The Gap Between Applications and the Network

Optimizing the performance of business applications yields greater efficiency, productivity, and profitability. However, the increasing sophistication of today's applications and networks often makes it difficult to diagnose and repair problems when they arise.

IT managers are faced with critical challenges every day:

• Is a performance problem related to the network or the application?
• Is the IT infrastructure meeting the needs of users?
• How will a new application or network service affect the existing IT infrastructure?
• Is the network ready for voice over IP (VoIP)?
• How can I control network traffic based on application priority?

Bridge the Gap

The Cisco NAPA Solution provides valuable information about the performance of the network and the applications running on it.

When a problem arises, users can identify whether it's related to the network, servers, or applications. Once the problem is diagnosed, the Cisco NAPA Solution provides the insight required to fix it.

The Cisco NAPA Solution also helps with predictive planning and optimization for successful deployment of new applications and network services. By modeling network scenarios, the Cisco NAPA Solution reduces the risks associated with new network deployments.

Benefits of the Solution

The Cisco NAPA Solution uses the intelligence inherent in your Cisco network to provide a broad view of both network performance and application performance. The integrated toolset analyzes raw data from the network and converts it into information that network administrators can act on.

The business benefits of Cisco NAPA are:

• Better network performance
• Faster identification and resolution of problems
• Significantly enhanced network planning capabilities
• Reduced risk
• Access to Cisco advanced services
• Greater efficiency, productivity, and profitability

To watch a brief presentation about the Cisco Network Application Performance Analysis solution, click here.

Cisco NAPA Tools and Services

Cisco NAPA is a comprehensive, integrated set of tools and services designed to optimize performance and streamline troubleshooting of your applications and network.

Tools:

CiscoWorks Lan Management Solution

A suite of powerful management tools that simplify the configuration, administration, monitoring, and troubleshooting of Cisco networks

Cisco Network Planning Solution

An impact analysis tool for planning capacity and optimizing performance prior to deploying new networked applications and services

Cisco Application Analysis Solution

Visualizes the complex interactions between applications, servers, and networks to illustrate whether performance problems are due to network or application issues

Cisco Bandwidth Quality Manager

A network application congestion management tool that provides outstanding visibility and analysis of traffic, bandwidth, and QoS on IP access networks

Cisco Network Analysis Module Software

Platform-specific traffic monitoring solutions that network managers can use to learn about network application performance

Cisco Performance Visibility Manager

Gathers and integrates application and network performance information into actionable reports, provides a centralized view of application response times, and identifies whether a problem is caused by the network or the application

Cisco NetFlow Collection Engine

Provides network management infrastructure metering for applications such as network traffic accounting, usage-based network billing, and market usage statistics

Services:

Cisco Technical Support Services--Device-Level Support

Cisco Software Application Support and Software Application Support plus Upgrades
Cisco offers a wide array of start-up and maintenance services that are designed to protect your networking investments. Key support tools and knowledge help your business avoid problems, maximize network utility, and expedite problem resolution. 

For one annual fee, Cisco Software Application Support (SAS) provides telephone and online support from the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Cisco SAS also includes online tools plus bug fixes and minor releases for software applications. Cisco Software Application Support plus Upgrades (SASU) provides all the features Cisco SAS offers along with major releases (upgrades) for your software applications.

Cisco Advanced Services--Network-Level Support

Cisco Services For Cisco Network Application Performance Analysis Solution
Cisco offers a full suite of services to supplement enterprise expertise. These services enable local IT staff to optimize each Cisco NAPA tool, restructure traditional approaches to new projects, and solve problems in a larger context that enables enterprises to bridge management gaps between application and network services.

Cisco consulting engineers provide expertise in Cisco network analysis and planning toolsets, networking, protocols, and application behavior.

Services include:

• Application Performance Tools Deployment Service
• Application Performance Troubleshooting
• Application Performance Benchmarking
• Application Performance Optimization