The document discusses how application-aware network performance management can help businesses in today's digital economy. It highlights factors like increasing traffic, cloud computing, and mobility that are stressing networks. Traditional network monitoring tools do not provide end-to-end visibility into application performance. Riverbed's Cascade solution bridges this gap with deep packet inspection and analytics. The document shares customer cases where Cascade improved visibility, support for initiatives, and reduced IT costs.
6. Factors Affecting Application Performance
CLOUD
SaaS
DATA CENTERS
REMOTE USERS INTERNET
BRANCHES
WAN ADC
Virtualization
Optimization
Applications Don’t Run in a Vacuum
Increasing globalization – Users expect consistent, reliable experience wherever they reside
Loss of control
• More & different types of apps sharing same resources
• New infrastructure not controlled by network team
Loss of visibility – Site-to-site (MPLS), local Internet & SaaS / cloud traffic; new infrastructure
The fundamental problems that we are addressing are the explosive growth of IP traffic, which is threatening to overwhelm the current network infrastructure and the need to move or evolve to IP centric networks.There are more devices (think about things like smartphones, iPads, but also RFID sensors), applications and digital content (often video-based) than ever before. Consumers and businesses want their data on demand - real time, on any device, in any location.In this rapidly changing market landscape, data centers have become the cornerstone of business, required to support the need for new and flexible service delivery models and the enablement of entirely new web based businesses.Which means the need for high performance networking has never been greater.We believe that leading organizations understand these challenges – it is probably one of the key reasons why you are here today – and that network investment will be shaped by a New Normal – the need to reconcile the fall-out of the economic crisis and ever increasing demands on the network.
Worldwide revenue from public IT cloud services exceeded $21.5 billion in 2010 and will reach $72.9 billion in 2015
As we saw from the top IT initiatives from previous slide – companies are investing in cloud, virtualization and consolidation. In many cases the savings and efficiency gains from consolidation and virtualization are funding the business needs of the cloud and on-demand services. Apps are now front and center and application monitoring is as well. IT managers need to go from reactive to proactive, from defense to offense. There are lots of new technology – like application delivery controllers or load balancers, virtualization, cloud, VoIP, etc. – that business managers love because they enable flexibility, resiliency and cost savings. But the loss of control with the new technology can cause visibility black holes that can give the IT operations team headaches because they lack the necessary information to effectively monitor and troubleshoot performance issues. It is not easy and is a challenge for IT teams whose role is changing. Often the problem is corporations are using 21st century technology, which causes 21st century problems, but IT operations is using old technology. Technology such as SNMP-based device or fault monitoring, that monitors the network infrastructure, rather than how business services are performing over the network, or they use inefficient bottoms-up troubleshooting solutions that either take an interface-by-interface or packet-by-packet approach to monitoring and troubleshooting, which is tedious and time consuming.
Lots of things can affect application performance – poorly performing databases, load balancers, web or application servers, the network – the list is long. Well, applications don’t run in a vacuum and when business-critical applications fail, the consequences can be serious. Revenue can be lost, brands can be irreparably damaged, and customers can switch to the competition. End users demand and expect a consistent, reliable and acceptable experienceWorkforce, customers increasing globalApps: Cloud, VDI, etc.Infrastructure: virtualization, load balancers, WAN opt, BYoDBecause the network is the backplane of a distributed application, it provides the best combined breadth and depth into application performance, as well as visibility into the relationship between infrastructure and applications. In short, application-aware network performance management is really about monitoring and troubleshooting application performance and the network provides the optimal starting point for application triage.
To stay in sync with the business and other infrastructure enhancements, networking teams need to spend less time on manual day-to-day operations.The network manager’s role must evolve to take control of network management issues around optimization of user experience. They must work with their colleagues to design an architecture that meshes with other infrastructure components (servers, phones, wireless) and connect networking technology decisions with the broader user experience picture. the infrastructure needs to be more self-sufficient, industrialized, and automated so that as demands change, the network responds automatically.Often the problem is corporations are using 21st century technology, which causes 21st century problems, but IT operations is using old technology. Technology such as SNMP-based device or fault monitoring, that monitors the network infrastructure, rather than how business services are performing over the network, or they use inefficient bottoms-up troubleshooting solutions that either take an interface by interface or packet-by-packet approach to troubleshooting, which is tedious and time consuming.
Network isn’t viewed as business-critical resourceNPM focuses on device or fault monitoring, making sure devices and interfaces are running.APM monitors from a server/software perspective. It Monitors applications from a business transaction perspective and responsiveness from the end user experienceOften involves monitoring at the web server, database, app server, message queue, or caching components levelCommonly focuses on web applications written to JEE and Microsoft .NET platforms Is used to isolate causes for common issues such as application exceptions, stalled transactions, and lower-level issues such as incorrect data valuesOne key consideration often left out of application performance management projects is the fact that while applications are a critical focal point, their behavior is wholly reliant upon the network. Network isn’t viewed as business-critical resource yet the network is the backplane of a distributed application, providingthe best combined breadth and depth into application performance, as well as visibility into the relationship between infrastructure and applications. In short, application-aware network performance management is really about monitoring and troubleshooting application performance and the network provides the optimal starting point for application triage.
In short, application-aware network performance management is really about monitoring and troubleshooting application performance and the network provides the optimal starting point for application triage.The network provides the best vantage point to monitor changeBest combined breadth & depth into application performanceVisibility into the relationship between network, infrastructure and applicationsKey starting point for application troubleshootingApp-Aware NPM focuses on monitoring applications from the network perspective.Is used to isolate where the problem is end-to -end, to identify whether the issue lies with the network, user or serverProvides deep-dive information on application performance on the network, such as utilization, retransmits, overloaded servers, etc.Provides network relevant information such as high latency links, QoS stripping, poor routing, interface congestion, etc.Also supports full packet capture for offline retrospective analysis. This retrospective analysis lets operators drill down to examine a unique transaction – approaching, but not reaching, “classic” APM functionality.Cascade provides a combination of NPM and APM capabilities:Service monitoringBehavioral analyticsDependency mapping The ability of Cascade to give IT and network managers the power to quickly and holistically view the network is demonstrating a clear return on investment. In particular, the proficiency of the Cascade solution to facilitate high-profile revenue-generating projects and manage risk while furthering network efficiencies is of great value. In addition, bringing strategic clarity to WAN optimization projects will continue to drive Cascade deployments. IDC believes a holistic systems-based approach to network visibility is required to deliver a reliable, secure, and cost-efficient network experience.
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