Combining Grafana and InfluxDB Cloud provides a powerful tool for real-time data monitoring and alerting, enabling users to effectively monitor their data and respond quickly to potential discrepancies or anomalies. The platforms offer an efficient, scalable, and customizable solution that allows users to visualize their data and set up alerts using the Flight SQL plugin. With Telegraf installed on a machine, users can write CPU metrics to InfluxDB Cloud and query and visualize data with Grafana. To set up an alert in Grafana, users must first configure the Flight SQL plugin, add a new rule, select a condition for the alert, and create a threshold. The alert evaluation behavior and contact points can also be configured, allowing users to test their alerts and verify that they are receiving notifications. Overall, this combination of platforms offers a robust solution for real-time data monitoring and alerting.