Glassbox

Being a Business Intelligence type, if I were given the job of devising a tool for analyzing Java applications, I would build a component to collect performance data and then present the user with a bunch of fancy reports, charts and data cubes where they could drill down to work out what their problem is. Glassbox takes a different approach as we heard at the SDForum Java SIG last Tuesday.

Glassbox collects the data from Java Apps running in an application server, analyses it for a set of common problems and produces a report that tells you exactly what the problem is. No complicated analysis, no slicing and dicing, just a simple report on the facts. Of course it can only tell you about problems that it has been programmed to analyze, however the common problems are well known. Things like too many database queries to answer web request, slow database response, slow complicated java that seems to call the same function too many times. It is the kind of solution that gets 90% of the problems with 10% of the effort of a full blown performance analysis tool. Another advantage of this approach is that the tool can be used by anyone without a lot of training or time spend getting experienced in its use.

While Glassbox has not wasted time building fancy displays, they have taken the trouble to collect their data in a straightforward and unobtrusive way. As we were shown, you just add a .war file to your application servers directory, update the application servers configuration, restart it and you are on your way. Supposedly data collection only adds 1% or so to program execution times.

All in all, Glassbox looks like a good place to start identifying problems with web apps. As it is Open Source, and easy to use, the cost of trying it out is low.