Tools Promise Smarter Problem Solving

A bevy of testing and performance monitoring vendors are following networking giants to NetWorld+Interop in Las Vegas this week with advancements that promise faster and more intelligent problem solving.

Noteworthy offerings will come from companies such as Compuware Corp., F5 Networks Inc. and Mercury Interactive Corp.

Compuware will show its EcoScope 4.3, which includes features for testing server-based application delivery software from Citrix Systems Inc.

Citrix presented unique testing challenges with its ability to move from port to port, according to a Compuware spokesman in Farmington Hills, Mich. EcoScope 4.3 offers the ability to follow and collect all the Citrix traffic. The new version will cost about $19,000.

In upcoming versions, Compuware will include better extraction of reporting data and integration with Microsoft Corp.s .Net products. The latter will probably coincide with Microsofts introduction of more .Net offerings early next year, officials said.

Seattle-based F5 will launch Version 4.0 of its flagship Big-IP product, with improved Web acceleration and server load balancing features, officials said. The products improved content switching functions will help cut bandwidth use by about 20 percent.

Mercurys products will conduct performance testing for Web-based applications. Specifically, a component called TwinLook will enable administrators to instantly reconstruct problem Web pages. In addition, there are components—dubbed Applications Infrastructure Monitors—for the Sunnyvale, Calif., companys Topaz suite, officials said.

These modules measure specific performance metrics such as the average number of active transactions, the transactions processed and the number of active Enterprise JavaBeans. The results can then be applied to monitoring such products as IBMs WebSphere and BEA Systems Inc.s WebLogic servers, officials said.

In addition to releasing creative products, however, such companies need to gain a better understanding of how their laboratory roots apply to the overall business landscape, said International Data Corp. analyst Paul Bugala, in Framingham, Mass.

"Whats always important with testing tends to be that it can be a leading indicator of things to come," Bugala said. But, he added, "they have to get out of the frame of mind that their technical capacity will carry them."