Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program embodiments are disclosed for adaptively displaying application performance data. In an embodiment, a plurality of performance monitoring data sources may be identified based on an application model that defines the topological structure of a software application. A request may be received for performance data associated with the application. One or more content options may then be determined based on the received request, and each content option may include one or more target performance metrics. Each content option may also be associated with one or more data sources. For each content option, the associated data sources may be queried to identify available data sources containing relevant performance data. A content option may be selected from the determined content options based on a priority associated with the content option. The performance data corresponding to the selected content option may subsequently be retrieved and presented for display.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program embodiments are disclosed for adaptively displaying application performance data. In an embodiment, a plurality of performance monitoring data sources may be identified based on an application model that defines the topological structure of a software application. A request may be received for performance data associated with the application. One or more content options may then be determined based on the received request, and each content option may include one or more target performance metrics. Each content option may also be associated with one or more data sources. For each content option, the associated data sources may be queried to identify available data sources containing relevant performance data. A content option may be selected from the determined content options based on a priority associated with the content option. The performance data corresponding to the selected content option may subsequently be retrieved and presented for display.

Abstract: Application messages are segregated into message paths, and the delays of the transmitted packets associated with each message path are independently analyzed to distinguish propagation, bandwidth, congestion, and protocol delays. To further distinguish the congestion delays, all of the paths of the application messages are assessed to identify delays induced by the application, including self-congestion delay, corresponding to pre-congestion delays caused by attempting to send data from a source device faster than the bandwidth of the channel allows, and cross-congestion delay, corresponding to post-congestion delays caused by varying delays beyond a bottleneck link in the channel. The remaining congestion delay is identified as network congestion delay, corresponding to delays caused by network devices other than the source device. After identifying each of the components of delay, the effect of each component on the overall delay is determined to identify where improvements can best be made.

Abstract: A network monitoring system and method processes captured message data to create a plurality of categories, provides summary data corresponding to each category, and displays the categorized summary data. The categories preferably include an identification of the source node and destination node of each message, and the summary data includes the amount of traffic communicated between each pair of nodes. The display of this summary data includes a graphic display that provides a visual indication of each pair and the volume of traffic between the nodes of the pair.

Abstract: A new network topology visualization is produced from an existing network topology using grouping algorithms that are selectively applied to selectable hierarchies of the existing network topological hierarchy. The new network topology is rendered for review. Interaction may be provided through a graphical user interface (GUI). The new network topology is provided as a previewing visualization. The previewing visualization is provided in a tree-view. The previewing visualization provides a visual differentiation between portions of the network topology that are changed by the grouping algorithm and portions that are not changed. The grouping algorithms may be provided as plug-in algorithms. A further new network topology may be rendered in response to receipt of a changed network topology.

Abstract: Data representing application deployment attributes, network topology, and network performance attributes based on a reduced set of element attributes is utilized to simulate application deployment. The data may be received from a user directly, a program that models a network topology or application behavior, and a wizard that implies the data based on an interview process. The simulation may be based on application deployment attributes including application traffic pattern, application message sizes, network topology, and network performance attributes. The element attributes may be determined from a lookup table of element operating characteristics that may contain element maximum and minimum boundary operating values utilized to interpolate other operating conditions.

Abstract: A system and method for managing captured network traffic data is provided. The invention comprises a plurality of capture agents, each being configured to capture the network traffic associated with one or more applications. Each application is associated with one or more capture agents according to an application profile that is stored and maintained in a capture server. When analysis of an application's network traffic is required, the capture server contacts the corresponding capture agents according to the application profile. The capture server then effects the identification and archiving of the network traffic that corresponds to a user-defined capture condition. A database at the capture server maintains a record that associates the corresponding network traffic with the user-defined capture condition such that the corresponding network traffic can later be retrieved and analyzed using an analysis engine.

Abstract: Transactions within a transmission stream are identified that are related to an activity. The transactions are classified utilizing characteristics that identify the activity. Packets of the transaction are extracted from the transmission stream that corresponds to the activity. The extracted packets are presented in a visualization that identifies the packets and source and sink devices of the packets. The packets may be identified from a network trace. Classifying transactions includes identifying patterns present in packets to identify related transactions and/or packets that are temporally correlated. The characteristics may include heuristics related to a communication protocol of the transactions, examining temporal relationships of the packets, and/or identifying DNS requests related to the packets.

Abstract: A graphic user interface facilitates the hierarchical analysis of timing parameters related to network-based applications. At the top level of the hierarchy, the user is presented a summary of the delays incurred while running an application, or while simulating the running of an application, organized by delay categories, including processing delays at each node, as well as propagation delays at each link between nodes. The interface enables a user to “drill down” into lower levels of the timing information hierarchy by ‘clicking’ on currently displayed information. The information is presented in a form most appropriate to the level of analysis. The presentation forms include, for example, pie-charts, multi-variable timing diagrams (in both absolute and relative forms), data exchange charts, and so on, and ‘zoom’ capabilities are provided as appropriate to the particular display form.