What is the recommended approach for tracking requests from a specific IP address in a Google Cloud setup with minimal operational overhead?

The recommended approach of configuring the Ops Agent with a logging receiver and creating a logs-based metric is effective for tracking requests from a specific IP address due to its low operational overhead and native integration with Google Cloud services. This method leverages existing logging capabilities without requiring extensive custom development or manual processes.

By using the Ops Agent, it collects logs automatically from the services running on your Google Cloud environment, minimizing the need to set up additional scripts or change the application code. Creating a logs-based metric allows you to track specific events (in this case, requests from the specified IP address) directly from the logs, enabling real-time monitoring and alerting through Cloud Monitoring. This approach aligns well with best practices by providing a scalable and manageable solution that utilizes built-in tools, reducing the need for ongoing maintenance or monitoring complexity.

In contrast, the other options involve more manual intervention or higher operational complexity. For example, scraping web server logs through a script requires a custom solution that might involve ongoing maintenance and could be prone to errors. Similarly, updating the application to export metrics adds coding overhead and requires that any changes be deployed and managed within the software lifecycle. Configuring the Ops Agent with a metrics receiver, while useful, does not specifically address log-based metrics, which are