Back to blog Performance engineering, or the business benefits of Dynatrace
Performance engineering services have emerged in response to the high cost and complexity of modern IT systems. Systems optimisation (eliminating errors, increasing speed and availability) is now the only way to meet client expectations and keep your costs in check. You can also fall back on solutions that allow you to track your app performance in real time. Depending on their functionalities, apps of this kind may even become an integral part of your business and monitor the entirety of your IT infrastructure. One such comprehensive solution is Dynatrace, whose great potential has been already recognised by major players such as Gartner, ISG and Forrester.
How does Dynatrace support performance engineering?
Dynatrace is a comprehensive platform for app and IT infrastructure management, analytics and optimisation, which encompasses server-based and cloud solutions. It allows you to visualise your entire IT environment in real time so that you can promptly react to any problems and avert potential threats.
The main task of Dynatrace is to monitor app performance and availability for any bottlenecks or faulty code sequences. This goes both for individual apps and end-to-end processes spread over multiple systems, including API integration with partners. Dynatrace will analyse the parameters of all app layers (i.e. the network, operating system, virtualisation layer, jvm, app server, databases, source code, etc.) and identify any spots that may require optimisation.
The platform offers advanced performance analysis functions to quickly detect and diagnose problems so that performance engineering teams can accurately track app performance and instantly react to any irregularities. Importantly, you can also run performance tests that simulate specific app loads in different scenarios. Dynatrace is also integrated with multiple DevOps tools, such as Jenkins or Kubernetes.
Tapping the potential of artificial intelligence
Used mainly for fast and accurate data analysis, artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most important elements of the platform. AI allows Dynatrace to quickly detect any app issues and errors, identify their causes and recommend possible solutions. Dynatrace also proactively analyses app performance and notifies you of any potential problems before they actually occur.
The platform also uses AI to automatically optimise app configuration, including network and database settings. Importantly, it detects any anomalies in real time: Dynatrace will not miss any abnormal queries, unauthorised logins or hacker attacks.
Business problems solved by Dynatrace:
- Slow app performance,
- App failures and downtimes,
- No insight into your IT infrastructure,
- No integrated approach to app and infrastructure monitoring,
- Risk of cyberattacks.
When should you deploy Dynatrace?
Before you deploy Dynatrace, take the time to think and make a plan so that the solution can deliver the maximum benefit to your organisation. Here are some situations in which it will be particularly advantageous:
1. New app deployment: if your organisation wants to deploy new applications or migrate apps to the cloud, Dynatrace may help you monitor performance and detect any issues before they affect end users. In this case, you should deploy Dynatrace at the app deployment phase so as to ensure the app works properly from day one.
2. App performance issues: if you are struggling with app or IT infrastructure performance issues, the platform will help you detect and troubleshoot them. In this case, Dynatrace should be deployed as soon as possible to minimise the impact of performance dips on end users.
3. App upgrades: if your business continues to upgrade its apps and needs a tool for real-time performance monitoring, Dynatrace can help you identify potential issues and optimise your apps. In this case, the platform should be deployed during the app upgrading stage to make sure the app works properly at the testing stage.
4. Migration to the cloud: if your organisation plans to migrate its apps to the cloud or use hybrid IT infrastructure, Dynatrace may help monitor performance and detect any issues. In this case, the platform should be deployed during or soon after migration so as to ensure the apps will work properly in the new environment.
What are the business benefits of Dynatrace?
IT environment cost optimisation
Dynatrace will help optimise your use of IT resources and identify any redundant elements that your apps do not use. In addition, you will be able to minimise the costs related to app failures and downtimes and automate your IT infrastructure monitoring and management processes.
Team support and better tools
You will provide your team with better tools by optimising your app performance, automating your IT processes and delivering intuitive solutions and automated optimisation. This will contribute to a boost in performance, effectiveness and outcomes.
Better customer experience
The platform will help you detect any app issues before they can have a negative impact on user experience. You will also be able to identify and troubleshoot their weak points as you go along.
Higher NPS
By boosting app performance, security and availability and minimising your response time to errors, you will guarantee customer satisfaction. Users will be more likely to recommend your product to others, which will also translate into better sales.
Achieving sustainable development goals
Dynatrace also has functionalities that allow organisations to achieve their ESG goals, e.g. by optimising the use of energy and resources in their IT infrastructure. This allows you to reduce energy use and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Eliminating shadow IT
The platform monitors all tools and apps used in the organisation, whether or not they have been officially approved by the IT department. This helps to quickly detect any unauthorised software and see what issues it may cause.
Performance Engineering in your business
Altkom Software is an authorised partner of Dynatrace, which means we can boost the functioning of any app or process by measuring and analysing its performance parameters. We can step in at any time to identify the issues that require fixing and then discuss and implement our optimisation plan.
