Net/Systems Management /

Simplifying ERP application management

By Barb Goldworm
Network World on Network/Systems Management, 12/15/99

Several weeks ago I wrote about how some network management products overwhelm network managers with data - becoming part of the problem instead of solving the problems. Unfortunately, data overload isn't just limited to network management. Just as network management products are branching out into application management, so is the data overload problem. Whether the more traditional network management products are looking into applications, (e.g., NetScout and AppScout, INS and VitalSigns, ProactiveNet, Nextpoint) or the application management products are looking at the network as part of Service Level Management, (e.g., Luminate and Envive from an ERP perspective) data overload is one of the common pitfalls.

I continue to hear stories from users who, having already purchased some number of application and network management products, are still looking for a product to give them the executive look at the entire health of the enterprise computing environment. They can get lots of data, from some number of independent consoles, but they can't get the high-level information they want.

One user (a household name and major SAP shop) talked to me about how well Luminate has listened to its customers and delivered an intuitive solution that provides information. With 20 SAP systems, 9,000 users and 80 sites worldwide, it's easy to understand why a high-level view of overall health would be important. This user has a variety of tools installed, including SAP CCMS and BMC Patrol, along with numerous products within Luminate's suite (this user also evaluated Envive, but that was several years ago).
The solution for this user is a new product from Luminate called MAMBA, which is being given away at no charge. But price clearly wasn't the main reason this user is going with MAMBA. Like the products I mentioned in my previous column on network management products, MAMBA provides a nice at-a-glance view of the overall health of SAP R/3, with easy drill-down and an overall comfortable look and feel. And it allows one console to look across multiple systems with easy access through the Web.

While this user feels that MAMBA is "an incredible first effort," there is a feeling that there are some things missing. The user is hoping that MAMBA II will start to make the shift from monitoring-only into active management, and allow actions such as setting thresholds and resetting alerts, and forming a tighter integration with CCMS. If these types of functions are implemented with the same ease-of-use as the functions in the initial release, MAMBA may cause some companies to re-evaluate their current tools.

Interestingly, with all the network products moving into the application space, the application monitors can now also help find the network problems. Users initially wouldn't think of products such as Luminate for use in looking at the network. But in time, once they understand the applications and the database issues, the most frequent problems are the network. Since the network is required for the success of the application, it becomes part of the problem to those charged with application management. Products such as Luminate can give the high-level look at overall health, but can also start the drill-down to find where the network could be causing problems.

With network and application management inextricably linked, they can easily fall prey to the same potential problems. For ERP, Luminate's MAMBA is an example of how to provide information, rather than being a culprit responsible for data overload.