Jeff uses the example, “Smart Order Routing” as an example of taking an event and routing the resulting market order match based on some simple rules.    Routing a order kicked off by a simple order match against a deep liquidity pool (or other market factor) does not define complex event processing nor detecting a complex event - the core idea behind CEP.   Order routing based on simple rules is BPM, plain and simple.

Let’s take another example, fraud.  In this example, there is some complex neural network monitoring for credit card fraud and a potential fraud is detected - this is CEP, detecting a complex event based on some sophisticated analytics.   

After a possible fraud has been detected, a process looks into a database and the routes the incident to someone in the company who is a (1) specialist in credit card fraud, (2) working at the same time of the discovered threat, and (3) immediately available to act on this type of task.   Routing the incident is not CEP, it is BPM.

Jeff makes the argument that it is OK to call an event-driven BPM task CEP because “it fits the EPTS definition” in the CEP glossary.   He also avoids the discussion of detection accuracy, and instead insists that latency is a ”very important” factor in a CEP application.

If you read the various post by vendors in the blog-o-sphere, it is obvious that they are continually defining CEP as BAM, BPM, BRE, BRMS, SOA and just about every other related processing activity that is complimentary to the event correlation and analysis required to detect an opportunity or threat to your business.

I’m not picking on Aleri.  TIBCO has been doing the same thing recently in their CEP blog, continually attempting to redefine CEP as BRMS.    Detecting business opportunities and threats with high confidence requires sophisticated analytics, and their tools have not yet evolved to “real CEP” capabilities.  Instead, vendors are attempting to redefine BPM, BRMS, BRE, and even SOA to some degree, as CEP. 

CEP is Not BPM, BAM, BRE, BRMS or SOA.