Abstract: The definition of the word “application” is exceedingly broad and defined differently in a wide variety of contexts. Often, the only trait “applications” have in common is the fact that they are created from software code and designed to perform a discrete task or set of tasks. For example, in the network management space, File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is considered an “application.” In the desktop space, Microsoft Word and Virtual Private Network (VPN) software are “applications.” On a mobile device, an application can be either a tiny native “app” running on the device or a traditional web application running on a mobile browser. To complicate matters even further, for both the native app and the web application, the user interface may be just the tip of the iceberg. Both may well front a massive enterprise resource planning (ERP) system consisting of hundreds of application modules and thousands of functions—yet both the app and the ERP system are often described as “applications.” This diversity can be extremely confusing when attempting to navigate the sea of application performance management (APM) products currently in the marketplace. Often, different APM solutions are designed to support specific application types, and it can be frustrating and time consuming to search for the one product that best meets a buyer's specific requirements. This chapter discusses the challenges inherent in managing distributed, component-based applications. These complex application types include most custom applications and, increasingly, microservice- and application programming interface–based applications as well. They can also include services built over service-oriented architecture, hybrid applications executing across on-premises and public cloud, and even complex web applications. All traverse multiple infrastructure elements, software components, network segments, and/or platforms during end-to-end execution. The growth of these types of applications creates a level of complexity that makes enterprise-grade APM solutions essential to day-to-day application support. Without automated toolsets, it is extremely difficult to ensure the quality of complex application systems or to mitigate the support costs, skill levels, and workforce effort relating to their management.
Publication Year: 2017
Publication Date: 2017-01-01
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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