In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, cloud infrastructure has become the foundation of modern business operations. Whether you’re a small startup or a global enterprise, the cloud supports applications, data storage, and much more. With this reliance comes the critical need for cloud monitoring tools. These tools ensure your services remain available, perform optimally, and are secure from cyber threats. Without effective monitoring, businesses risk downtime, poor user experience, and even financial loss. As more companies migrate to the cloud, understanding and implementing cloud monitoring becomes a top priority.
Why Cloud Monitoring is Essential in Today’s Digital World?
Cloud infrastructure offers flexibility and scalability, but without monitoring, these advantages can quickly turn into liabilities. Unmonitored cloud environments can lead to unexpected downtime, performance bottlenecks, or undetected security breaches.
Experts recommend cloud monitoring as a proactive measure to avoid such pitfalls. It allows you to track your cloud’s performance, detect issues before they impact users, and ensure compliance with industry standards.
By using cloud-based network monitoring tools like Datadog or SolarWinds, you can gain real-time insights into system health. These tools empower your IT team to resolve problems swiftly, maintaining both customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
What is a Cloud Monitoring Tool?
A Cloud Monitoring as a Service is a software application that tracks the health, performance, and security of your cloud-based resources. These tools provide insights by collecting and analyzing data from servers, applications, and networks hosted in the cloud. They are crucial for managing the complexity of cloud environments, where traditional monitoring methods often fall short. For example, a tool like Datadog SIEM not only monitors performance but also enhances security by detecting suspicious activity. Similarly, AWS monitoring tools such as CloudWatch offer deep visibility into AWS services, enabling you to monitor everything from application latency to server utilization. With the rise of multi-cloud strategies, having a unified platform like LogicMonitor that can monitor across AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure is now more important than ever.
Why Do We Need Cloud Monitoring?
Cloud environments are inherently dynamic, often changing at a rapid pace to meet business demands. This makes cloud monitoring indispensable. By using (MaaS), companies can avoid unexpected downtime, which can result in significant financial loss and damage to reputation. These tools help identify issues early, allowing IT teams to respond before the problems escalate.
Cloud monitoring also enhances performance by pinpointing bottlenecks in real-time, enabling you to make data-driven optimizations. Moreover, the security benefits are undeniable—Cloud Monitoring as a Service can detect and prevent unauthorized access or data breaches.
Whether you’re using AWS APM tools or GCP monitoring dashboards, having a comprehensive monitoring strategy helps ensure that your resources are optimally used and secure.
Overview of Cloud Monitoring Tools
With a plethora of MaaS available, it’s essential to choose the one that best fits your needs. Some tools focus on infrastructure monitoring, while others specialize in application performance or log management.
Popular tools like New Relic and AppDynamics provide end-to-end visibility across both on-premises and cloud environments. These tools collect data from every layer of your stack, offering insights into performance and potential issues.
If you’re running AWS workloads, you might prefer tools like Dynatrace AWS integration or CloudWatch, which are tailored to the specific needs of Amazon Web Services. On the other hand, businesses that operate in a multi-cloud environment might benefit more from tools like LogicMonitor or SolarWinds Cloud, which offer centralized visibility across multiple platforms.
What Are the Tools Used for Monitoring Clouds?
Cloud monitoring tools fall into several categories, each designed to meet different needs. Infrastructure monitoring tools, such as Zabbix and PRTG Cloud, track the performance of servers, networks, and storage. These tools ensure that your underlying infrastructure runs smoothly and efficiently.
Application performance monitoring (APM) tools like AppDynamics Cloud and Datadog help track the performance of applications hosted in the cloud, detecting slowdowns or crashes in real-time. For log management, tools like Sumo Logic and Google Cloud Logging are essential for collecting, analyzing, and storing logs generated by your cloud services.
In security monitoring, Datadog SIEM and Nagios Cloud are industry favorites for detecting and preventing security breaches. For cloud-specific monitoring, platforms like Azure Monitor and Google Cloud Operations are designed to integrate seamlessly with their respective cloud environments.
How to Choose the Right MaaS?
Choosing the right Cloud Monitoring as a Service can be overwhelming due to the variety of options available. Experts recommend starting by evaluating your specific needs—do you require more visibility into infrastructure, application performance, or security?
