Configuring Connections

After installing Masters, agents, and clients on various machines, you must still configure the connections. You configure your TA network connections through the Connections pane. You can also update each machine’s name, activate or deactivate agents for scheduling, change the communication port numbers and adjust the number of jobs that can run concurrently from an agent.

The agent architecture promotes fast processing of jobs. The agent sends status reports to the Master without prompting, allowing the Master to concentrate on other tasks thus reducing network traffic.

Besides the port number and the job limit, there is not much to configure with the agent.

Connections Interface

On the Navigation pane, click Administration > Connections to display the Connections pane.

When you choose an existing connection, these buttons appear above the Connections table:

Add Connection – Displays a list of connection options. Selecting which type of connection to define opens the appropriate Connection Definition dialog for that connection.
Edit Connection – Displays the Connection Definition dialog to edit the selected connection.

Delete Connection – Removes the selected connection definition from the TA database.

Refresh – Updates the data in the current pane.

Print – Displays the Reports pane to view and print the connection definitions. For more information, see Monitoring Production.
Where Used – Allows to view the objects to which the selected connection has been referred.

Note: You must select a connection for the Edit and Delete connection buttons to appear in the Connections pane.

The Connections table contains these columns:

Status Light – The status light indicates the status of the connection.

A green light indicates that the connection is healthy (but does not indicate whether a fault tolerance failover occurred).

A yellow light indicates that the agent or adapter connection has entered a defined outage period

A red light indicates that the connection has failed.

A dimmed light indicates that a connection is disabled.

Name – The name of the agent or Master connection.
Machine – The name of the computer where the component resides.
Type – Indicates the type of connection, whether an agent, adapter, Master, Backup Master, remote Master or fault monitor.
Platform – The operating system or type of adapter of the connection.
Enabled – Indicates if the connection is enabled.
Modified – Indicates the last time the connection definition was modified.
Load – Indicates the percentage of the agent machine's CPU capacity currently being used.
Time Difference

If Type = Master, the number of minutes of difference between the Master and the Client Manager.

If Type = Agent, the number of minutes of difference between the Master and the agent from the point of view of the Master.

If Type = Remote Master, the number of minutes of difference between the local Master and the remote Master.

Floating – Indicates if the component has a floating or non-floating license.
Active – Only applies to agents; indicates if the agent is active or not.
Limit – Indicates the number of jobs the component is licensed to run simultaneously.
Version – Indicates the version number of the listed component.
Out Until – If the connection is offline on a scheduled basis, this column displays the time when the outage pane will end. This column is blank if no scheduled outage is occurring.
Time Available – If the connection is scheduled to be offline, this column displays the number of minutes remaining before the outage pane begins. This column is blank if there is no scheduled outage.
Alternate Hosts – The host that acts as primary in the Disaster Recovery Data center.

Search Field

Above the Connections table on the right is a search field. Enter text that you want to search for within the columns displayed. TA immediately filters the data, only displaying the rows that contain the text you typed. Delete the text and all rows are displayed.

Note: The search field only searches text columns that are not grayed out and are string-based.

Connections Preferences Dialog

On the View menu, click Preferences while viewing the Connections pane to display the Connections Preferences dialog.

On the Connections Preferences dialog, you can select which columns display in the Connections pane and arrange the order they appear.

A checkmark to the left of a column title indicates that the column will be displayed in the pane. No checkmark indicates that column will not be displayed.
To rearrange the order in which the columns are displayed, select the column and click the up or down arrow.

Navigation Context Menu

When you right-click in the Navigation pane while viewing the Connections pane, the Navigation context menu displays.

The Connections Navigation context menu contains these options:

Add Connection – Displays a list of the different connection types that can be defined. Has the same function as Add Connection. Selecting an option from the list displays the appropriate Connection Definition dialog for that connection.
Refresh – Updates the data in the current pane.

Print – Displays the Reports pane to view and print your connection definitions. For more information, see Connections Report.
Select All – Selects all connections currently displayed.

Export – Saves the data in the current pane as an HTML file.

