Irrespective of the Application server, whenever something goes wrong with the Java applications, most developers and system admins start searching for JMX monitoring tools. Earlier there were not many JMX monitoring tools in the market. But, today, you can find a large number of JMX monitoring tools that will help check the internals.

JMX monitoring tools are easy to integrate into your infrastructure which further helps in automating the monitoring requirements of JVM or application server.

Here, we have shared information on JMX monitoring tools, their benefits, and their key features that will help monitor and manage application performance. 

Introduction to JMX Monitoring?

Java Management Extensions (JMX) include various tools that help in managing and monitoring application servers, service-oriented networks, system objects, and devices like printers. These tools use a JVM port (JMX console) to expose data represented by objects called MBeans (Managed Beans). You can find multiple domains in JVM grouped to inform where the resource belongs to.

System Admins and Developers can find it challenging to extract JMX metrics. As a result, JMX monitoring tools were introduced, a standard way to manage and monitor JVM resources.

It makes use of a three-level architecture to extract queries:

• The Probe level This level is also known as the Instrumentation level, comprising probes (called MBeans) that list all the different attributes of resources under monitoring.
• The Agent level This level is known as MBeanServer, responsible for exposing all the MBeans to applications.
• The Remote Management level Under this level, the remote applications access the MBeanServer using connectors and adaptors. The connector uses various communication (RMI, IIOP, JMS, WS-*) to provide full remote access to the MBeanServer, whereas adaptors adapt to other protocols like SNMP or web-based GUI to provide access to the MBeanServer.

Why We Need JMX Monitoring

If your business runs Java applications, make sure to upgrade them and monitor them at all times for smooth running. If you fail to deliver optimal results, the user will feel unsatisfied, which can affect your business goodwill. Thus, do not limit your task to only installation. Instead, one must look beyond the code and ensure the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is working actively.

Manual monitoring of each Java app can be a daunting task for system admins. With the help of Java Monitoring Tools, the developers and admins can monitor performance and track issues responsible for affecting users’ experience. 

JMX is vital for applications in the same manner SNMP is for network devices. Hence, JMX plays a key role in Java applications and helps automate the monitoring and collects performance statistics about application servers for fixing and improvement.

JMX is also widely used by management tools in multiple ways:

• JMX helps monitor agent and agentless servers and exposes performance metrics of applications servers, including JBoss, WebLogic, Tomcat, etc.
• You can also monitor all the JVMs running on a server and threads when trash collection happens or check on how much memory is released.
• Access to monitor custom MBeans exposed by applications running on servers.

The Best JMX Monitoring Tools 

Java Virtual Machine (JVM) includes a variety of tasks that need monitoring. Here we have penned down some of the comprehensive monitoring systems that will help deliver optimal results, including:

1. Jolokia

Jolokia is an agent-based approach that can be easily installed by adding agent JAR into the classpath or dropping the WAR file and auto-deploy. The JMX monitoring tool helps monitor the application status using the API endpoints. It is a JMX-HTTP bridge that is a great alternative to JSR-160 connectors and supports multiple platforms.

Key Features:

• Supports API endpoints
• Compatible with multiple platforms
• Supports bulk requests
• Fine-grained security policies
• Supports Bean invocation over REST API
• Alternative to standard JSR 160 connectors
• Communicates over HTTP (GET or POST)
• Supports reading and writing JMX attributes
• Allows discovering MBean Names by pattern
• Comprises Java, Perl, and Javascript client libraries
• History mode helps calculate the change of JMX attributes
• Uses the fast JSON serialization library for response creation
• Helps bridge the Java-centric technology of JMX to other non-Java platforms
• Jolokia is easy to install and set up compared to the standard JSR-160 RMI connector
• A great solution for firewall setups

Admins can easily process data to get what they need using the popular tool. Also, another advantage of using Jolokia is it supports Bean invocation over REST APIs. Further, it enhances JMX remoting using some of its advanced features, including bulk requests and security policies.

The tool has been in the market for a long period and comprises some amazing features. At present, it also includes an actual JSR-160 connector that helps admins to connect to jconsole and other JSR-160 tooling to connect directly with Jolokia.

Furthermore, it is a simple, easy to install, super-fast monitoring tool that can seamlessly operate over multiple HTTP-Proxy hops. 

Website Link: https://jolokia.org/ 

2. Zabbix

Zabbix is open-source software designed for real-time monitoring of metrics collected from multiple servers, VMs, and network devices. Admins can easily redeem data through JMX using Zabbix. The tool also initiates its own Zabbix JavaPollers process while accessing Java application performance. It helps in connecting with JavaGateway and collecting metrics.

Key Features:

• CPU Monitoring
• Bandwidth Monitoring
• IP Address Monitoring
• Effortless deployments and scalability
• Network Analysis
• Data Visualization
• Metric collection
• Distributed Monitoring
• Zabbix API
• Supports the auto-discovery feature
• Zabbix helps identify and resolve bottlenecks.
• Supports encryption communication for data protection
• The open-source tool offers real-time monitoring of the network servers and applications
• Supports custom check
• Access to create the custom graphs
• Offers easy Configuration and Templates
• Stores sensitive information in the database connected with the tool
• Timely alerts and notifies the user of the issue
  
• The web interface is easy to use and can be accessed from any location
• Zabbix has an easy-to-use GUI

The main purpose of configuring the monitoring tool is to allow the Zabbix server to connect with Zabbix JavaGateway and commence JVM remote monitoring capabilities. The tool also provides data on CPU load and disk space consumption, network utilization, etc. 

Zabbix is one of the popular monitoring tools compatible with Linux, Hewlett Packard Unix (HP-UX), Mac OS X, and other operating systems. However, for monitoring Windows, the tool performs the process through agents.

Admins can also view the IT environment using the Zabbix customizable dashboard. 

Website Link: https://www.zabbix.com/integrations/java_monitoring  

3. Hawt.io

Hawt.io is one of the lightweight and modular web consoles that help in the management of Java applications. It also supports multiple plugins like OSGi, Logs, Spring Boot, JMX, etc. Built on top of Jolokia, its components create a secure communication between the frontend and Jolokia endpoints.

Key Features:

• Supports Jolokia API endpoints
• Various in-built plugins such as Logs, Apache ActiveMQ, Apache Camel, etc.
• Highly extensible modular architecture
• Compatible with Kubernetes and OpenShift
• Supports stylish UI – Bootstrap and PatternFly
• Scalable web console
• Flawless working with Tomcat, WebLogic, Liberty, and other applications

It is a highly scalable monitoring tool and provides accurate results. Also, Hawt.io supports all applications, including WebLogic, Liberty, Tomcat, WebSphere, etc. Further, it offers access to the graphical user interface and API endpoints in a single JAR file.

Website Link: https://hawt.io/ 

4. Nagios

Nagios is another leading software that provides monitoring of Java Management Extensions (JMX). If you are looking for a trusted tool that helps in detecting network outages and protocol failures, we recommend investing in Nagios. It comprises various solutions, out of which Nagios XI and Nagios Core are known to provide JMX monitoring capabilities.

Key Features:

• Helps increase server and application availability
• Quick detection of network outages
• Discovers protocol failures
• Discovers batch jobs
• Nagios has an integrated web-based configuration interface
• Offers full visibility to entire IT operations
• Event handlers can restart failed applications and servers
• Windows Server Monitoring
• Linux Server Monitoring
• Web Application Monitoring
• Detailed status information
• Alerts via email or SMS
• Supports powerful script APIs
• Trending and capacity planning
• Allows Multi-user access to the web interface
• Historical reports
• Supports Third-party addons that help improve reporting capabilities
• Nagios is an open-source tool released under the GPL license
• Helps discover and resolve IT infrastructure problems faster

Nagios is a great software that also increases application and server availability with its advanced features. Its integrated web-based configuration interface allows administrators to manage and monitor all configurations and settings. 

It also provides timely alerts to system admins for failures via email or SMS.

The tool also supports community-developed add-ons and integration with third-party applications. System admins can easily monitor servers with both agent-based and agentless monitoring. 

Today, Nagios is trusted by many companies ranging from Fortune 500 to small business owners for monitoring IT infrastructure, sorting log data, and analyzing bandwidth. 

Website Link: https://www.nagios.com/solutions/jmx-monitoring/ 

5. ManageEngine Applications Manager

You can also invest in ManageEngine Applications Manager for monitoring Java/J2EE Applications. ManageEngine Applications Manager helps expose management metrics via JMX. It supports various tools like the Java thread dump analyzer that help in performing thread dumps and analysis. 

Key Features:

• Get unmatched visibility into business applications
• Visualize J2EE web transactions and performance metrics
• Discover and resolve issues responsible for performance degradation
• Use Apdex scores to measure user satisfaction
• Track metrics of Java/J2EE components, EJB, and SQL statements
• Gauge database performance
• Report slow database calls and usage with graphical and tabular representations
• Identify slow traces
• Discover SQL queries executed at the time of transaction
• Identify bad-performing database queries
• Supports distributed tracing for applications in a microservice environment
• Monitor frequency of hits to DB calls and service calls
• Allows configuration of custom app parameters
• Thread Profiling helps pinpoint the root cause of CPU spikes and other problems
• Automated Service Map
• Analyze the failed requests
• Selenium-based scripting of tests
• Real User Monitoring
• Synthetic Transaction Monitoring
• Insights into web transactions, Javascript errors, etc.
• Offers Multi-cloud monitoring and database monitoring
• Allows taking screenshots if there are errors

Though monitoring JMX and custom MBeans is a challenging task, with ManageEngine Applications Manager, you can query and report MBeans, get better real-time visibility into custom metrics, execute JMX MBean Operations, create notification listeners, and more.

One can also automate regular maintenance tasks with the help of the ManageEngine Applications Manager. ManageEngine Applications Manager is a great solution if you are planning to invest in the JMX monitoring tool as it also notifies or alerts when the application becomes critical.

Website Link: https://www.manageengine.com/products/applications_manager/jmx-monitoring.html 

6. AppDynamics

AppDynamics helps perform JMX monitoring by querying JMX metrics. The tool ensures that all the shared resources that can affect or create an impact on application performance must be properly monitored. 

Key Features:

• Supports JMX checking
• Access Controls/Permissions
• Helps pinpoint application problems in real-time
• Offers seamless traceability
• Offers complete visibility
• Automated action
• Get access to Code level visibility
• Application performance management
• Dynamic baselining
• Mobile Real-User Monitoring
• Browser Real-User Monitoring
• AppDynamics allows quick installations
• Allows tracking and monitoring multiple platforms
• Synthetic Monitoring
• Offers real-time insights into user experience and business outcomes
• Multi-channel user experience management
• Customized alerting features
• Supports tracking custom MBeans
• Automate threat detection in real-time
• Cassandra tracking
• Supports tracking of custom MBeans
• Drills into database connectivity pool bottlenecks
• Tracks business activities and classes that use JVM assets
• Map JVM dependencies
• Endorses Java monitoring applications, including Weblogic, WildFly, Glassfish, Tomcat, etc.

AppDynamics serves the purpose of monitoring and managing JMX and works great in pre-production and development environments.

It also allows admins to track and monitor database usage by your applications and custom MBeans. Get access to real-time visibility of custom metrics with the help of AppDynamics. The JMX monitoring tool is the right choice and a great option for most companies as it helps discover which class or business transactions consume JVM resources.

Another advantage of investing in AppDynamics is you can visualize and map JVM dependencies. Also, one can auto-discover and interact with Java applications and JVM. Thus, offering a better view of the application performance compared to the other Java performance tools. 

Admins can also analyze key metrics from JVM and Container using JMX. 

Website Link: https://www.appdynamics.com/supported-technologies/java 

7. eG Enterprise

With eG Enterprise, you do not need to write any code for monitoring Java applications. It supports agent-based and agentless monitoring of applications via JMX and tracks all aspects of JVM performance. It also allows developers to keep track of web container performance and discover bottlenecks.

Key Features:

• IT Performance Monitoring
• Accelerates service delivery performance management
• Improves ROI across different environments
• Pinpoints the root cause of IT service slowdowns automatically
• Allows tracking of each layer and tier of the IT infrastructure
• User Experience Monitoring
• Allows testing applications 24×7 from different places
• Application Code-Level Visibility
• Transaction flow graphs give a clear idea of transaction slowdowns
• Enterprise Application Monitoring
• Faster troubleshooting
• Alerting options
• Built-in correlation rules
• Allows teams to plan future rollouts for any IT environment
• Offers in-depth insights on intuitive dashboards
• Monitors Windows, Linux, AIX, HP-UX, and other operating systems
• Deep Virtualization Monitoring
• Monitors cloud applications and infrastructures across different environments
• Offers unparalleled flexibility
• Auto-discovers infrastructure dependencies

Many application developers use eG Enterprise over other tools for it allows monitoring custom Java applications and alerts the team members instantly when abnormalities are noticed.

It also allows monitoring of user experience through synthetic web containers, custom applications, and tracking JVM performance aspects. With the help of eG Enterprise, developers can also auto-discover MBeans of a target application and import them as per your interest.

Another feature that makes it a top choice is eG Enterprise is compatible with hybrid-cloud setups and on-premises deployments. 

Website Link: https://www.eginnovations.com/jmx-monitoring 

8. Dynatrace

Dynatrace is a monitoring platform that simplifies cloud complexities and monitors performance metrics of all Java applications in real-time. Developers can track every transaction and auto-discover the entire Java application stack. It provides continuous insights into your applications and updates on the response time, throughput, and failure rate.

Key Features:

• Monitors application performance
• Cross-application transaction tracking
• Supports garbage collection
• Memory and process statuses
• Offers to monitor of the end-to-end transaction process
• Customizable dashboards
• Allows monitoring application uptime
• Server-side service monitoring
• Offers visibility across VMs, containers, logs, etc.
• Container Monitoring
• Cloud and Virtual Machine Monitoring
• Performs Root-cause analysis
• Apdex score
• CPU and memory usage
• Updates about request and response sizes
• Details on Response Time
• Custom JMX metrics
• Full-stack monitoring
• Offers better visibility
• Collects high-fidelity monitoring data using a single agent
• Supports integration with cloud platforms
• Dynatrace is automatic and requires only a single agent
• Fast and secure automated runtime application vulnerability management
• Uses a single agent to collect metrics
• Maps and detects all causal dependencies
• Offers code-level visibility

It has a pre-configured dashboard that collects all vital metrics and provides SQL statements and code levels.

Another advantage of using Dynatrace is you can keep track of all JVM, servers, or applications. No matter if the selected application is a console application or web service, the tool is compatible with all applications and allows proper monitoring.

Further, it helps detect and diagnose problems in real-time and pinpoints the root cause so that you can work on it and fix it before customers face any challenges. It also helps discover hotspots at the code level and locate CPU or network bottlenecks. 

Website Link: https://www.dynatrace.com/technologies/java-monitoring/ 

Conclusion

Java Management Extensions (JMX) includes various tools that help manage and monitor different applications and service-oriented networks. Extracting JMX metrics can be a challenging task for developers and admins, but with the above-listed JMX monitoring tools, things will be a lot better.

If you want to manage and monitor Java applications for your business, invest in Java Management Extensions (JMX). These also help track applications, offer timely alerts and resolve issues when encountered.

Jolokia, Zabbix, Hawt.io, ManageEngine Applications Manager, eG Enterprise, and Nagios are a few popular JMX monitoring tools that track the shared resources and pinpoint the root cause of problems. JMX collects management data in Java classes and manages and monitors each application. It also helps write codes that further optimize network resource usage and are easy to manage.

Jolokia is an agent-based approach, whereas Zabbix is open-source software that provides real-time monitoring of collected metrics and initiates its own Zabbix JavaPollers process.

Nagios is another great tool that helps detect network outages and protocol failures faster and supports Third-party addons that help improve reporting capabilities. ManageEngine Applications Manager, on the other hand, helps expose management metrics via JMX and offers unmatched visibility into business applications.

Similarly, each tool has its pros and cons that make it a great option for developers.

If your business runs Java applications, upgrade them and make sure the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is working actively with the help of these tools. Drawing out metrics from JMX is not an easy task, instead, you require tools that help in the management and monitoring of Java applications for better results. JMX Monitoring tools help manage the JVM resources and allow developers to monitor their performance.

Go through the above-listed monitoring tools and pick one as per your need and budget. Make sure to compare and go through their features before selecting one for your Java applications.