If you’re primarily using AWS, tools like CloudWatch or Dynatrace AWS monitoring may be the best fit due to their native integration with Amazon’s cloud services. However, if you’re running a multi-cloud environment, a more versatile tool like LogicMonitor or Datadog Cloud might provide better coverage. Scalability is another key consideration. Ensure the tool can handle your cloud infrastructure as it grows.
Additionally, consider cost—some tools, like SolarWinds Cloud, offer flexible pricing, while others, such as New Relic, may charge based on the number of metrics or users.
What is an Example of a Monitoring Tool?
One widely used cloud monitoring tool is Datadog, which is renowned for its versatility and real-time monitoring capabilities. Datadog can monitor servers, databases, applications, and cloud services, all from a single platform. For instance, if you’re managing an AWS environment, Datadog’s AWS monitoring services provide real-time insights into EC2, RDS, and other AWS resources. The platform collects metrics, logs, and traces, which helps your IT team diagnose issues faster.
Datadog also integrates with more than 400 different technologies, making it ideal for complex, multi-cloud environments. Its cloud cost management pricing feature helps businesses optimize their cloud spending, while the Datadog SIEM function adds a layer of security by detecting potential threats. This combination of monitoring, security, and cost management makes Datadog a favorite among cloud-based companies.
Top 21 Cloud Monitoring Tools
Cloud Monitoring as a Service track and manage the performance, security, and availability of cloud-based resources. They provide real-time insights into servers, applications, and networks within cloud environments. These tools help detect issues, optimize resource usage, and ensure system uptime. Here are some popular monitoring tools:
1. New Relic
New Relic is a popular MaaS known for full-stack visibility. It provides real-time monitoring, allowing you to see every aspect of your cloud environment. Its AIOps feature helps automate problem detection. You can monitor both infrastructure and applications, making it ideal for large cloud setups.
New Relic’s ability to provide deep insights into distributed systems sets it apart. It integrates easily with AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure, helping you monitor multiple environments. If scalability is your concern, New Relic handles massive data streams without compromising performance.
2. Datadog
Datadog is highly recommended for hybrid cloud monitoring. It offers excellent log management, cloud metrics, and the ability to track cloud-based applications. It’s widely used for AWS monitoring, giving you real-time data on EC2 and RDS performance. With Datadog SIEM, you get advanced security features alongside performance monitoring. Its dashboard is customizable, allowing you to visualize any cloud metric.
Datadog’s versatility is a standout feature; it integrates with over 400 services, including AWS, Google Cloud, and on-premise environments. The tool’s cloud cost management pricing helps businesses optimize their cloud spend.
3. Dynatrace
Dynatrace simplifies cloud complexity with its AI-powered observability. It automatically detects problems and suggests solutions, making it easier for teams to manage large cloud infrastructures.
Dynatrace AWS integration offers real-time monitoring of AWS services like EC2, RDS, and Lambda. Its cloud automation features allow teams to automate tasks and focus on other priorities. Whether you’re running AWS or Google Cloud, Dynatrace offers seamless monitoring across multi-cloud environments. The tool is ideal for organizations looking to improve uptime, as it monitors system performance and predicts failures.
4. Amazon CloudWatch
Amazon CloudWatch is one of the best AWS monitoring tools for tracking AWS resources. It monitors everything from CPU usage on EC2 instances to application performance and uptime. CloudWatch’s custom metrics allow you to track KPIs tailored to your needs.
AWS logging and monitoring are made easy with CloudWatch Logs, which provides centralized access to log data. If you rely on AWS services, CloudWatch is indispensable. Its deep integration with other AWS monitoring services like Lambda, ECS, and S3 makes it perfect for cloud-based architectures.
5. AppDynamics
AppDynamics excels in application performance monitoring (APM) for cloud and hybrid environments. Its focus is on ensuring that applications deliver a smooth user experience. It tracks performance issues in real-time, identifying bottlenecks and slowdowns. It integrates well with AWS, Azure, and other cloud platforms, offering full-stack visibility.
AppDynamics tool also monitors business transactions, giving you insights into how performance impacts revenue. If you’re running a complex cloud environment with multiple applications, AppDynamics helps keep everything running smoothly.
