Ways to monitor systems
Paid / SaaS
| Service | Focus |
|---|---|
| AWS CloudWatch | AWS resources and logs |
| Datadog | Logging + monitoring |
| New Relic | Logging + monitoring + APM |
Self-hosted / open source
Prometheus + Grafana + Loki
This course covers:
- New Relic (Day 0) — fast SaaS path
- Prometheus + Grafana + Loki (Day 1) — self-hosted production stack
What we set up in New Relic
- Logging
- Monitoring (hosts + APM)
- Alerting
Cost reality check
SaaS tools (New Relic, Datadog, uptime products) can get expensive quickly, and teams become dependent on them. Open-source self-hosting (Grafana, Prometheus, Loki) is the common way to keep the same capabilities with more control — which is why Day 1 follows this intro.
Use New Relic to learn the ideas quickly. Use Prometheus/Grafana when you need ownership, cost control, or air-gapped environments.