Patent ID: 8914504

Claim:
A method of obtaining end-user performance data associated with a target application executing on a mobile device within a live distributed information system that comprises a plurality of application server resources located remotely from the mobile device and accessible via one or more data communications networks, the method comprising: configuring the mobile device to support operation via a virtual execution environment executing on a remote management system server that is distinct from the application server resources; executing the target application on the mobile device; emulating a user action within the virtual execution environment so as to initiate at least one automated interaction comprising: an application service request sent from the target application executing on the mobile device via the one or more data communications networks to associated service resources comprising any one or more of the plurality of application server resources located remotely from the mobile device, and at least one corresponding application service response sent from the associated service resources via the one or more data communications networks to the target application executing on the mobile device; capturing one or more images of a target application graphical user interface responsive to said emulated user action from within the virtual execution environment; determining performance data of the interaction between the target application and the associated service resources by analysis of said one or more images of the target application graphical user interface, the performance data comprising a total elapsed time between emulating the user action and an update of the target application graphical user interface resulting from receipt of the at least one corresponding application service response by the target application executing on the mobile device; and storing said performance data in a memory store.