Hands-On Monitoring and Alerting with Prometheus

Build reliable, scalable monitoring and alerting systems with Prometheus, PromQL, and real-world demosKey Features● Learn how to install, configure, and optimize Prometheus from scratch to build scalable, production-ready setups.● Work through step-by-step labs for Linux, Windows, Docker, and databases for analyzing metrics.● Unlock powerful insights using PromQL to filter, aggregate, and alert on metrics to monitor complex systems with precision.Book DescriptionPrometheus has emerged as the leading open-source monitoring solution for building resilient, observable systems, and Hands-On Monitoring and Alerting with Prometheus shows you exactly how to utilize its full potential.The book begins with the fundamentals of modern monitoring and the core architecture of Prometheus. Through hands-on labs, you’ll master Prometheus service discovery, labeling, and relabeling to organize metrics at scale.Whether you are collecting metrics from Linux machines, Windows servers, Docker containers, or databases, this book equips you with practical skills through real-world examples and tutorials. You will learn how to install and configure Prometheus, use its service discovery features, label and relabel metrics, and build powerful queries using PromQL — all leading to actionable insights through alerts and dashboards.You’ll configure alerts and Alertmanager integrations, apply advanced techniques, and put everything together with real-world applications. Each chapter builds practical skills so you can confidently design and operate a robust observability stack.Whether you're a DevOps engineer, SRE, or system architect, this book is your gateway to production-grade monitoring. Don’t just collect metrics—turn them into action with Prometheus today.What you will learn● Grasp modern monitoring principles and observability best practices● Install and configure Prometheus in real-world environments● Monitor Linux, Windows, Docker, and databases using exporters● Use Service Discovery for dynamic infrastructure monitoring● Label and relabel metrics for organized, efficient observability● Write advanced PromQL queries to gain actionable system insights● Design alerts with custom rules and performance thresholds● Configure Alertmanager with Slack, email, and other receiversTable of Contents1. Introduction and Key Concepts in Monitoring2. Prometheus Server Architecture and Features3. Different Types of Prometheus Metrics4. Metrics Exporters for Infrastructure Monitoring5. Prometheus Service Discovery Feature6. Metrics Labeling and Relabeling7. Prometheus Query Language PromQL8. Alerts and Alert Receivers9. Advanced Prometheus Techniques10. Prometheus and Real-world Applications11. Conclusion: Future Steps     IndexAbout the AuthorsMuhammad Badawy is a senior DevOps and Platform Engineer with over 12 years of experience at the intersection of development and operations, driving efficiency, scalability, and automation across global cloud environments. Certified as a Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) and AWS Solutions Architect, Muhammad specializes in cloud-native architecture, infrastructure as code, observability, and CI/CD automation.He has architected and maintained complex systems for leading organizations including ING, Mambu, Mobiquity, and Vodafone, leveraging technologies such as Kubernetes, Helm, Terraform, Azure DevOps, and the ELK stack.