Hu
`
`CONSULTING GROCP, INC.
`
`APPLICATION MANAGEMENT:
`THE NEXT FRONTIER IN
`CLIENT/SERVER MANAGEMENT
`
`A Close Look at BMC Software's PATROL
`
`Hurwitz Consulting Group, Inc. White Paper
`May, 1995
`©Hurwitz Consulting Group, Inc.
`
`HURWIT'-------
`CONSULTING GROUP, INC.
`
`

`
`Application Management: The Next Frontier in Client/Server Management
`
`Application Development: The Next Frontier
`in Client/Server Management is published by
`Hurwitz Consulting Group, Inc.
`29 Crafts Street, Suite 270, Newton, MA 02158
`(617) 965-6900 Fax (617) 965-6901
`
`Copyright 1995, Hurwitz Consulting Group, Inc.
`All rights reserved. No part of this report may be reproduced
`or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form
`or by any means, without prior permission.
`
`BMC Software, MetaSUITE, MetaDESK, MetaMANAGE and
`PATROL VIEW are registered trademarks or trademarks of
`BMC Software, Inc. in the USA and in other select countries. ®
`and TM indicate USA registration or trademark. Other logos and
`product/trade names are registered trademarks or trademarks of
`their respective companies.
`
`Page 2
`
`© 1995 Hurwitz Consulting Group, Inc.
`
`

`
`Application Management: The .'Vexr Fronrier in Client!Sener Ma11ageme11t
`
`Application Management - The ~ext :Frontier in Client/Sener Management
`
`Orcr the last vear, system management has emerged as an area(!/ imensc focus as users
`(11/d 1·e11dors grapple ~vith the problems of managing distributed nenrnrked s_vstems.
`
`Beyond the problem cif mwwging the systems looms the next barrier -111a11agi11g the
`mnning applications and data that represellt the users' strategic assets. Vendors such as
`BMC Softmire are helping define both the tec/11wlogv and application management
`stmtcgy.
`
`The Gap Between Application Management and System Management
`
`Client/server applications are complex, with multiple dependencies between multiple
`underlying layers of technology. As users gained experience with early phase client/server
`development. they realized that in many cases, an inability to manage the many disparate
`technology components of an enterprise client/server system was a critical shortcoming.
`Over the last two years, vendors have responded with the first generation of robust system
`management solutions to provide network management. physical storage management,
`remote monitoring and control of systems, inventory management. and software
`distribution (a surprisingly expensive and difficult chore in large organizations).
`
`Does the availability of robust system management solutions cover the critical set of
`client/server management solutions? Unfortunately there still remains a significant gap,
`involving the difference between managing the infrastructure supporting an enterprise
`application, and capturing and interpreting information about the dynamic behavior of the
`application itself. In short, this is the difference between system management and
`application management.
`
`All of these first generation tools focus on management of the underlying technology
`infrastructure that supports the enterprise client/server application. Management of these
`component entities is critical; without information on the status of servers and clients,
`network operation, and storage management, users cannot even begin to approach
`management of distributed and heterogeneous systems. But, with no further information
`on the actual operation of the target application, which represents the end purpose and true
`value of the information system to its owner, the scope of today's system management
`solutions falls short of addressing the critical requirements of enterprise users.
`
`The need for application management can be seen in the simple case of a suddenly
`unresponsive client system. None of the system management tools today can intelligently
`diagnose the cause of an unresponsive client if the problem is other than a visible network
`
`'; 1995 Hurwitz Consulting Group, Inc.
`
`Page 3
`
`

