Scripting (End User Monitor)

This component enables you to monitor the experience of end users for specific web transactions – a series of steps through a web site or application. By continuously replaying your recorded web transactions from anywhere in your network, End User Monitor (EUM) components let you know when your web sites or applications are down, broken or slow before your end users complain. Before configuring an End User Monitor component in APM, you must:

Deploy an iDrone (EUM Poller) which will execute the web transaction from anywhere on your network, see Configuring iDrone (EUM Poller), and
Use Ipswitch’s iMacros web recording engine to record the web transaction to be monitored, see Using iMacros with End User Monitor components.

End User Monitor components require an iDrone (EUM Poller) registered with APM. iDrone software installed on a VM is an iDrone virtual appliance, which you can locate anywhere in your network. They replay your recorded web site and application transactions, just as an end user, measuring response times and testing functionality. iDrones are not licensed. You may deploy as many as you like, such as one at headquarters and one at a branch office, to give you multiple perspectives of an application’s performance. For information on installing and configuring iDrone, see Configuring iDrone (EUM Poller).

Ipswitch’s iMacros web recording engine is used to record the web transactions to be monitored by End User Monitor components. Simply perform the web transaction you want to monitor while in recording mode. iMacros will generate an editable iMacros script that defines your transaction. The contents of the iMacros scripts are included in End User Monitor components’ configuration. APM passes the scripts’ text to iDrones, which replay the macros, just as if an end user was performing the transactions. See Using iMacros with End User Monitor components.

Configure the following:

iDrone Name. Select the iDrone (EUM Poller) from which you want your web transaction monitored.

Important: An End User Monitor component cannot be configured without a registered iDrone. See Configuring iDrone (EUM Poller).

Name. Enter a unique name for the component.
Description. Enter additional information about the component.
Critical. Click to select this check box if the component is critical.

Note: Components specified as critical cause the application to go into a down state when the component is out of threshold. Non-critical components cause the application to go into a warning state. For more information on application states, see Working with application states.

Polling frequency. Select a time (in minutes or hours) you want APM to wait between polls.
Browser type. Select the web browser in which to replay the monitored web transaction.

Note: Web sites and applications can perform and function differently in different browsers. iMacros supports recording and replaying in real browsers, Internet Explorer and Firefox. See Using iMacros with End User Monitor (EUM) components.

Note: If the performance or functionality of your web transactions in specific browsers is important to you, record the transaction using the iMacros browser add-on for that browser and select that browser type here. Otherwise, Ipswitch recommends using the iMacros Browser for recording and playback.

Important: End User Monitor components currently do not support the iMacros browser addon for Chrome.

Polling timeout. Enter the length of time APM attempts to connect to the selected device. When the time you enter is exceeded without connecting, a timeout occurs and APM stops trying to connect to the device. This is considered a failed connection.
Poller retries. Enter the number of times the iDrone should attempt to execute its script in the event of an initial failure.
Script text. Paste the iMacros script text for the web transaction to be monitored.

Note: End User Monitor components require an iMacros script defining the web transaction to be monitored. See Using iMacros with End User Monitor (EUM) components.

Note: Application Attribute percent variables may be used in the script text. They are resolved before the script is executed by iMacros on the iDrone.

Warning threshold. Enter the component thresholds for the warning state. For example, if the component value is greater than 9000 milliseconds for 5 minutes, put the component in the warning state.
Down threshold. Enter the component thresholds for the down state. For example, if the component value is greater than 10000 milliseconds for 5 minutes, put the component in the down state.

Note: End User Monitor components return transaction response time values in milliseconds.