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Jyra doesn't capture packets and thus can't correlate captured packets to service level threshold violations. Currently, Jyra also isn't able to track transactions in a multi-tiered application server deployment either. However, they plan to add this capability by reporting response times for multi tiered transaction on the same chart in their upcoming release-- v2.4, scheduled for mid August release.

Jyra setup is a pain. We had to install HotJava JVM, which was shipped with the product, and Microsoft VM and IIS to enable the configuration and reporting modules of the product publish to the Web. Excessive.

Jyra's user interface stinks, and to add insult to injury it has no documentation. There is some electronic documentation based upon some examples, but it is not indexed. We had to call Jyra tech support to get help for even the simplest things. Jyra currently offers a three day training course to make up for their lack of hardcopy documentation.

Service Management Architecture, $26,000, Jyra Research, (617) 573-5078; fax (617) 573-5090. www.jyra.com

Progress Software Progress IPQoS 2.0
Progress IPQoS is a standalone, one-box-does-it-all application monitoring solution. It doesn't cost much but it doesn't do much either. We had trouble right from the installation, having to re-install the product a couple of times to make all the components work. We also had problems with the ODBC drivers that were shipped with the product, and we had to install three different variations of it until we found the correct match.

For a low-end product with simple architecture the overall setup of this product was unsatisfactory. As examples of the product's primitive design, we found that the database had to be manually started every time the machine was started. This was the only software that opened a DOS window to report the status of the software.

IPQoS has a very limited scope. It has a limited capability to monitor IP services that are identified with a port assignment and NetWare services. Their reports are Web-enabled and distributable but are not interactive. Drill-down capabilities are also limited. It even failed to retain our configuration between reboots. You get the picture.

Progress IPQoS 2.0, starts at $495, Progress Software, (800) 477-1050, (781) 280-2701; fax (603) 595-9318. www.progress.com

Send your comments on this article to Bruce Boardman at bboardman@ nwc.com or to freelance writer Asad Irshad at airshad@syr.edu.