6. Zabbix
Zabbix is an open-source cloud monitoring tool, known for its flexibility and scalability. It monitors cloud networks, servers, and virtual machines with ease. The tool’s alerting system ensures that teams are notified instantly of any potential issues.
Zabbix supports SNMP monitoring, making it useful for tracking network performance in cloud-based environments. Its open-source framework allows for extensive customization, which is ideal for enterprises needing tailored monitoring solutions. Zabbix’s low cost makes it a great option for businesses looking to scale cloud monitoring without hefty licensing fees.
7. Azure Monitor
Azure Monitor is Microsoft’s (MaaS) deeply integrated into Azure services. It monitors everything from virtual machines to databases and containers. Azure Monitor provides real-time insights into infrastructure performance, helping teams optimize resources.
With Azure APM tools, you can monitor applications for performance bottlenecks. Its built-in analytics tools offer deep visibility into cloud workloads, making it easier to manage large Azure environments. Azure Monitor also supports custom metrics, allowing you to track specific KPIs relevant to your business.
8. SolarWinds
SolarWinds is well-known for its strong monitoring capabilities across both on-premises and cloud environments. It provides detailed monitoring for cloud servers, applications, and networks. Its dashboard gives you a unified view of performance metrics across hybrid environments.
If you’re managing AWS or Azure services, SolarWinds offers excellent integration with both. SolarWinds’ ability to track and resolve cloud-based issues quickly makes it a popular choice for IT teams. It also provides great alerting features, ensuring that problems are addressed immediately.
9. Sumo Logic
Sumo Logic specializes in log management and real-time threat detection for cloud environments. The tool collects logs from cloud-based systems and analyzes them for performance and security issues.
Sumo Logic offers integrations with AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, making it ideal for multi-cloud setups. Its analytics engine helps identify trends and anomalies in real-time. With Sumo Logic, you can also monitor cloud costs and resource usage, making it a versatile tool for both performance and cost management.
10. Sematext
Sematext offers multi-cloud and hybrid cloud monitoring, focusing on both log management and metrics collection. It supports a variety of cloud platforms, including AWS and Google Cloud. Sematext provides real-time analytics for application and server performance. The tool also tracks user activity, helping businesses optimize their cloud infrastructure.
If you’re managing a hybrid cloud environment, Sematext’s ability to offer deep insights into multiple platforms is a significant advantage. It also provides detailed alerts, ensuring that potential issues are addressed before they escalate.
11. LogicMonitor
LogicMonitor is a cloud monitoring tool designed to provide comprehensive visibility into your infrastructure. It supports AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, making it ideal for hybrid cloud environments.
LogicMonitor offers real-time monitoring of network devices, servers, and applications. Its integration with AWS allows for AWS uptime monitoring, ensuring continuous availability. The tool’s customizable dashboards and alerting system make it easy to track the health of your infrastructure. For teams managing multi-cloud environments, LogicMonitor is a reliable choice.
12. Nagios
Nagios is an open-source Cloud Monitoring as a Service that focuses on uptime and network performance. It tracks the status of cloud servers, applications, and networks, alerting teams when issues arise.
Nagios’ flexibility allows you to monitor both cloud and on-premises resources. Its open-source nature makes it highly customizable, and there are many plugins available to extend its functionality. For businesses looking for a free cloud monitoring, scalable solution, Nagios Cloud is a solid choice.
13. BMC TrueSight Pulse
BMC TrueSight Pulse provides real-time monitoring with a focus on predictive analytics. It helps teams prevent downtime by identifying issues before they occur. The tool’s cloud observability features offer insights into system performance across cloud environments.
TrueSight Pulse integrates with AWS, Azure, and other cloud platforms, making it versatile for different setups. TrueSight Pulse also focuses on infrastructure health, ensuring that both servers and applications perform optimally.
14. Google Cloud Platform (GCP Monitoring)
Google Cloud Monitoring is designed to provide comprehensive monitoring for applications and services running on GCP. It integrates seamlessly with Google’s other cloud services, allowing for easy management of cloud workloads. GCP Monitoring tracks performance metrics, resource utilization, and uptime.
Google Cloud Monitoring tool’s real-time analytics help teams make informed decisions about scaling and optimization. For businesses running applications on GCP, Google Cloud Monitoring offers essential insights for managing cloud resources effectively.
