Web Application Monitoring

A web application is a type of software or program that users can access and interact with through a web browser, such as Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. Unlike traditional desktop applications that need to be installed on a user’s device, web applications run entirely on remote servers and are accessible over the internet. This accessibility allows users to use the application from any device with internet connectivity, making web apps highly convenient and versatile.

Web applications also provide dynamic and interactive content to users. Unlike static websites that primarily offer information in a read-only format, web apps enable users to actively engage with the content, perform tasks, submit data, and receive real-time responses. Web applications vary in complexity and functionality, from simple single-page apps to complex systems with multiple interconnected components. They’re designed to serve various user needs, making them a vital part of modern digital experiences and business operations.

Web applications have a client side and a server side. The client side (the user’s web browser) sends requests to a remote server, where the web application’s core logic and data processing occur.

When a user enters a web application’s URL in their browser and hits Enter, a request is sent to the application’s hosting server. The server processes this request and returns an HTML page, which is the initial interface of the web app.

Along with the HTML, the server may also send JavaScript, CSS, and other assets needed for the web app’s functionality and design. The browser then interprets this code, rendering the web app’s interface and allowing users to interact with the app.

As users interact with the web app, their actions trigger additional requests to the server. These requests can be for everything from fetching data from a database to processing user inputs or performing calculations.

The server processes these requests, often using server-side coding languages like PHP, Python, Java, etc., and responds with the appropriate data or updates to the webpage. This dynamic back-and-forth communication between the client-side and server-side components enables the web application to provide users with real-time interactivity and personalized experiences.

With so many elements coming together to provide a cohesive and integrated experience, monitoring web applications for performance is essential.

There are a number of different forms of web app monitoring, with three basic levels to consider: external website monitoring, application-level monitoring, and server (OS) level monitoring.

External website monitoring focuses on assessing the external accessibility and performance of a web application from the user’s perspective. It involves regularly checking the application’s availability and response times from different geographic locations.

Application-level monitoring delves into the inner workings of the web application itself. By tracking key performance metrics within the application, such as database query times, API response times, and user interactions, this level of monitoring helps fine-tune an application’s performance to improve user experiences and troubleshoot functionality issues.

Server (OS) level monitoring prioritizes the underlying infrastructure that supports the web application, including the operating system, hardware, and network resources. For instance, metrics like CPU usage, memory utilization, and network traffic are collected and analyzed here for a peek into performance health.

Without regular web application monitoring, users may experience a subpar and frustrating experience when using web applications. Performance issues, such as slow page load times, unresponsive features, and frequent errors, can undermine user satisfaction, frustrating users and potentially causing them to abandon the application completely. This can result in a loss of user trust and loyalty, negatively impacting the user base and potential business revenue.

On the business side, the lack of monitoring leaves organizations vulnerable to several risks. Downtime or outages in web applications, which can go undetected without monitoring, can lead to substantial revenue loss due to interrupted online sales, customer support disruptions, or service unavailability. Additionally, security vulnerabilities may remain undetected, exposing sensitive user data to potential breaches. The absence of compliance monitoring can also result in non-compliance with industry regulations and legal consequences, leading to greater repercussions down the line.

Web applications are difficult to manage manually, making monitoring solutions highly valuable in reducing human error, identifying and addressing all vulnerabilities, and comprehensively reviewing the health of all infrastructure components. Web application monitoring tools emphasize accessibility and transparency, often presenting data in a single pane of glass and alerting administrators of potential threats as they unfold.

With more advanced solutions, web application performance monitoring may include the use of artificial intelligence and smart technology to analyze data sets and present them in a digestible format. Some web application monitoring tools may also provide predictive analytics to keep your business infrastructure one step ahead of impending disruptions.

SolarWinds Observability SaaS brings flexibility, scalability, and extended visibility to web app monitoring. It works for cloud-native, hybrid, and on-premises infrastructures to fit the IT environment your business already runs on. It’s quick and easy to install and offers support for open-source software.

But SolarWinds Observability SaaS doesn’t stop there. SolarWinds Observability SaaS combines AIOps, log monitoring, and distributed tracing to surveil even the most minute details so that “surprises” become mitigated threats. To make things easier, SolarWinds Observability SaaS emphasizes fully integrated, full-stack observability so you don’t have to switch between tools to get the updates you need. All you have to do is set your monitors to track the nodes you want and watch your infrastructure unravel in real time.