DX Application Performance Management

Expand all | Collapse all

Idea Generation: PHP and Web Server Monitoring seems neglected for different reasons

  • 1.  Idea Generation: PHP and Web Server Monitoring seems neglected for different reasons

    Posted Mar 18, 2016 12:18 PM

    PHP and Web Server monitoring seems to be partialy neglected, both by the looks of it delivered for some quick wins lack of some more solid further developments. Some fundemental ideas are wishlisted and very few ones are planned, but its not clear whats the strategy with this 2(or3) Agents: PHP Agent, PPWebServers, (and because some customers are unhappy with PPWebServers the EPAgent comes in to play as a very customizable agent.).

     

    I guess for PHP it's understandable that the actual market is small, but isnt this an opportunity to maybe run a different more "open-source" type model? E.g. the base compatability delivered by CA but instrumentation enhancements etc. delivered via the CA APM developer community? Or maybe even make it completely open, where i guess the problem is that the base agent code is shared accross multiple agents e.g. the nodeJSAgent?

     

    And for the Web Server Agent, it seems to me a very underestimated bottleneck which deserves more and better quality monitoring, as its front-facing a lot of time Application Servers and i'v seen so many missconfigurations already just from a sizing and timeout perspective that it's not understandable to me why this is not playing a bigger part in the monitoring strategy. Especialy now when the PHP agent got delivered its even more important to know about the Web Server too.

     

    The Web Server Power Pack is a very good example for a quick and handy delivery at the time which got stuck in time, and it seems the same happens for the PHP agent.

     

    In Web Server monitoring area there seems to be in addition to the missing basics a huge potential with additional possibiliteis of intercepting and injecting in to any kind of HTTP traffic unrelated to the ApplicationServer technology.

     

    This are not planned ideas for the two areas and maybe it requires a different model to deliver something valuable:

     

    PHP:

    Support for PHP Virtual Hosts

    PHP Agent support for Windows

    Support Apache Virtual Hosts on PHP Agent

    Extending the functionality of PHP Agent

     

    Apache:

    Webserver Powerpack additional Metrics

    PPWebServers can monitor web server that has a frontend proxy server.

    Make request for server version in WebServerPowerPack Agent configurable

    Port Range Support PPWebServers

    PowerPack for Webserver enhancement when using Apache

     

    I have created in addition a CA APM Beta Community post where maybe some things can be discussed in more detail with regards to potential upgcomming releases plans and strategies: PHP and Web Server Monitoring seems neglected for different reasons



  • 2.  Re: PHP and Web Server Monitoring seems neglected for different reasons

    Broadcom Employee
    Posted Mar 19, 2016 03:48 PM

    Hi AaronRitter,

    On the WS PP, how would you propose we do interception or injection when the agent is designed for remote polling?

    I would think the better ask is for a new type of agent that resides on the web server.



  • 3.  Re: PHP and Web Server Monitoring seems neglected for different reasons

    Posted Mar 20, 2016 05:45 PM

    I think that Aaron is only making the case that the current solution is stuck-in-time and something needs to be done. There is no point in asking for the obvious if there is a disagreement with the above.... "just saying"



  • 4.  Re: PHP and Web Server Monitoring seems neglected for different reasons

    Broadcom Employee
    Posted Mar 20, 2016 05:51 PM

    I'm not disagreeing at all. If you propose that something needs to be changed and you ask for a feature, then one should be prepared to explain how they might accomplish this? What will this feature provide the community at-large?



  • 5.  Re: PHP and Web Server Monitoring seems neglected for different reasons

    Posted Mar 20, 2016 06:08 PM

    I think the list of links do explain what features are needed and why, some even mention how to solve the neglect being discussed here.

    There a plenty of ideas on how it should be implemented. I mentioned (a module for Apache) it the past 2 CA world (I hoped I could use the PHP not for the PHP, but for the thread and transaction monitoring of Apache)....



