Abstract: One embodiment can provide a method and system for monitoring the performance of a network. During operation, the system can collect, from a network device, traffic data associated with a network; analyze the traffic data to discover dependencies among a plurality of applications and services accessed by client devices within the network; and identify, based on the discovered dependencies, a first server providing a first application and at least a second server providing a service that facilitates delivery of the first application. The system can further perform active measurement on the identified first server and at least the second server, thereby facilitating monitoring of performance of the first application.