of separate servers, reduce space and utility usage, and <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/efficient-server-utilization/">optimize resource utilization</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scalability"><strong>Scalability</strong></h3>



<p>New VMs can be created instantly, and existing VMs easily cloned, giving you the ability to spin up new servers based on business needs quickly. This makes scaling more efficient and faster than using physical servers.</p>



<p>Physical resource allocation can also rapidly increase or decrease based on usage and needs, allowing you to scale individual VM servers more quickly.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pros-of-using-vms"><strong>Pros of using VMs</strong></h2>



<p>Virtual machines offer several great advantages and allow companies to optimize their resources and function seamlessly. Some of their known advantages are:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-physical-hardware-and-space-requirements-are-reduced"><strong>Physical hardware and space requirements are reduced</strong></h3>



<p>A single server with 16 cores and 64 GB RAM is about 20 x 2 x 30 inches and can easily support 30 VMs. Organizations can significantly reduce physical hardware and server space with VMs.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-assets-are-managed-from-a-central-location"><strong>Assets are managed from a central location</strong></h3>



<p>All VMs and hosts in a cluster can be managed from a central location using solutions like Microsoft&#8217;s Virtual Machine Manager. This gives you high visibility and access to the entire architecture. A VM manager consolidates the functionality of a hypervisor and allows managing all VMs from a single location.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reduces-carbon-footprint"><strong>Reduces carbon footprint</strong></h3>



<p>Running multiple VMs on one physical server helps you optimize resources and requires fewer physical servers. Finally, the reduced size of the server cluster lowers the utility and energy consumption.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-disaster-recovery-is-quick"><strong>Disaster recovery is quick</strong></h3>



<p>The time it takes to power on VMs, migrate them between servers, and migrate applications between VMs is much less than physical servers. In the event of disaster recovery, you can get services up and running much faster on a backup VM and minimize downtime.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scaling-up-is-fast-and-easy"><strong>Scaling up is fast and easy</strong></h3>



<p>Once you set up your IT infrastructure with physical servers, scaling up the architecture is much easier and quicker with VMs. When your business needs more machines, you have to spin up new VMs in seconds. And when VMs need more processing power, you can easily and quickly increase resource allocation without downtime.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-running-upgrades-is-straightforward"><strong>Running upgrades is straightforward</strong></h3>



<p>Running system updates and software patches across a cluster of physical servers is time-consuming and labor-intensive. However, with VMs, you can roll out updates and patches simultaneously from a single location.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forward-compatible"><strong>Forward compatible</strong></h3>



<p>You don&#8217;t have to worry about compatibility when making hardware updates as VM operations (except performance) are unaffected, and all your applications depend only on their host VM.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cons-of-using-vms"><strong>Cons of using VMs</strong></h2>



<p>VMs have their own drawbacks that can make their implementation somewhat complex and tedious. Some of these disadvantages are:</p>



<ul><li><strong>The acquisition costs could be high.</strong> While VMs save you money in the long run, the initial investment can be higher since you need to buy high-performance servers to host multiple VMs and purchase various licenses.</li><li><strong>Set up can be complex. </strong>Setting up a complete virtual architecture with machines, networks, and routing can be a little complex.</li><li><strong>Hardware clustering. </strong>Using fewer physical servers means most of your resources are in one location, which can result in a single point of failure in the event of a disaster.</li><li><strong>Performance may be affected.</strong> If you don&#8217;t provision resources intelligently, you could overclock the physical server, which could cause performance issues for all hosted VMs.</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-ways-to-set-up-a-virtual-machine"><strong>5 ways to set up a virtual machine</strong></h2>



<p>To set up a virtual machine, you first need access to a physical server with a hypervisor installed. Here are top five options to set up a VM.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aws"><strong>AWS</strong></h3>



<p>Amazon Web Services (AWS) is Amazon&#8217;s cloud computing service. It works on a pay-per-use basis, where you only pay for the resources you use. Setting up a VM on AWS involves many steps, and you need a <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/virtual-machine-on-aws-guide/">comprehensive guide to setting up VMs with AWS</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-google-cloud-platform"><strong>Google Cloud Platform</strong></h3>



<p>Google&#8217;s cloud computing service, Google Cloud Platform, offers a set of computing services that users can access through a web-based GUI called the Google Cloud Console. You can use <a href="https://cloud.google.com/compute/docs/instances/create-start-instance">Google Cloud’s guide</a> to develop and launch a VM instance on Google Cloud.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microsoft-windows-10"><strong>Microsoft Windows 10</strong></h3>



