When discussing software application monitoring, it’s important to recognize the wide range of applications in use. The term “application” is broad and encompasses complex entities, often composed of multiple interacting subsystems (services), which can be fully automated or involve human interaction. In this context, “application” refers to web applications, including traditional interactive and AJAX-based applications; application servers like WebSphere, JBoss, and Zope; database servers; and enterprise resource planning systems such as SAP ERP. Comprehensive application monitoring requires oversight of all its subsystems. Determining an application’s health and proper function relies on analyzing the many services it depends on or comprises. Uninterrupted application operation necessitates automated monitoring. Manual monitoring is impractical due to the sheer volume of data sources and conditions to check. Only automated solutions, like IPNetwork Monitor, can effectively manage this complexity, revealing potential or hidden issues. Prompt notification of faults, inefficiencies, and other anomalies is crucial. Responsible personnel must be alerted proactively, before customers report malfunctions or downtime. Swiftly addressing these situations is equally important. Monitors should focus on vital system components, alerting about potential service disruptions. Many applications undergo constant development or frequent upgrades. Developers and support staff need notification about detected inefficiencies, bugs, and other problems. Periodic monitor reports are essential for tracking resource usage trends over time. Consider an application using a database server, a web server, and a multimedia streaming server. Available network monitor types include TCP, UDP, HTTP, database monitors, Web Transaction Monitors, and SNMP Traps. A TCP monitor verifies basic service (protocol) availability by attempting a port connection. This fundamental check should be a dependency for more complex monitors, preventing their execution if the service is unavailable. A UDP monitor serves a similar purpose to TCP monitors. UDP is common in media streaming applications to minimize the overhead of TCP-based protocols, accepting the possibility of some data loss. An HTTP monitor checks for a specific URL, including content and response codes. It’s a prerequisite (dependency) for Web Transaction Monitors and suitable for simple, one-step checks without complex user interaction. A database monitor, such as an Oracle monitor, verifies database engine availability and executes queries to check specific conditions. In database-driven applications, these monitors are essential. A Web Transaction Monitor extends HTTP monitoring by simulating user actions (opening web pages, filling forms, submitting data). This is valuable when authentication or data submission is required to access certain pages. An SNMP Traps monitor provides real-time alerts, triggering a specified program or script when certain conditions are met. By defining any monitored SNMP value as the output of a program, SNMP Traps facilitate immediate alerts for anomalies. Using email and alternative alerts, this monitor type ensures rapid notification. The specific monitors needed depend on the application and its services. Defining an optimal monitor set is challenging, even with knowledge of the underlying application. [interfaces_screenshot]

IPNetwork Monitor 1.0 build 141 of March 11, 2024. File size: 112MB