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Windows Client Scheduler

The Windows Client Scheduler component manages scheduled tasks defined in the Windows Client (for example, tasks scheduled using the View and Output Definitions, and Object Logging functions).

The Scheduler can be run in two modes:

• as a Windows application (Scheduler application)

  The Scheduler application runs in your Windows session, utilizing your network connections and mapped drives. When the Scheduler is running, the Scheduler icon is displayed in the system notification area. However, you have to start the Scheduler application each time you logon to the Windows machine (a message at startup of the Windows Client reminds you of this). You can right click the Scheduler icon and click Close to stop the Scheduler.

• as a Windows service (Scheduler service)

  The Scheduler service runs in the Windows system background. Once you have started it, it runs all the time the machine is switched on, and after reboot, it is started automatically. The Scheduler service allows you to perform tasks when you are not logged on to the Windows machine, for example, on midnights, on weekends, and so on. The Scheduler service has full access to the local machine, but might have problems accessing some remote locations. The Scheduler service does not recognize your mapped drives.

To ensure all scheduled tasks are handled in time, we recommend you run the Scheduler 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

A Windows Client installation does not activate the Scheduler automatically. You should activate the Scheduler in the mode of your choice, whenever you are ready. However, when you start the Windows Client, it prompts you to activate the Scheduler if you have scheduled tasks.

When more than one Windows Client is installed and the common Central directory is set, you should run only one Scheduler. The Scheduler service fits this environment perfectly. It manages all the scheduled tasks saved by your workgroup, avoiding collisions.

Note: CA SRM users should only activate the Scheduler on the Application Server computer.

Scheduler activity is logged in a text file. The log file name is OAScheduler.log. The log can be found in the directory: …\BrightStor SRM Data\Central\Log. Use this log for troubleshooting the Scheduler. You can open the log in any text editor or viewer such as Notepad, WordPad, or Microsoft Word. Observe the following:

• Open the log file for reading only, to avoid collision and information loss. The Scheduler or a Scheduler task may attempt to write into it at any moment.
• The log retention is governed by file size and period. When the log file size is over 1 MB, the Maintenance task renames the log file and creates a new log. When the log file size is greater than 800 KB and the log file is over 30 days old, the Maintenance task renames the log file and creates a new log.
• The new log file, OAScheduler.log, contains the link to the previous old log file.
• The old log file name indicates the period, From date_To date, during which the logs were generated. For example, OAScheduler_9-Mar-2012_To_11-Apr-2012.Log.

The Scheduler service also logs its start and stop information in the Windows Event log. Use this information for troubleshooting the Scheduler. To open the Windows Event Log click Start, Control Panel, Administrative Tools, and then Event Viewer. This opens the Event Viewer dialog. Select Application in the tree. To locate the Scheduler service records, look for the CASRMScheduler pattern in the Source column. Double click on a record to see its contents.

The Scheduler arranges scheduled tasks execution so that only one task is running at a time. The Scheduler waits for the current task completion and then starts the next task. This method ensures that the Scheduler avoids database access collisions. That is, most of the scheduled tasks access the databases for read and write. If one task is writing and another is reading the same information entity, they collide.

The Scheduler is capable of sending email alerts whenever a scheduled task fails or encounters a problem. You must provide the email addresses to receive the email alerts. If no address is specified, then no alerts are sent. To specify email addresses, open the Windows Client Options wizard by selecting Options under the Tools menu, and update the Email Alerts for Scheduler option located on the General page.

If a scheduled task fails due to a host logon problem (for example, password expired), continuing attempts to logon to the host by subsequent tasks can cause user ID revocation. To avoid user ID revocation, the Scheduler can apply the following policies:

• Host - the Scheduler skips over tasks that are attempting to log on to the host where the log on problem occurred. Tasks that log on to other hosts, even with the same user name, are executed as usual.
• User ID - the Scheduler skips over tasks that are attempting to log on to hosts with the user ID that encountered the logon problem. Tasks that log on with a different user ID, even to the same host, are executed as usual. This is the default policy.

To change the policy, open the Windows Client Options wizard by selecting Options under the Tools menu and update the Scheduler Logon Failures option located on the General page.

The Scheduler applies the policy until you resolve the host logon problem. To resolve the problem and have the Scheduler work as usual, you have to fix the host logon problem and then use the Windows Client to connect to the problematic host. When you use the Windows Client to connect to the problematic host, the Windows Client removes the alert and the Scheduler ceases skipping the tasks.

The Windows Client provides the Schedule List tool. Use this tool to control Scheduler work. It provides a clear view of the tasks status, awaiting schedules, and has a number of useful functions.