Specifying EP adapter and dispatcher information

You specify information in your event binding that controls how CICS® emits events produced by the event binding.

1. Click the Adapter tab in the CICS event binding editor and select the Use an adapter defined here option to specify the EP adapter configuration to use for this event binding, the parameters for the EP adapter, and any advanced information.

   You can also choose whether to use a predefined EPADAPTER resource or EPADAPTERSET resource. For more information about a predefined EPADAPTER resource, see Event processing (EP) adapter configuration editor. For more information about a predefined EPADAPTERSET resource, see Event processing (EP) adapter set editor.

   If you specify a predefined EPADAPTER or EPADAPTERSET resource, you must enter the name in the Name field, or click Choose to choose a resource. For more information about choosing adapter resources, see Choosing an EP adapter resource and Choosing an EP adapter set resource.

2. Optional: You can export one or more event specifications in this event binding.
   To export an event specification either enter the name of a predefined EPADAPTER resource, or select an adapter of your choice:

   • Use the TSQ EP adapter or the WebSphere® MQ EP adapter and choose the CFE format to emit events in a binary form, so a COBOL copybook (.cpy) is provided.
   • Use any other EP adapter and format to provide an XML schema definition (.xsd).

   Note: Exporting Event Specifications is not supported if you are using a Transaction Start adapter. For details on the CICS container-based event format, see Event processing formats.
   1. Click Export Event Specifications.
      If you are using an EPADAPTER resource and your workspace contains more than one adapter with the same name you will be asked to choose an adapter from a list.
      The Export Event Specifications window is displayed.
   2. Select the event specifications that you want to export.
   3. To export the event specifications, specify the directory in the To directory field.
   4. If you use a predefined EPADAPTER resource that is not found in your workspace you must select a suitable value for the Data Format field.
   5. Click Export.
   A file is created in the specified directory for each event specification that you selected.

   Here are some example specifications:

   • If you specify the WebSphere MQ EP adapter and the Common Base Event format and select two event specifications called example1 and example2, two XML schema files are created: example1_CBE.xsd and example2_CBE.xsd. You can import these schema files to IBM® Business Monitor to help define an inbound event.
   • If you specify the WebSphere MQ EP adapter and the WebSphere Business Events (XML) format and select an event specification called example1, an XML schema file is created, example1_WBE.xsd. You can use this schema file in the IBM Operational Decision Manager Event Designer tool to help define an event.
   • If you specify the HTTP EP adapter and the Common Base Event REST format and select two event specifications called example1 and example2, two XML schema files are created: example1_CBER.xsd and example2_CBER.xsd. You can import these schema files to IBM Business Monitor to help define an inbound event.
   • If you specify the HTTP EP adapter and the WebSphere Business Events (XML) format and select an event specification called example1, an XML schema file is created, example1_WBE.xsd. You can use this schema file in the IBM Operational Decision Manager Event Designer tool to help define an inbound event.
   • If you specify the HTTP EP adapter and the Common Base Event format and select two event specifications called example1 and example2, two XML schema files are created: example1_CBE.xsd and example2_CBE.xsd. You can import these schema files to any consumer that accepts the common base event format to help define an inbound event.
   • If you specify the HTTP adapter and the Decision Server Insights Event (XML) format and select an event specification called example1, an XML schema file is created, example1_DSIE.xsd. You can use this schema file in the IBM Operational Decision Manager Insight Designer tool to help define an inbound event.
   • If you specify the TS Queue EP adapter and select two event specifications called example1 and example2, two COBOL copybooks are created: example1.cpy and example2.cpy. You can use these copybooks to process data in your own event consumer programs.

   Note that if you export an event specification, and then export the same event specification again to the same directory, the CICS event binding editor prompts you to either overwrite the existing file or cancel the export operation.

3. Choose the EP adapter type from the Adapter list.
   You can specify the following EP adapter types:

   TS Queue

   Emits events to a named CICS TS queue in one of the XML formats: Common Base Event, Common Base Event REST, Decision Server Insights Event, or WebSphere Business Events; or in a non-XML (CFE) format. Use this EP adapter to validate that the correct events are being captured with the correct data, and to emit events to any consumer that reads from a TS queue.

   For assured event emission, synchronous transactional events need a recoverable TS queue; synchronous nontransactional events need an unrecoverable queue. Whether TS queues are recoverable depends on the settings of a matching TSMODEL; TS queues are recoverable only when there is a matching TSMODEL. When you use the TS queue adapter for synchronous transactional events, you cannot issue a DELETEQ TS command for the event TS queue in the unit of work that captures the event.

   Transaction Start

   Emits events to a named CICS transaction. Data is passed to the transaction in a container-based event format. You can specify the CICS system to run the transaction. You can use an existing transaction, if the event data is not required.

