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EcoScope tracks response time as an average and as a maximum. It supports all the major networking protocols, and we were able to view usage and response statistics on the many protocols and services that ship with the product, but via a 32-bit Windows application rather than a browser. The reports are straightforward with data in graph and table form.

But the lack of historical reports is a problem. For our tests we set the probes for automatic daily updates of the central database. Once the data was downloaded we could look at the statistics for that day, but it was impossible to append new data to a previous day's download, so to see a trend over multiple days, you have to export the data to a SQL database or a comma delimited format. Compuware says it expects EcoScope users will use an ODBC report writer such as Crystal Reports, but if so, we think some canned report templates should be supplied.

The alarm settings are flexible with multiple thresholds for triggering and rearming alarms, as well as baselining exceptions. A single probe can track only five servers, a stingy limit.

Transactions are monitored at the SQL level, and an extensive list of applications including Oracle, Exchange, Notes, Sybase and PeopleSoft is supported. However, we weren't successful in our tests in decoding anything beyond the SQL layer. EcoScope offers a port mapping that can be used for user-defined applications, but this didn't work in the version we tested. Compuware says a patch should be available by the time you read this.

EcoScope 4.0, starts at $19,500, Compuware Corp., (800) 521-9353; fax (248) 737-7108. www.compuware.com

FirstSense Enterprise 2.0
FirstSense Enterprise 2.0, from FirstSense Software, is a nice out-of-the-box solution to monitor a wide array of applications. It monitors applications, such as SAP, PeopleSoft, Oracle, Exchange/Outlook, Notes, SQLserver, Sybase and various Web application types. But the lack of rigorous reporting and the ability to publish reports on the Web hurt its ranking.

FirstSense collects data from passive agents, which are installed on application clients. Statistics are collected every 15 minutes and stored in a DBMS. We deployed agents running SQL transactions destined for our Sybase server and PeopleSoft transactions.

FirstSense claims to set multiple thresholds and service agreements on transaction response time based on different customized groupings. However, these thresholds don't show up in the graphs. The product can generate reports on a wide range of application performance issues grouped in subcategories of transactions, exceptions and activity. Even more granular, the software measures the response time of specific tasks within an application to ID performance bottlenecks within the application, a feature we liked a lot.

The reports generated through these groupings were fairly interactive, but not Web-enabled for distribution. We expected the reports to be more detailed. FirstSense claims its next release will include Web-enabled reports with service-level thresholds.

FirstSense Enterprise 2.0, starts at $25,000, FirstSense Software, (888) 685-1099, (781) 685-1000; fax (685) 1050. www.firstsense.com