<p>Microsoft&#8217;s commercial Windows 10 operating system lets users create and deploy virtual machines. It comes with installation files for Hyper-V (Microsoft&#8217;s hypervisor) to create a <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/hyper-v-on-windows/quick-start/create-virtual-machine">Hyper-V virtual machine on Windows 10</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microsoft-azure"><strong>Microsoft Azure</strong></h3>



<p>Azure is Microsoft&#8217;s cloud computing service. You can access all cloud services through the <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/quick-create-portal">web-based Azure portal</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vmware"><strong>VMware</strong></h3>



<p>VMware is probably the best-known cloud computing and virtualization technology company and one of the first companies to commercialize server virtualization successfully. VMWare delivers a <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/cloud-infrastructure-guide/">cloud infrastructure</a> with its hypervisor called VMware ESXi to create and deploy <a href="https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1018415">VMs in a VMware workstation</a>.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-much-should-you-rely-on-a-vm">How much should you rely on a VM?</h4>



<p>While VMs brings a wealth of benefits, they also pose unique IT challenges that businesses need to be prepared for. Virtualization doesn&#8217;t free you from IT administration; it merely provides a technologically efficient way of dealing with your IT infrastructure. Creating a complete virtualization plan before implementing virtualization in an enterprise is prudent.</p>


In this in-depth guide, we will discuss about virtual machine, how does it work, its pros and cons and top ways to set up VMs.

What Is A Virtual Machine? How Do They Work [Explained In Detail]


<p>We all struggle with productivity at some point.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Developers are at the forefront of this struggle because of the nature of their work. Coding is an extensive process and sometimes demands long hours and meeting unrealistic, tight deadlines that can lead to burnout. Developers are often advised to remove potential distractions and disruptions to make the most of their time. This constant need to perform can be detrimental to their productivity.&nbsp;</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-developer-productivity">What is developer productivity?</h2>



<p><strong>Developer productivity</strong> is a multidimensional metric that involves improving the programming and development experience while fostering a positive development culture.</p>



<p>Companies set specific development standards to measure performance in a given timeframe. Developer productivity is assessed based on these standards. This metric helps companies identify inefficient workflows, tools, and behavioral attributes impacting productivity in a development space.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-developer-productivity-matter">Why does developer productivity matter?</h2>



<p>Developer productivity is important for various reasons. When developers are productive, they flourish, engage in creative pursuits, and bring in better solutions. High productivity speeds development and helps businesses set and achieve more ambitious goals. Happy and productive teams are vital for business growth.</p>



<p>Here are a few more reasons why developer productivity matters.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improves-business-performance">Improves business performance</h3>



<p>A business is only as good as its developers. Developer productivity is a direct measure of an organization’s software development capabilities and impacts performance. Projects fall behind if productivity is low, leaving development teams prone to early burnout and dissatisfaction.&nbsp;</p>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-delivers-high-quality-output">Delivers high-quality output</h3>



<p>Developer productivity significantly impacts software quality. Reduced productivity can leave room for bugs and technical errors that affect a product’s quality.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reduces-burnout">Reduces burnout</h3>



<p>Tedious tasks can tire developers, leaving them vulnerable and careless. Companies can’t afford to be careless when developing high-quality features like performance, privacy, and security that require special attention. Focusing on developer productivity can help businesses avoid burnout.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-tips-to-improve-developer-productivity">7 tips to improve developer productivity</h2>



<p>Increasing productivity in demanding jobs isn’t as challenging as you might think. Here are a few simple ways to improve your development team&#8217;s productivity.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-ensure-a-work-life-balance">1. Ensure a work-life balance</h3>



<p>Employees are often discouraged from prioritizing their well-being for the sake of efficiency and productivity. However, working more hours and sacrificing sleep is counterproductive. Sleep deprivation reduces developer productivity by a staggering <a href="https://hub.packtpub.com/sleep-loss-cuts-developers-productivity-in-half-research-finds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">50%</a>!</p>



<p>Besides sleep, developers need to maintain a healthy work-life balance when working remotely. They should feel encouraged to a follow healthy routine and take time to recharge.</p>



