Synthetic Transaction Monitoring (STM)

Synthetic Transaction Monitoring (STM), also known as Synthetic Monitoring, is a web monitoring tool similar to Real User Monitoring (RUM), but Instead of collecting real user data, it simulates it. These scripts periodically visit websites and record the performance data from those sites for specific transactions and activities within the web application. STM is a form of monitoring that simulates actual user activity to collect specific data on application performance.  It can be used to diagnose reported problems in your website or to proactively identify issues before you move your web application into production.

Both RUM and synthetic monitoring give you different views of your performance and are useful for a variety of things. RUM helps with understanding long-term trends, and synthetic monitoring helps diagnose and solve short-term performance problems. Each tool has its benefits and drawbacks, but when they work together, it’s extremely powerful.

What does this mean for an SMB?

If your company develops applications, you should look at implementing RUM and STM to proactively identify, test, fix, and refine user interaction issues with your web applications. If you don’t develop web applications, but rely heavily on them, then knowing these tools exist means you can suggest (gently) that applications you rely on that are having usability problems, be examined with both RUM and STM. That may help the development shop improve and eliminate issues your users are struggling with at your company. If your business is interested in adopting a STM tool, here are some popular vendors: 

• SolarWinds Pingdom
• AppDynamics
• New Relic
• Uptrends
• Site24x7
• Catchpoint

To help further understand RUM and STM, watch this short video:

Sources: 

Stackify – RUM vs Synthetic Monitoring

Additional Reading:

Why You Should Use Digital Experience Monitoring

Real User Monitoring: Observing How Your Network Performs for Users

Related Terms:

JavaScript

Real User Monitoring (RUM)

Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM)

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