Collect files for the job manager

In a flexible management environment, we can submit the Collect file job to copy a single file or a directory of files from managed targets, which can be hosts or nodes, to the job manager. We might collect files before submitting jobs that use the files. For example, we might collect and then distribute an enterprise application before we install or update the application on managed application server targets. Similarly, we might collect and then distribute a properties file to managed application server targets before applying the file to configure the application servers.

Start the job manager. Ensure that the targets from which we want to copy a file are registered with the job manager.

If we are collecting a file on a host, first register the host with the job manager.

If a target is deployment manager, start the deployment manager. If a target is a stand-alone application server, start the administrative agent.

Your ID at the job manager must be authorized for the administrator role or the operator role to submit jobs. When submitting a job, we can specify a user name and password for authentication and authorization at the target or targets. When submitting a job to multiple targets, the user name and password or the credentials for the submitter must apply to all the job targets.

We can simplify administration of a large number of targets by submitting jobs against groups of targets. Before we can submit a job for a group of targets, create the group of targets.

Use the administrative console of the job manager or the deployment manager to submit a job that transfers a file or directory of files from targets to the job manager. From the console, choose the Collect file job, specify the file or directory to transfer, specify job options, schedule the job, review the summary, and submit the job. When the job runs, the job manager copies the file from the application server or deployment manager profile directory to...

job_manager_profile/config/temp/JobManager/jobToken/targetName

When collecting a directory from a node, the job recursively compresses the directory contents and copies the resulting compressed format (zip) file. When collecting multiple files from a host, we can specify wildcards in the filename.

The steps describe how to run the Collect file job using the job manager console or the deployment manager console. Instead of using a console, we can run the collectFile job script in the AdministrativeJobs command group.

The collect file job can transfer files from the QShell only. Files are transferred in binary mode, therefore there is no conversion of character sets or encoding during the transfer.

The collect file job can transfer files that are accessible from the z/OS UNIX shell only. Files are transferred in binary mode, therefore there is no conversion of character sets or encoding during the transfer.

Tasks

1. For nodes, determine the location of the file or directory to collect relative to the profile_root directory of the target.

   For example, collect...

   profile_root/AppSrv01/config/cells/myNode01Cell/applications/DynaCacheEsi.ear

   For hosts, we can collect one or more files from any location of the hosts if your user ID has the correct permissions.

2. From the navigation tree of the administrative console, click...
   Jobs > Submit

3. Choose the job.

   1. Select the Collect file job type from the list.

   2. Optionally describe the job.

   3. Click Next.

4. Choose the targets from which we want to collect the file or directory.

   1. Select a group of targets from the list, or select Target names.

      Only target groups that are valid for the job type that we selected are displayed in the list of target groups.

      The target can be a host. However, we can only collect a file from a host. We cannot collect a directory from a host.

   2. If we selected Target names, then specify a target name and click Add, or click Find and specify the chosen targets on the Find targets page.

      Select the target from which we want to collect a file or directory. To continue with the example in step 1, suppose the AppSrv01 profile is registered with the job manager as nodeA. Select nodeA.

   3. If user authentication is required, specify a user name, password, or any other authentication values as needed.

   4. Click Next.

5. Specify parameters for the collect file job.

   1. For Source, we have different options depending on if we are collecting files from a host or from a node:
      • Node: Specify the path of the file or directory to collect, relative to the profile_root directory of the target.
        config/cells/myNode01Cell/applications/DynaCacheEsi.ear/DynaCacheEsi.ear

        To collect a directory such as the logs directory under the profile_root of the target, specify logs in the Source field.

      • Host: Specify a fully qualified path of the file. There are no restrictions on the source. We can specify files using wildcards. Supported wildcard characters are (*) and (?).
        • Asterisk (*) - for multiple unknown or variable characters in the term.
        • Question mark (?) - for a single unknown or variable character in the term.

   2. Optional: For Destination, specify a destination name for the file or directory being used copied to the job manager.

      By default, the file or directory is placed in the job_manager_profile/config/temp/JobManager/jobToken/targetName directory. The file or directory retains its name unless we specify a different name in the Destination field.

      For the DynaCacheEsi.ear example, if we do not specify a value for Destination, the product copies the DynaCacheEsi.ear file to a directory such as...
      profile_root/JobMgr01/config/temp/JobManager/124517860634322577/nodeA

      In this example, JobMgr01 is the name of the job manager profile, 124517860634322577 is the job token identifier, and nodeA is the target from which the file was copied. The DynaCacheEsi.ear file is placed in the nodeA directory.

      • Node

        Suppose that we want the DynaCacheEsi.ear file to have a name such as dynacache_esi_sample in the nodeA directory. If we specify dynacache_esi_sample for Destination, the DynaCacheEsi.ear file is copied to...

        profile_root/JobMgr01/config/temp/JobManager/jobToken/nodeA

        ...where it has the name dynacache_esi_sample.

      • Host

        If we chose to specify a destination for a host, we must specify a directory. When collecting a file from a host, the destination cannot be a file name.

      If we specify a Destination value, remember the value. If we later run a job that references the collected file or directory, we can use the destination value to identify the file or directory.

   3. For Distribution provider, if we use a distribution provider other than the default distribution provider, specify the name of the distribution provider. For the DynaCacheEsi.ear file or logs directory example, do not specify a value and use the default distribution provider.

   4. Click Next.

6. Schedule the job.

   The times and dates specified are relative to the job manager.

   1. Optionally specify one or more email addresses where notifications are sent when the job finishes.

      If we specify multiple email addresses, separate them with commas. The email addresses are saved in your console preferences. Each email address is validated for format errors.

   2. Select when the job is available for submission.

      We can submit the job to be available now, or specify a time and date that the job is retrieved from the job manager.

   3. Select the job expiration.

      The job expiration is the time at which the job will no longer be available for targets to run. Use the default expiration, specify a time and date for the job expiration, or specify an amount of time in which the job expires. The default expiration is defined on the Job manager configuration panel.

   4. Optionally specify a recurring interval for the job, a start date and time for the interval, and an end date and time for the interval.

   5. Click Next.

7. Review the summary, and click Finish to submit the job.

The job manager copies the file or directory into the job_manager_profile/config/temp/JobManager/jobToken/targetName directory. The name of the collection file or directory is the destination. If we did not specify a destination value, then the file or directory retains its original name.

For the DynaCacheEsi.ear example, the file is copied to the job_manager_profile/config/temp/JobManager/jobToken/nodeA directory.

What to do next

On the Job status page, click the ID of the collect file job and view the job status. Click the status refresh icon

to refresh the displayed status.

If the job is not successful, view any error messages that result from running the job, correct the error condition, and submit the job again.

If the job manager successfully copies the file or directory from the targets to the job manager, we can submit jobs that distribute collected files.

Related:

Job manager

Set up a job manager environment

Restart the job manager

Restart the administrative agent

Restart the deployment manager

Restart a node

Administer nodes remotely using the job manager

Administer groups of nodes for the job manager

Checking job status

Distributing files from the job manager to targets

Administrative job types

Find targets

Find target resources