Application Monitoring For Improved Application Performance

Application monitoring and application performance management is relevant to most businesses today, and with good reason.

Profitability is the watchword for every business, regardless of industry. For businesses engaged in service-focused work, efficiency of applications, their monitoring and performance is of special importance. Regular application monitoring and maintenance for ensuring sound performance is a necessary ingredient for maintaining smooth operations.

As of now, there are many diverse kinds of enterprise applications globally; there are an equally large number of updates taking place for all these applications. If adequate application monitoring and resulting repairs are not undertaken for these, it can have a direct bearing on performance of these applications too.

When conducted well application monitoring can provide pointers to the application's health and boost its performance; thus helping services perform better, overall. Regardless of the industry, an application that performs well leads to better end-user experience and ultimately results in optimal utilization of time and resources.

What kinds of applications need monitoring for performance?

Any business that needs to have its applications performing consistently well needs sound monitoring and regular maintenance checks for optimal performance. Such businesses will need to ensure that their servers regularly clock high uptimes with reduced interruptions or problems. Further, an interruption for some applications can often mean starting at the beginning. This leads to loss of time; and users can lose interest in the application, especially in the case of commercial applications.

To prevent such losses in productivity, applications should be studied and regular monitoring carried out for the servers, the database, web and cloud services, if applicable, and virtual monitoring, ideally to ensure high performance.

Consistent application monitoring ensures troubleshooting and maintenance of operations while also highlighting trouble areas or inconsistencies in performance. This in turn, allows application managers and the technical workforce to run repairs and conduct maintenance checks in a more systematic and informed manner. For applications that are used commercially, this also helps keep a check on the end user experience and its improvement.

Thankfully, good application monitoring and application performance monitoring systems are available easily. These can be of several types, depending on the requirements of the business. The ideal enterprise application monitoring systems are those that can test and check performance end to end. A good monitoring system will test performances for IT enterprise applications, including end to end performance and compliance with the service level agreement.

Application monitoring can extend to transaction monitoring, real-time alerts, application availability, and more; all functions related to testing the performance.

Further, for applications supporting a large user base, a single-point monitor works better at monitoring it and mapping application performance. Such solutions are better because they do not disrupt user sessions. Repairs as indicated by performance reports, can also be conducted without interruptions in user interface or without impacting user-friendliness.

About the Author:

Tevron develops and delivers powerful and comprehensive Application Monitoring Solutions, Service Level Agreement, Application Performance, IT Services Management and Automated Testing Solutions available globally. Tevron has also successfully delivered enterprise Application Monitoring Solutions and Testing solutions to support every IT enterprise application to hundreds of customers across the globe. Tevron focuses on solutions that are scalable, flexible, and easy to maintain; they are also designed to support diverse environments, business processes and applications with a service oriented management.

Optimum IT Service Management

IT services management is a high-level security application used for ensuring that IT applications are working at their optimum levels. Good application performance monitoring and IT service management go hand-in-hand. Seen in this light, one cannot have effective IT services management without first ensuring end-to-end monitoring.

IT services management tool focuses on process and application interfaces more from the perspective of the user, than from the perspective of the technology professional or the vendor. IT services management focuses instead on how to interface hardcore IT processes with business needs and preferences.

Thus, IT services management is concerned with the operational part of activities related to IT, instead of IT architecture or processes. IT services management will thus take into account customer concerns and expectations. IT services management will also analyze whether processes are meeting these expectations or not.

Intersection with business objectives

Due to its role as a means or instrument that enforces or enables IT intent and goals, IT Services Management intersects or overlaps more with non-hardcore IT disciplines. As such, it works in close sync with management of business services as well as IT planning and management. The significance of effective IT services management lies in its ability to assess whether business objectives are being met or not, and whether end-user expectations and experience is favorable.

IT operations and service management of IT operations do not encompass IT project management. But financial controls for IT services may fall under the purview of IT services management.

The ideal IT services management tool:

> focuses on processes more from the user's perspective
> monitors the end-user experience
> monitors enforcement of Service Level Agreement (SLA)
> undertakes creating SLAs and also
> monitors whether the IT services are meeting business needs and metrics or not
> monitors and assesses whether a particular application needs troubleshooting or no; in case it needs some repairing, end-to-end monitoring can help raise an alert
> identifies and quarantines performance-related issues such that they can be dealt with before it starts affecting end-user experience
> also undertakes action to restore performance levels before it affects user experience
> assesses and reviews performance of any new application or process such that it can be calibrated to meet business metrics and performance expectations
> is able to review application processes and software such that performance-related decisions can be taken
> undertakes real time management for client-centric businesses

For most businesses that are poised to take a leap into the next level, it is best to invest in complete IT services management solutions that enable effective customer service and alignment with business goals and delivery commitments. A sound management system will not only keep a watch on performance, it will also ensure improved service delivery and enforcement of best practices.

About the Author:

Tevron develops and delivers powerful and comprehensive Application Monitoring Solutions, Service Level Agreement, End to End Performance, IT Services Management and Automated Testing Solutions available globally. Tevron has also successfully delivered enterprise Application Monitoring Solutions and Testing solutions to support every IT enterprise application to hundreds of customers across the globe. Tevron focuses on solutions that are scalable, flexible, and easy to maintain; they are also designed to support diverse environments, business processes and applications with a service oriented management.

Service Level Agreement And Its Significance

A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is an important document that records specifics of a deliverable or project from inception to end.

Service Level Agreements are significant sources of data and information, including keeping track of goals met and conditions not fulfilled. An SLA is a necessary component in cases where critical projects and final-stage deliverables are handed over to an external vendor.

While drafting an SLA might be more of a norm than exception, when you draft a Service Level Agreement, you set down rules that determine how work will be measured and performance be monitored nd measured. Further, SLA will also eventually determine the quality of services provided by the vendor.

Why do I need one?

It's a good idea to create a Service Level Agreement because it does not leave anything to chance or expectations. An SLA brings together parties involved in an agreement, outlining details involving work, resources and deadlines. Typically, an SLA will outline in writing the expectations and the responsibilities of both parties. Thus, while the party that needs the work done has a clear idea of what it will be receiving, while the vendor or party that will execute the project provides the customer with a true estimate of its capabilities.

In this manner, the expectations of services and work to be received are legally bound and no longer open to individual interpretation. Thus, one party cannot tell the other that it is not doing work properly, or that work is not going as per schedule. In terms of high-value contracts, where significant amounts of money change hands, an SLA can prevent miscommunication and misunderstanding. Thus, a Service Level Agreement protects the interests of involved parties in the agreement.

Elements of a Service Level Agreement

Typically, an SLA will contain two kinds of elements: the service element and the management element. Service elements include:

- Availability and provision of customer requirements. In the case of a particular service being unavailable, the vendor may propose an alternate, which can then be assessed for feasibility

- Costs for different services and requests

- Deadline and timeframe for processing the request is also part of the SLA

- Outlining troubleshooting or steps to be taken in case of requirements not being met

Management elements include:

- Clearly defined procedures and processes, including mutually agreed-upon methods

- A dispute-resolution process in the case of conflict

- A clause that provides protection from third-party litigation that may arise out of failure to adhere to agreement

About the Author:

Tevron develops and delivers powerful and comprehensive Application Monitoring Solutions, Service Level Agreement, End to End Performance, and Automated Testing Solutions available globally. One of it's solutions, APM solution, addresses Service Level Agreement enforcement for all applications in an organization. APM solution also helps to regularize SLA reporting. Tevron's solutions are scalable, flexible, and easy to maintain; they are also designed to support diverse environments, business processes and applications with a service oriented management.