---
title: "How to choose | Grafana Labs"
description: "Decision framework for choosing the right database monitoring approach"
---

> For a curated documentation index, see [llms.txt](/llms.txt). For the complete documentation index, see [llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt).

## Start with your database technology

The right approach depends on what database you’re running and what you need to see.

| Your database                                | Recommended approach       | Why                                                                     |
|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| MySQL or PostgreSQL                          | **Database Observability** | Deepest visibility: query-level performance, explain plans, wait events |
| MongoDB, Redis, Memcached, Cassandra, Oracle | **Integration**            | Health metrics with pre-built dashboards and alerts                     |
| MySQL or PostgreSQL                          | **Integration**            | Basic health metrics when Database Observability isn’t an option        |

## Decision framework

1. **Is your database MySQL or PostgreSQL?** → Start with Database Observability. It gives you the deepest visibility available.
2. **Is your database supported by an integration?** → Use an integration. You get health metrics, pre-built dashboards, and alerts with minimal setup.

## Managed databases are supported

Database Observability works with the following self-managed databases and managed cloud services:

- Amazon RDS and Aurora
- Google Cloud SQL
- Azure Database for MySQL and PostgreSQL