Configuring a monitor for IBM App Connect

IBM App Connect is an application integration platform that is used to connect applications and data through integration flows. For more information on IBM App Connect, see Getting started with App Connect.

In IBM Process Mining, you can use the API key and the URL generated by using the IBM App Connect software to create an App Connect service. You can then use this service to configure a new or existing monitor event. For more information on various types of monitors and on how to create a monitor event, see Types of Monitors.

You can use this example to create an IBM App Connect account and create an API flow. The created API flow is then used to create an APP Connect service on the Monitor page of IBM Process Mining. This document also demonstrates how to configure an Analytics widgets monitor in IBM Process Mining that uses the App Connect service.

Prerequisites

  • Create an IBM App Connect account.

  • In the App Connect dashboard, use Create flows for an API to create a flow for an API and an API Key.

    For more information, see Creating a flow for an API.

    For demonstration purpose, this example uses the following parameters:

    • A model that is named API_log is created.

    • The properties for the model are defined based on the monitor type and the scope of the flow (as illustrated in Figure 1)

      Defining API flow in App Connect

      Figure 1: Defining properties for API flow

    • The operation, Create API_log, is selected as it corresponds to a POST.

      Operation for API flow

      Figure 2: Operation for API flow

    • To implement the flow, a Log Toolbox is added to log the messages that are passed to the API.

      Defining log toolbox for API flow

      Figure 3: Defining the log toolbox for API flow

  • Collect the following information from the Manage tab of the created API flow:

    • URL for the App Connect service (Figure 4)

    • API key name (Figure 5)

    • API key value (Figure 6)

    URL for App Connect Service Figure 4: URL for the App Connect Service

    API Key name Figure 5: API Key Name

    API Key Value Figure 6: API Key Value


Note: Use Create API key and documentation link to create the API key value to share outside of Cloud Foundry organization.


Procedure

Use the following steps to configure an Analytics widgets monitor with an App Connect service in IBM Process Mining:

  1. On the Monitor page of IBM Process Mining, select a process from the process list.

  2. On the Monitor page, click Create service.

  3. In the Service title field of the Create new service dialog, type the name of the service (for example App connect API Service).

  4. In the Description field, type a description for the service that you create.

  5. In the URL field, type the URL for the App Connect Service obtained from the IBM App Connect account. For more information, see Figure 4.

  6. Set Allow self-signed certificates to False.

  7. Set Share with others to True to share the App Connect service within the organization.

  8. In the Authentication type section, click API key.

  9. In the Position field, select Header.

  10. In the API key name field, type the API key name for the App Connect. For more information, see Figure 5.

  11. In the API key value box, type the API key. For more information, see Figure 6.

  12. Click Create.

    Sample App Connect service Figure 7: Creating an App Connect Service


    Notes:

    • You can update an existing service with the information that is related to App Connect. For more information, see Managing a service.

    • The values that are provided in Figure 4 are used only for demonstration purpose.


  13. On the Monitor page, click the Analytics widgets tab, and then click Create Monitor.

    Create Analytics widget monitor Figure 8: Creating Analytics widget monitor

  14. On the Details page of the Create Analytics widget monitor wizard, specify the name for the analytics widget monitor, provide a description for the monitor, and then click Next.

    Details for Analytics widget monitor Figure 9: Details page of Create Analytics widget monitor wizard

  15. On the Monitor page, do the following steps:
    a. In the Select dashboard field, select the dashboard for which you want to create the monitor.
    b. In the Select what widget to monitor field, select the widget for which you want to create the monitor.
    c. Click Add filter template to add a filter to the monitor.
    d. In the Recurring outputs section, select the required filter for displaying recurring outputs.


    Notes:


    Monitor settings for Analytics widget monitor Figure 10: Monitor page of Create Analytics widget monitor wizard

  16. On the Schedule page, define the criteria for running the monitor, and then click Next.

    Schedule settings for Analytics widget Figure 11: Schedule page of Create Analytics widget monitor wizard

  17. On the Service page, click the App Connect service that is created (App connect API Service), and then click Next.

    Service for Analytics widget Figure 12: Service page of Create Analytics widget monitor wizard

  18. On the Parameters page, do the following steps:

    a. In the URL suffix field, type the name that is given for API model in the IBM App Connect account. In this example, the API model is named as API_log.

    b. In the HTTP method field, select POST.

    c. Click Verify connection to verify the connection to the URL.

    d. Set Activate monitor to Active to activate the monitor when it is created.

    e. Click Create.

    Customize body parameters in Analytics widget Figure 13: Parameters page of Create Analytics widget monitor wizard


    Note: After you verify the connection, go to the App connect log to view the connection messages.

    APP connect log Figure 14: App Connect Log with connection messages


  19. On the Monitor page, click the more options button, and then click Run.


Note: For more information on the fields in the Create Analytics widget monitor wizard and its related values, see Setting a monitor for Analytics widgets.


Result

After a successful execution of the created monitor event, you can verify the App connect log to check for new connection messages from IBM Process Mining.

APP connect log after execution Figure 15: App Connect Log with new connection messages

You can now modify the App Connect flow as required and parse the data that is received from the monitor.