`
`Application Management: The Next Frontier in Client/Server J'vfanagnnellt
`
`failure. This is a particularly difficult management problem for unattended kiosk-based
`applications. or applications with large numbers of unskilled operators.
`
`What i~ needed to carry management tools to the next level of usefulness is application
`management- the intelligent collection and interpretation of data about, and interaction
`with. actual applications in the course of their execution.
`
`Requirements for an Application \!Ianagement Environment
`
`A useful application management environment must function in a real-time manner
`(in relation to the tasks being monitored) and provide online and either automatic or manual
`interactive operation. Ideally, it must span heterogeneous environments and accommodate
`open systems standards as well as entrenched proprietary standards.
`
`An application management environment must be able to work not only with applications
`that have been written with a set of application management services in mind, ''aware"
`applications, but also must provide some level of services to applications that are not
`designed with any application management services in mind, "unaware" applications.
`Management of "unaware" applications can be acceptably less powerful, but must be able
`to accommodate at least a subset of the major functional requirements detailed on the
`following pages.
`
`As application management matures, both as a technology and a management discipline,
`users will differentiate among products based on their support of available application
`management infrastructures. and iSVs will begin to incorporate management APis into
`their application for competitive differentiation. HCG expects that the industry will
`eventually gravitate toward a limited set of standard APis for application management but
`that early innovators will have considerable freedom to develop service definitions and
`APis in conjunction with early adopter customers.
`
`Page 4
`
`'fl 1995 Hurwitz Consulting Group. Inc.
`
`

`
`Apf'li< utio11 .'v!m111gc111cm: The ,VL'Xf Frollfii'r in C1ie11t/S1 n-er .i/r1111N:c111ent
`
`The basic functional taxonomy of an application management system includes the
`following major functions:
`
`•
`
`•
`
`.\pplication health
`
`,\dministration
`
`• Sen ice level and performance
`
`Application health. Ve1if) that existing sen. ers, services and other resources are in place
`h~ monitoring both externally\ isible and internally generated information. Externally
`\ isibk resources would include items such as OS queues, process states, interrupts.
`nd\\Ork traffic, etc. These externally visible entities can be monitored for managing
`una\vare applicttions, and form the core of mechanisms for managing unm.vare
`applications. For applications written to be a\vare of the application management sen ices.
`more detailed information can be collected via the use of management services APis.
`
`Administration. Control of applications, including start/stop, user authentication. load
`balancing, storage optimization, maintenance, and t:rror recovery. In addition to al km ing
`flexible application data collection, the use of an application management API alhm s finer
`grained control of an application beyond the simple proce . .;,:-./kill and restart available to
`unaware applications in most operating systems.
`
`Another area where a management avvarc application can benefit vs. an unaware one is in
`load balancing. A properly in.;.trumented application can collect detailed data about VO and
`processing rates and help the application management system makt: better decisions about
`load balancing. an area where most of today's system management products only offer
`minimal capabilities.
`
`Service level and performance. Munitoring overall levels of service from an application,
`including performance metrics, trend analysis and predictive reporting, threshold ale1is. and
`a flexible repo1iing capability.
`
`One reason that application management has been so late coming to the scene i'> that it
`depends on the p1ior existence of a rich and functional infrastructure itself. including a full
`repertoire of operating system functions and the existence of an intelligent data
`management functional layer, a facility that has been lacking in both operating system and
`'-)'>km management packages until recently.
`
`·
`
`llJ95 Hurnitt'. Consulting Group, InL«
`
`Page 5
`
`

`
`Application Management: The Next Frontier in Client/Server Management
`
`Data Management- Underlying Application Management
`
`Data management is a core underlying service. All applications make use of some level
`of data management. from simple file access to complex relational database access,
`optimization, and restructuring. Because of this underlying commonality, data
`management services are an excellent starting point for defining and implementing an
`application management architecture. Effective data management encompasses the
`following major functional areas:
`
`• Administration and security
`• Consistency and change management
`
`• Backup
`• Optimization
`
`Administration and security. The administration of enterprise data resources has become
`increasingly complex. Controlling and migrating changes to database structures,
`controlling access, and performing other administrative tasks are an integral part of the data
`management function.
`
`Consistency and change management. As applications move toward an increasingly
`distributed environment, interrelations between databases can make change management
`difficult. Changes in database structure, and consistency management of replicated
`databases become major problems. An intelligent data management infrastructure must
`have the ability to enable database administrators to ensure consistency of databases and
`database definitions.
`
`Backup and recovery. Most system management packages perform backup of database
`files as physical files, providing reliable copy capabilities, but no intelligent value added
`services. Data management services with a built-in knowledge of a database format can
`provide additional value added services such as incremental backup and fast recovery of
`damaged or inconsistent databases. For large online databases, the efficiency of recovery
`of databases can sometimes mean the difference between hours and minutes of downtime.
`
`Page 6
`
`© 1995 Hurwitz Consulting Group, Inc.
`
`

