 






     Software
     Product
     Description

     ________________________________________________________________

     PRODUCT NAME:  DECscheduler for VMS, Version 1.1    SPD 32.19.01

     DESCRIPTION

     DECscheduler for VMS is a distributed scheduling application
     that automates the execution of repetitive production jobs
     on VMS Systems. A job is a DCL command file or a VMS command
     string. DECscheduler for VMS separates information which spec-
     ifies how jobs should be run from the jobs themselves. It au-
     tomatically takes care of the job re-scheduling calculation,
     completion notification, etc. A scheduled job can run when
     constraints on its execution are met. There are two types of
     constraints; the time must be LATER than the job's scheduled
     time, and all jobs that the job "depends on" must be completed
     with a successful status later than the last time the job com-
     pleted. A job can depend on up to 16 other jobs, which can be
     within a VAXcluster or on remote nodes of a wide area DECnet
     network.

     Job database information can be easily accessed through DCL
     commands. Most commands can also work remotely over the network,
     allowing centralized control of distributed applications.

     DECscheduler for VMS has full VAXcluster failover capabili-
     ties. Jobs can be divided into steps. Interrupted jobs can be
     restarted automatically at the current step on another node in
     the VAXcluster or restricted to a single node. An installation
     modifiable load-balancing procedure can be invoked at execution
     time to select the VAXcluster node for job execution.

     The product includes an event logging/reporting facility which
     can be used to produce job reports.

     Features

                                  DIGITAL                January 1991

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     DECscheduler for VMS, Version 1.1                   SPD 32.19.01



     o  Choice of three user interfaces - DCL, DECwindows or menu-
        driven.

     o  Customizable fiscal calendar.

     o  Ability to predict future run schedules and resource usage,
        based on historical run data.

     o  Callable interface.

     o  Modifiable system load balancing.

     o  Executes repetitive jobs without the need for command files.

     o  Jobs can be synchronized with up to 16 other jobs within the
        network. The user interface shows which job dependencies have
        been satisfied and which are still pending.

     o  Notifies the user of job termination via VAXmail or terminal
        messages.

     o  Provides date/time (calendar and fiscal) and node/
        cluster run specifications for jobs. Jobs run automatically
        at regular intervals or restricted to run on certain days of
        the week.

     o  Provides a job recovery/restart mechanism. Interrupted jobs
        can be automatically restarted at the current step on another
        node in the VAXcluster (the user interface displays the step
        currently executing).

     o  Capability to schedule jobs remotely via the LAN or WAN. Most
        commands work remotely over the network.

     o  Sets time limits for jobs. Notifies user when a job has
        exceeded the designated execution time. It can also notify
        the user if a job failed to start by a deadline, after the
        scheduled time.

     o  Commands can operate on multiple jobs. Jobs can be specified
        by Group and Type as well as by name. Jobname, Group and Type
        are strings up to 40 characters in length. The user interface
        supports the use of wildcards. For example, the DCL command:

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     DECscheduler for VMS, Version 1.1                   SPD 32.19.01



           $ SCHED RUN A*/GROUP=%O*/TYPE=*
           BACK/USER=*S*/CONFIRM

        would prompt for the running of all jobs in the local VAX-
        cluster with names that begin with the letter "A", a type
        that ends in "BACK", a group with "O" in the second character
        position, owned by users with an "S" in their VMS username.

     o  Prefunctions and postfunctions can automatically run before
        and after the job.

     o  Ability to specify parameters or override job defaults (node,
        output file) on the run command.

     o  Three levels of job status display - from a one line summary
        to full display.

     o  Job reporting facility.

     o  Customizable log file for each DECscheduler node which pro-
        vides DECscheduler event logging, diagnostics, full VMS
        accounting records, and seven additional activity records.

     Restrictions

     A job cannot have different sets of dependencies depending upon
     the day of week. The work-around is to duplicate the job and its
     dependencies using the $ SCHED COPY command.

     Batch job procedures may need to be modified slightly. Logic
     relating to job re-scheduling and operator notification can be
     removed. The mode of processes run by DECscheduler for VMS is
     "OTHER". DECscheduler for VMS considers the completion status
     of the last DCL command in a command file to be the completion
     status of the job. Sometimes jobs have error handling logic
     which is invoked upon an error and which may have to be changed
     to exit with the proper status. A job's exit status determines
     whether jobs that depend on it will be run.

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     DECscheduler for VMS, Version 1.1                   SPD 32.19.01



     Day restrictions for cyclic jobs with dependencies sometimes
     do not produce the desired behavior when production spans day
     boundaries. Usually these problems can be solved by modifying
     the time calculation algorithm for the specific jobs using the
     /USE_NEXT qualifier.

     Documentation

     The DECscheduler Documentation Set consists of:

     o  DECscheduler for VMS Installation

     o  DECscheduler for VMS User Information

     o  DECscheduler for VMS Programming

     HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

     VAX, MicroVAX, VAXstation, or VAXserver configuration as speci-
     fied in the System Support Addendum (SSA 32.19.01-x).

     SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

     Operating System

     VMS Operating System

     Layered Product

     DECnet-VAX (end-node)

     DECforms Runtime License (for menu-driven interface)

     Refer to the System Support Addendum for availability and re-
     quired versions of prerequisite/optional software (SSA 32.10.01-
     x).

     ORDERING INFORMATION

     Software Licenses: QL-YLLA*-**
     Software Media: QA-YLLA*-**
     Software Documentation: QA-YLLAA-GZ
     Software Product Services: QT-YLLA*-**

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     DECscheduler for VMS, Version 1.1                   SPD 32.19.01



     *  Denotes variant fields. For additional information on avail-
        able licenses, services, and media, refer to the appropriate
        price book.

     SOFTWARE LICENSING

     This software is furnished under the licensing provisions of
     Digital Equipment Corporation's Standard Terms and Conditions.
     For more information about Digital's licensing terms and poli-
     cies, contact your local Digital office.

     LICENSE MANAGEMENT FACILITY SUPPORT

     The DECscheduler for VMS layered product supports the VMS Li-
     cense Management Facility.

     License units for this product are allocated on a CPU-capacity
     basis.

     For more information on the License Management Facility, refer
     to the VMS Operating System Software Product Description (SPD
     25.01.xx) or the VMS Operating System documentation set.

     For more information about Digital's licensing terms and poli-
     cies, contact your local Digital office.

     SOFTWARE PRODUCT SERVICES

     A variety of service options are available from Digital. For
     more information, contact your local Digital office.

     SOFTWARE WARRANTY

     Warranty for this software product is provided by Digital with
     the purchase of a license for the product as defined in the
     Software Warranty Addendum of this SPD.



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     DECscheduler for VMS, Version 1.1                   SPD 32.19.01




     [TM] The DIGITAL Logo, CI, DECscheduler, DECnet, DECnet-VAX,
          VAX, MicroVAX, VAX, VAXstation, VAXserver and VMS are
          trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation.



































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