Network Products Guide, an industry leading publication on information technologies and solutions, has named ManageEngine Applications Manager and ManageEngine Desktop Central winners of the 2009 Best Products and Services Award.
ManageEngine Applications Manager was awarded Best in Datacenter Management.
"Again this year our readers have voted on the technology and services that they've found to be superior and would recommend to their peers," said Rake Narang, editor-in-chief, Network Products Guide. "All of the editors here at Network Products Guide congratulate ManageEngine as our readers voted ManageEngine Applications Manager and Desktop Central as the best in their individual categories. ManageEngine's commitment to providing easy-to-use, affordable, yet powerful management software is exactly what IT administrators are looking for today."
"These awards go to the best technology products every year and we are honored that ManageEngine Applications Manager and Desktop Central have gained the trust of Network Products Guide readers around the world," said Girish Mathrubootham, vice president, ManageEngine. "We are committed to meeting our customers' needs by continually growing our family of installed and hosted management applications, and by keeping our prices low while increasing application capabilities and benefits."
To learn more, visit www.networkproductsguide.com.
Way to Go!!! ;-))
Susan
Applications Manager 8.6 Released!
Applications Manager 8.6 is released with enhanced report generation and new features being added. These new features include
Monitor and Manage AS400 iSeries Server
With the release of Applications Manager 8.6, you can now monitor the availability and performance IBM AS400 iSeries server. Through Applications Manager, you can not only monitor the status of the server, jobs running in the server, monitor spool’s metrics but also be able execute non-interactive commands through the Admin console. This provides you the ability to be able to identify any performance related issue quickly and troubleshoot it.
Monitor SAP Components
With 8.6 version, you can monitor the performance of vairous SAP components like SAP Business Intelligence (BI), SAP Customer Relation Manager (CRM), SAP Supply Chain Management (SCM) etc using CCMS through Applications Manager web console.
You can now monitor each components
This allows user to effectively monitor these ERP services.
Generate Reports Faster
Applications Manager has now faster and more initiative report section which allows user to view reports and be able to generate them quickly. This report tab allows user view by various types thus giving better understanding to the number of monitors he/she configured using Applications Manager. The user can also view individual report of each monitor configured which helps the user to understand the performance trend of a particular monitor. Enhanced 7/30 reports also help the user in various ways to analyze and decipher the results quickly.
The heat charts provide a distinct understanding between the same types of monitors configured with similar threshold values. The statistical report allows user to understand the end-results quickly and allows him/her to take action quickly. The day of week and hour of day reports provide hour-by-hour data thus providing an in-depth analysis of the data that is being gathered. With such improvements, the user can now monitor any number of IT resources effortlessly.
So why don’t you go ahead and give Applications Manager 8.6 a try? You might see the difference!
For those who are already using Applications Manager, upgrade your software by applying the service pack.
Consider a database driven application. For example, let’s consider a meteorological station wherein a software application collects various metrics such as temperature, wind, chill factor, humidity, rain precipitation and so on. This application gathers the information from various instruments and the data is stored in a database grid. The IT admin of this metrological station has to ensure that the work flow of this application is up and running and that they are available at all times.
The admin should be able to monitor specific key performance metrics (KPI) from these databases to find out if the processes executed by the software application are error-free. The admin should be able to find out the performance of the query that is being executed. The performance of the query is calculated by the amount of time taken by the query to execute and return value. If the query execution time is above a certain pre-assigned threshold, then the admin should immediately alerted that there has been some issue with the performance of this particular query. The admin can then take action to improve the query of the database and ensure that the application is running smoothly.
Using Database Query Monitor in Applications Manager, the admin will be able to do the exact same thing. In addition, instead of just being notified of a performance related issue with the query, the admin can assign certain actions related to the alert and thus automating the whole process. While the admin will get notified of certain error in the performance of a query, Applications Manager executes appropriate action assigned with the alert and ensure that the performance of the processes remain high. The admin can also enable reports for various queries that is being monitored and also schedule reports accordingly.
For more information about Database Query Monitor, click here. This is available from 8.5 version of Applications Manager, which you can download it here.
Going back to 1970s, typewriter was used for some form of office automation. This was followed by other technologies, and later the PC era helped improve communication between users to a great extent. Some of these software improvements were also called groupware as they helped collaboration and quicker decision making, which in turn helped improve the bottomline. These collaborative capabilities were achieved, not only because Enterprise Applications matured in its capability, but also because Enterprise IT was able to deliver it, when needed. This hence elevated the contribution of IT to the business.
Over the last decade or so, IT Management too has evolved. From merely monitoring the network and servers to application monitoring, to end user experience monitoring and fault management to performance management to Business Services Management.
[caption id="attachment_2151" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Current approach to IT Management"]
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There are lots of point products that can help manage the Network, Servers or Applications etc. Each of these market segments too have matured to a level where the IT Team finds real value.
Now how can you improve your existing investments ? Invest in products and solutions that have a vision to provide an integrated management solution which help different groups in IT organizations to collaborate towards a common end goal - Delivering better Business Applications. Empower your IT Management capabilities by investing in products and technologies that integrate.
ManageEngine today can help you gain more value with mature tools that also integrate to provide greater value.
One of the recent announcements from ManageEngine is the integration of the various Network Monitoring capabilities by ManageEngine OpManager that spans across Fault and Performance Management of Core network equipment to monitoring VOIP and Network Change and Configuration Management.
[caption id="attachment_2161" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Network Monitoring Integration"]
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Similarly early this year, the integration of ManageEngine Applications Manager and ManageEngine OpManager via the Network Monitoring connector would help IT Teams to have a better perspective of the servers, databases, application servers and the Network.
