Triometric have
launched the Triometric XML Analysis Module, a new product for 2008 that
enables Web services providers to have clear visibility of the nature of
requests made by their customers, including errors and general usage. The XML Analysis Module means that Web services companies, such as
Gulliver’s Travel Associates, can understand the structure of their
customers’ XML requests and in doing so: improve profitability by
understanding profitable customers versus the information gatherers (mass
downloading); improve the business process, by understanding how clients
interact with their application; and quickly identify poorly performing
requests.

The XML Analysis Module works in conjunction with Web Analyzer,
Triometric’s award-winning real-time monitoring product.  Web Analyzer
analyses Web and network traffic in real-time and then converts the data
into a detailed understanding of the performance, reliability and usage of
Web applications. 

 

However, with the advent of Web services (a software system designed to
support interoperable ‘machine to machine’ interaction over a network), it
is necessary to parse the XML content to understand the nature of requests
and the performance of Web applications.

 

A Web service is the communication between client and server using XML
messages.  These XML messages are carried as a payload or content over the
Web and contain the details of the transaction between two systems.  Web
services are frequently used between a service requester and a service
provider in many forms of business to business service provision. They are
attractive because they offer a standardised approach and XML is a powerful
means to express complex interactions.

 

“For B2B service providers it is essential to understand and improve the
quality of service they are delivering to their customers as well as the
impact and resources customers’ requests make on their systems,” says
Matthew Goulden, Managing Director of Triometric.  “Equally, for
requesters, they need to know the quality of service they are receiving as
this impacts their customers.

 

“The XML Analysis Module is designed to break down and report on the
information in many ways, for example by individual customers.  For service
providers the XML Analysis Module allows them to ensure they are delivering
their high value customers excellent service.

 

“This real-time data is made available through powerful reporting tools. If
desired, alerts can be set up with regard to events to ensure service
provision is maintained within Service Level Agreements or other agreed
parameters.”

 

The first deployment of XML Analysis has been with Gulliver’s Travel
Associates (GTA), a division of the travel giant, Travelport Group.  GTA is
one of the world’s largest wholesalers of hotel rooms, supplying tour
operators, travel agents and public websites in 120 countries.  Clients use
an XML gateway to request wholesale pricing and availability information.

 

“We wanted to increase our success rates and improve the return on our
infrastructure investment,” explains Chris Anders, IT Operations Manager
for GTA.

 

“Because we understand how key customers interact with the gateway, we’ve
been able to make recommendations to them and train them to use GTA
services more effectively.  We can see which customers are providing the
best return on our infrastructure investment.”

 

Triometric Web Analyzer and the XML Analysis Module mines transactions for
Web activity and usage metrics that help GTA distinguish between profitable
and non-profitable clients.  IT staff are alerted to inefficient,
resource-intensive queries such as mass downloading of hotel availability
data.
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