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Event and Condition Detection

Enhanced Definition

In the mainframe context, Event and Condition Detection refers to the systematic process of identifying specific occurrences, states, or patterns within the z/OS operating system, its subsystems, and applications. This critical function ensures the proactive identification of issues, performance bottlenecks, security breaches, and operational milestones, enabling timely intervention and automated responses.

Key Characteristics

- Real-time and Batch Processing: Detection can occur instantaneously as events happen (e.g., CICS transaction abend) or through post-processing of logs and reports (e.g., daily SMF analysis for capacity planning).
- Configurable Rules and Thresholds: Systems allow defining specific criteria, such as CPU utilization exceeding 90% for 5 minutes, a specific message ID appearing in the system log, or a dataset reaching a certain fill percentage.
- Integration with System Logs and Data Sources: Leverages data from SYSLOG, SMF records, RMF data, JES job logs, security manager logs (RACF, ACF2, Top Secret), and application-specific logs.
- Alerting and Notification Mechanisms: Triggers alerts via