`
`Application Management: The Next Frontier in Client/Server Management
`
`Optimization. Intelligent data management services can also perform optimization on
`large databases, such as defragmentation and compression.
`
`Application management requires an integrated approach to both data management as its
`foundation upon which to build advanced application management functions. Today very
`few tools are available that can address this combined set of requirements. In the following
`section, we look at one of the first set of products to begin to address these requirements.
`
`BMC Software's Application Management Strategy and Tools
`
`BMC Software, an established vendor of legacy tools. with annual sales of approximately
`$300M, has recently announced a set of products to provide both legacy and open systems
`application and data management facilities to large distributed environments. HCG
`believes that BMC Software's products are an example of an integrated approach to
`application and data management and break new ground for both users and other ISV s.
`
`BMC Software has two families of tools: PATROL, a real-time application management
`solution, and MetaSUITE™, user-invoked data management tools. Today these BMC
`Software products are different in their architectures and capabilities, but they can be used
`in a complementary fashion to address the dual requirements of application and data
`management.
`
`PATROL
`
`PATROL is a distributed client/server management environment with extensive capabilities
`for customization and integration with both open systems and legacy software and
`hardware environments. The PATROL architecture is shown in Figure 1.
`
`© 1995 Hurwitz Consulting Group, Inc.
`
`Page 7
`
`

`
`Application Management: The Next Frontier in Client/Seiver Management
`
`SNMP
`Agent
`
`Agent
`PATROL
`Event Knowledge
`Manager Modules
`PATROL Agent
`
`Figure I-PATROL Architecture
`
`Knowledge
`Modules
`
`Event
`Log
`
`Parameter
`History
`
`Configuration
`
`PATROL is an extensible event-driven application for monitoring applications, data,
`and network operation. Based on the results of PATROL monitoring, further corrective
`actions may be initiated via the first two MetaSUITE products, MetaDESK™ or
`MetaMANAGET'vl. PATROL is implemented as a distributed client/server object-oriented
`system, with intelligent agents di stributed across the managed systems, communicating
`with the PATROL kernel and functional modules over the network. A significant
`differentiator for PATROL is its use of knowledge modules, which embody specific
`information about the managed applications and form the basis of PATROL' s extcnsibi lity
`and customization capabilities.
`
`Page 8
`
`([:) 1995 Hurwitz Consulting Group. Inc.
`
`