15. Grafana
Grafana is a visual monitoring tool that integrates with various data sources to present cloud performance in intuitive dashboards. It supports platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, making it ideal for multi-cloud setups.
Grafana is highly customizable, allowing users to build dashboards tailored to their specific monitoring needs. Its visualization capabilities make it easy to track system performance and spot anomalies. For teams looking for a flexible and visually engaging cloud monitoring solution, Grafana is a popular choice.
16. Icinga
Icinga is an open-source monitoring framework known for its ability to track distributed cloud infrastructures. It offers real-time monitoring for cloud servers, applications, and networks.
Icinga’s modular architecture allows for extensive customization, making it ideal for businesses with unique monitoring needs. The tool supports SNMP cloud monitoring, which is useful for tracking network performance in cloud environments. Its alerting system ensures that issues are detected and resolved quickly, maintaining uptime and performance.
17. Paessler PRTG Network Monitor
Paessler PRTG is a comprehensive monitoring solution that provides detailed insights into your cloud infrastructure. It tracks servers, networks, and applications, offering real-time metrics on performance and availability.
PRTG also supports multi-cloud environments, making it easy to manage complex setups. Its alerting system notifies teams of potential issues before they impact users. With support for AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, PRTG is ideal for businesses looking for a versatile Cloud Monitoring as a Service.
18. AWS Config
AWS Config plays a crucial role in monitoring the configuration of AWS resources. It tracks configuration changes and ensures compliance with security and operational policies.
AWS Config’s ability to monitor the AWS cloud environment helps teams maintain control over their cloud resources. It integrates with other AWS services, such as CloudWatch and Lambda, to provide a comprehensive view of your cloud infrastructure.
19. DX Infrastructure Manager
DX Infrastructure Manager offers unified visibility into the health of your cloud infrastructure. It monitors both cloud and on-premises resources, making it ideal for hybrid cloud setups. The tool provides real-time performance metrics, helping teams optimize resource allocation.
DX Infrastructure Manager’s predictive analytics capabilities allow teams to anticipate issues before they arise. For businesses managing complex cloud environments, DX Infrastructure Manager provides the necessary tools to maintain performance and uptime.
20. Hyperic
Hyperic is known for its ability to monitor cloud resources in real-time. It focuses on performance management, offering detailed metrics on server and application health. The tool integrates with AWS, Google Cloud, and other platforms, providing a unified view of cloud performance.
Hyperic’s ability to scale with growing cloud environments makes it ideal for enterprises. Its focus on performance ensures that applications run smoothly and meet user expectations.
21. Microsoft Cloud Monitoring
Microsoft’s cloud monitoring capabilities are centered around Azure Monitor, which offers real-time insights into infrastructure performance. It monitors everything from virtual machines to containers, ensuring that cloud resources are optimally utilized.
Azure Monitor’s integration with other Microsoft services, such as SQL Server and Active Directory, provides a comprehensive monitoring solution for businesses using Azure. The tool’s alerting system helps teams respond quickly to potential issues.
Monitoring as a Service (MaaS)
Monitoring as a Service (MaaS) offers a cloud-based solution for tracking and managing cloud infrastructure performance. Unlike traditional monitoring tools, MaaS is deployed over the cloud, eliminating the need for on-premise installation. It benefits companies by providing scalability, ease of use, and cost savings.
MaaS integrates with cloud monitoring tools, enabling businesses to monitor their infrastructure, servers, and applications from any location. Its automated alerts and real-time insights ensure that cloud environments remain secure and performant.
What is MaaS vs SaaS?
The key difference between MaaS (Monitoring as a Service) and SaaS (Software as a Service) is in their focus. While SaaS delivers software applications to users over the internet, MaaS focuses on monitoring cloud environments.
MaaS provides real-time analytics, resource monitoring, and system health checks, whereas SaaS applications aim to offer services like CRM or productivity tools. Both models are cloud-based, but MaaS deals directly with infrastructure management, helping to optimize performance, security, and uptime.
What is the Purpose of Cloud Monitoring?
Cloud monitoring aims to track performance, security, and resource usage across cloud environments. It ensures that applications and infrastructure run smoothly, detecting and preventing potential issues. Through tools like AWS monitoring services or GCP monitoring, cloud monitoring allows you to gain full visibility into your systems. The main goals are to improve efficiency, maintain security, and ensure that resources are properly allocated. Monitoring also helps with compliance, as many industries require regular audits of their cloud systems.
