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20 Technologies to Support APM - Part 3

APMdigest continues the list, cataloging the many valuable tools available – beyond what is technically categorized as Application Performance Management (APM) – to support the goals of improving application performance and business service.

Start with Part 1

Start with Part 2

11. Network Performance Monitoring (NPM)

The performance and availability of the network is an essential factor in whether applications meet employee expectations. The rapid pace of innovation in mobile technology means that ensuring adequate network performance is becoming increasingly important. Therefore investing in a good network performance monitoring solution that is able to perform packet capture and analysis at a minimum in relation to the applications served is important and will enrich your APM strategy.
John Rakowski
Analyst, Infrastructure and Operations, Forrester Research

12. Application-Aware Network Performance Monitoring (AA-NPM)

The challenge is that APM has evolved into a mosaic of monitoring tools, analytic engines, and event processors that provide many solutions to different problems. When you step back and look at the big picture it all comes into focus, but when you're trying to rationalize one technology over another, things aren't so clear at close range. I have found that the simplicity and ease of use with agentless monitoring (i.e. wire data analytics) is a great place to start. You may also hear the terms Application Aware Infrastructure Performance Monitoring (AA-IPM) or Application Aware Network Performance Monitoring (AA-NPM) both of which are complimentary to APM and I believe to be an essential part of an overall APM solution.
Larry Dragich
Director of Enterprise Application Services at the Auto Club Group and Founder of the APM Strategies Group on LinkedIn.

13. Deep Packet Inspection (DPI)

When it comes to APM, Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) isn't the first thing that comes to mind, but it should be, and we consider it a must-have in supporting APM. The general consensus seems to be that flow-based technologies (NetFlow, sFlow, IPFIX, etc.) provide enough visibility regarding communication, and end-point solutions provide the details from the client point of view. But network and application analysis based on DPI can provide all this and more. DPI provides definitive latency measurements, and it quickly allows analysts to isolate the problem to the network or the application. Once isolated, payload information from packets in the communication path can provide insights that no other solution can – like error messages that are being returned but not correctly processed by applications. And when combined with network forensics (storing packets for detailed, post-incident analysis), critical application transactions can be unequivocally verified from days or even weeks ago, something that is not available in any other form of APM solution.
Jay Botelho
Director of Product Management, WildPackets

14. Network Packet Recording

Something that all enterprises should seek out is accurate network packet recording. It's imperative to have a solution that can capture, index and record network traffic with continuous 100% accuracy even during unpredictable traffic spikes. Accurate network packet recording enables IT teams to troubleshoot and diagnose network and application performance issues as soon as they arise, and help security teams investigate and contain security problems and help risk and compliance teams do their jobs. Operations teams can determine whether the problems reside within the IT infrastructure or within the applications running on the network – reducing time-to-resolution (TTR) and lowering operational expenditures (OPEX). Traditional detection tools won't cut it in an era where millions of dollars in revenue can be lost with milliseconds of downtime – the key is maintaining a network infrastructure that delivers continuous historical network visibility.
Mike Heumann
Sr. Director, Marketing (Endace), Emulex

15. Network Emulation

Network Emulation is a must have. The first part of an APM cycle is to ensure that applications are designed/suitable for the deployed environment. The Network (Mobile, WAN, Internet...) is a critical but often ignored component of this. One reason is the complexity of going about verifying applications in real world networks, however Network Emulation makes this easy by providing the ability to replicate the complete network environment. By re-creating all real world network conditions (restricted bandwidth, latency, loss, QoS etc), Network Emulation gives organizations an accurate assessment of whether an application is suitable for them, long before they try to manage, with APM, the unmanageable.
Jim Swepson
Pre-sales Technologist, iTrinegy

20 Technologies to Support APM - Part 4

Hot Topics

The Latest

According to Auvik's 2025 IT Trends Report, 60% of IT professionals feel at least moderately burned out on the job, with 43% stating that their workload is contributing to work stress. At the same time, many IT professionals are naming AI and machine learning as key areas they'd most like to upskill ...

Businesses that face downtime or outages risk financial and reputational damage, as well as reducing partner, shareholder, and customer trust. One of the major challenges that enterprises face is implementing a robust business continuity plan. What's the solution? The answer may lie in disaster recovery tactics such as truly immutable storage and regular disaster recovery testing ...

IT spending is expected to jump nearly 10% in 2025, and organizations are now facing pressure to manage costs without slowing down critical functions like observability. To meet the challenge, leaders are turning to smarter, more cost effective business strategies. Enter stage right: OpenTelemetry, the missing piece of the puzzle that is no longer just an option but rather a strategic advantage ...

