Where does my workload run? What is the Cloud infrastructure?

With IBM Workload Automation on Cloud, you can schedule the workload on your own computers; you just need to install the agent. The Workload Automation server, running in SoftLayer datacenters, will plan the workload and drive the agent to run the workload when required.

What extended agents are available for Workload Automation on Cloud and how can they be deployed? Can extended Workload Scheduler agents be used in the Workload Automation on Cloud environment? If not, how would we integrate SAP, for instance?

All of the official Workload Scheduler extended agents are included and deployed with Workload Automation on Cloud, including the SAP agent.

What are the SLAs for service availability?

The SLA is provided along with the contract. 99.8% availability is the standard Service Level Objective for all offerings.

The number of jobs my company runs each month can fluctuate significantly. How do I estimate the price for running Workload Automation on Cloud?

Workload Automation on Cloud is priced based on the volume of monthly executed jobs. That means you should cover the maximum or peak workload you expect during the period of the Cloud contract.

I need programmatic access to scheduling services. How do I do that?

You can follow this link to IBM Bluemix and find out how to integrate the Workload Scheduler service into your application to schedule all your tasks with just a few lines of code : IBM Workload Scheduler for Bluemix .

Where is my data stored? Is my data protected?

Your workload definitions are stored on IBM servers in SoftLayer datacenters. All communications are encrypted using HTTPS protocol. Access to your data is protected by an authorization mechanism that allows the data to be viewed only by the users of the subscription and to IBM authorized personnel.

I'm already a Workload Automation customer; can I run my workload on Cloud?

Workload Automation on Cloud is implementing a feature to help you move your workload from your on-premises Workload Automation to Workload Automation on Cloud. You will be able to export your workload from your on-premises as workload applications and import it to your new Cloud environment.

Is my data backed up regularly?

Backup of all critical data is performed daily and can be restored in case of hardware failure or machine corruption. Every Workload Automation on Cloud instance is in high availability.

Which port do I have to open to communicate with the Workload Automation server through a firewall?

You must use the 443 port.

How do I install an agent?

To install on Windows operating systems, follow the instructions in Installing an agent on Windows operating systems .

To install on UNIX and Linux operating systems, follow the instructions in Installing an agent on UNIX and Linux operating systems .

To install on IBM i operating systems, follow the instructions in Installing an agent on IBM i operating systems .

How do I update an agent?

To update on Windows operating systems, follow the instructions in Updating an agent on Windows operating systems .

To update on UNIX and Linux operating systems, follow the instructions in Updating an agent on UNIX and Linux operating systems .

To update on IBM i operating systems, follow the instructions in Updating an agent on IBM i operating systems .

How do I uninstall an agent?

To uninstall on Windows operating systems, follow the instructions in Uninstalling an agent on Windows operating systems.

To uninstall on UNIX and Linux operating systems, follow the instructions in Uninstalling an agent on UNIX and Linux operating systems .

To uninstall on IBM i operating systems, follow the instructions in Uninstalling an agent on IBM i operating systems .

How do I log out from the Workload Automation on Cloud web site?

Close the browser.

Which web browsers can I use to view the Dynamic Workload Console interface?

You can use Mozilla Firefox 24 ESR and Microsoft Internet Explorer 9.0 and 10.0 in compatibility view.

Which web browsers can I use to view the Application Lab?

You can use Mozilla Firefox 24 ESR, Chrome 26, Safari 6, Microsoft Internet Explorer 9.0 and 10.0 in compatibility view.

How scalable is the Workload Automation on Cloud environment?

In a Workload Automation on Cloud environment you can handle thousands of jobs per day. The Workload Automation on Cloud service can increase the scaling as load grows to prevent workload peak from affecting your business.

I have uninstalled an agent; how do I remove the workstation associated to it?

Open the Dynamic Workload Console. From the navigation toolbar, click Administration > List workstations. In the panel displayed enter the name of the workstation to delete or click Display to display the list of available workstations. Select the workstation and click More Actions > Delete. The deletion will be effective within 24 hours.

How long are run logs for Workload Automation on Cloud retained?

The run log retention period can be configured in the JobManager.ini file. The default value is 30 days.

How does the system react to temporary loss of network connection between the agents and the cloud?

The agent stores the messages for later forwarding. No job status is lost, as the job processes continue to be tracked.

Is there a way to control user access permissions with Workload Automation on Cloud?

The user has a default set of access rights. To control your user access for a specific subscription, browse to User Management in your Workload Automation Dashboard.

What SAP libraries do I need to be able to schedule a job on SAP?

To have the SAP access method work correctly, ensure that you have installed the SAP NetWeaver RFC Library. At least SDK 7.20 Support Package SP000 Patch Level 000028 is required. You must download this library from the SAP Service Marketplace (visit SAP connectors) and copy it to the TWS_home\methods directory. Refer to SAP note 1025361 for details.

What do I have to do to be able to schedule PeopleSoft jobs from my agent?

To configure your agent and your environment to run PeopleSoft jobs, follow the instructions in Configuring your agent to run PeopleSoft jobs.

Do I really need to install an agent locally?

No, when you request a trial, a cost-free agent is already installed for trial customers to explore the Workload Automation features. Note that this is temporary agent and will be deleted when you buy a subscription.

I requested a Trial, but I didn't finish my test, can I have additional time for the trial?

The trial is available for 30 days. After that period your trial is suspended and kept for an additional 60 days. During this period you can still convert your trial to a purchased subscription, restoring all the definitions you created for the trial.

I have a subscription. What is my environment ID?

Each Workload Automation server is used for multiple users. Currently, to avoid conflicts between your definitions and those from other customers, a two-letter environment ID is assigned to each subscription to be used as a prefix to the name of some object definitions. All your agents will be automatically created with a name starting with this prefix.

I have a subscription; can I import my workload into an on-premises environment?

Yes. From the Dynamic Workload Console, you can export the workload as Workload Application Templates and import them into your on-premises IBM Workload Scheduler V9.1 or later environment.

Do I need to install an agent locally for my trial?

No, when you request a trial, a cost-free agent is already installed for you to explore the Workload Automation features. Note that this is a temporary agent reserved for perspective customers and will be deleted when you buy a subscription. For more information, see: Installing the Workload Automation on Cloud agent .

In a Windows environment, I am trying to run the application I created using the Application Catalog and I receive the error:

AWSITA028E The job failed to start. The following error was generated: AWSITA064E The login user specified in the job definition could not authenticate on the agent.

How can I solve it?

The user that runs the application must be defined in the Workload Automation database performing the following procedure: Open the Dynamic Workload Console. From the navigation toolbar, click Administration > Workload Design > Manage Workload Definition. In the panel displayed click Go . In the Working List, select New > User. The Property-User panel is displayed. In the Workstation enter the name you specified in displayname when installing the agent prefixed with the Environment ID you receive by email, in User name enter the name of the user you specified in the application, in Password enter the password of the user.

I defined a File Monitor event rule using either the Application Lab or the Dynamic Workload Console, but the event does not start even if the file was correctly created or deleted on the workstation. What should I do?

Ensure that the folder where the file is to be created or deleted exists before you create the event rule. If you did not create the folder before defining the rule, open the Dynamic Workload Console, create a task to monitor workstations, run the task and select the agent where you defined the event rule. Click More Actions > Stop Event Monitoring . Create the folder and click More Actions > Start Event Monitoring .

The agent installation completed successfully but when I open the Application Lab my agent is not listed in the Agents list?

Verify that the computer on which you are installing the agent can connect to the internet (there could be a firewall that prevents the connection, contact your network administrator). If not, enable the connection or install the agent on a computer that can communicate with the internet.