Which service helps monitor AWS cloud resources and applications in real time?

The service that helps monitor AWS cloud resources and applications in real-time is AWS CloudWatch. This service is designed to collect and track metrics, gather and monitor log files, and set alarms. By using CloudWatch, you can gain insights into your resource utilization, application performance, and operational health. The ability to visualize metrics and logs allows users to respond proactively to changes in their AWS environment, ensuring applications run smoothly and efficiently.

CloudWatch also integrates with other AWS services, enabling automatic scaling in response to demand changes or triggering actions based on specific events. This real-time monitoring capability is crucial for maintaining optimal performance and uptime of applications hosted in the AWS cloud, making it the most suitable choice compared to other services listed.

AWS Config primarily focuses on resource inventory, configuration history, and configuration change notifications. It tracks configurations but does not provide the real-time monitoring capabilities that CloudWatch offers. AWS CloudTrail, on the other hand, records API calls made on your account for auditing purposes, but it does not monitor resource performance or application health in real-time. Lastly, AWS Inspector is a security assessment service that helps improve the security and compliance of applications, but does not serve the primary function of monitoring resource performance or trends in real-time like CloudWatch.