Despite the rise of microservice architecture, the majority of enterprise application stack is still monolithic. Enterprise IT is an assembly of hundreds of moving parts and if any of them fail, it may take hours to backtrack the issue to the relevant one. The longer the situation runs, the higher your losses will be in terms of revenue and customers.

There is a reason real-time monitoring applications have built a cult-like following in enterprise IT. They can run the following metrics on the running application in real time, display red flags if the application is failing, and pinpoint the issue in seconds if the application does fail.

1. Response time - The time it takes for an application to respond to a user request.
2. Availability - The percentage of time an application is available for use.
3. Errors - The number and type of errors that occur within an application.
4. Resource usage - The amount of CPU, memory, and disk space an application uses.
5. User experience - The quality of the user experience when interacting with an application.

The current state of affairs

No doubt, real-time application monitoring tools like AppDynamics, Datadog, Dynatrace, and Splunk have exploded in popularity. In 2020, the industry was estimated to be valued at $6.3 billion. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the market has seen increased investment and adoption and is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 11.4% over a six-year period — such is the hype around real-time monitoring systems.

The ability to measure application performance, availability and user experience and to use data to identify and resolve application issues before they impact customers is everything businesses have been asking for.

Real-time monitoring can boost employee productivity as it frees them from redundant tasks that can be delegated to the monitoring tool. It can easily identify unauthorized resource usages and data transfers and make timely alerts to prevent security breaches or vulnerable work practices.

How do real-time application monitoring tools work?

Real-time application monitoring tools work by collecting data from various sources, such as servers, network devices, and applications themselves. This data is then analyzed to provide insights into how an application is performing. Real-time application monitoring tools use a variety of techniques to collect data, including:

Agents - Small software programs that are installed on servers or devices to collect data.

APIs - Interfaces that allow applications to communicate with each other and share data.

Logs - Records of events that occur within an application or on a device.

Once the data is collected, it is analyzed to provide insights into how an application is performing. Real-time application monitoring tools use a variety of techniques to analyze data, including:

Thresholds - Setting thresholds for response time, availability, errors, resource usage, and user experience to identify issues.

Anomaly detection - Using machine learning algorithms to identify patterns in data that indicate an issue.

Baseline comparison - Comparing current performance metrics to historical data to identify changes that indicate an issue.

The insights provided by real-time application monitoring tools are presented in dashboards, reports, and alerts. Dashboards provide a real-time view of an application’s performance, while reports provide more detailed insights into performance over time. Alerts notify teams when an issue is detected, so they can take action to resolve it.

Why are real-time application monitoring tools essential for businesses?

Real-time application monitoring tools are essential for businesses for several reasons.

User experience

Real-time application monitoring tools allow businesses to monitor the quality of the user experience. This is important for businesses that rely on applications to interact with customers, as poor performance can lead to frustration and lost revenue.

Availability

Businesses can monitor the availability of applications. This is essential for businesses that rely on applications to operate, as downtime can lead to lost revenue and damage to reputation.

Performance optimization

With real-time application monitoring tools, a business can identify performance issues and take action to optimize performance. This can lead to improved user experience, reduced downtime, and increased revenue.

Proactive issue resolution

Real-time application monitoring tools allow businesses to identify issues before they impact users. This allows teams to take proactive action to resolve issues before they become critical.

Improved collaboration

Additionally, real-time application monitoring tools allow teams to collaborate more effectively. Dashboards, reports, and alerts provide a shared view of an application’s performance, allowing teams to work together to resolve issues.

Read on: 6 Features Every Application Monitoring Tool Must Have

Does it make sense to develop an in-house application monitoring tool in 2023?

Despite the significant benefits of current real-time application monitoring systems, there are still incentives to develop an application performance monitoring tool in-house. However, there are several factors to consider before deciding whether to develop an application performance monitoring tool in-house or use a third-party solution.

Resources

Developing an application performance monitoring tool requires significant resources, including time, money, and expertise. It may be more cost-effective for smaller businesses to use a third-party solution rather than investing in building an in-house tool.

Scalability

A third-party solution can often scale more effectively than an in-house tool. As the business grows, the demand for monitoring tools may increase. A third-party solution can often handle this increased demand more efficiently than an in-house tool.

Expertise

Developing an application performance monitoring tool requires specialized expertise in areas such as software development, data analysis, and monitoring best practices. It may be challenging for smaller businesses to attract and retain the necessary expertise to build an effective in-house tool.

Support

A third-party solution typically comes with support and maintenance services. These services can be valuable in ensuring that the tool remains effective and up-to-date over time. Developing an in-house tool may require the business to provide its own support and maintenance, which can be challenging for smaller businesses with limited resources.

Innovation

Third-party solutions typically have a larger user base and more extensive resources to invest in innovation and new features. An in-house tool may be limited by the resources and expertise available within the business.

However, there are also some advantages to developing an application performance monitoring tool in-house. These include:

Customization

An in-house tool can be customized to the specific needs of the business. This can provide more granular control over monitoring and reporting capabilities.

Security

An in-house tool can be designed with the specific security needs of the business in mind. This can provide greater peace of mind for businesses that handle sensitive data or operate in regulated industries.

Integration

An in-house tool can be integrated more effectively with other internal systems and tools. This can provide a more seamless experience for users and make it easier to share data across different systems.

Read on: How To Choose The Right Application Monitoring Tool

In conclusion, whether it makes sense to develop an application performance monitoring tool in-house depends on a variety of factors. Smaller businesses with limited resources may find it more cost-effective to use a third-party solution such as LogMill. However, larger businesses with specific customization, security, or integration needs may benefit from developing an in-house tool. Ultimately, the decision should be based on a careful evaluation of the business's needs, resources, and long-term goals.