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Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps

4.6 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Half star
Based on 69 ratings
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John Rofrano and Ramanujam Srinivasan

Application developers and DevOps professionals must ensure their app works at its best. However, these app may need help with bugs, slow speed, or subpar performance. Professionals need to monitor and observe its performance continually.

Application monitoring involves identifying, measuring, and evaluating the effectiveness of an application. On the other hand, Observability refers to how well an app can be monitored by the data obtained from monitoring. Both monitoring and observability are necessary to gain insights into the system and ensure its proper functioning.

Read more

Application developers and DevOps professionals must ensure their app works at its best. However, these app may need help with bugs, slow speed, or subpar performance. Professionals need to monitor and observe its performance continually.

Application monitoring involves identifying, measuring, and evaluating the effectiveness of an application. On the other hand, Observability refers to how well an app can be monitored by the data obtained from monitoring. Both monitoring and observability are necessary to gain insights into the system and ensure its proper functioning.

This course thoroughly introduces monitoring and observability, covering fundamental concepts and popular tools like Prometheus, Grafana, Mezmo (LogDNA), and Instana. You will also learn about the three pillars of observability and tracing for container applications and gain hands-on experience with the OpenTelemetry framework.

Throughout the course, you will complete interactive hands-on labs to apply your knowledge, and gain experience with the tools and techniques used by software and DevOps professionals.

By the end of this course, you will be able to demonstrate your knowledge of monitoring and observability, and you will gain the confidence to perform these tasks in a practical setting.

Enroll now

What's inside

Syllabus

 Introduction to Monitoring for Applications
This week, you will be introduced to application monitoring, common terms used in monitoring, and why monitoring matters to developers. You'll also learn about the types of monitoring that give you visibility into app performance and connected information technology (IT) systems. You'll become familiar with the four Golden Signals of Monitoring and learn to use the Golden Signals to improve your monitoring systems. Then, you will explore the differences between the Monitoring and Evaluation processes. You'll learn that monitoring is a routine, ongoing process, while evaluation is a long-term process. You'll learn more about the components of monitoring, including metrics, observability, and alerts. You'll also explore the importance of tracking host-based, application, network and connectivity, and server pool metrics. Finally, you'll learn about the need for application monitoring and its importance.
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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Builds a strong foundation for beginners, which helps learners get a solid understanding of application monitoring and observability
Taught by John Rofrano and Ramanujam Srinivasan, who are recognized for their work in the IT industry
Develops skills in monitoring and observability, which are core skills for DevOps professionals
Offers comprehensive study of application monitoring and observability concepts and tools
Provides hands-on labs and interactive materials, which allow learners to apply their knowledge practically
Covers the three pillars of observability, which is highly relevant to cloud native observability practices
This course help learners apply their skills through a final project and assessment, which ensures practical understanding

