Enhancing Event Processing with Perspectives

Complex Event Processing (CEP) companies face mounting challenges as they try to provide solutions in an environment where data is both increasing and quickly becoming obsolete. TIBCO Software Inc., a global leader in enterprise data, combined its CEP solution with the graph visualization power of Tom Sawyer Perspectives to visualize related events and dependencies, and help customers predict outcomes and optimize processes.

The Event Processing Challenge

TIBCO BusinessEvents® is a sophisticated CEP system that enables users to correlate events and data flowing through their information systems. The insight gained helps users detect patterns in real time and make decisions based on current and relevant information.

Historically, TIBCO BusinessEvents users could create and analyze events. But, they couldn’t visualize the entire structure of the rules or the relationship of rules to configured events. They needed a system that could manage and display all of the complex events and rules, while creating a visualization that enabled them to better see the overall picture.

According to Chris Martha, Director of Product Management and Strategy at TIBCO Software,

“Companies often had a number of development groups defining and submitting their own rules to the central project without knowledge of the rules other groups were building. This meant larger projects could become extremely complex very quickly. It was difficult to see if certain events would trigger other events or what the end result of the whole project was.”

The Solution

Adding graph and data visualization to TIBCO BusinessEvents allows TIBCO to deliver a powerful component technology that manages, reveals, and displays graphical, customized views of connections in data. With the advanced graphics, users can immediately correlate multiple events and analyze patterns in their business rules. Uncovering patterns help users predict what will occur next in a series of events, and then take necessary actions.

Next, TIBCO worked with the Tom Sawyer Software Solutions team to set integration priorities and ensure the best possible user experience.

"I was very happy with the consulting services we received. Tom Sawyer Software has been a very good partner,” states Martha. “The work was wonderful and we look forward to future releases where we can re-engage with more services from them."

The Result

Integrating Perspectives into TIBCO BusinessEvents allows users to experience a real-time flow of events through advanced graphics. Users can easily identify important events in a deluge of data and associate them with other events, processes, and objectives. Seeing significant trends enables users to seize on favorable business opportunities. For instance, they can map events to key performance indicators, resulting in better outcomes.

Users also dramatically accelerated their threat-identification time. By visualizing these events, TIBCO gives customers the ability to process risks in real time and take the appropriate action.

Additionally, usability for the new application is extremely high. The unique user interface removes the steep learning curve present in other CEP programs. New users can quickly understand processes and write rules for their domain of expertise.

Added Bonus

Not only did TIBCO’s customers benefit from the visually-enhanced application, TIBCO employees did as well! The visual component helps them demonstrate the TIBCO BusinessEvents application more effectively to prospective customers.

"They key to selling any product is being able to visually demonstrate it to prospects and customers," says Chris Martha. "Tom Sawyer Visualization Solution is a helpful selling tool for TIBCO BusinessEvents. It definitely makes our product easier to demonstrate, and [it] shows the larger picture to customers."

Take Action

Ready to add graph and data visualization to your application? Request a FREE 60-day trial! You’ll receive our software with complete product documentation. We also offer consulting and training during the evaluation to ensure a smooth and successful experience.

Or reach out to us. We’re ready to tailor our products and services to meet your development needs.

About the Author

Kristin Petersen is the Marketing Content Manager at Tom Sawyer Software. She has 17+ years of technical writing and editing experience in both the public and private sector, and transitioned into Marketing where she brings her strong technical background, writing experience, and creativity. She earned her Master of Science in Technical Communication from Drexel.