`
`Application 1Ha11agement: The Next Frontier in C/ient!SerFer Management
`
`Console. The console is the interface to PATROL. Operators can access PATROL from
`three environments: the PATROL Operator Console; the PATROL VIEWn1 product,
`which is tightly integrated with either HP Open View or NetView for AIX; or any SNMP
`manager. The console is a set of modules that together manage the PATROL object
`hierarchy providing a holistic view of the environment. Any console can help manage
`applications by providing customized displays of application-specific data. Administrators
`who wish to modify existing Knowledge Modules (Kivls) or create new Ktvts need to use
`the PATROL Developer Console. The Developer Console can also be used to administer
`and manage applications and to customize and ~~Is. The Console maintains a dialog with
`the remote agent processes. The dialog is event-driven, based on specific state changes in
`the managed system.
`
`Knowledge Modules. The key to PATROL' s flexibility and extensibility is in its use of
`Knowledge Modules (KlVls), which contain information on each specific application or
`subsystem to be monitored. A KM, written in a proprietary high-level script language,
`contains a description of an application's critical data structures, metrics, and even
`descriptions of an application's proprietary APis. With this script-based description,
`PATROL can make calls to any vendor's internal APis for management information.
`At startup, information from the KMs is loaded into the remote agents from the KM
`repository held at each managed server. If the appropriate KM is not available, it can be
`requested from the central KM repository held at the console. The KMs not only specify
`what is to be monitored, but also specify how to recognize events and situations requiring
`attention and associated recovery, notification and escalation actions and procedures.
`PATROL's KMs are the basis of its customization capabilities, and can be extensively
`used by ISV s and end users to implement custom management solutions.
`
`Agent. An intelligent, autonomous agent runs on each managed machine. Agents
`automatically discover applications, databases and other managed objects present on the
`machine. They then load appropriate knowledge modules either from a local repository,
`or if the KM is not present locally, from the PATROL consoe' s KM repository. The agrnts
`use the intelligence encapsulated within the KMs to monitor and manage applications, data,
`databases, and underlying technology, including the ability to initiate cmrectivc actions and
`trigger events. A single agent can support multiple operator consoles, including PATROL
`consoles, PATROL VIEW consoles, and any SNMP manager. PATROL agents can also
`act as mid-level SNMP managers and can accept traps and obtain information from other
`SNMP agents and their associated MIBs.
`
`<:<;:) 1995 Hurwitz Consulting Group, Inc.
`
`Page 9
`
`

`
`Application }vfa11age111c11t: The Next Fro111ier in Client/Server l'v/anagemenr
`
`PATROL Event Manager. PATROL employs an event manager that can be stand-alone
`as well as integrated into the PATROL console. Events can be classified. acknowledged.
`and have associated ownership and escalation rnles. Events are held in local repositories at
`each agent. The PATROL console can also have an event cache that receives events of
`interest from PATROL agents and provides better performance for event queries from
`the console.
`
`Third-party interfaces. PATROL can interface to network and system management
`frameworks in a number of ways. The first is through the PATROLJNK module. This
`module integrates with HP Open View, IR\tf s NetView for AIX. SunNet Manager, and
`Digital's Polycenter for NetView, and allows PATROL to propagate events to these
`frameworks and provides a "d1ill down·· capability to intelligently launch the PATROL
`console for managing applications and databases. Another product. PATROL VIEW,
`provides tighter integration with HP Open View and Net View for AIX and provides the
`ability to view events as well as monitor and display all the parameters provided by
`PATROL agents and Knowledge Modules. The SNMP support provided by PATROL
`agents also allows an SNMP manager to receive events in the form of SNMP traps and
`to monitor PATROL parameters by browsing the PATROL MIB metrics supplied by each
`PATROL agent. The PATROL event manager can also integrate with help desk systems
`to automatically open. update. and close trouble tickets.
`
`BMC Software· s overall management architecture is designed to be extensible and to be
`integrated with a wide range of third-party tools, as shown in the following high-level
`architecture diagram.
`
`Page 10
`
`© 1995 Hurwitz Consulting Group, Inc.
`
`