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Reviews summary

Monitoring and observability for devops

According to learners, this course offers a solid introduction to monitoring and observability concepts crucial for DevOps professionals. Students found the hands-on labs, particularly with Instana and Docker, to be highly beneficial for practical application. The course provides a good overview of key tools like Prometheus and Grafana, and introduces modern topics such as OpenTelemetry. While providing a strong foundation, some learners suggest that certain sections could benefit from a more in-depth exploration for experienced professionals or more real-world troubleshooting scenarios. Overall, it's considered a valuable resource for enhancing skills in application performance management.
Covers important and current topics like OpenTelemetry.
"The introduction to OpenTelemetry was timely and relevant to current industry trends."
"Understanding distributed tracing for container applications is extremely valuable."
"I appreciated learning about telemetry and its implementation in app development."
Effective introduction to Prometheus and Grafana.
"The sections on Prometheus and Grafana were very helpful for understanding their integration."
"I now have a good grasp of how to use Grafana for visualizing monitoring data."
"Learning about Prometheus for analytics was a significant takeaway for my work."
Provides a strong base in monitoring & observability.
"I found the explanation of fundamental monitoring concepts very clear and easy to grasp."
"This course offers a solid introduction to the three pillars of observability."
"It really helped me understand why monitoring matters for development and DevOps."
Excellent practice with industry tools like Instana.
"The hands-on labs with Instana and Docker were invaluable for me to apply the concepts."
"I really appreciated the practical exercises; they helped solidify my understanding of the tools."
"The final project, especially exploring Instana with Robotshop, was a great way to put everything together."
Minor tool details might need occasional refreshing.
"In a rapidly evolving field, some tool interfaces or versions might become outdated quickly."
"A few minor details regarding specific tool setup felt like they could use an update."
"It's good to keep in mind that the landscape of observability tools changes fast."
Some sections felt rushed compared to others.
"The Mezmo section seemed less detailed than the Prometheus/Grafana parts."
"I felt the course pacing was a bit uneven, with some topics getting more attention than others."
"While comprehensive, I think some modules could be expanded with more examples."
Could benefit from more advanced topics for experts.
"As someone with some experience, I wished for a deeper dive into advanced configurations."
"For a professional course, more complex scenarios or troubleshooting would be beneficial."
"Some modules felt a bit too introductory, especially for those already in DevOps."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps with these activities:
Review logging and tracing fundamentals
Logging and tracing are essential for monitoring and observability. Reviewing these fundamentals will help you better understand the concepts and techniques covered in the course.
Browse courses on Logging
Show steps
  • Review the concepts of logging and tracing
  • Practice using logging and tracing tools
Read 'Site Reliability Engineering' by Betsy Beyer
Reading this book will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of site reliability engineering, which is essential for effective monitoring and observability.
View Site Reliability Engineering: How Google Runs... on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read Chapter 1: Introduction to SRE
  • Read Chapter 2: The Four Golden Signals
  • Read Chapter 3: Error Budgets
Follow tutorials on OpenTelemetry
OpenTelemetry is a powerful tool for collecting telemetry data, which is essential for observability. Following tutorials on OpenTelemetry will help you learn how to use this tool effectively.
Browse courses on OpenTelemetry
Show steps
  • Find tutorials on OpenTelemetry
  • Follow the tutorials and complete the exercises
Five other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all eight activities
Create code snippets on monitoring
Practice writing code snippets for common monitoring tasks, which will help you build a strong foundation in monitoring.
Browse courses on Monitoring
Show steps
  • Review basic monitoring concepts
  • Create code snippets for different monitoring tools
  • Test your code snippets
Attend a meetup or conference on monitoring and observability
Attending a meetup or conference on monitoring and observability will allow you to connect with other professionals in the field and learn about the latest trends.
Browse courses on Monitoring
Show steps
  • Find a meetup or conference on monitoring and observability
  • Register for the event
  • Attend the event
Attend a workshop on monitoring and observability
Attending a workshop on monitoring and observability will provide you with an opportunity to learn from experts in the field and ask questions.
Browse courses on Monitoring
Show steps
  • Find a workshop on monitoring and observability
  • Register for the workshop
  • Attend the workshop
Set up monitoring for a personal project
Setting up monitoring for a personal project will allow you to apply the concepts you learn in the course to a real-world scenario, which will help you solidify your understanding.
Browse courses on Application Monitoring
Show steps
  • Choose a personal project to monitor
  • Install Prometheus and Grafana
  • Configure Prometheus to collect metrics from your project
  • Create dashboards in Grafana to visualize your metrics
  • Monitor your project and respond to alerts
Write a blog post about your experiences with monitoring
Writing a blog post about your experiences with monitoring will help you reflect on what you have learned and share your knowledge with others.
Browse courses on Monitoring
Show steps
  • Choose a topic for your blog post
  • Write the content for your blog post
  • Publish your blog post

