Home > Articles > Optimizing Applications on Cisco Networks: Beyond the Boundaries

Optimizing Applications on Cisco Networks: Beyond the Boundaries

  • Sample Chapter is provided courtesy of Cisco Press.
  • Date: Jan 28, 2005.

Chapter Description

You may only operate (own) part of your delivery mechanism, relying on third-party organizations to deliver your application to both your internal staff and your customers. This chapter discusses approaches to this situation, covering ways to work within these confinements.

Assessing Demarcation Points

Having established the profile of the application, its path through the network, and the pattern it leaves behind, you can start to assign demarcation points for monitoring performance. These fall where the responsibilities of the customer and IT service provider (in-house or outsourced) start and stop.

Where you draw the lines depends on the following:

  • Business arrangement (such as outsourcer or internal service provider)

  • Application-delivery requirements

In an ideal world, no demarcation lines would exist. Application support would be delivered on an end-to-end basis, with the application treated as a whole, and a single entity would be responsible for every aspect of the delivery process, from the server through the network and subsequently on to the client and the desktop.

In the majority of cases, this is not achievable, because many different skill sets are involved in each step of the delivery process, and this may not be the most optimum method from a business perspective.

Figure 7-1 illustrates a simple network scenario, including a WAN, access circuits, and LAN equipment and services. From this schematic, you can start to set demarcation points for network responsibility.

Figure 7-1 shows an example of defining boundaries for the measurement of application delivery, making it possible to develop a clear set of procedures for performance deterioration.

The demarcation point represented by the inner circle (circle number 1) is that of the traditional telecommunication services, where responsibility ends at the edge of the network just as it enters the customer tail (access) service.

This demarcation point is useful from a carrier perspective, but has little relevance for end users, because they just see the network as a transmissions path.

In circle number 2, the telecommunication's responsibility has been taken a little further to cover all aspects of the WAN delivery up to the point of delivery at the customer premises.

Circle number 3 expands the responsibility and covers the point at which the LAN interface is presented to the customer site.

Finally, circle number 4 covers the client/server LAN area, concentrating on the delivery to the relevant hosts.

Figure 1Figure 7-1 A Simple Example of Demarcation Points

Each of these areas can be delivered as either an individual or a combination approach to the delivery model. For example, you may want to just purchase a link from a carrier. In that scenario, you simply apply the demarcation point at the end of the link, define metric collection at that point, and effectively monitor and report on your application delivery relevant to that endpoint. (For details, see Chapter 8, "Monitoring the Delivery.")

You may then want to assign more of the responsibilities to different departments within your own organization. For example, the network delivery team assumes responsibility for the delivery mechanism from where they pick up delivery from the carrier, to the point at which it is delivered to the interface of the internal switch. Responsibility then moves to the LAN or server administrators.

For example, Acme Electronics is an electronics retail firm, and they have recently moved to sell their goods online (in addition to their traditional storefront operations). Their business objectives are straightforward. They intend to migrate 80 percent of their sales revenue from their retail outlets to the web-based offering. In addition, they want to ensure that each customer will have to wait no longer than 8 seconds for online confirmation of an order.

Acme's network has recently been outsourced, and at the time they moved to the web service, they had a network carrier providing connection between their web server and the warehouse database system.

Acme's responsibilities include the web server, warehouse database system, associated LAN systems, and connection to the Internet. The carrier's responsibility includes the carriage of data between the web server and the warehouse database system.

After you have defined these areas of responsibility, you can start to assign equipment within each of these areas to the responsible parties. You may break an area down to whole equipment (such as a router or switch) or down to a specific interface. This demarcation is sometimes made easier by understanding who owns the equipment. In an outsourced agreement, for example, all network infrastructure may be supplied by the outsource company; therefore, demarcation points for that path or process clearly reside where the outsource equipment meets the customer equipment. It should be added that, in these scenarios, the cabling is quite often overlooked and can cause a contention if the fault is found to reside between the customer and outsourced equipment. Therefore, any agreement should clearly state cabling and interface conditions.

From Acme's perspective, this can be further defined, with the server administrators taking responsibility for the web server and database server (including software and hardware) and the network engineers taking responsibility for the LAN components of the network.

By taking your profile and reference point, and then matching it to your demarcation point, you are in a position to write the service level agreement (SLA), bearing in mind three basic rules:

  • Keep it simple—If it is too complex, the SLA will never be agreed to or implemented.

  • Stick to business—It is no good having a perfect SLA unrelated to the actual business objective.

  • Minimize overhead—You are in business to make money, not administer an SLA.

When defining demarcation points, consider aligning with metric collection locations. This will be dealt with more in the "Defining Metrics" section of Chapter 8, but the concept should be considered at this point. The theory is as follows. A demarcation point is a strategic connection point in the conversation transmission. By observing specific conditions (metrics) at this point, you can gain a quick and inductive view of the application's performance. In a sense, you are looking for these demarcation points to become the natural aggregators of an application's performance issues.

One of Acme's business objectives is to have no user waiting for more than 4 seconds to receive confirmation of an order. For the order to be confirmed, the web server must receive notification from the warehouse database that the product is in stock. So in Acme's network, a strategic connection point is the warehouse-facing network connection on the web server. From here they can track the request from the web server to the warehouse database, and the response from the warehouse server to the web server.

3. Recognizing Your Limits | Next Section Previous Section

Cisco Press Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from Cisco Press and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview

Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about Cisco Press products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information

To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites; develop new products and services; conduct educational research; and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@ciscopress.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information

Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security

Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children

This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing

Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information

If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out

Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by Cisco Press. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.ciscopress.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information

Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents

California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure

Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links

This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact

Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice

We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020