`
`Applicatio n Managem ent: The Nex t Frontie r in C fient!Se ri:e r .'v!anage111e111
`
`BMC Extensible Management
`Architecture
`
`Management Frameworks
`(HP OpenView. NetView. Sun Net, etc)
`
`Administration , utility.
`data management,
`replication, recovery
`and performance
`management
`
`BMC Application
`Management
`(PATROL)
`
`BMC Data
`Manage ment
`(MetaDESK. etc)
`
`BMC Common services
`
`Management
`Console
`
`Policy setting, status,
`problem analysis,
`service level ,
`availability
`
`,.
`
`iii
`
`,,.~
`
`Managed Servers
`
`CJ D
`
`Figure 2- BMC Softw are 's Open Systems High-Level Architecture
`
`PATROL provides the event-driven management tools needed to manage complex
`application environments. With a properly specified KM, the actual data collected from
`an application can be very detailed, allowing flexible management of many aspects of an
`application' s operation. The abstract below from the Oracle Financials KM shows
`PATROL ' s parameter definitions and gives a sense of the richness of the PATROL data
`collection.
`
`• Completed Requests
`• Deleted Requests
`• ErroredRequests
`• Financial Users
`• LongPendingRequests
`• LongRunningRequests
`• NoMgrRequests
`• Pa used Requests
`
`Parameter name
`• PendinglnternalManager
`• PendinglntMgr - On Hold
`• PendinglntMgr - Run Later
`• Resuming Requests
`• RunningRequests
`• Terminating Requests
`• TotalRequests
`• Waiting Requests
`
`@ 1995 Hurwitz Consulting Group. fnc .
`
`Page 1 l
`
`

`
`Application 1'vfanagement: The Next Frontier in Client/Server Management
`
`While PATROL has the capability of initiating some corrective actions automatically,
`some problems require skilled intervention via specialized tools such as MetaDESK and
`MetaMANAGE.
`
`MetaDESK
`
`MetaDESK is a tool for database disco\·ery, monitoring and browsing across multiple
`database environments. MetaDESK is designed to serve as the front end and integrating
`platform for MetaMANAGE and future members of BMC Software's data management
`products. In brief, MetaDESK provides the following features:
`
`• Automated retrieval of database structure
`• Database performance monitoring and control file tuning
`
`• Automated creation of SQL queries
`• Multiple database browsing capabilities
`
`MetaDESK provides an integrated and uniform administrative interface across multiple
`data fom1ats, increasing operator productivity and reducing the likelihood of mistakes
`caused by unfamiliarity with a particular DBMS product.
`
`MetaMANAGE
`
`MetaMANAGE is a tool for advanced database structure manipulation. MetaMANAGE
`provides the following functions:
`
`• Offers advanced alter and migration functions
`
`• Analyzes user requests and models impact before changes
`• Prevents users from making conflicting changes to multiple databases
`
`• Supports object. group and user security
`
`• Automatically generates scripts for executing database utilities
`• Provides secure archive for administrator's scripts
`
`MetaMANAGE' s greatest impact is on the management of complex distributed databases,
`particularly in a heterogeneous environment. Its consistency checking and automatic script
`generation are particularly valuable, helping to reduce errors, ensure adherence to standards
`and operating procedures, and to reduce the learning curve for new staff. In conjunction
`with MetaDESK' s browsing capabilities, it provides a powerful set of capabilities for
`
`Page 12
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`rfJ 1995 Hurwitz Consulting Group. Inc.
`
`

`
`Application Management: The Nl'xt Frontier in C/ient!'5ervt!r J'vfunagt!ment
`
`centralizing the management of enterprise data assets. Being an adjunct to ~ktaDESK
`it benefits from the same consistent user interface.
`
`Developing an IT Strategy for Application Management
`
`An application management strategy needs to be based on the concept of application
`services. The services, as outlined above, should focus on key metrics and control
`functions relating to application health and availability. administration. service level and
`performance. Well-designed applications should be able to describe their state. ideally
`through embedded APis connecting to system resident management services or, as is done
`in PATROL's Knowledge Modules. by allowing external monitors to access application
`state information via detailed description of the application's internals.
`
`IT management is faced with the simultaneous challenge of developing tools and
`techniques to manage unaware applications, developing and acquiring aware applications,
`and acquiring application management tools such as PATROL.
`
`Developing a strategy for application management is an extension of an organization's
`strategy for system management and entails many of the same strategic processes and
`choices. Management must focus simultaneously on both tactical and strategic aspects of
`the process:
`
`• Select appropriate development environments
`
`• Define metrics for management
`
`• Work with developers and vendors to develop manageable applications
`
`•
`
`Integrate management of applications into their system management operations
`
`Development tools. At the base of an IT strategy involving internal development is the
`process of selecting appropriate development tools. HCG believes that high-end
`development environments that support extensions for system management and
`application management are the appropriate choices for future development. People in IT
`management must assure themselves that their tool vendors are tracking developments
`from companies such as BMC Software to ensure that they will have the necessary
`support in the future.
`
`,Metrics. Policies for successful system and application management must rest on well
`defined metrics for performance. availability. and other service-level parameters. The
`establishment of these metrics is non-trivial and involves additional time in the design of
`
`1<'J I 995 Hurwitz Consulting Group, Inc.
`
`Page 13
`
`

