The initial concept of APM was quite different. From 1998 to 2001, web log analysis which calculates response time by using log files is developed rapidly. As Web log file contains client IP address, requested service name and service elapse time, it was used to get the information about delayed service and the number of visitors and their geographical location. However, we log analysis solution could not provide more specific root cause of performance problem and fundamental solutions. As a result, engineers could not rely on log file data. To break out another niche market, web log solution has evolved into CRM solution and it is difficult to look it as a APM solution now.

In the early of 2000, there was a solution line-up using APM terminology at first. It measured response time, 24hours of system availability, response time pattern and elapsed time per each network stage by calling specified application in the specific network periodically or analyzed network packet. Not only foreign solution but also Korean solutions are also developed. More detailed monitoring was available than web log solution and engineers can discover delayed response time per network stage within single transaction. However, this kind of solution was not monitor interior system environment where actual service happens, but provided just superficial data about exterior environment. As a result, it was failed to find out bottleneck problem. Unfortunately, Network-based Availability Measurement Solution was limited to lead APM market in spite of its advanced technology.

Next emerged solution was the Profiling Solution. Profiling is to trace JVM execution information more specifically, for example response time, memory and CPU usage per class/method and it is to show them with tree diagram (structure). Borland’s OptimizeIt and KL Group’s Freeware product, JProbe are the representative example of the profiling solution. Although JProbe is not enough to be used commercial software, developers widely used it. Finally the solution is acquired by Quest Software in the late of 2002 with $51.7M. However, the most technical advanced product was Borland’s OptimizeIt. In this period, Borland jumped into APM market which based on Togethersoft modeling and Application Lifecycle Management industry behind its compiler technology and 4GL products like Delpy, VisiBroker, CORBA. However, such profiling solution had a critical weak point. For detailed profiling data, JVMPI (Java Virtual Machine Profiler Interface) should be used but it already had a serious performance problem. It could be used in application tuning by installing developing server but it was impossible to install in actual operating server due to the high load. Although developers highly preferred, system administrators was reluctant to use it. Profiling solution exists till now, but it is not actively used.

The technical terminology, APM has become recognized from 2002 and people started to have more interests about this industry in 2003. At first, backup solution developing company, VERITAS jumped into the APM market and increased its manpower after acquiring Precise Software Solutions. Precise Software Solutions is the initial body of Symantec’s i3 (formerly VERITAS). In addition, Mercury Interactive, Corp dealt with industry leading performance test solution, LoadRunner and system application-management solution, Topaz as another form of APM solution. Compuware Corp, also started to provide Vantage solution which can measure the speed of distributed application traffic and response time to the one of largest Korean bank, Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK). Like this, APM market has revitalized in Korea. However, there was another outstanding solution called ‘Wily’ of Wily Technology located in Brisbane, California, USA. Korean solution distributor, Penta Systems Technology Inc was an exclusive agency of Wily and sold it to SK-Telecom, KT, Hyundai Home Shopping, Kookmin Bank(KB), Shinhan Life, Dongbu Life, Woori Bank, Samsumg Life, Korea Exchange Bank(KEB), Korea Securities Depository, etc. It seems that Wily dominate the Korean APM market. Dick Williams, former CEO of Wily Technology said that “ As web-based business system has spread widely, the nation is transforming with high potential and I expect more than two times of annual growth in Korea.” Like his opinion, Korea’s APM market has gradually developed until the mid-2004. Veritas software Korea, provided i3 performance management solution to Hyundai department store and tried to catch up Wily. Korean SW developing company, iPMS also developed and launched its developed database monitoring solution called DB WINE and web-based APM solution, WEB WINE. High potenticial

After med of 2004, however Korean customer neglects the importance of performance management again. Even mostly preferred APM solution, Wily couldn’t able to analyze enough various performance problems and revealed substantial causes because of more complicated applications of client and server system. Moreover, user wants to know monitoring information immediately and in a real-time. Although Wily provides unified dashboard which configures Web Application Server’s monitoring information items and notifies executing time of methods about delayed transaction by interval, user was skeptical about it. Generally, WAS system manager expects more substantial results such as direct and clear problem determination and analysis data. System developing engineer wants to use an auto-filtering function about error applications. Administrator needs statistical data such as the number of daily hits, concurrent users and statistically collected load data per each application service. However, existed numerous APM solutions just have provided ineffective and superficial monitoring dashboard and functions. When serious performance problem happened in the WAS-based system, those solutions couldn’t provide appropriate solutions.