What are the Features of MaaS?
MaaS offers several key features, including scalability, ease of deployment, and real-time monitoring. It can scale with your cloud infrastructure, growing or shrinking depending on your resource needs. Automation is another core feature, reducing the need for manual interventions by automatically detecting and addressing performance issues.
MaaS also integrates with multiple cloud platforms like AWS and Google Cloud, offering a unified dashboard for tracking infrastructure health. Tools like Datadog or Dynatrace cloud provide these services, helping companies maintain high-performance cloud systems.
What is MaaS Software?
MaaS software delivers monitoring solutions through a cloud-based platform. These tools provide continuous monitoring and real-time alerts, helping businesses manage their cloud environments more effectively. With MaaS software, you can monitor servers, databases, applications, and networks, all from a single platform.
Tools like LogicMonitor or SolarWinds Cloud Monitoring are excellent examples of MaaS, offering easy deployment, integration with popular cloud platforms, and automated analytics. These solutions are designed to simplify cloud management and improve operational efficiency.
What are the Components of MaaS?
A MaaS solution typically consists of several key components: agents, dashboards, and APIs. Agents are installed on cloud instances to collect data on performance and system health. This data is sent to a central dashboard, where IT teams can monitor everything from CPU usage to network traffic.
Finally, APIs enable integration with other cloud services and monitoring tools. Together, these components ensure that your cloud environment is constantly monitored, alerting your team to any issues that arise.
Cloud Monitoring in AWS
Cloud monitoring in AWS refers to the use of AWS monitoring tools like CloudWatch and AWS Config to track and manage AWS resources. CloudWatch is one of the most widely used tools for monitoring AWS services, offering real-time insights into system performance and uptime. It can track custom metrics, monitor application logs, and send alerts when performance thresholds are breached.
AWS Config complements CloudWatch by tracking configuration changes and ensuring compliance with industry standards. Together, these tools provide comprehensive monitoring of AWS environments.
What is the Difference Between CloudWatch and Cloud Monitoring?
While CloudWatch is a specific AWS tool for monitoring its services, cloud monitoring is a broader concept that covers the tracking of performance, security, and resource usage across various cloud platforms. CloudWatch is best suited for AWS monitoring services, offering deep integration with AWS applications.
In contrast, cloud monitoring might involve multi-cloud tools like Datadog or LogicMonitor, which track resources across multiple cloud providers. The primary distinction is that CloudWatch is AWS-specific, while cloud monitoring can cover hybrid or multi-cloud environments.
What is Cloud Security Monitoring?
Cloud security monitoring involves continuously tracking cloud environments for potential threats, vulnerabilities, or breaches. It combines performance monitoring with real-time alerts to ensure that your cloud infrastructure remains secure.
Tools like Datadog SIEM or AWS security monitoring tools play a vital role in identifying security risks early. By analyzing logs, traffic, and user behavior, cloud security monitoring helps detect unauthorized access or malicious activity. It ensures that your cloud environment adheres to security policies and compliance standards.
What is a Cloud Security Tool?
A cloud security tool is designed to protect cloud infrastructure by identifying vulnerabilities, threats, and misconfigurations. These tools often provide real-time threat detection, intrusion prevention, and incident response capabilities. Examples include Nagios Cloud and SIEM Datadog, which are widely used to monitor cloud environments for security risks.
Cloud security tools also track compliance with security regulations, helping businesses avoid fines or data breaches. They integrate with cloud platforms to provide automated alerts when security risks are detected.
How Do I Monitor Cloud Performance?
Monitoring cloud performance involves tracking various metrics like uptime, latency, and resource usage across your cloud infrastructure. Tools like SolarWinds Cloud or AppDynamics Cloud provide dashboards that display these metrics in real-time. You should focus on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as response time, memory usage, and network throughput.
Performance monitoring tools like AWS CloudWatch or GCP Cloud Monitoring can help you analyze the data, identify performance bottlenecks, and ensure optimal application and network performance.
What is Cloud Control Monitoring?
