Meet the players
We spoke with several MSPs: Luminate, Nuclio, PatchLink.com, SilverBack Technologies, SiteLite, TriActive, and WebPartner, to give you an idea of the processes, technologies, and implementation strategies they employ.
Luminate provides self-service monitoring services for Oracle databases, SAP R/3 supply-chain management systems, and the Windows platform. The service monitors operating-system health, hardware metrics, and application status. It uses Mamba, a proprietary tool, to collect data and send it to the Luminate data centre for analysis, running reports against a series of "rules of thumb." This expert analysis generates conclusions IT staff can use to fine-tune and optimise system performance.
Nuclio offers proactive network, Web-site, and application-monitoring services. The MSP licenses Hewlett-Packard's OpenView network-management software and customises a Web-based front end to meet a client's specific needs. The Web portal aggregates data from the OpenView engine and 28 other applications, providing clients with snapshots of overall system performance. With the click of a mouse, administrators can drill down for details.
PatchLink.com developed WebConsole, a Web-based tool for remotely managing NT servers. By hosting the application, PatchLink provides self-service assistance to IT managers. A software-distribution module that requires an agent pushes software updates and applications to managed desktops and servers. PatchLink Monitor provides a view of external e-commerce services, simulating credit-card transactions and testing database processing. The PatchLink Web site provides a community where users can ask questions to help resolve issues. Its HelpDesk module includes a knowledge base and an incident-reporting mechanism.
SilverBack Technologies provides security-scanning, asset-management, topology-mapping, root-cause-analysis, and monitoring services. Using InfoCare, a Linux-based server appliance installed onsite, SilverBack collects data and sends it back to the data center for analysis. SilverBack has developed middleware that collects information from the different modules and presents administrators with a unified Web interface. Administrators can quickly glance at the screen to ascertain system status.
SiteLite focuses on managing production client/server systems on a variety of platforms. Resident experts monitor Linux, Oracle databases, Windows, and Web-application servers such as IIS, WebLogic, and ColdFusion. SiteLite provides proactive systems management, applying patches and fixes as needed. It goes beyond basic monitoring by taking on problem resolution from beginning to end. The company will work with clients to support custom applications, if needed.
TriActive focuses on enterprises looking for a self-service MSP. The company has licensed Tivoli's network-management software, and also offers asset-management, application-healing, help-desk, and antivirus services. TriActive can manage down to the desktop level by installing agent technology on managed PCs. A virtual private network (VPN) router provides direct connectivity from the client site to TriActive's data center.
WebPartner concentrates on monitoring front- and back-end e-commerce sites, database servers, and networking hardware. The service measures traffic patterns and server health, and aggregates data into a dashboard view accessible from a Web browser. It either installs an onsite server to collect data, or uses agent technology
