Scheduling tasks or jobs with Management Central scheduler

 

iSeries™ Navigator provides two different tools you can use to schedule tasks or jobs: an integrated scheduler (the Management Central scheduler) and the Advanced Job Scheduler.

 

Management Central scheduler

The Management Central scheduler helps you to organize when you want your tasks to occur. You have the option of choosing to perform a task immediately or choosing a later time.

You can use the Management Central scheduler to schedule a variety of tasks. For example, you can automate the process of collecting an inventory (such as hardware, software, or fixes) on whichever day fits your operating schedule. You might schedule such a collection to occur every Saturday night at 10 p.m. You can also schedule to clean up the save files and cover letters of the fixes from your systems on the first of every month. Or you might want to install a set of fixes once.

To schedule a later time to perform a task, click Schedule from any window in which the button is displayed. Your scheduling information is stored on the central system and submitted from there. No scheduling function is needed at the endpoint system. You can then view the scheduled job in one of the Scheduled Tasks containers. You can also view the job by using Work with job schedule entries (WRKJOBSCDE) command on the character-based interface. Scheduled jobs have a job name of Qxxxxxxxx where xxxxxxxx will be a hex number such as FFFFFF08.

Do not use the Work with Job Schedule Entries (WRKJOBSCDE) command to alter or delete a scheduled job if that job was scheduled using the Management Central Scheduler or the Advanced Job Scheduler. If the job is altered or deleted by using WRKJOBSCDE, Management Central is not notified of the changes. The task might not run as expected, and error messages can appear in the Management Central server job logs.

The following scheduling options are available from the Management Central scheduler:

• Daily

  The task runs every day at the specified time beginning on the specified date.

• Weekly

  The task runs every week at the specified time beginning on the specified date. You may either accept the default (today's date) or specify the day of the week when you want the task to run.

• Monthly

  The task runs every month at the specified time beginning on the specified date. You may either accept the default (today's date) or specify a day of the month (1-31), First day, or Last day.

You can schedule any task for which a Schedule button is available. For example, you can schedule a specific time to collect inventory. Tasks that run only once will be removed from the Scheduled Tasks view when they are run. They then appear in a Task Activity folder. (If you want full calendar management, you should use the Advanced Job Scheduler.)

For more information about these and other Management Central tasks and topics, refer to the detailed task help that is available from the iSeries Navigator window. Click Help from the menu bar and select iSeries Navigator overview > Management Central.

 

What you can do with Management Central scheduler

Using the scheduler function gives you the flexibility to do your work when it is convenient for you. In addition, you can use the Management Central scheduler to do almost any task in Management Central. For example, you can schedule when to do any of the following tasks:

• Run commands on selected endpoint systems and system groups

• Collect inventory on selected endpoint systems and system groups

• Collect system values inventory on selected endpoint systems and system groups; then compare and update system values to those on a model system

• Create, delete, edit, and send users and groups across multiple endpoint systems

• Send fixes or packages of files and folders to selected endpoint systems and system groups

• Start installing fixes, uninstall fixes, or install fixes permanently

• Delete the save files and cover letters for selected fixes on selected endpoint systems and system groups

• Start and stop Collection Services on selected endpoint systems and system groups

You can schedule a task to run once, in which case the task runs a single time beginning at the specified date and time. Tasks that run only once are removed from the Scheduled Tasks container when they run. They then appear in a Task Activity container.

 

Advanced Job Scheduler

The Advanced Job Scheduler is a separate licensed program (5722-JS1) that you can install and use to schedule tasks and jobs. This scheduling tool provides more calendar features and offers greater control over scheduled events. If you have Advanced Job Scheduler installed, click the Schedule button from any iSeries Navigator window to schedule tasks and jobs.

After you have installed the plug-in, an Advanced Job Scheduler container displays under Management Central. Tasks that are scheduled with the Advanced Job Scheduler are in this container.

You can also use the Work with Jobs using Job Scheduler (WRKJOBJS) command to display jobs scheduled with the Advanced Job Scheduler. However, do not delete scheduled Management Central tasks or change the owner from the WRKJOBJS display. If the job is altered or deleted by using WRKJOBJS, Management Central is not notified of the changes. The task might not run as expected, and error messages can appear in the Management Central server job logs.

To find more information about installing and using this tool, see the Àdvanced Job Scheduler topic.

 

Parent topic:

Using other features of Management Central

 

Related information

Managing job scheduling