Cloud control monitoring ensures proper governance, policy adherence, and compliance within cloud environments. It involves tracking user activities, permissions, and configurations to ensure that systems align with security policies. Tools like AWS Config and Azure Policy enable organizations to monitor cloud infrastructure for any misconfigurations or unauthorized changes. Cloud control monitoring helps maintain control over cloud environments, ensuring both security and compliance.
What are the Problems with Cloud Monitoring?
Common challenges in cloud monitoring include handling data overload, managing multiple cloud services, and addressing false alerts. Monitoring vast cloud environments generates an immense amount of data, making it hard to pinpoint critical issues.
Many cloud tools, like multi-cloud monitoring tools, help simplify this process by offering centralized dashboards and automated alerts. However, integrating different platforms like AWS and Google Cloud can be complex. Advanced tools like Datadog Cloud or LogicMonitor address these issues by offering a unified monitoring solution across multiple environments.
How Do We Track Clouds?
Tracking clouds involves using specialized tools to monitor cloud server health, application performance, and network activity. Platforms like Dynatrace Cloud Monitoring and SolarWinds Cloud provide real-time analytics, helping businesses track cloud resources efficiently. By collecting data on uptime, latency, and system health, these tools help optimize performance and resource allocation. The goal is to ensure that your cloud environment runs efficiently and without interruptions.
What are the Parameters of Cloud Monitoring?
Key parameters to monitor in cloud environments include uptime, latency, CPU usage, disk space, and network traffic. These parameters provide insights into how well your cloud infrastructure is performing. Tools like AWS Monitoring Dashboard or Azure Monitor offer real-time views of these metrics. By monitoring these parameters, you can detect and resolve issues before they affect your end users.
What is the Difference Between Cloud Logging and Cloud Monitoring?
Cloud logging involves collecting and storing logs generated by cloud applications and services, while cloud monitoring focuses on tracking performance metrics and system health. Logging tools like Google Cloud Logging help you analyze log data to identify security incidents or system errors.
In contrast, monitoring tools like CloudWatch Monitoring track performance in real-time, allowing you to identify issues before they escalate. Both logging and monitoring are essential for comprehensive cloud management.
How Do I Enable Cloud Monitoring?
Enabling cloud monitoring depends on the platform you are using. On AWS, you can start by enabling CloudWatch Monitoring and configuring metrics for EC2, Lambda, or other AWS services. On Azure, you can use Azure Monitor to track virtual machines and applications.
Google Cloud users can activate GCP Monitoring Tools to monitor cloud resources. For multi-cloud environments, tools like Datadog or LogicMonitor provide centralized monitoring across different platforms. Each tool offers automated alerts, dashboards, and reports to keep your infrastructure optimized.
What is the best tool for monitoring?
The best tool depends on your cloud platform and needs. Datadog and Dynatrace are top choices for multi-cloud environments.
How do I choose a (MaaS)?
Consider your cloud infrastructure, cost, scalability, and ease of use when selecting a monitoring tool.
What are monitoring tools in AWS?
CloudWatch, AWS Config, and AWS X-Ray are some of the leading AWS monitoring tools.
How do I create a Cloud Monitoring as a Service?
You can build custom monitoring tools by utilizing APIs from platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure.
What are the three parts of cloud monitoring?
Cloud monitoring includes performance tracking, security monitoring, and compliance monitoring.
What are the problems with cloud monitoring?
Challenges include data overload, complexity of multi-cloud monitoring, and managing false positives.
Conclusion
Cloud Monitoring as a Service is essential for maintaining performance, security, and compliance in cloud environments. By leveraging the best cloud monitoring tools like Datadog, Dynatrace, or AWS CloudWatch, businesses can ensure optimal system performance and uptime. Continuous monitoring allows IT teams to address potential issues before they impact users, reducing downtime and improving user satisfaction. Embracing tools that offer scalability, automation, and multi-cloud capabilities ensures that your business stays ahead in the competitive digital landscape.
Nasir H is a business consultant and researcher of Artificial Intelligence. He has completed his bachelor’s and master’s degree in Management Information Systems. Moreover, the writer is 15 years of experienced writer and content developer on different technology topics. He loves to read, write and teach critical technological applications in an easier way. Follow the writer to learn the new technology trends like AI, ML, DL, NPL, and BI.