Whether you’ve created a new application specifically for the cloud or you wish to integrate your existing application to the all-powerful cloud, it’s essential that you establish a monitoring system capable of handling the unique demands cloud-based applications require. While there are many different features and advantages of hosting your applications on the cloud, when it comes to monitoring these applications, you should keep your eye out for several specific features and capabilities.

Real-Time Application Performance Visualization

In order to truly have confidence in your cloud-based application, the amount of information you require delves far deeper than infrastructure metrics. It’s essential that your application monitoring solution is able to provide detailed information regarding each transaction and how events are processed at the code level. Moreover, this information must be delivered to you in real-time. Real-time visualization monitoring allows administrators instant access to the performance and functionality of an app - essential for the high demands associated with cloud-based applications.

Cloud Infrastructure Health Monitoring

Perhaps one of the most important features to look for in a cloud application monitoring tool is its ability to provide you the current health levels for all infrastructure components. It’s only through this information that you’re able to better manage the infrastructure of your applications. Look for a system capable of reporting performance and tier availability.

Cloud Application Latency Optimization

The road to establishing a cloud based application is not free from complications and unexpected speed bumps. One of the most important elements to seek out when choosing an application monitoring system for cloud-based apps is its ability to optimize application latency specifically for cloud infrastructure. This is the only way to instantly isolate and resolve performance-dragging bottlenecks before they alter user experiences.

Establish Accurate Application Baselines

Perhaps one of the vital, yet most often overlooked, elements involved in cloud-based application monitoring is establishing current baselines based upon historical and forecasted trends. If the amount of traffic your application experiences dramatically fluctuates, then the cloud should automatically adjust to meet these new demands; however, the majority of application monitoring solutions isn’t able to handle these dynamic and complex commands. Baselining your application means being able to understand how your application works on a “normal” day. It’s only when you’re able to set these baselines you can reserve space and functionality for moments of extreme use. In these situations, it may be wise to consider some type of browser automation in order to get track of baseline performance. Not only do these baselines help identify the ideal scalability level for your application, but it also allows administrators a clearer view into errors and problems that may arise. By comparing real-time processes with the established baselines, identifying errors and performance issues is streamlined for powerful, and time-sensitive, fixes.