Preface

■ What you can do with JP1/Service Level Management

In recent years, many business systems have been created to provide services to users.

The business system (the service) must be running normally from the perspective of the service's users. A service provider must maintain the quality (service level) of the service it provides, and it must be able to provide the users with hassle-free service. To maintain the expected service level, the status of how the service is being provided must be monitored. In a business context, there might be a contract between a service's outsourcing company and an outsourced contractor to maintain a certain service level. In such a case, it is crucial that the service status be monitored and the service level be maintained as stipulated in the contract.

JP1/Service Level Management (SLM) meets these demands by providing the capability to monitor the service status and maintain a required service level.

SLM can achieve monitoring based on threshold values that are used as evaluation metrics (SLOs). SLM can also predict an abnormality in service performance by monitoring for unusual service status.

The following provides an example in which SLM detects an unusual service status as a sign of an abnormality in the performance of a monitored service, and allows for handling of problems at an early stage.

1. Slower response time (a sign of an abnormality in service performance) is detected during service status monitoring by SLM.

2. The user checks the past monitoring results in SLM to determine when the event that is regarded as the cause (of the sign of the abnormality in service performance) occurred.

   The result of this confirmation can be used to take appropriate action for the detected event.

3. The user identifies the cause and takes appropriate action to solve any potential problems. If the user can confirm that the level of service has recovered on SLM, handling of the abnormalities in service performance is complete.

Thus, by detecting any signs of abnormality in a monitored service's performance, SLM can facilitate handling of any problems before they occur, thereby increasing the satisfaction of the service's users.

SLM also supports maintenance of the level of service by providing various windows.

In this manual, JP1/Service Level Management - Manager and JP1/Service Level Management - User Response are generally called SLM.

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■ What is explained in this manual

This manual describes the basic functions of SLM, and how to operate SLM. This manual intends that the readers of this manual will have a general understanding of how to maintain the level of service by using SLM. This manual is intended for the following readers:

• Monitoring staff

  Person who monitors the service status by using SLM

• System operator

  Person who introduces SLM (System administrator)

Among the system configuration (service monitoring configuration) that mainly monitors the service status (service performance), this manual assumes a system configuration in which only service performance is monitored. For details about operation in other configurations, see the manual JP1/Service Level Management.

SLM - Manager (JP1/Service Level Management - Manager)

Aggregates and analyzes the HTTP packets collected by SLM - UR and monitors the service status. The monitoring results can be displayed on the monitoring person's computer. They can also be saved to a file and used for creating reports.

Multiple SLM - URs can be connected to a single SLM - Manager.

SLM - UR (JP1/Service Level Management - User Response)

Collects HTTP packets of requests and responses that are exchanged between service users and service providing servers via switches. An SLM - UR is provided for each switch.

A single SLM - UR can monitor multiple services.

To reduce the network load, we recommend that you provide separate interfaces to connect to switches and to SLM - Manager, as shown in the system configuration here.

JP1/Base

Manages the users (JP1 users) who access SLM - Manager as the authentication server and performs monitoring.

Switch

This is a network switch placed between external and internal networks. This network switch must have a port mirroring function.

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■ How to read this manual

SLM has two manuals (including this manual). Read either of the manuals, depending on your purpose.

• Getting Started (Service Level Management)

  Read this manual when you want to perform basic operations for maintaining the level of service.

• JP1/Service Level Management

  Read this manual for a detailed understanding of the operational methods for maintaining level of service, linkage with other products, and troubleshooting.

A reference to another manual is written as follows: For details about something, see topic-title in the manual-name. Using topic-title as a keyword, search for the relevant section in the target manual.

The following environment is assumed for operations in individual windows:

Operations on a computer by the person who monitors services

Environment in which Windows Server 2012 R2 and Internet Explorer 11 are used

Some windows in this manual might differ from the windows of your product because of improvements made without prior notice.