Amidst the threat of cyberhacks and data breaches, companies install several security measures to keep their business safely afloat. These measures aim to protect businesses, employees, and crucial data. Yet, employees perceive them as burdensome. Frustrated with complex logins, slow access, and constant security checks, workers decide to completely bypass all security set-ups ...

Image
Cloudbrink's Personal SASE services provide last-mile acceleration and reduction in latency

In MEAN TIME TO INSIGHT Episode 13, Shamus McGillicuddy, VP of Research, Network Infrastructure and Operations, at EMA discusses hybrid multi-cloud networking strategy ... 

In high-traffic environments, the sheer volume and unpredictable nature of network incidents can quickly overwhelm even the most skilled teams, hindering their ability to react swiftly and effectively, potentially impacting service availability and overall business performance. This is where closed-loop remediation comes into the picture: an IT management concept designed to address the escalating complexity of modern networks ...

In 2025, enterprise workflows are undergoing a seismic shift. Propelled by breakthroughs in generative AI (GenAI), large language models (LLMs), and natural language processing (NLP), a new paradigm is emerging — agentic AI. This technology is not just automating tasks; it's reimagining how organizations make decisions, engage customers, and operate at scale ...

In the early days of the cloud revolution, business leaders perceived cloud services as a means of sidelining IT organizations. IT was too slow, too expensive, or incapable of supporting new technologies. With a team of developers, line of business managers could deploy new applications and services in the cloud. IT has been fighting to retake control ever since. Today, IT is back in the driver's seat, according to new research by Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) ...

In today's fast-paced and increasingly complex network environments, Network Operations Centers (NOCs) are the backbone of ensuring continuous uptime, smooth service delivery, and rapid issue resolution. However, the challenges faced by NOC teams are only growing. In a recent study, 78% state network complexity has grown significantly over the last few years while 84% regularly learn about network issues from users. It is imperative we adopt a new approach to managing today's network experiences ...

Image
Broadcom

From growing reliance on FinOps teams to the increasing attention on artificial intelligence (AI), and software licensing, the Flexera 2025 State of the Cloud Report digs into how organizations are improving cloud spend efficiency, while tackling the complexities of emerging technologies ...

20 Technologies to Support APM - Part 3

APMdigest continues the list, cataloging the many valuable tools available – beyond what is technically categorized as Application Performance Management (APM) – to support the goals of improving application performance and business service.

Start with Part 1

Start with Part 2

11. Network Performance Monitoring (NPM)

The performance and availability of the network is an essential factor in whether applications meet employee expectations. The rapid pace of innovation in mobile technology means that ensuring adequate network performance is becoming increasingly important. Therefore investing in a good network performance monitoring solution that is able to perform packet capture and analysis at a minimum in relation to the applications served is important and will enrich your APM strategy.
John Rakowski
Analyst, Infrastructure and Operations, Forrester Research

12. Application-Aware Network Performance Monitoring (AA-NPM)

The challenge is that APM has evolved into a mosaic of monitoring tools, analytic engines, and event processors that provide many solutions to different problems. When you step back and look at the big picture it all comes into focus, but when you're trying to rationalize one technology over another, things aren't so clear at close range. I have found that the simplicity and ease of use with agentless monitoring (i.e. wire data analytics) is a great place to start. You may also hear the terms Application Aware Infrastructure Performance Monitoring (AA-IPM) or Application Aware Network Performance Monitoring (AA-NPM) both of which are complimentary to APM and I believe to be an essential part of an overall APM solution.
Larry Dragich
Director of Enterprise Application Services at the Auto Club Group and Founder of the APM Strategies Group on LinkedIn.

13. Deep Packet Inspection (DPI)

When it comes to APM, Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) isn't the first thing that comes to mind, but it should be, and we consider it a must-have in supporting APM. The general consensus seems to be that flow-based technologies (NetFlow, sFlow, IPFIX, etc.) provide enough visibility regarding communication, and end-point solutions provide the details from the client point of view. But network and application analysis based on DPI can provide all this and more. DPI provides definitive latency measurements, and it quickly allows analysts to isolate the problem to the network or the application. Once isolated, payload information from packets in the communication path can provide insights that no other solution can – like error messages that are being returned but not correctly processed by applications. And when combined with network forensics (storing packets for detailed, post-incident analysis), critical application transactions can be unequivocally verified from days or even weeks ago, something that is not available in any other form of APM solution.
Jay Botelho
Director of Product Management, WildPackets

