Batch Operations › Batch Jobs

Batch Jobs

CA Top Secret Batch operates within the CA Top Secret server machine. The batch task is started automatically during server initialization and continuously monitors the server’s card reader for incoming jobs. Whenever a card reader interrupt occurs, the batch task searches all spool files in the server’s reader queue and attempts to process all those which possess the required characteristics of a CA Top Secret batch job.

In order to be considered for batch execution, a spool file must be type “PUN” or type “RDR.” Its spool file class must be “B,” and it must not be held (neither SYSHOLD nor USERHOLD). CA Top Secret does not inspect the contents of a spool file until after it has been selected for potential execution. As long as the file conforms to the restrictions outlined above, it causes a batch job to be started and logged. If the file does not contain valid Job Control statements, this is detected by the Job Control Language processor during Job initiation. See the heading entitled: “Job Control Statements and Job File Format” following in this section for information on the contents of a CA Top Secret batch job file, and how to submit batch jobs to the server.

CA Top Secret Batch ignores any files in the server’s reader which do not conform to the job file standard, with one exception which is noted. In order to ensure job file integrity and security, and to prevent accidental restart of jobs interrupted by a system outage, CA Top Secret Batch manipulates the files in the server’s reader in several ways during the reader file selection process. Due to the nature of this process, all class 'X' reader files found in the server’s virtual reader are automatically purged. Therefore, do not store any files in to the reader for CA Top Secret with a class of 'X'. Note that this purge only affects the server machine’s virtual reader; no other class 'X' files in the system are disturbed.

Batch jobs are single-threaded through the server so as not to severely impact the performance of the security system in servicing access verification requests. If you wish, you may submit many jobs at once. They remain in-queue, and a new job starts each time a previous job completes. The order of execution is determined by the sequence of the files in the server’s reader queue.

A currently active batch job can be cancelled using the BATCHCAN control option as described in the Control Options Guide.