Pattern Matching for Variables

You can test a string or variable against a pattern, and define an output string that is conditional on the result. You can do this by using $MATCH, which has the following syntax:

$MATCH(string, pattern, true, [false])

Specify the parameters as follows:

string

Specify a literal string (for example, TEST STRING) or a policy variable (for example <$LOGPATH>).

pattern

Specify a pattern, using Operations Agent pattern matching syntax. You can create user-defined variables in the pattern to use in the parameters true and false. The pattern is case sensitive.

true

Specify a string to return if the string and pattern match. You can specify a literal string, or a user-defined variable, or a policy variable.

false

Optional. Specify a string to return if the string and pattern do not match. You can specify a literal string, or a user-defined variable, or a policy variable.

Separate each parameter with a comma (,). To specify a comma within a parameter, you must precede it with two backslashes (\\).

You can use $MATCH within your policies in all the available fields of the metric attributes.

In case of the Monitoring Automation deployment, $MATCH can be used with the parameters for the instruction interface. It can be also used for the automatic and user actions, which are set only with Monitoring Automation.

You can use $MATCH within your policies in the following event attributes:

• Application

• Automatic Command

• Category

• Custom Attributes

• Close Events with Key

• Description

• ETI Hint

• HPOM Service ID

• Key

• Type

• Node

• Object

• Related CI Hint

• Severity

• Source CI Hint

• Subcategory

• Operator-initiated Command

• TimeCreated

• Title

You can use $MATCH only once in each message attribute. You cannot use $MATCH recursively.

Example

A policy can read a number of log files. The name of the path of the log file is available in the policy variable <$LOGPATH>. If part of the log file path corresponds to an application name, you can use $MATCH to set the application event attribute as follows:

$MATCH(<$LOGPATH>,<@.application>.log, <application>, Unknown)