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ACO Enterprise System Interface™

ACO Enterprise System Interface™ earns IBM's "Ready for Power Systems" validation. Learn more about this IBM validation and what it means to your business.

ACO ESI™ MANAGES your System i 24-hours a day and notifies your enterprise system (e.g. IBM Tivoli® Monitoring or IBM Netcool/OMNIbus®) immediately when problems occur. The ACO Enterprise System Interface™ (ESI) is an additional product offering that allows the ACO PAGER™ Message Alert System to transmit System i (or AS/400) system/application messages (events) to an outboard enterprise system. The enterprise system provides centralized message management functions and performs "command and control" functions for your System i (or AS/400) and other heterogeneous systems.

ACO ESI™ ENHANCES your system operations by initiating consistently accurate command and control procedures sent to and from the enterprise system. The ACO ESI™ software agents/probes assist with automated operations within a multi-platform data center by providing sophisticated message control, filtering, routing, and auto-reply facilities in response to System i events. Complete end-to-end enterprise monitoring and command/control functions (sent from the enterprise system) are made possible through the use of the ACO ESI™'s software agents/probes.

ACO ESI™ optionally monitors your xSeries® and/or network connected Windows® servers. ACO ESI™'s software agents/probes dynamically monitor the Windows server (application, system, and security) event logs and forward the events that you consider significant to your System i. As a result, all event management and automation features (e.g. monitoring, notification, and recovery capabilities) are available to effectively manage your Windows server(s); right from your System i.

With the ACO ESI™ and your enterprise system, your firm will benefit from faster identification and resolution of system/application problems, increased operator and data center productivity, improved customer service levels, and more reliable and timely information management.

The ACO Enterprise System Interface™ version 3.0 (or higher) enterprise agents/probes earn "Ready for IBM Tivoli®" certification. DDL Systems has completed a rigorous IBM certification process that validates the compatibility of the ACO ESI™ software agents/probes and the IBM Tivoli Monitoring® system.

View this solution in the IBM Tivoli® Open Process Automation Library

Monitors any System i system, application, or workstation message queue (including QHST) and performs the following user defined actions:

• Provides centralized message management functions for all connected System i systems when used in conjunction with IBM Tivoli Monitoring® or IBM Tivoli Netcool/OMNIbus® enterprise systems
   

• Message filtering

• Automatic message forwarding to your enterprise system. Transforms System i events (sent to the enterprise system) into consistently formatted enterprise message packets that contain the required command and control information necessary for efficient processing by the enterprise system

• Message routing and forwarding

• Automatic replies

• Sends all system/application messages to the enterprise system with complete job sender information

• Facilitates "bi-directional" command/control and auto-reply processing from the enterprise system operational profiles. Reply transactions are individually date/time stamped to ensure message reply accuracy. Provides "end-to-end" systems management capabilities for all of your connected System i systems.

• Sends reply acknowledgment messages to facilitate enterprise system auto-reply logic

• Receives trigger messages (including basic system performance information) sent from the job event monitor

• Can be set to run while your System i is in a "Restricted State"

• Automatically logs all message activity

• Executes 'heart-beat' operations that allow the enterprise system to determine system health.

• Extensive automatic error recovery procedures

• Commands provide dynamic control over execution options

• Optionally monitors your xSeries® and/or network connected Windows servers. Network connected Windows servers require the use of a Windows compliant software agent. This software is available (at a nominal fee) from one of our business partners.

Note:
The ACO Enterprise System Interface™ is bundled with a copy of the ACO PAGER™ Message Alert System. Refer to the ACO PAGER™ product page for a complete list of features, in addition to the ACO ESI™ features, mentioned above.

• Help desk staff

• System operators/System technicians

• Data center managers and analysts

Help desk staff, system operators, technicians, and managers use the ACO ESI™ in conjunction with their enterprise system to monitor critical business applications within a multi-platform data center. The ACO ESI™ significantly expands the capabilities of the enterprise system by packaging System i message traffic and presenting this information in a consistent manner to the enterprise system.

Messages generated by these critical business systems are monitored and centralized at the enterprise system console. Complex problems are analyzed and resolved--valuable historical information is gathered to allow your professionals to see a comprehensive picture of what happened. Real-time message response and operator action information can be easily manipulated for detailed analysis and trend identification.

The ACO ESI™ when used in conjunction with your enterprise system allows your System i system(s) to participate within a sophisticated automation network. ACO ESI™ monitors your system operator messages, sends these events to the enterprise system, and facilitates the auto-reply and command and control logic to solve complex problems before they reach critical status.

• Faster identification and resolution of problems

• Increased operations and data center productivity

• Improved customer service

• More reliable and timely information management

• Alleviates potential confusion over message responsibility

• Simplifies coordination of problem management functions

• Provides historical message handling information

Note:
All benefits listed under the ACO PAGER™ products page are also realized with the ACO Enterprise System Interface™. Click here for more information on the benefits of using the ACO PAGER™ Message Alert System.

Enterprise systems like IBM Tivoli Monitoring® or IBM Tivoli Netcool/OMNIbus® provide many other real benefits that are not discussed here.

The basic ACO ESI™ architecture is shown in the diagram below.

The ACO ESI™ software agents/probes utilize ACO PAGER™'s sophisticated messaging engine and can route all (or specific) events (you consider important) to the enterprise system.

System i events are transformed into consistently formatted enterprise message packets that contain the required command and control information necessary for efficient processing by the enterprise system.

The message packet is then parsed by an enterprise system script (or workflow) definition. The script (or workflow) can invoke a variety of sophisticated graphic displays, voice/video, pager, and telephone support to communicate and alert data center experts or optionally perform specific System i automation functions.

Based on your user-defined instructions the script (or workflow) can invoke "event specific" automation scripts. These scripts initiate System i command and control sequences (e.g. message forwarding and auto-reply functions to name a few) via the ACO ESI™ software agents/probes. All command and control functions are validated for accuracy and processed on the System i. As a result, the completion status is transmitted back to the enterprise system to ensure proper end-to-end event resolution; all with split second precision.

The ACO ESI™ software agents/probes support two unique transport methods in order to connect to the enterprise system.

• A set of "bi-directional" TCP/IP stored procedures (included in the base ACO ESI™ product)

• A set of "bi-directional" TCP/IP socket servers (included in the base ACO ESI™ product)

The method utilized depends on the specific capabilities of the enterprise system.