The system and method of the present invention comprises functionality to record the steps of a user's navigation transaction and to subsequently play back those steps to determine service availability and levels. The present invention comprises a method for recording a user's steps in a navigation transaction by retrieving an information resource and calculating service level thresholds and the time required to retrieve the information resource. The service level thresholds and parameters regarding the information resource is recorded in a transaction data file as a step comprising the navigation transaction. The present invention also comprises a method for playing back one or more steps executed by a user as part of a navigation transaction, the navigation transaction stored in a transaction data file. The method for playing back one or more steps executed by a user as part of a navigation transaction comprises identifying a first step within the transaction, executing the first step by attempting to retrieve an information resource identified by the step, and returning a level of service for a server hosting the information resource identified by the step.