Event grouping

Depending on the criteria that you defined in the solution, a large number of events can be generated and sent to various destinations. which might not be desirable (that is, sending 100 event messages to a TSO session). Event grouping enables you to send one single event that represents a large number of events.

A group event is an event definition (EVENTID) that has been identified in another event definition (within the same SMEVNT member) by the use of the GRP_EVENT keyword. The end result is one event paired up with another event: one event that is issued for each match of the criteria that is defined in an AUTO function solution and the other (group event) issued when the AUTO function processing that solution ends.

The two event definitions have similarities and differences. The similarities are the keywords that are used to define the events. Other than the use of the keyword GRP_EVENT, the keywords available for both types of definitions are the same, although they may be coded differently. Accordingly, the DEST keyword is of particular value. Because both definitions can contain the DEST keyword, the events can be sent to different locations. For example, the single event, that which is issued for each match, could be sent to an automated operations product for further processing, while the one group event, which is issued at completion of the AUTO function processing, could be sent to a TSO user. Using the example in the first paragraph, 100 events could be sent to an automation product (such as BMC AMI Ops Automation) and one event could be sent to the TSO session informing the user that 100 events have been sent to BMC AMI Ops Automation.

The difference between the two types of events is the processing that occurs with them and the result of that processing. A single event is processed as the criterion in the solution is being met, which allows the event text to contain variables that are replaced by information that is specific to the resource that is being processed (that is, values for the INC and or EXC parameters coded in the solution). A group event is processed at the completion of the function and is initiated solely because it is related to the single event that was defined in the solution. Also, a group event represents any number of related single events, each of which might contain any number of (INC or EXC) variables replaced by as many values. It is for these reasons that group events use specific variables different from those of single events. That is, they do not use INC or EXC parameter variables. The values for group event variables contain information about the related single event that was issued.

For more information, see:

• Variables for use in group event text
• SMEVNTxx examples
• Event group view
• Event messages view