Career center

Learners who complete Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Site Reliability Engineer
Site Reliability Engineers (SREs) are responsible for ensuring the reliability and uptime of IT systems. This course, 'Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps', provides SREs with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively monitor and observe the performance of complex IT systems. The course covers essential concepts such as metrics, logging, and tracing, enabling SREs to proactively identify and resolve issues, ensuring system stability and minimizing downtime.
See salaries and explore the career path for Site Reliability Engineer
Software Engineer
Software Engineers build and maintain software applications, ensuring their efficiency and performance. This course, 'Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps', provides a comprehensive understanding of monitoring and observability techniques, enabling Software Engineers to effectively track and analyze the behavior of their applications. By leveraging the concepts and tools introduced in the course, Software Engineers can enhance application reliability, identify performance bottlenecks, and proactively address issues that may arise.
See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer
DevOps Engineer
DevOps Engineers play a crucial role in bridging the gap between development and operations teams. This course, 'Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps', aligns perfectly with the DevOps mindset, as it emphasizes the importance of continuous monitoring and observability for seamless software delivery. By mastering the techniques taught in this course, DevOps Engineers can effectively monitor and analyze application performance, ensuring smooth operations and快速, reliable software updates.
See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Engineer
Performance Analyst
Performance Analysts measure, analyze, and improve the performance of software systems. This course, 'Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps', provides Performance Analysts with a comprehensive understanding of monitoring and observability techniques, enabling them to effectively track and analyze system performance. The course covers essential concepts such as performance metrics, performance testing, and performance optimization, enabling Performance Analysts to identify and eliminate performance bottlenecks, ensuring optimal system performance for end-users.
See salaries and explore the career path for Performance Analyst
Application Performance Engineer
Application Performance Engineers specialize in optimizing the performance and scalability of software applications. This course, 'Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps', provides a comprehensive understanding of monitoring and observability techniques, enabling Application Performance Engineers to effectively track and analyze application behavior. By leveraging the concepts and tools introduced in the course, Application Performance Engineers can identify performance bottlenecks, optimize resource utilization, and ensure a seamless user experience.
See salaries and explore the career path for Application Performance Engineer
Systems Administrator
Systems Administrators manage and maintain computer systems and networks. This course, 'Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps', provides Systems Administrators with a solid understanding of monitoring and observability techniques, enabling them to effectively track and analyze the performance of their systems. The course covers essential concepts such as system metrics, resource management, and performance optimization, enabling Systems Administrators to proactively identify and resolve system issues, ensuring the smooth operation of their systems.
See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Administrator
Systems Engineer
Systems Engineers design, implement, and maintain complex IT systems. This course, 'Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps', offers a solid foundation in monitoring and observability techniques, empowering Systems Engineers to ensure the reliability and performance of the systems they oversee. The course covers industry-standard tools and methodologies, enabling Systems Engineers to proactively monitor system health, identify potential issues, and implement effective remediation strategies.
See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Engineer
Cloud Architect
Cloud Architects design, deploy, and manage cloud-based solutions. This course, 'Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps', provides Cloud Architects with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively monitor and observe the performance of cloud-based applications and infrastructure. The course covers cloud-native monitoring tools and techniques, enabling Cloud Architects to ensure the reliability, scalability, and cost-effectiveness of their cloud deployments.
See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Architect
Network Engineer
Network Engineers design, implement, and maintain computer networks. This course, 'Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps', provides Network Engineers with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively monitor and observe the performance of their networks. The course covers essential concepts such as network metrics, network traffic analysis, and network security, enabling Network Engineers to proactively identify and resolve network issues, ensuring reliable and secure network connectivity.
See salaries and explore the career path for Network Engineer
Quality Assurance Engineer
Quality Assurance Engineers ensure the quality and reliability of software products. This course, 'Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps', provides Quality Assurance Engineers with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively monitor and observe the quality of their software products. The course covers essential concepts such as test metrics, test automation, and defect tracking, enabling Quality Assurance Engineers to proactively identify and resolve quality issues, ensuring the delivery of high-quality software.
See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Assurance Engineer
Data Engineer
Data Engineers design, build, and maintain data pipelines and infrastructure. This course, 'Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps', provides Data Engineers with a solid understanding of monitoring and observability techniques, enabling them to effectively track and analyze the performance of their data systems. The course covers essential concepts such as metrics, logging, and tracing, enabling Data Engineers to proactively identify and resolve issues, ensuring data availability and quality.
See salaries and explore the career path for Data Engineer
Business Analyst
Business Analysts analyze business processes and identify opportunities for improvement. This course, 'Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps', provides Business Analysts with a solid understanding of monitoring and observability techniques, enabling them to effectively track and analyze the performance of business processes. The course covers essential concepts such as business metrics, process mapping, and data analysis, enabling Business Analysts to make data-driven recommendations for process improvements, leading to increased efficiency and effectiveness.
See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst
Security Engineer
Security Engineers design, implement, and maintain security systems and solutions. This course, 'Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps', provides Security Engineers with a solid understanding of monitoring and observability techniques, enabling them to effectively track and analyze the security posture of their systems and networks. The course covers essential concepts such as security metrics, log analysis, and threat detection, enabling Security Engineers to proactively identify and mitigate security risks, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of their systems.
See salaries and explore the career path for Security Engineer
Technical Writer
Technical Writers create and maintain technical documentation for software products and systems. This course, 'Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps', may be helpful to Technical Writers who wish to gain insights into the monitoring and observability of software systems. The course covers essential concepts such as metrics, logging, and tracing, enabling Technical Writers to better understand the technical aspects of software systems and convey this information clearly and effectively in their documentation.
See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer
Project Manager
Project Managers plan, execute, and close projects. This course, 'Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps', may be helpful to Project Managers who wish to gain insights into the monitoring and observability of software development projects. The course covers essential concepts such as project metrics, risk management, and stakeholder management, enabling Project Managers to better track project progress, identify potential risks, and keep stakeholders informed.
See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Reading list

