BEA Systems To Launch Software For Complex Event Processing

BEA Systems has expanded into complex event processing with a new product, WebLogic Event Server, which can watch system events unfold and detect patterns or threats that might otherwise go unnoticed. Complex event processing is a relatively new field, where the ability to monitor the software infrastructure gives enterprise managers a new tool for detecting hidden activities. For example, if a bank's rules prohibit a trader from doing the accounting on his trades, any violation of the rule could be detected by a complex event processing server.

Complex event processing servers are able to match detected events to rules embedded in them that either sanction or disapprove of the recognized sequence. The sequence of software events reflects a business process in the real world that is either going as planned or in some fashion going awry.

BEA's Event Server pulls together information from distributed systems and applies the rules in real time, watching for event patterns. In some cases, the event server may simply be programmed to watch for a trend that would indicate a normal business is spinning out of control, such as a billing system sending suddenly unrealistic invoice totals to a valued customer.

Guy Churchward, VP of WebLogic products, said Event Server is a lightweight application server platform designed to monitor and react to designated events for a set of applications running with it.

"Event Server lets you use your data for competitive advantage," such as noticing when a formerly small customer has started making escalating purchases. Notifying the account representative of such activity might be a way to build a stronger relationship with a promising customer. A public beta test of Event Server starts May 29, with the 1.0 version to be released this summer. No pricing was announced.

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