14. Network Packet Recording

Something that all enterprises should seek out is accurate network packet recording. It's imperative to have a solution that can capture, index and record network traffic with continuous 100% accuracy even during unpredictable traffic spikes. Accurate network packet recording enables IT teams to troubleshoot and diagnose network and application performance issues as soon as they arise, and help security teams investigate and contain security problems and help risk and compliance teams do their jobs. Operations teams can determine whether the problems reside within the IT infrastructure or within the applications running on the network – reducing time-to-resolution (TTR) and lowering operational expenditures (OPEX). Traditional detection tools won't cut it in an era where millions of dollars in revenue can be lost with milliseconds of downtime – the key is maintaining a network infrastructure that delivers continuous historical network visibility.
Mike Heumann
Sr. Director, Marketing (Endace), Emulex

15. Network Emulation

Network Emulation is a must have. The first part of an APM cycle is to ensure that applications are designed/suitable for the deployed environment. The Network (Mobile, WAN, Internet...) is a critical but often ignored component of this. One reason is the complexity of going about verifying applications in real world networks, however Network Emulation makes this easy by providing the ability to replicate the complete network environment. By re-creating all real world network conditions (restricted bandwidth, latency, loss, QoS etc), Network Emulation gives organizations an accurate assessment of whether an application is suitable for them, long before they try to manage, with APM, the unmanageable.
Jim Swepson
Pre-sales Technologist, iTrinegy

20 Technologies to Support APM - Part 4

Hot Topics

The Latest

According to Auvik's 2025 IT Trends Report, 60% of IT professionals feel at least moderately burned out on the job, with 43% stating that their workload is contributing to work stress. At the same time, many IT professionals are naming AI and machine learning as key areas they'd most like to upskill ...

Businesses that face downtime or outages risk financial and reputational damage, as well as reducing partner, shareholder, and customer trust. One of the major challenges that enterprises face is implementing a robust business continuity plan. What's the solution? The answer may lie in disaster recovery tactics such as truly immutable storage and regular disaster recovery testing ...

IT spending is expected to jump nearly 10% in 2025, and organizations are now facing pressure to manage costs without slowing down critical functions like observability. To meet the challenge, leaders are turning to smarter, more cost effective business strategies. Enter stage right: OpenTelemetry, the missing piece of the puzzle that is no longer just an option but rather a strategic advantage ...

Amidst the threat of cyberhacks and data breaches, companies install several security measures to keep their business safely afloat. These measures aim to protect businesses, employees, and crucial data. Yet, employees perceive them as burdensome. Frustrated with complex logins, slow access, and constant security checks, workers decide to completely bypass all security set-ups ...

Image
Cloudbrink's Personal SASE services provide last-mile acceleration and reduction in latency

In MEAN TIME TO INSIGHT Episode 13, Shamus McGillicuddy, VP of Research, Network Infrastructure and Operations, at EMA discusses hybrid multi-cloud networking strategy ... 

In high-traffic environments, the sheer volume and unpredictable nature of network incidents can quickly overwhelm even the most skilled teams, hindering their ability to react swiftly and effectively, potentially impacting service availability and overall business performance. This is where closed-loop remediation comes into the picture: an IT management concept designed to address the escalating complexity of modern networks ...

In 2025, enterprise workflows are undergoing a seismic shift. Propelled by breakthroughs in generative AI (GenAI), large language models (LLMs), and natural language processing (NLP), a new paradigm is emerging — agentic AI. This technology is not just automating tasks; it's reimagining how organizations make decisions, engage customers, and operate at scale ...

In the early days of the cloud revolution, business leaders perceived cloud services as a means of sidelining IT organizations. IT was too slow, too expensive, or incapable of supporting new technologies. With a team of developers, line of business managers could deploy new applications and services in the cloud. IT has been fighting to retake control ever since. Today, IT is back in the driver's seat, according to new research by Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) ...

In today's fast-paced and increasingly complex network environments, Network Operations Centers (NOCs) are the backbone of ensuring continuous uptime, smooth service delivery, and rapid issue resolution. However, the challenges faced by NOC teams are only growing. In a recent study, 78% state network complexity has grown significantly over the last few years while 84% regularly learn about network issues from users. It is imperative we adopt a new approach to managing today's network experiences ...

Image
Broadcom

From growing reliance on FinOps teams to the increasing attention on artificial intelligence (AI), and software licensing, the Flexera 2025 State of the Cloud Report digs into how organizations are improving cloud spend efficiency, while tackling the complexities of emerging technologies ...