CONTROL-O® - Data Sheet

CONTROL-O^®

Key benefits

Automates external event management
Enables object-state management
Maximizes hardware and software productivity
Automates and manages system events according to rules
Decreases recovery time from system exceptions

Business challenge

Production event processing is complex, requiring automation that resolves issues rather than creates them. Organizations need an easy, focused method to manage and automate their computing environment.

The BMC Software solution

CONTROL-O from BMC Software allows organizations to concentrate on strategic business objectives rather than on managing system technology. It provides online and batch functions to help audit and analyze system events. Its ability to trace events allows organizations to guarantee that service levels and resource needs meet business requirements.

Complete integration with production and output management functions becomes a reality with CONTROL-O. Stand-alone solutions and independent access points are no longer necessary, and manual inter-vention is reduced. All of this results in significant cost savings.

Productivity by design

Data centers generate millions of lines of messages and events daily. New technology must be used to administer ever-increasing workloads. The CONTROL-O management-by-exception capabilities allow early error-notification and maintain the integrity of the production workflow.

The CONTROL-O single definition facility has a flexible fill-in-the-blank approach, eliminating difficult definition procedures used by other products. Each event is defined with a single screen. In addition, CONTROL-O can take a number of actions in response to selection criteria. For example, the product can suppress messages, provide automatic responses, modify text, issue commands, modify descriptor and route codes, initiate tasks, share information, detect problems and notify operators of problems.

CONTROL-O uses a number of facilities to streamline production management functions:

SHOUT, the unique user notification facility, issues messages to individuals or groups using any destination, including: TSO,

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The CONTROL-O rule status screen enables complete control of the automation environment using management by colors.

CA-ROSCOE, the operator console, the CONTROL-O log, email systems and problem management systems such as Info/Management from IBM^®.
The simulation and trace facility analyzes and manages rules by tracking their execution.
The online message and command statistics facilities allow organizations to maximize the productivity of hardware, software and personnel resources.

Additionally, the product's open architecture supports internally defined event management, TSO, CLISTs and REXX EXECs. This ensures that resources previously invested in older products are not lost.

Object-state management

CONTROL-O offers advanced object-state management capabilities via its CONTROL-O/COSMOS facility. CONTROL-O/COSMOS monitors, controls and can manipulate the status of critical system resources. It minimizes the need for code creation and maintenance through the use of data modeling.

This facility allows users to control and view physical and logical resources from one single screen as objects. Objects may consist of started tasks, initiators, tape drives, DASD, communication lines and more. CONTROL-O/COSMOS helps define a desired status for each object, making it ideal for maintaining production environments.

Using the CONTROL-O advance Sysplex capabilities, CONTROL-O/COSMOS can be used as a focal point of control. Users can view and control system objects across different systems in the same Sysplex.

Extended event management

CONTROL-O automates the tedious details of automated event management. The product furnishes solveware solutions, which contain documentation and guaranteed-to-work solutions for common applications.

CONTROL-O offers extended event management by means of the following facilities:

The communication facility enables communication between CONTROL-O products running on different platforms. Users can control events occurring on various systems as well as data exchange between systems.
The automation log consolidates multiple console logs from multiple platforms. Data center personnel have a complete view of the Sysplex environment by displaying information from across images and applications.
Automation servers establish a preset environment for taking actions, elimi-nating unnecessary logon and logoff procedures.
The Keystroke open access facility permits two-way communication between CONTROL-O and any VTAM application.

Automation integration

CONTROL-O offers unparalleled design and built-in integration with production management solutions such as CONTROL-M^® and other INCONTROL^™ by BMC Software products. This positions CONTROL-O as the premier automated event management system. The automation and integration of all aspects of enterprise-wide event management eliminates human error, improves information throughput and maximizes resource use.

Complete conversion methodology

CONTROL-O brings a new approach to the age-old issue of upgrading from older products. Organizations want more than programs that simply give a new look to an old technology. The product's advanced technology maximizes event handling while preserving substantial investment in existing software.