"(I'm) Very Ashamed."

When talking with startup CEOs, a common topic that inevitably comes up is, 'It is a shame, but there are issues with our service operation.' Ironically, in such situations, it is the monitoring industry should feel embarrassed. Modern service development moves fast and operates from the moment it starts providing core value. Consequently, even in the process of service operation, there is a pressing need to channel more effort into development. The challenges faced by IT-based companies in the course of operating services should ideally be addressed by monitoring vendors. However, it's still noticeable that monitoring vendors predominantly offer solutions tailored for enterprise operations teams.

WhaTap Labs aims to create a way for IT-based companies to provide stable services in the modern IT environment.

The limitations of service operation methods chosen by IT companies that focus on development.

The development team is also highly interested in IT service operations. They are well aware that efficient service operations enhance the visibility of developed features. Therefore, we actively contemplate methods for quickly identifying and analyzing issues within the service. To achieve this, we employ the following approaches

Here are four methods that development teams can adopt to ensure the stable operation of IT services.

1. We did our best in development. Everything is in God's hands.
2. Developing our own monitoring tool.
3. Adopting an open-source-based monitoring tool.
4. Implementing an existing monitoring solution.

However, in reality, enhancing the stability of services for technology-driven IT companies through these four methods can be quite challenging. Now, let's explore how each of these methods operates.

1. We Did Our Best in Development.

Many developers believe that service stability can be ensured through the quality of the code. However, there may be cases where they are unaware that a service has been interrupted due to a server outage for half a day. T service failures can occur due to physical issues with servers and networks, which cannot be resolved by code. Applications can also experience the same issues, which can occur as the size of the service grows.

The same applies to applications; no matter how high the code quality is, it can become quite challenging if issues arise from the open-source software. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that everyone will create a good code.

2. Let's develop a dedicated monitoring tool for the service..

No matter how well you develop, it doesn't prevent issues. It naturally leads to the realization that generating some simple alerts might be necessary to prevent problems. Let's consider creating a basic monitoring tool. But who should be entrusted with the development? It is best to assign this task to the person who is most familiar with the service architecture, someone who has been with the company for a long time and possesses strong skills. Initially, it would take about a week. However, as the monitoring tool is upgraded every time a service failure occurs, the main job begins to be developing the monitoring tool. Isn't it a bad idea to use the company's core developer to create a monitoring tool?

3. Let's Implement Open Source Monitoring Tools.

If something already exists, is there really a need to create something new?

How about choosing an open-source solution? There are plenty of open-source tools available for monitoring. Let's conduct a brief investigation on open-source monitoring tools and try testing one of them. Once we find a suitable option, we decide to proceed with the installation. However, this requires purchasing a server, which the company approves by making a payment of 2 million won. Now, we configure the alert values and commence operating the monitoring service. Typically, this process takes around 1 to 2 weeks. Additionally, we start the routine of cleaning up and updating the monitoring collection server once a month. We also create a monitoring manual and provide training. It becomes evident that the monitoring field is more extensive than initially thought.

I've been through a lot in the past 5 months. I used to be the company's core developer, but now I'm the core service operator. However, who will be handling the development tasks?

4. Let's Implement a Monitoring Solution.

When I tried to create by myself, making a monitoring tool turned out to be more time-consuming than I thought. So, I started exploring paid monitoring solutions. However, there's no way to try out these monitoring solutions beforehand. It's challenging to find pricing information on their websites. You have to request a quote through the sales representative to get any details. "Oh~~" As a developer, meeting with a sales representative is uncomfortable. Nevertheless, I decided to have a meeting with one. After hearing the price, I hesitated about implementing it. Even though they offer training and support, I'm unsure if the development team can effectively use it. Plus, the cost is also high. Due to the high cost, I compare quotes from multiple companies. In the process of comparing quotes, I check the actual usability. I set up a server internally for testing, but it's really complicated. It's not going well. For now, I have decided to leave the paid monitoring solution to the operations team when it's created.

Monitoring Service for Developers

WhaTap Labs has chosen a SaaS-based monitoring service as a solution to operational issues faced by development-centric IT companies. SaaS-based monitoring services are selected for their ease and speed of implementation and cost-effectiveness.

In contrast to existing monitoring solutions that typically require a minimum onboarding period of 6 months, WhaTap monitoring service can be implemented directly in as little as one day. Notably, there is no need to install monitoring collection servers or API servers, and monitoring can be achieved simply by installing agents on operational servers.

The monthly billing cost for WhaTap application monitoring is significantly more cost-effective, ranging from at least 100 times to a maximum of 500 times lower compared to other monitoring solutions. Additionally, with a 14-day free trial available, there is no need to incur any expenses for testing purposes.

The most important aspect is that remote support is available. By adding Wataap support team members, professional operations personnel can view service issues together, and they can provide real-time support in the event of a failure.

WhaTap Labs focuses on enabling developers to concentrate on development while ensuring the stable operation of services. In addition to the aspects mentioned above, various support methods are being tested to achieve this goal.