Compuware retools apps-monitoring software

by Ann Sullivan

April 23, 2001 —

Compuware next month will announce a new release of its performance management
software that promises to help users root out application service problems.

The company says its EcoSystems suite of tools for managing, monitoring and
reporting on application service levels will help enterprise customers keep
key applications up and running smoothly. In Version 2.0, Compuware is adding
to its existing network and server monitoring functions the ability to measure
end-user application response time, so IT managers can gauge the level of service
they are delivering to their users. In addition, the suite includes an upgraded
Web console that can combine data from multiple Compuware tools.

Three of the six tools in EcoSystems 2.0 perform continuous performance monitoring
from different vantage points: EcoTools, which sits on a central Windows NT
or 2000 server and monitors databases and servers through remote agents that
reside on NT, Unix or Novell servers; EcoScope, which is managed from a Windows
console and keeps tabs on network resources and availability though probes that
monitor LAN and WAN traffic; and Interval Pro, which measures end-user response
time through a central Win 2000 console and performance agents that are installed
on users' desktops. The Interval Pro agents track performance and report problems
such as application failures or protracted transaction times that exceed established
service-level thresholds.

The addition of Interval Pro to the EcoSystems 2.0 lineup lets network professionals
see how an application is performing from an end user's machine. The ability
to measure end-user response time is something that was missing in previous
versions of the EcoSystems suite, according to Jean-Pierre Garbani, senior industry
analyst at Giga Information Group. With the upgrade, Garbani says Compuware
is set to compete with performance monitoring players including BMC, Lucent
and Concord Communications.

Also included in the EcoSystems 2.0 suite are upgraded versions of three tools
Compuware obtained through acquisitions. EcoPredictor, a capacity planning tool
gained in Compuware's 1999 acquisition of CACI, predicts an application's effect
on a network prior to deployment and as its usage grows. Application Expert,
won through Compuware's July purchase of Optimal Networks, predicts application
performance in real-world network conditions. Application Vantage, another Optimal
gain, takes a snapshot of a transaction - such as a Web page request - and traces
application bottlenecks to clients, servers or the network.

EcoChannel is the Web console that ties all the data together. In EcoSystems
2.0, EcoChannel will be able to incorporate data from Interval Pro, EcoScope
and EcoTools. Previously, only data from EcoScope was reported.

EcoSystems 2.0 is expected to ship in July. The components are priced individually,
but will be packaged on a single CD. Interval Pro pricing begins at $25,000;
EcoScope is $19,000; EcoTools is $695 per server; EcoPredictor is $27,500; Application
Expert is $20,000; and Application Vantage is $35,000. There is no charge for
EcoChannel.

Network World