   The transaction start EP adapter does not support assured emission of events.

   Custom (User Written)

   Emits events in any format that you require. A custom EP adapter is a CICS program that you write to provide a combination of formatting and routing of an event that is not supported by the supplied EP adapters. The custom EP adapter must not carry out any other processing, such as consumption of the event.

   For assured event emission, the custom EP adapter must conform to the recoverability requirements of the event. Consult the documentation for your custom EP adapter to see whether it supports transactional or nontransactional synchronous events.

   WebSphere Message Queue

   Emits events to an IBM MQ message queue in an XML format for consumption by IBM Operational Decision Manager or IBM Business Monitor, or in binary CICS flattened event (CFE) format for consumption directly from IBM MQ.

   For assured event emission, event delivery is assured when the WebSphere MQ EP adapter is used in combination with persistent WebSphere message queues.

   HTTP

   Emits events to an HTTP 1.1 compliant server using HTTP POST in XML format for consumption by products such as IBM Operational Decision Manager, or IBM Business Monitor.

   The HTTP EP adapter does not support assured emission of transactional events.

4. Specify the options for your chosen EP adapter type:
   • Specify the following options for the TS Queue EP adapter:
     • Specify the CICS queue name. You must specify a queue name.
     • If your target queue is remote, specify the system ID.
     • Select Use Auxiliary Temporary Storage if required.
     • Specify a data format for the event. Select one of the following values from the Data Format list:

       CICS Flattened Event (Binary)

       Event data is in a non-XML format.

       WebSphere Business Events (XML)

       Event data is in XML format.

       Common Base Event (XML)

       Event data is in XML format.

       Common Base Event REST (XML)

       Event data is in XML format.

       Decision Server Insights Events (XML)

       Event data is in XML format.

   • Specify the following options for the Transaction Start EP adapter:
     • Specify the transaction ID of the CICS application that runs as a result of the events. You must specify a transaction ID.
     • Specify a transaction user ID. The transaction that is started by the transaction start EP adapter runs using this user ID.
     • Specify the system ID, which is available only for the Transaction EP adapter. The EP adapter transaction runs on the CICS system with this system ID.

   • Specify the following options for a Custom (User Written) EP adapter:
     • Specify one of the following:
       • If emission mode is asynchronous the transaction ID for your user-written CICS application that formats, routes, and emits the event. You must specify a transaction ID for asynchronous emission by the custom EP adapter.
       • If emission mode is synchronous the name of your user-written CICS application program that formats, routes, and emits the event. You must specify a program ID for synchronous emission by the custom EP adapter.
     • Write the data to be passed to the Custom EP adapter. Your Custom EP adapter processes this data.

   • Specify the following options for the WebSphere MQ EP adapter:
     • Specify the queue name of the WebSphere MQ queue on which events emitted by this event binding are placed. You must specify a queue name.
     • Specify whether messages are persistent. Select one of the following values from the Persistent list.

       No

       Messages put on the queue by the WebSphere MQ EP adapter are nonpersistent.

       Yes

       Messages put on the queue by the WebSphere MQ EP adapter are persistent.

       Queue Default

       Messages put on the queue inherit the default persistence of the named queue.

     • Specify the message priority. You can either select Queue Default, or type a value in the Priority field, for the WebSphere MQ message priority, from 0 - 9.
     • Specify the expiry time. You can either select Never Expire or type a value for the WebSphere MQ message expiry in the Expiry Time field. This time is expressed in tenths of a second. A message becomes eligible to be discarded if it has not been removed from the destination queue before this period elapses.
     • Specify a data format for the event. Select one of the following values from the Data Format list:

       CICS Flattened Event (Binary)

       Event data is in a non-XML format.

       WebSphere Business Events (XML)

       Messages are put on the queue in the XML format required by the Decision Server Events component of IBM Operational Decision Manager.

       Common Base Event (XML)

       Messages are put on the queue in the common base event format required by IBM Business Monitor.

       Decision Server Insights Events (XML)

       Messages are put on the queue in the XML format required by the Decision Server Insights component of IBM Operational Decision Manager. Event data is in XML format.

   • Specify the following options for the HTTP EP adapter:
     • Specify a URIMAP. The name of a URIMAP resource that represents the connection to the HTTP 1.1 compliant server.
     • Specify a data format for the event. Select one of the following values from the Data Format list:

       Common Base Event REST (XML)

       Events are sent to an HTTP 1.1 compliant server in the XML format required by IBM Business Monitor.

       WebSphere Business Events (XML)

       Events are sent to an HTTP 1.1 compliant server in the XML format required by the Decision Server Events component of IBM Operational Decision Manager.