With this integrated Integrated Server, Application and Network Monitoring ManageEngine Applications Manager will provide availability and performance monitoring for applications and databases, while ManageEngine OpManager provides the same for the network. This information is then provided in a single dashboard for the IT Administrators and Managers to make better informed decisions.

Well, is It not time to do to IT what IT did to Your business ?
Checkout the new AddOns released, to ensure your business gets more value for the buck, especially in the times of a slowing economy.
Gibu
Twitter : @Gibu_
In the ManageEngine Euro Roadshow we had the opportunity to meet many customers and prospects. We came across some interesting usage scenarios among our customers. Monitoring KPIs was one of them.
Wikipedia defines KPI as indicators that help an organization define and measure progress toward organizational goals. Also the day to day monitoring of these Key Performance Indicators is called Business Activity Monitoring.
Our script monitoring capability was used by many to monitor KPIs that gave them the visibility about how their business was performing. This along with the infrastructure monitoring capability helped them really understand how IT was impacting their business.
Why talk about KPIs now ?
Well, in the release 8.5, Karthi talks about Database Query Monitoring. This is another powerful capability that can help you monitor business metrics and have custom views created for your Managers.
Let us take an example of a vendor that provides software services to public car parking facilities.
They make sure the automated ticket issuing machines perform well and issue tickets appropriately. In this particular scenario, the administrator can also do one additional thing :
Monitor Business Metrics. By monitoring these business metrics, the company can understand how many cars come in and go out of the parking lot, how long cars are parked on an average, how many short stays, long stays, avg time for free parking etc happen. This gives them more visibility so that they can improve their services.
Happy Diwali !
Gibu
Twitter : @Gibu_
ps : Diwali is the “festival of lights” in India.
Its that time of the year again! We are happy to inform you that Applications Manager 8.5 is released. We have been receiving some positive feedback from customers and we were able to incorporate those feedback into the product. With 8.5 release, Applications Manager will now have out-of-the-box support for Database Query monitoring and Active Directory monitoring.
Database query monitoring will enable the user to check the status of a particular database by executing a query. He/she will also be able to monitor specific queries execution time which will enable them to find out any issue caused due its lag.
The most awaited feature, Active Directory monitoring is now fully supported by Applications Manager. With this feature, the user will be able to monitor some of the key performance metrics such as Kerberos Key Distribution Center Service monitoring, DNS Client Service monitoring and Net Logon Service monitoring. Applications Manager provides performance statistics such as availability and response time of Active Directory services. It also monitors NTLM authentications and Replication Traffic In/Out statistics (in Bytes). In addition it monitors System and Performance Counter monitor in Active Directory monitor.
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Applications Manager 8.5 now incorporated a new view called the 'Business View'. Business View provides a clean graphical representation of the business IT infrastructure. It allows the user to embed the view into intranet websites, provides a direct understanding of which particular monitor(s) down for a particular monitor group. It can also be customized according to the various needs of the user.
Check out the Release Notes and Issues fixed in 8.5.
Yes you have heard it correct! Our brand new podcast "Performance Matters ..." has been released today. This is going to be a series of podcast where we will be focusing on ManageEngine Applications Manager and its abilities. We will discussing in-depth about its features, how to utilize Applications Manager to its fullest capabilities and much more. We will also be discussing about the current trend in applications performance market and the various challenges faced by end users.
In this first episode, you will get a first hand introduction about ManageEngine Applications Manager, its key features, abilities and why Applications Manager is the favorite performance management software among its end users from Gibu K Mathew, Product Manager for Applications Manager.
Performance Matters...
Episode 1: An Introduction to ManageEngine Applications Manager - with Gibu K Mathew
(Time: 7:55 | MP3 Format)
You can download this file onto your mp3 player/iPod. Do post your comments about the podcast.
Well, starting from the 8th of September till October 3rd, its going to be an action-packed month for ME. Euro Roadshow 2008 is about to begin. This event is spread across eight different countries sweeping through Denmark, Sweden, France, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Poland and the United Kingdom. The main purpose of this roadshow is to showcase ME abilities in Enterprise Management Solutions. It is your first hand opportunity to meet with our experts and share talking points about network performance management, ITIL, application performance and just about anything else.
Do not miss out on the opportunity to view the presentation by our very own Gibu K Mathew, Product Manager of Applications Manager. In addition, there are some interesting presentations given by Girish Mathruboodham, our VP for ManageEngine, Alex D Paul - Product Manager for ITIL Solutions and Rajavel Subramanian our Technical Consultant.
Click here to register yourself for a piece of this action. You can view the entire Agenda of the Roadshow 2008 here.
Well, time flies really fast doesn’t it! After another round of troubleshooting and testing, we are happy to say Applications Manager 8.4 is released. I know that 8.3 was released a couple of months back, but we at ManageEngine focus on only one thing, getting the right kind of solution to our customer faster than they can say ’solution’ and this release proves just that.
Now you might be wondering what so special with 8.4, well there is. Applications Manager 8.4 now has option to integrate with ManageEngine OpManager, a network device monitoring solution, a topic for later thorough discussion.
This connector allows the user to monitor their network devices such as switches, printers, routers etc through Applications Manager through a single web console. Now with our integration using network monitoring connector, you as the user will be able to monitor network devices, monitor application servers through Applications Manager and track any issue through ServiceDesk Plus. Isn’t that awesome!
Release Notes | List of Issues Fixed in 8.4

Applications Manager now supports MS Office SharePoint server. It can automatically diagnose, notify and correct the performance and availability problems that may occur. Applications Manager provides comprehensive fault management and proactive alert notifications for any impending problems and triggering corrective actions. It also gathers performance data for future planning, analysis and reporting and are supported out-of-the-box.
Some of the key performance metrics include:
Here are some screenshots of Applications Manager monitoring MS Office SharePoint: