# What Is PerformanceGuard?

> What PerformanceGuard is - software that monitors your IT systems and alerts you to unusual response times, traffic, and resource usage.

Source: https://docs.capaone.com/performanceguard/get-started/what-is-performanceguard/  
Product: PerformanceGuard — a separate CapaSystems product; do not apply this page to any other.

PerformanceGuard is a software solution that monitors your IT systems and tells you if anything is wrong.

- **Wrong** means, for example, unusually long response times, congested networks, unusual resource usage or unusually large amounts of traffic.
- **Unusual** typically means something that crosses [I Want to Know if Performance Is Good or Bad](/performanceguard/i-want-to-know/i-want-to-know-if-performance-is-good-or-bad/), for example if DNS response time goes above 50 milliseconds.

:::note[Important]
<details>
<summary>What's DNS?</summary>

It's the service that your computer uses to convert addresses like bbc.com into IP addresses (like 212.58.246.78) so that your computer can communicate with other computers and servers over the internet. That's why you don't want long DNS response times: they mean slow communication.

</details>
:::

PerformanceGuard reports exactly what's wrong, and which of your organization's locations and computers are affected. You can get alerted when something looks like it could go wrong, rather than when it has gone wrong. That way you can fix potential problems before they become real, and users begin to get affected.

Let's look at some examples:

:::note[Important]
<details>
<summary>Get Fast Service</summary>

</details>

<details>
<summary>Watch Your Service Providers</summary>

</details>

<details>
<summary>Analyze & Optimize</summary>

</details>

<details>
<summary>Convince People with Facts</summary>

</details>

<details>
<summary>Keep People Informed</summary>

</details>

<details>
<summary>Help People Fast</summary>

</details>

<details>
<summary>Clarify Misperceptions</summary>

</details>
:::

## Want to Know More About how to Use PerformanceGuard?

We recommend that you read about the [Get Started with the PerformanceGuard Web Interface](/performanceguard/get-started/get-started-with-the-performanceguard-web-interface/) (that's the web-based user interface where you view performance data and configure PerformanceGuard).

If you're new to PerformanceGuard, also read our Get Started guides for [Get Started with the PerformanceGuard Web Interface](/performanceguard/get-started/get-started-with-the-performanceguard-web-interface/)or [Get Started with the PerformanceGuard Web Interface](/performanceguard/get-started/get-started-with-the-performanceguard-web-interface/).

If PerformanceGuard has already collected some performance data for you, we also recommend that you read [I Want to Know ...](/performanceguard/i-want-to-know/) (it's about how to interpret your performance data) and [I Want to Know if Performance Is Good or Bad](/performanceguard/i-want-to-know/i-want-to-know-if-performance-is-good-or-bad/)

## Want to Know More About how PerformanceGuard Works?

For a guided tour of a real PerformanceGuard system, see [How Does PerformanceGuard Work?](/performanceguard/get-started/how-does-performanceguard-work/) Also, take a look at [Concepts and Terminology](/performanceguard/get-started/concepts-and-terminology/).

For the technical details, look in the top menu under *API & Tech Reference*.