When I first started writing about Application Performance Management (APM), the technology was largely focused on root-cause application diagnostics and business transaction management (BTM). Companies like the now-defunct Optier were riding high based on their ability to track transactions through multiple layers of complex infrastructure. Many APM tools were used primarily in the development phase (or after a problem had already occurred) because the server overhead caused by monitoring agents would actually slow the performance of the very applications they were monitoring.

APM tools were costly, and the complexity of configuration, implementation, integration and ongoing support was overwhelming for large and small businesses alike. As a result, organizations were reactive, rather than proactive, and it took time to diagnose and fix problems, impacting productivity, customer satisfaction and, ultimately, the bottom line.

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