This chapter lays the foundation for several key concepts that will be used throughout this book. Starting with the definition of monitoring, we will explore various views and factors that emphasize why systematic analysis assumes different levels of importance and makes an impact on organizations. You will learn about the advantages and disadvantages of different monitoring mechanics, taking a closer look at the Prometheus approach regarding collecting metrics. Finally, we will discuss some of the controversial decisions that were vital for the design and architecture of the Prometheus stack and why you should take them into account when designing your own monitoring system.
We will be covering the following topics in this chapter:
- Defining of monitoring
- Whitebox versus blackbox monitoring
- Understanding metrics collection