  • 6.  Re: PHP and Web Server Monitoring seems neglected for different reasons

    Broadcom Employee
    Posted Mar 20, 2016 07:01 PM

    I was specifically interested in how and why one would implement what he was suggesting for WS PP. Nothing more than that. I was hoping to look into it.



  • 7.  Re: PHP and Web Server Monitoring seems neglected for different reasons

    Posted Mar 21, 2016 05:48 AM

    The point i was trying to make is a more general one: there are all this different issues and somehow they are all related to each other and maybe there can be some sort of common strategy on how to solve this.

    And the way to solve it was not only meant to be in technical nature but as well in questioning the current way the different agents get deliverd, who has possiblities to actualy do changes, who has interest that something changes, market considerations etc. (more details in the Beta Community mentioned above)

     

    Thinking outside the box and understanding whats going wrong with the current state to create something better based on this whole process.

     

    With regards to Web Server Power Pack:

    The idea behind its a Power Pack for Web Server Monitoring:
    The idea of monitoring the Web Servers is important and i dont think Web Server Power Pack is up to the task anymore.

     

    The current technical implementation is a polling of the status page:

    I agree that a module deployed in to the webserver is giving you much more possiblities then one just polling the status page. But before talking on technical details the question is what can all be done with the main idea: Web Server Monitoring.

     

    As mentioned by Fred, its stuck in time:

    And the fear that this is a example of an neglected part of the product and that it could potentialy happen to the PHPAgent too.

     

    What can be done with Web Server Monitoring

    And maybe we could start by defining whats meant with Web Server Monitoring

    its crutial to get the basic KPIs (what are they) but obviously a Web Server does much more then delivering HTML files stored on the server, therefore the question about SSL/CGI/PHP/Web Proxy/etc. Defining the scope of monitored products and what else by sides the basic KPIs might be possible to gather or inject e.g.:

    - A Web Server deliverds a HTTP Stream from lots of different potential sources

    - It has own logic happning inside, as soon its not only just delivering a file but e.g. causing URL redirects, proxying, php, cgi, etc.

    - The HTTP Header could be tagged with a transaction ID or simliar

    - JavaScript injection for BrowserMonitoring could be done and as its injected in the Web Server it could be done for any technology delivering that HTTP Stream

     

    Whata data is hard to gather or still missing and valuable for the new ApplicationMap in CA APM 10?

    Maybe bringing the whole topic CEM/TIM back to life in a new form?



  • 8.  Re: PHP and Web Server Monitoring seems neglected for different reasons

    Broadcom Employee
    Posted Mar 21, 2016 08:25 AM

    Hi Aaron:

    Thanks for the interesting discussion. Product Management reviews product ideas/enhancements. I suggest that post one or more ideas to get the internal review that you seek underway. Or take up through your Account Team.

     

     

    Hal German



  • 9.  Re: PHP and Web Server Monitoring seems neglected for different reasons

    Posted Mar 21, 2016 08:37 AM

    Hi Hal,

     

    I am aware about Prodcut Management reviewing ideas and enhancements (it is one driver for this post as all the above mentioned ideas are set to not planned (which causes the idea not be further voted on))

    This post is the idea to get a broader input from interested parties, avoiding one to one discussions to Product Management.

    And even have potential further detailed discussions with Product Management in the CA APM Beta community which cant be shared public.

     

    I plan to do similar posts about a few other broader topics (e.g. Alerting, JMX), each time with the final goal to form one major well thought through idea at the end of it which then summarizes up a in the community developed idea.



  • 10.  Re: PHP and Web Server Monitoring seems neglected for different reasons

    Broadcom Employee
    Posted Mar 21, 2016 08:44 AM

    Thanks Aaron. If that is the case, you may want to put that in your subject and tag so they can be tracked. Something like Idea Generation



  • 11.  Re: Idea Generation: PHP and Web Server Monitoring seems neglected for different reasons

    Posted May 05, 2016 10:30 AM