Application Performance Management – Taking out the garbage

Application Performance Management is like taking out the garbage.

Actually, it’s more like my son taking out the garbage: It’s his chore; he knows it’s full, he can see that it’s full, he waits anyway, he’s preoccupied. There are “more important things” on his mind.  (Sounds like your System and Business Administration priorities, doesn’t it?  And rightly so!)  Sometimes I’m tempted to just let it overflow because I need him to notice what is required. But we both know that won’t fix the problem:

Nobody likes to take out the garbage!

So while he’s mid-stride through the kitchen, a sandwich in one hand, phone in the other, and tunes in his head, Management has to step in and say, “Hey, buddy, this here’s a problem for all of us.” 

To which he turns and says to me in his best Keanu Reaves…

     “Dude, Garbage Collection is something we should automate.  I mean… Where’s the App for that??”

Which is kind of like saying, “Where’s the beef?!”  He’s going to be out of the house soon, but he’s right in such a big way that I take out the garbage.

Then, I do the research on software and see that there are several companies out there that offer really slick Application Performance Management solutions, most of them with Big Dollar Digital Readouts.

But they’re ALL Monitoring software.  Someone still has to do the WORK!

So really… Where’s the beef?!

Take out garbage cartoon

Managing the Garbage Collection configuration of your Enterprise Applications is not as easy as you’d think. In fact, there are quite a few performance drivers associated with Garbage Collection problems. Chances are, it’s not simply your settings. You likely have system issues causing those frustrating memory pile-ups and spill-overs.  Bob Sindelar of Eccellent Solutions has a companion piece to this post that goes into more of the details of managing garbage collection at the system level, but here are a few of the problems it can cause:

  • Prioritization issues

  • Consumption issues

  • Throughput issues

  • Capacity issues

  • Latency issues

  • Something is just not right

We can help you with that.

The process of resolving Garbage Collection symptoms is bottom-up.  Take a look at the system configuration across performance requirements, and against a list of key variables.

  • Evaluate the standard variables for Throughput, Latency, and Footprint.
  • Trace upstream and downstream through various inputs and outputs.
  • Evaluate the potential impact of upgrade and update projects you’re considering.
  • Consider your goals and timelines.

Then… think like an expert.

Wrap an SLA around it.  Side-step the expensive applications of the Smart Software Companies.  Take the load off your expensive captive System and Business Administration resources.  Work with a service provider who can get you to the right configuration and manage it as a service.  Then, turn all of your resources toward Product Development, ERP Performance, MES, SCM, etc.  Focus on the Product Engineering priorities your software is there to enable.  You’ll hit your goals and you’ll save money.

We can help you with that.

Product is great, but service is King.

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