Since 2005, Jennifer developed by JennoferSoft (formerly JSC) attracted high attention in the Korean APM market. Jennifer’s advantages and competitiveness were approved highly comparing with other solutions in terms of real-time integrated service monitoring and root-cause analysis capability about performance problem. Nobody would disagree that Jennifer played a key role as a locomotive to revitalize Korean APM solution industry. Jennifersoft has deployed Jennifer in 79 customer sites to date (Oct, 2006) adding 17 clients (2005) by eliciting substantial business contracts from client’s engineers and working level people.

[그림2] Jennifer Reference

Jennifer has been installed in banking sector including Kookmin Bank, Industrial Bank of Korea, Bank of Korea, Korea Development Bank, JeonBuk Bank, Korea Enterprise Data, non-banking sector including LG Card, BC Card, Korea Railroad, First Fire & Marine Insurance, DongBu Insurance, HyoSung Capital, Daewoo Securities, HyunDae Marine & Insurance, Prudential Life Insurance, Metlife Insurance, ACE Insurance and public /manufacture / distribution and Retail Sector including SK-Telecom, GS Home Shopping, Inter-Park, CJ Home Shopping, Ample Online, Korean Intellectual Property office, Korea Statistical National Office, National Tax Service, Military Manpower Administration, Ministry of Industry and Energy, Korea Racing Association, SK ENCAR, Nara Credit Service, KT&G, etc. JenniferSoft expects 38 million dollars of sales in this year. Especially, it’s meaningful that some clients such as Kookmin Bank and Industrial Bank of Korea installed Jennifer even though they already introduced foreign and other APM solutions.

APM solution minimizes service downtime and maintains performance management capability against various problems and errors through real-time monitoring. Moreover, its analysis of monitoring data is a great resource for capacity planning during system expansion. Such function can make it possible to expect IT investment effectively and reduce TCO (Total cost of ownership). User can also establish real-time controlling system which monitors overall IT services, system resources and business data with intuitive visual dashboard. Ultimately, these advantages would improve consumer satisfaction by providing stable system management. We don’t need to conduct research or reviewing process about Korean APM market. Already its importance is approved through numerous references and such clients have given positive feedbacks about their APM solution.

[Figure3] Benefits of APM Solution

[Figure4] Configuration Screen of Integrated Dashboard

[Figure5] Configuration Screen of Integrated Dashboard

Dashboard/System Monitoring

Today’s IT infrastructure is not a just basic element of the company, but one of the most important factors which can give positive or negative influence on company’s success and revenue. These days, how to manage IT infrastructure effectively is a key issue for every company. Through the IT process innovation like adopting an APM solution, company administrators can monitor overall business patterns in real-time and make effective decision in a short time such as RTE (Real Time Enterprise). Based on these grounds, it is expected ITSM (IT Service Management) will be continuously evolved in this industry. One of core concepts of ITSM system is to monitor business patterns occurring in the actual applications and customer has asked this issue. That is why ITSM companies have used APM solutions. From 2006, companies dealing with IT infra-management solution have rapidly used APM solutions. CA, one of the world’s largest information technology (IT) management software providers, acquired Wily Technology for $375m. HP also acquired management software company, Mercury Interactive obtaining IT Governance, LoadRunner and its synthetic testing software products (Topaz) for $4.5 billion in cash. Existed HP’s system management solution (OpenView) and Mercury Interactive’s software management solution would likely to create synergy effects and such movement is kind of preoccupying strategy of the ITSM market. Currently system management solution companies are actively expending ITSM business in terms of market share and scale. Of course, ITSM business is still in the initial stage, but we need to watch the business development and market change of ITSM very closely.

APM market has changed with a period of 2 years. For the last two years, we could expect the market situation but, other two-year of market situation might be vague. It is because most competitive APM solution developing companies were acquired by major IT corporations. Moreover, the new concept such as ITSM has introduced and system management solution is provided with APM market. APM market was a kind of niche market for the last 2 years, but it will be anther major market with about 10 million dollars of market size in the next 2 years. If you consider 45-50 million dollars of Korean WAS business, that is logical thinking.