Almost everyone has started moving from hardware-defined data centers to the cloud-

So why the cloud? Well, it's a promise for a much more flexible, scalable, and location-independent computing environment that can make C-level executives drool with anticipation.

To operate with a much higher return on investment, increased revenue, and better user experience-who wouldn't want that?

Although cloud technology increases flexibility and can reduce cost, it also introduces risks including complexity, reduced visibility, and reliance on multiple third parties for application delivery.

SaaS, PaaS, IaaS in Action

For those who need them, let's start with some definitions for "as-a-Service" cloud technologies:
SaaS-Software applications delivered over the web and typically paid for by subscriptions for each application on a monthly basis (e.g., Salesforce, Concur)
PaaS-Platform for developing and deploying applications quickly and scalably based on usage and paid for by how much of the resources are used (e.g., Google App Engine, Windows Azure)
IaaS-Infrastructure that includes everything, the servers, storage, networks, and operating systems and paid for by number of elements required (e.g., Amazon EC2, Rackspace)

Now back to the wrecking ball analogy (and sorry for offending or not offending anyone with the reference to Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" performance substituted by Betty White)-Most enterprises don't shift everything at once to public and private cloud infrastructures and services, but rather take a hybrid approach with a "best-fit" analysis of what works well for specific cases.

With that in mind, let's have a quick look at the Riverbed Application Performance Platform™.

The most complete platform for location-independent computing to ensure flawless application performance and the best user experience.


Visibility and Control

Visibility and control can be lost when you deploy apps through cloud technologies. That means you need a solution that provides complete visibility anywhere and acceleration of apps everywhere. You need a performance platform that gives you the flexibility to host applications and data through whatever combination of cloud services and blended infrastructures that best serve the business.

As an example of this approach for as-a-service offerings, let's look at the Performance Management layer of our platform for end-user experience monitoring:

  • Browser plug-ins are modules of code installed within end-user browsers to capture fine grained end-user experience from within the browser itself for any web application.
  • Mobile application instrumentation is available for monitoring the end-user experience of mobile applications.
  • Page tagging, implemented through JavaScript instrumentation, provides end-user experience measurements for browser-based applications.
  • Active test monitors provide insight into the performance of an application by periodically exercising key application functions.
  • Appliances measure end-user experience for all applications in the enterprise. Riverbed provides a wide range of appliance types to cover the diversity of corporate locations with different form factors.
  • Network capture agents provide insight into the end user experience by observing the conversation between a client and the application back end.
  • Software agents to capture code-level transactions from your data center application servers.

Once you have all this information, what can you do with it? You'll quickly understand that you're accessing analytics from a big data approach powered by an application performance monitoring (APM) engine that leaves a light footprint while having access to all the data.

For more information about what we mean by this, see Big Data APM and Big Data Analytics ...

You can peek at the dashboards that show all the data by watching this video RPM Dashboard in Less than 60 Seconds.

So whatever "as-a-Service" offering you might engage in, we've got you covered. You'll definitely be able to detect and resolve network and application issues before end users even notice!

For more detailed information, see Network Performance Management and Application Performance Management.

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