<p>Regular exercise and a healthy, balanced diet further contribute to productivity. Exercise doesn’t mean signing up your developers for a gym membership. Sitting at a desk all day can affect their mental and physical health. After an hour or two at your desk, getting up and walking around for a few minutes can make a big difference.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-communicate-and-connect">2. Communicate and connect</h3>



<p>Connect with your developers and facilitate open communication to get work done quicker. Sharing relevant information keeps everyone informed and makes them feel included.</p>



<p>Some popular communication methods are:</p>



<ul><li><a href="https://chisellabs.com/blog/what-is-a-kanban-board-elements-how-to-scrum/" target="_blank" rel="follow noopener">Kanban boards</a></li><li><a href="https://niftypm.com/blog/scrum-board/" target="_blank" rel="follow noreferrer noopener">Scrum boards</a></li><li>Daily standups</li><li>Slack channels</li><li>Team lunches</li></ul>



<p>With a systematic communication flow, developers can learn to document and share tricky steps and new processes.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Essential data can be stored on a <a href="https://middleware.io/blog/efficient-server-utilization/">cloud-based server</a> for easy access. Even if a developer leaves the company or role, the stored information is still available. This acts as a positive legacy and an effective training tool for new hires.</p>



<p>Similarly, as per the need, implementing 360 feedback approach can you assess your developers work habits and help them identify the gaps they should work on.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-match-developer-strength-with-projects">3. Match developer strength with projects</h3>



<p>Every developer is an expert in different areas. Productivity spikes when they work on tasks that fall within their area of expertise. You can <a href="https://thrivemyway.com/time-management-hacks/" target="_blank" rel="follow noopener">meet project deadlines</a> faster when a <a href="https://www.arkasoftwares.com/blog/how-to-hire-dedicated-developers-india/" target="_blank" rel="follow noreferrer noopener">developer with the required skills</a> works on the project.</p>



<p>One way is to have your developers fill out skill profiles. This can help you make an informed decision on building an optimal team to complete a project.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-automate-redundant-tasks">4. Automate redundant tasks</h3>



<p>Why have your developers do redundant tasks when they can focus on critical challenges? Automate simple and repetitive tasks to maximize your team’s efficiency.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Developers often break down complex problems into simpler tasks to automate. Specialized developer solutions like <a href="http://middleware.io/">Middleware</a> and various others support data management, application services, messaging, authentication, and API management.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-set-realistic-deadlines">5. Set realistic deadlines</h3>



<p>Deadlines motivate developers to structure a plan and achieve milestones. <a href="https://www.teamwork.com/blog/how-to-prioritize-tasks/" target="_blank" rel="follow noopener">Tasks are prioritized</a> better based on deadlines. However, tight and unrealistic deadlines can overwhelm the team. Using the <a href="https://www.acuitytraining.co.uk/news-tips/a-guide-to-setting-smart-goals/" target="_blank" rel="follow noreferrer noopener">S.M.A.R.T. framework</a> to set goals is a very easy way to ensure that you avoid this.</p>



<p>The ideal way is to involve developers when setting deadlines. They can estimate how long a task takes and account for potential issues or priorities.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-master-your-ide">6. Master your IDE</h3>



<p>An integrated development environment (IDE) provides integrated tools in a single GUI. Focus on training your developers on the efficient use of IDE for easy access and understanding. Developers can go haywire when they don’t understand certain functionalities or processes, hampering productivity.</p>



<p>You can use plugins and snippets to complement your IDE and improve productivity. Snippets take care of repetitive codes, while plugins like syntax highlighting help spot syntax errors. A powerful code editor can make a developer’s life easy by automating mundane and repetitive tasks like indentation, refactoring, and autocomplete.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-avoid-multitasking">7. Avoid multitasking</h3>



<p>Multitasking has its time and place. Software development isn’t one, and multitasking here can be <a href="https://www.apa.org/research/action/multitask">detrimental to productivity</a>.</p>



<p>Developers may need to peer review codes while working on existing projects. Switching and jumping between tasks is distracting and leads to constant backtracking. Finding out where you left is time-consuming and wasteful.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-code-with-a-smile">Code with a smile</h4>



<p>The key to developer productivity isn’t increasing working hours but boosting developer satisfaction and fostering a favorable working environment. Stress causes burnout and can negatively impact productivity. High performance comes from reduced stress and high motivation.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Happy coding, always!</p>


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