Abstract: A computer-based method of formatting rules for monitoring application responsiveness, the method including defining a collection of resources, each such resource being a source of application events; and defining a first transaction as a timeframe for measuring application responsiveness. The first transaction includes a pattern of application events from resources in the collection of resources, the pattern being defined as a block of constructs, wherein each construct in the block of constructs is selected from a group of construct syntaxes consisting of an event construct syntax, a choice construct syntax, a sequence construct syntax, and a last construct syntax.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for automatically processing and displaying information for managing equipment or services in a network. The information is automatically inserted into a hierarchical data structure, which can then presented in a ticker display for viewing by a user. The information concerning the network equipment or services may also be used to determine the users affected by particular network failures.

Abstract: A method of processing data received at a local system in response to polling a remote device, wherein the local system includes a local clock, the method involving: sending a first poll to the remote device; receiving a response from the remote device to the first poll, the response to the first poll containing data and a time stamp indicating when the remote device responded to the first poll; for the data received in response to the first poll, computing a first time by using both a time that was derived from the local clock for a previous poll of the remote device and also the time stamp contained in the response to the first poll; comparing the computed first time to information that the local system stored in connection with the first poll, wherein the information that the local system stored in connection with the first poll was derived from the local clock; and determining how to process the data received in response to the first poll based on comparing the computed first time to the information that