`
`Application Management: The Next Frontier in Client/Server Management
`
`application systems. The additional investment in up-front planning and design will be
`repaid in the form of a consistent framework for evaluating application operation.
`
`Building manageable applications. Very few in-house applications today have been
`designed for manageability. While BMC Software has developed Knowledge Modules for
`selected products, such as Oracle Financials and Lotus Notes, the vast majority of third(cid:173)
`party applications are only marginally manageable today. IT management must both
`encourage its ISV partners to accommodate application management tools such as
`PATROL, and must create an internal climate that encourages building manageable
`applications.
`
`Tactical application management. At a very tactical level, IT management must integrate
`application management with its daily system management operations, since the two
`functions will be highly interrelated in the future. Integration requires establishing policies,
`reviewing management responsibilities for critical applications, and setting up the required
`help-desk functions. Today, management of applications is often split between the
`functional owner of the application and the IT group; and any centralized application
`management policy must walk a narrow line between accommodating the enterprise
`requirements for better management and not disenfranchising the end users of critical
`applications.
`
`A key requirement for organizations, developers and ISVs over the next several years will
`be flexibility since there are no standards for application management and no real hope of
`even a de facto standard for some time. Both ISVs and IT management should insist on
`extensible tools with flexible interfaces to external environments to safeguard themselves
`from the inevitable high rate of change in application and system management over the
`next few years.
`
`Conclusion
`
`HCG firmly believes that integrated application and data management are key requirements
`for enterprise IT asset management in the future. Software vendors who accommodate
`this trend by interfacing to emerging management platforms, such as those provided by
`BMC Software, will gain an initial competitive advantage over those who are slower to
`react. Within 18 months to two years, vendors who do not accommodate will be at a
`definite disadvantage compared to their peers.
`
`Page 14
`
`© 1995 Hurwitz Consulting Group, Inc.
`
`

`
`Application Management: The Next Frontier in Client/Server Management
`
`IT organizations who actively track these emerging technologies will be well positioned to
`gain significant advantages in enterprise application manageability and improved service
`levels, user, and ultimately, customer satisfaction.
`
`As a pioneer in the field of application management, BMC Software has one of the first
`product sets to address HCG' s requirements for an application management infrastructure.
`BMC Software has also taken the intelligent route of designing their product to flexibly
`...
`accommodate other software environments. rather than attempting to define a standard to
`which others must adhere. This also results in BMC Software products being a good
`choice for organizations wishing to experiment with application management while
`retaining existing investment in both in-house and ISV software.
`
`© 1995 Hurwitz Consulting Group, Inc.
`
`Page 15
`
`

`
`Applicmion Management: The Next Frontier in Client/Serva Management
`
`Contact information:
`BMC Software, Inc.
`2101 CityWest Blvd.
`Houston, Texas 77042
`(713) 918-8800
`( 800) 841-2031
`Fax: (713) 918-8000
`Attn: Open Systems Product Marketing
`
`ART-PAT 408
`
`Page 16
`
`@ 1995 Hurwitz Consulting Group, Inc.