One of the biggest challenges organizations
face when operating web applications is monitoring the availability of complex
transactions that involve multiple steps. Developers and testers are often left
manually stepping through their applications in the hopes of reproducing
problems and replicating the complex nature of user experience. What they
really need is a way to simulate real user activity independent of any actual
users.
In this article, we’ll explain how to create
and monitor web applications using synthetic transactions. We’ll show you how
to simulate traffic to a web application, how to record each action using
transaction monitoring software, and how logs provide important context to user
activity.
If you are looking for a Docker-enabled PaaS, but want to run it
on your own infrastructure, Dokku might be a great option to consider. It is
basically lightweight open source software that runs on your server. Dokku
simplifies deployment by handling the movement of source code, containerization
of sites, assignments of domains, builds, SSL certs, and more—just like a cloud-based
PaaS.
Dokku apps are restricted to a single host. When you don’t have enormous scaling needs, Dokku might be a great option. Prototyping, for example, is perfect for Dokku. You can quickly pull a prototype together and get it out to users for feedback, frequently in the same day. It lets DevOps teams spend more time designing and building projects and less time fiddling with server configurations and deployment issues.
DevOps engineers wishing to troubleshoot Kubernetes applications can turn to log messages to pinpoint the cause of errors and their impact on the rest of the cluster. When troubleshooting a running application, engineers need real-time access to logs generated across multiple components.
Collecting live streaming log data lets
engineers:
Review container and pod activity
Monitor the result of actions, such as creating or modifying a deployment
Understand the interactions between containers, pods, and Kubernetes
Monitor ingress resources and requests
Troubleshoot errors and watch for new or recurring problems
When
it comes to managing risk and ensuring the safety of the data within your
network, auditing and managing log data is
one of the most important components of any monitoring solution. Keeping detailed
records of user activities or changes on your critical systems helps you
understand what is occurring within your environment and detect real-time
risks.
This tutorial will demonstrate deploying Auditd on a standard web server to monitor user logins, modifications to the /etc/passwd file, and changes to any file in the webserver directory. We’ll setup Auditd monitoring and then use a vulnerability testing tool called Metasploit to trigger a warning. We’ll also show you how to use SolarWinds®Papertrail™ to notify you of critical system file or directory changes.
Application programming
interfaces (APIs) have become a critical part of almost every business. APIs
are responsible for transferring information between systems within a company
or to external companies. For example, when you log in to a website like Google
or Facebook, an API processes your login credentials to verify they are
correct.
However, given the sensitive data being transferred through APIs, it’s critical to secure them. Increasingly sophisticated attacks occur every year, requiring better security controls and monitoring. In this article, we’ll give you an overview of the vulnerabilities of APIs, which hackers can take advantage of, and we’ll show you how to secure them. We’ll also show you how to monitor APIs and receive security alerts through SolarWinds® Papertrail™.
Alexa is Amazon’s cloud-based voice service and brain behind millions of devices including the Echo family of devices. It is capable of voice interaction, controlling smart devices, and performing common and basic mobile tasks such as music playback, making lists, and purchasing items. It is the interface for consumer automated home systems and an operating system for the Internet of Things. The majority of millennial consumers (71%) report using voice assistants daily, while 46% report interacting five times or more.
Live Ops is an ever-increasing practice in the gaming world. Games today often include multiplayer competition, events, the ability to trade items, and more. These require backend services and a platform team to set up and manage those services. They also require customer support to interact with players who experience issues and to make adjustments as needed. All these pieces need to be working flawlessly to deliver a good experience and retain players whom you worked hard to get.
In today’s world, malware and vulnerabilities are a growing threat that can impact any network from small to large. These threats can expose personal data, compromise financial account details, hold critical data for ransom, or destroy data entirely. It is important to understand what vulnerabilities might exist within your environment, and what you can do not only to mitigate risk, but react to an active attack in progress.
This article will show you how to monitor your network traffic and react to an active intrusion with SolarWinds® Papertrail™.
There are millions of Android applications already available on the app store, with thousands more being launched every month. Unlike desktop programmers, however, Android app developers may face many challenges, such as slow internet speeds, small screens, and a keyboard.
If an app doesn’t perform well, there is nothing to stop a user from uninstalling the app and moving on. To prevent this, you must be aware of ongoing issues with the application and any backend service integrations. We’ll show you how to monitor and troubleshoot Android application issues using the SolarWinds cloud monitoring tools, including PapertrailTM for cloud-based log management and Pingdom® for uptime monitoring.
Benjamin Franklin once said, “When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.” What Mr. Franklin said in the 1700s rings true today for DevOps. At SolarWinds, we embrace change, especially when it’s for the betterment of our customers. It’s in our DNA.