       Common Base Event (XML)

       Events are sent to an HTTP 1.1 compliant server in the common base event format, which is consumable by any product supporting the Common Event Infrastructure.

       Decision Server Insights Events (XML)

       Events are sent to an HTTP 1.1 compliant server in the XML format required by the Decision Server Insights component of IBM Operational Decision Manager. Event data is in XML format.

5. Optional: Specify any required advanced dispatcher options.
   These options are for advanced users, and they control how the EP adapter is run in a CICS system.

   Note: It is generally more efficient to let CICS run the EP adapter under the dispatcher thread. However, you might need the EP adapter to be run as a separate transaction; for example, if you need to run it under a particular user ID that has authority to write to the WebSphere MQ queue, or you want to control the number of concurrent EP adapter tasks by using the TRANCLASS settings.
   1. Specify the emission mode.
      You can specify ASYNC or SYNC to specify how events are emitted. Specify synchronous emission mode for assured event emission. When the emission mode is synchronous, the WebSphere MQ EP adapter emits these events:

      • Transactional events by using the MQPMO_SYNCPOINT option. WebSphere MQ messages can be recovered in the unit of work for the capturing transaction.
      • Non-transactional events by using the MQPMO_NO_SYNCPOINT option.

      When the emission mode is asynchronous, the WebSphere MQ EP adapter emits events by using the MQPMO_NO_SYNCPOINT option.

      Notes:

      • For synchronous events (assured event emission), the event-capturing application needs write authority to the event emission transport. For asynchronous events, the EP adapter needs write authority.
      • Specifying SYNC NONTRANS for the HTTP EP adapter turns the capturing transaction into a web application that might have to be reconfigured accordingly.
      • Set the DTIMOUT attribute of the TRANSACTION definition for any transaction that could potentially emit synchronous events through the HTTP EP adapter.
   2. Specify the dispatch priority.
      You can specify Normal or High priority to control how the event dispatcher processes events associated with this event binding. High priority events are emitted as soon as they are available based on the Events are Transactional setting. Normal priority events are emitted as soon as they are available based on the Events are Transactional setting but after any outstanding high priority events.

      Note: This option does not apply to synchronous emission mode.
   3. Specify the transaction ID and user ID.
      The adapter is initiated with the transaction ID and user ID specified. The transaction ID is not relevant for the Custom EP adapter type as it is set in the Adapter section instead. Depending on the settings on transaction ID and user ID, EP dispatcher task either starts or links to EP adapter program.

      Table 1. Transaction ID and user ID for WebSphere MQ EP adapter, TS Queue EP adapter, and Transaction Start EP adapter

      Transaction ID is specified	User ID is specified	Use Context user ID	EP adapter is	EP adapter runs using	EP adapter transaction ID is
      x	x		Attached	Specified user ID	Specified transaction ID
      x		x	Attached	Context user ID	Specified transaction ID
      	x		Attached	Specified user ID	CEPQ for WebSphere MQ EP adapter CEPT for TS Queue EP adapter CEPS for  Transaction Start EP adapter
      		x	Attached	Context user ID	CEPQ for WebSphere MQ EP adapter CEPT for TS Queue EP adapter CEPS for  Transaction Start EP adapter
      x			Attached	CICS default user ID	Specified transaction ID
      			Linked	CICS region user ID	Not applicable

      If the WebSphere MQ queue, TS queue, or the transaction that you want to start is remote, see Security for intercommunication for information about the security settings.

      Table 2. Transaction ID and user ID for HTTP EP adapter

      Transaction ID is specified	User ID is specified	Use Context user ID	EP adapter is	EP adapter runs using	EP Adapter transaction ID is
      x	x		Attached	Specified user ID	Specified transaction ID
      x		x	Attached	Context user ID	Specified transaction ID
      	x		Attached	Specified user ID	CEPH
      		x	Attached	Context user ID	CEPH
      x			Attached	CICS default user ID	Specified transaction ID
      			Attached	CICS default user ID	CEPH

      For the Custom (User-Written) EP adapter which has a transaction ID and an asynchronous emission mode, EP dispatcher task always attaches to this adapter, with the specified user ID, or context user ID , or CICS default user ID.

      Note: These two options do not apply to synchronous emission mode.
   4. Specify whether events are transactional.
      Select the Events are Transactional check box if you want CICS to capture events only if the business unit of work (UOW) associated with the event completes successfully.

      Note: Consider carefully whether events that are captured from unrecoverable actions should be specified as transactional. For example, if you capture a transactional event from a WEB SEND command and the unit of work is then backed out, the event is backed out but the WEB SEND command might have caused an HTTP message to be sent.

      Clear the Events are Transactional check box if you want CICS to process events associated with this event binding outside a transaction. Events are emitted as they are produced.