GITNUX MARKETDATA REPORT 2023

Must-Know Custom Cloudwatch Metrics

Last Updated: October 31, 2023

Written & Summarized by: Jannik Lindner

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Highlights: The Most Important Custom Cloudwatch Metrics

1. Application error rate
2. Application response time
3. Worker queue length
4. Database connection pool usage
5. Cache hit ratio
6. Custom resource usage
7. Business KPIs
8. User engagement metrics
9. API usage
10. Infrastructure health

Custom Cloudwatch Metrics: Our Guide

Delve into the world of continuous monitoring and observability with our informative blog post about understanding the Must-Know Custom Cloudwatch Metrics. Elevate your insights into the realms of Amazon Web Services (AWS) as we provide in-depth knowledge on customizing and optimizing Cloudwatch Metrics for your specific business needs. From creating to managing and making the best use of your data with AWS, we’ve got you covered with these essential tips and insights.

Application Error Rate

Track error rate (e.g., exceptions or HTTP 5xx) divided by total requests for system health and stability assessment.

Application Response Time

Monitor the elapsed time between a client request and receiving a response, to help you identify performance bottlenecks and optimize your applications.

Worker Queue Length

Count tasks in a message queue (e.g., Amazon SQ$S) awaiting processing by background workers to detect demand spikes or processing problems.

Database Connection Pool Usage

Monitor used vs. available database connections ratio in your pool to manage connections and spot database access performance issues.

Cache Hit Ratio

Track cache hit percentage vs. total requests to assess caching strategy effectiveness and inform cache adjustments.

Custom Resource Usage

Gather data on custom app/infrastructure components (memory, CPU, GPU, network) to spot resource limits and optimize the system.

Business KPIs

Monitor relevant KPIs (eg., orders, daily users, transactions) for business performance insights.

User Engagement Metrics

Track user behavior (page views, sessions, feature usage) to identify trends for product development and marketing decisions.

API Usage

Track the number of API calls, response times, and error rates for your custom APIs, to manage your API performance and identify potential issues.

Infrastructure Health

Monitor custom infrastructure (network, load balancers, storage) health and performance with collected and analyzed custom metrics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Custom CloudWatch Metrics?

Custom CloudWatch Metrics are user-defined metrics that allow users to monitor and analyze the performance of their AWS resources, beyond the default metrics provided. They enable the tracking and monitoring of system parameters specific to the user’s application, offering greater flexibility and insights on the system’s performance.

How can I create and publish Custom CloudWatch Metrics?

To create and publish Custom CloudWatch Metrics, you can use the AWS Management Console, AWS CLI, or SDKs. You need to create a metric using the “put-metric-data” command or an equivalent API call, inputting the metric data points and necessary dimensions. After creation, metrics can be visualized via CloudWatch Dashboards, alarms can be set to notify users, and metric data can be analyzed using CloudWatch analytics tools.

What are some typical use cases for Custom CloudWatch Metrics?

Custom CloudWatch Metrics can be used for numerous use cases, including tracking application-specific performance metrics, monitoring custom business KPIs, detecting anomalies in system behavior, and creating tailored monitoring dashboards for different teams. By creating custom metrics, users can understand their application and resource usage more accurately and make data-driven decisions.

Can I set up alarms for Custom CloudWatch Metrics?

Yes, you can set up alarms on Custom CloudWatch Metrics in a similar way as default metrics. In the CloudWatch Management Console, you can create an alarm that triggers when the custom metric breaches a user-defined threshold. This helps to notify users quickly when critical system parameters need attention.

Are there any costs associated with using Custom CloudWatch Metrics?

Yes, AWS charges users for using Custom CloudWatch Metrics. The costs depend on factors such as the number of custom metrics created, the frequency of data points, and data retention periods. It is essential to check the current pricing structure on the AWS website to understand the cost estimates associated with Custom CloudWatch Metrics usage.

How we write these articles

We have not conducted any studies ourselves. Our article provides a summary of all the statistics and studies available at the time of writing. We are solely presenting a summary, not expressing our own opinion. We have collected all statistics within our internal database. In some cases, we use Artificial Intelligence for formulating the statistics. The articles are updated regularly. See our Editorial Guidelines.

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