As MSPs seek to extend from server monitoring to cloud services monitoring, new tools and options seemingly pop up daily. Among the latest moves: AppDynamics has further bolstered its application performance monitoring (APM) platform for Microsoft Azure cloud customers.
Over time, AppDynamics will more deeply integrate with Microsoft's own Azure Monitoring and Azure Resource Manager offerings. The result: Customers will gain deep "visibility up and down the application stack, including all Azure resources correlated with the application experience and the business results they support. This integration will be enabled through a simple template that will be available to customers via one-click access in Azure Marketplace," the two companies said. AppDynamics didn't announce exact availability or pricing for those services.
APM for MSPs & Service Providers: Emerging Options
This should be a busy week for APM-oriented tools and technologies. Two major customer conferences -- New Relic FutureStack 2016 and AppDynamics AppSphere 2016 -- are kicking off now in San Francisco and Las Vegas, respectively.
APM certainly isn't a new market but it is evolving rapidly. During the client-server age, tools like Wily Technologies (acquired by CA Technologies in 2006) emerged to help customers optimize the on-premises applications and databases. Wily veterans ultimately went on to launch both AppDynamics and New Relic. Web-scale APM tools for cloud and modern enterprise applications soon emerged.
APM presents multiple opportunities for the channel. Resellers can promote APM into corporate IT departments. And MSPs can consume APM to manage their own applications or to monitor and optimize customer applications.
True believers include DIRECTV, eHarmony, Kraft, MTV Networks, NASDAQ, Pearson, Progressive Insurance and Sephora -- each of which have embraced AppDynamics, the company says.
APM vs. RMM for MSPs
While RMM (remote monitoring and management) software helps MSPs to remotely maintain servers and desktops, APM tools allow service providers and customers to dive into application code -- pinpointing areas where further code optimization can boost performance.
ChannelE2E will be on hand for New Relic FutureStack 2016 starting Wednesday, and we'll continue to remotely track AppDynamics AppSphere as well. And don't be surprised if some APM and cloud monitoring milestones also emerge this week during CA World 2016 in Las Vegas and Kaseya Connect EMEA in Spain.