We've selected ten books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps.
Cover image
Observability Engineering
Save
Practical guide to observability engineering. It provides a comprehensive overview of the key concepts and tools involved in observability, and provides detailed guidance on how to implement these practices in your own organization. This book valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about observability engineering.
Observability Engineering: Achieving Production...
Paperback
$$
Observability Engineering
Kindle Edition
$$
Cover image
Observability Engineering
Save
Provides a practical guide to designing and implementing observability systems for modern distributed applications, covering topics such as metrics, tracing, and logging.
Observability Engineering: Achieving Production...
Paperback
$$
Observability Engineering
Kindle Edition
$$
Cover image
The Elements of Inquiry
Save
Provides a comprehensive overview of the history and evolution of the log. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about the role of logs in monitoring and observability.
The Elements of Inquiry
Paperback
Check
The Elements of Inquiry
Kindle Edition
Check
Distributed Systems Observability
Save
Provides a detailed guide to observability in cloud-native environments, covering topics such as distributed tracing, metrics, and logging.
Distributed Systems Observability
Paperback
Check
Distributed Systems Observability
Kindle Edition
Check
Cover image
Site Reliability Engineering
Save
Detailed guide to the practices and principles of site reliability engineering (SRE), as implemented at Google. It provides a comprehensive overview of the SRE role and responsibilities, as well as practical guidance on how to implement SRE practices in your own organization. While this book is not specific to monitoring and observability, it provides a valuable foundation for understanding the principles and practices of systems engineering.
Site Reliability Engineering: How Google Runs...
Kindle Edition
$$
Cover image
Designing Data-Intensive Applications
Save
Provides a comprehensive overview of the key concepts and principles involved in designing data-intensive applications. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about designing and implementing data-intensive applications.
Designing Data-Intensive Applications: The Big...
Paperback
$$
Designing Data-Intensive Applications: The Big...
Kindle Edition
$$
Cover image
Distributed Tracing in Practice
Save
Provides a practical guide to distributed tracing, covering topics such as tracing fundamentals, tracing tools, and best practices.
Distributed Tracing in Practice: Instrumenting,...
Paperback
$$
Distributed Tracing in Practice: Instrumenting,...
Kindle Edition
$$
Cover image
Theory of Categories
Save
Provides a comprehensive overview of performance monitoring and analysis, covering topics such as metrics, tracing, and logging.
Theory of Categories: Key Instruments of Human...
Hardcover
$$$$
Theory of Categories: Key Instruments of Human...
Kindle Edition
$$
Cover image
Systems Performance
Save
Provides a practical guide to system performance tuning, covering topics such as performance analysis, performance optimization, and performance troubleshooting.
Systems Performance (Addison-Wesley Professional...
Paperback
$$
Systems Performance: Enterprise and the Cloud
Paperback
$$$
Systems Performance: Enterprise and the Cloud by...
Paperback
$$$$
(中文) BPF Performance Tools (English version): Insight...
Paperback
$$$
System performance analysis and optimization...
Paperback
$$$
Systems Performance (Addison-Wesley Professional...
Kindle Edition
$$
Cover image
The Art of Capacity Planning
Save
Provides a practical guide to monitoring, covering topics such as monitoring strategies, monitoring tools, and monitoring best practices.
The Art of Capacity Planning: Scaling Web Resources...
Paperback
$$
The Art of Capacity Planning: Scaling Web Resources...
Kindle Edition
$$

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Rating
4.6 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Half star
Effort
16 hours to complete
Level
Intermediate
Via
Coursera
Institution
IBM
Instructors
John Rofrano
Ramanujam Srinivasan
Language
English
Transcripts
Español Français Português Deutsch Italiano 中文 العربية 한국어 日本語 हिंदी Nederlands Svenska Pусский Türkçe Polski Ελληνικά українська мова magyar nyelv Bahasa Indonesia ไทย қазақша اُردُو, فارسی বাংলা پښتو آذربایجان دیلی
This course belongs to a collection called IBM Applied DevOps Engineering. It's comprised of five courses:
  1. Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD)
  2. Monitoring and Observability for Development and DevOps (viewing)
  3. DevOps Capstone Project
  4. Introduction to Test and Behavior Driven Development
  5. Application Security for Developers and DevOps Professionals
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Builds a strong foundation for beginners, which helps learners get a solid understanding of application monitoring and observability
Taught by John Rofrano and Ramanujam Srinivasan, who are recognized for their work in the IT industry
Develops skills in monitoring and observability, which are core skills for DevOps professionals
Offers comprehensive study of application monitoring and observability concepts and tools
Provides hands-on labs and interactive materials, which allow learners to apply their knowledge practically
Covers the three pillars of observability, which is highly relevant to cloud native observability practices
This course help learners apply their skills through a final project and assessment, which ensures practical understanding
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