Don't assume application performance problems are always network-related

Wide Area Networking This newsletter is sponsored by Breakout Software Comprehensive, Scalable and Affordable Server & Infrastructure Device Monitoring System MonitorIT is designed for Small-Medium Businesses and Managed Services Providers with a scalable monitoring system for Windows and Linux/Unix servers, and Syslog and SNMP monitoring for network devices such as Firewalls, Routers and Switches. This White Paper will take you through all of the important information that you need to decide if you should evaluate MonitorIT as a suitable and affordable monitoring system for your business. Network World's Wide Area Networking Newsletter, 06/26/07 Don’t assume application performance problems are always network-related By Steve Taylor and Jim Metzler As noted in the last newsletter, the Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) of application performance issues can be quite lengthy. One of the factors is that the issues are often improperly diagnosed. In particular, in many IT organizations, if an application is performing badly the general assumption is that the WAN is the cause. However, our research indicates that in only a minority of cases is the WAN at fault. We discussed this issue with a network engineer for a financial services organization. He stated that in his last company, 90% of issues were originally identified as being network problems even though the reality was that only 10% of issues were network related. He pointed out that such false assumptions increase the amount of time it takes to accurately diagnose the problem. He recommended that when a problem is called into the help desk the caller should be encouraged to describe the symptoms of the problem in detail, and not just what they think the source of the problem is. In a previous newsletter we discussed some of the reasons why traditional fault management was easier than application management and used the example of a defective interface on a router. Sticking with that example, another one of the reasons why fault management is easier than application management is because once it is determined that a given interface on a router is defective, the remedy is obvious – replace the interface. Manage Skyrocketing Storage The data on your network is growing at a rapid pace thats only going to increase. Download Network Worlds latest Executive Guide and get the practical, real-world advice and insider information you need to best manage and meet your storage demands and industry regulations. Click here to download. Once the source of the application degradation has been identified, the solution is not necessarily quite so obvious. For example, consider the situation in which the IT organization has determined that the source of the application performance issue is the application itself. In particular, the application was written in such a way that it performs badly over the WAN. If the application was developed internally, then perhaps some future revision of the software will run better over the WAN. While the same could be said for software that is acquired externally, it is highly likely that the IT organization that is trying to make the application run better has little influence over an outside supplier. In that case the IT organization is stuck with trying to implement a workaround and hoping that it will eliminate most if not all of the application degradation. We will come back to the topic of the MTTR application performance in future newsletters.   What do you think? Post a comment on this newsletter

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Contact the author: Steve Taylor is president of Distributed Networking Associates and publisher/editor-in-chief of Webtorials. For more detailed information on most of the topics discussed in this newsletter, connect to Webtorials, the premier site for Web-based educational presentations, white papers, and market research. Taylor can be reached at taylor@webtorials.com Jim Metzler is the Vice President of Ashton, Metzler & Associates, a consulting organization that focuses on leveraging technology for business success. Jim assists vendors to refine product strategies, service providers to deploy technologies and services, and enterprises evolve their network infrastructure. He can be reached via e-mail. This newsletter is sponsored by Breakout Software Comprehensive, Scalable and Affordable Server & Infrastructure Device Monitoring System MonitorIT is designed for Small-Medium Businesses and Managed Services Providers with a scalable monitoring system for Windows and Linux/Unix servers, and Syslog and SNMP monitoring for network devices such as Firewalls, Routers and Switches. This White Paper will take you through all of the important information that you need to decide if you should evaluate MonitorIT as a suitable and affordable monitoring system for your business. ARCHIVE Archive of the Wide Area Networking Newsletter. BONUS FEATURE IT PRODUCT RESEARCH AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Get detailed information on thousands of products, conduct side-by-side comparisons and read product test and review results with Network World’s IT Buyer’s Guides. Find the best solution faster than ever with over 100 distinct categories across the security, storage, management, wireless, infrastructure and convergence markets. Click here for details. PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered to your inbox each day. Extend your knowledge with a print subscription to the Network World newsweekly, Apply here today. International subscribers, click here. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World newsletter, change your e-mail address or contact us, click here. This message was sent to: networking.world@gmail.com. Please use this address when modifying your subscription. Advertising information: Write to Associate Publisher Online Susan Cardoza Network World, Inc., 118 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772 Copyright Network World, Inc., 2007