Mercury Interactive first to move service level management from the server and network to end-user

Mercury Interactive Corporation, the world`s leading provider of enterprise testing and application performance management solutions, is announcing the immediate availability of its new Topaz for SLM module, integrating service level management (SLM) with the Topaz Web and enterprise application performance management solution.

Topaz for SLM allows business and IT managers to work together to define, measure and track service levels for application performance based on end-user performance and availability.

Topaz for SLM takes the next step in application performance by providing IT and line of business (LOB) managers a platform that meets their common goals. Topaz for SLM alerts IT to performance problems, diagnoses the root cause to help solve problems before an SLA is breached, and integrates performance metrics from a variety of infrastructure points into one central repository for easy, automated reporting.

Research group Enterprise Management Associates defines an SLM as "a set of processes for ensuring that a service is delivered to clients at acceptable (negotiated) levels and documenting the actual results." Traditionally, SLAs were defined by hardware -- network or other device -- and did not reflect the business. Now Topaz for SLM allows service providers and enterprises to help ensure service is delivered as defined by an SLA written to match business goals.

"There clearly is a need for SLM tools that can accurately measure and report the levels of service that are being delivered across distributed environments from the perspective of the end-user. IT and business managers need the ability to proactively manage service levels and define realistic performance objectives," said Rick Sturm, founder and CEO at Enterprise Management Associates. "Mercury Interactive is providing this with Topaz for SLM, which will address these needs as well as integrate performance metrics and reports from across the enterprise into a single collection point, streamlining the entire process."

Built on the Topaz platform, Topaz for SLM utilizes the same approach of closely monitoring end user performance, rather than network device-specific performance, to determine service levels - a much more accurate way to verify if customers or internal business units are getting what was agreed upon. In addition, the ability to receive alerts and diagnose performance problems before an SLA is breached offers potentially massive savings if an SLA imposes financial penalties when they are not met, or customers are lost as a result of poor performance.

"The Topaz solution is the only technology that I have found that provides a true view of the customer experience, allowing us to pinpoint issues and to work proactively with our customers to provide the best quality of service," said Michael Ziock, director of hosted services at Placeware. "Topaz enables us to have a true understanding of overall Placeware performance and ensure our service level objectives are being met."

Topaz for SLM enables enterprises and service providers to manage service levels and provide SLA-compliance reporting for complex business applications in distributed Web environments. Using Topaz, organisations can define, measure and track performance service levels based on the end-user experience.

Topaz for SLM allows IT business managers to:

* Measure performance and availability as experienced by end-users;
* Define quantifiable availability and performance objectives that reflect business goals;
* Justify infrastructure spending for improving service levels;
* Schedule service level objectives by time segment to match varying operational requirements such as business-critical or normal hours;
* Isolate and resolve performance problems before service goals are breached; and
* Maximise ROI and profitability by delivering more consistent, predictable performance levels.

The Topaz for SLM application module is available immediately on a subscription basis, starting at $25 000 per year.