BUSINESS PROCES MONITORING = Proactive monitoring of key company processes
IT world is similar to the ordinary life. We sometimes face situations when fast reaction to the cause of the problem can prevent further disaster or loss of the chosen direction. Our senses and brain capacity don’t let us easily absorb everything that is happening around and also most of us are not capable of keeping all the information in our memories. For all those reasons we surround ourselves with detectors, signals, and alarms but also with notes reminding us of events, tasks etc.
Although we often locate the problem without technologies, the fact that we cannot know for sure if we included every last bit can lead us into problematic situations where improvements can be costly and time consuming. As a sailboat in the vast ocean, the crew must often check their position to make sure they can reach the destination on time.
For those reasons it is necessary to have all the aspects covered with pro-active, systematic, fully automated monitoring system combined with warnings about the slightest deviations.
In SAP our “guardian” system is called SAP SOLUTION MANAGER (SOLMAN) with implemented scenario BUSINESS PROCESS MONITORING (BPMon).
What exactly BUSINESS PROCES MONITORING is?
How to set it up so it warns us before problems become critical?
BUSINESS PROCES MONITORING is a pro-active, process aimed at monitoring system for on-line supervision of functionality and performance of the key business elements. It is “watching over” all technical facilities and applications that are necessary for a smooth run of all the business processes.
For better understanding imagine the process as a city where the police needs to have control of the traffic situation. They install cameras and sensors on every important intersection. This system tells them when and where the traffic could cause problems and gives them time to find the best solution. The driver himself does not even realize the upcoming problem and keeps driving smoothly along. The key is to choose carefully the intersections where the sensors and cameras will be installed, figure out how to process the information and adjust who and how should receive the warnings and notes.
SOLMAN follows the whole system, not just one process, incl. a feedback of every technological step. BUSINESS PROCES MONITORING identifies problematic situations and sends warnings before it can harm SAP users or possibly their customers. In ideal case the user does not notice any problems or complications at all.