Preferences – Displays the Preferences dialog for the Connections pane.

New Root Folder – Allows you to create a new root folder for the Navigation pane.

Connections Pane Context Menu

When you right-click in the Connections pane, the Connections pane context menu displays.

Note: A connection must be selected in order for the Edit and Delete options to be available in the context menu.

The Connections pane context menu contains these options:

Add Connection – Displays a list of the types of connections that can be defined. Selecting a connection type displays the Connection Definition dialog for that type of connection.
Edit Connection – Displays the Connection Definition dialog to edit a selected connection.

Delete Connection – Deletes the selected connection’s definition.

Refresh – Refreshes the Connections pane.

Print – Prints a report of existing connections.

Where Used – Allows to view the objects to which the selected connection has been referred.

Print Selected – Prints a report of selected connections.

Select All – Selects all connections currently displayed.

Disable – Temporarily inactivates the connection.

Enable – Activates the connection from a disabled state (available only after having selected the Disable option, below). You can also enable a connection through the Enabled option in its definition dialog.
Reconnect – Re-establishes a connection that failed. Reconnect is also available for an enabled connection that is not fully established.
Test – Checks to see if the selected connection is working properly.

Note: The Test option is not available for all connection types.

Adding Connections

You use the Connections link in the Navigation pane to add and manage connections. These connection types can be added:

To add a connection to a new adapter:

Click Administration>Connections on the Navigation pane.

Click Add above the Connections table or choose Add Connection from a context menu.

Choose the connection type: one of the Agents, the Remote Master, or one of the Adapters.

Provide the name, connection information on each tab, and check the options as desired,

The tabs and options displayed on each tab vary depending on the connection type. See Connection Definition Dialog for more information.

Click OK.

Connection Definition Dialog

The Connection Definition dialog displays when you add a connection using the Add Connection option on the context menus or Add top of the Connections pane. After you choose the connection type from the list of the possible licensed components in your TA network, the Connection Definition dialog displays. The type of connection being defined displays at the top of the Connection dialog.

Connection Definition – Common to All Tabs

Name – The name that will be used to refer to the connection throughout TA panes and dialogs.

Enabled [check box] – Allows you to enable (activate) and disable (deactivate) agents. Jobs cannot run on agents that have been deactivated. If they try to run on agents that have been deactivated, they enter into the Agent Disabled status. Jobs already running on agents that are disabled will run to completion; however, their completion status will not be returned until the agent is re-enabled.
Use as default for <connection_type> Jobs [check box] – For many connection types, this option is available to let you use the new definition as a starting point for any connections you add of this type.

Connection Definition – General Tab

The General tab contains these elements:

Job Limit – Displays the maximum number of jobs that TA can run on the agent.

Windows agents have a concurrent job execution limitation based on the amount of memory the agent has. It is recommended that you do not set the agent job limit to a value higher than this limitation. In most instances, it is recommended to limit agents to running no more than 80 concurrent jobs. In general, agents should have 5 MB of memory for each concurrent job. Some jobs may require additional memory to process depending upon the needs of the job.

Default Runtime User – Specify a default runtime user for the agent being installed.

Max Job Output Size (in Kb) – Specify the maximum output limit of the job in KB. This field is only applicable for JDEdwards Adapter, UNIX agent, and Windows agent.

If the value is set to blank, the output in the job run displays the entire output.

If the value is set to any non-numeric value or negative value, the error message appears.

If the value is set to zero, the complete job output is truncated.

If the value is set to any Integer value up to 2097151, the output in the job run displays the truncated output.

Note: When the output of one job is used as input for another job, the setting of this parameter value must be taken care accordingly. If the Exit Code or Scan Output option is selected for a job, this parameter is not applicable.

Connection Definition – Connection Tab

On this tab, the machine name and port number are specified for the connection. The fields and field names vary according to the type of connection being defined.

Depending on the connection type, this tab contains these elements:

Machine Name – The host name of the computer. This name is case-sensitive and can be found in the DNS section of the TCP/IP protocol of your network configuration. Consult with your System or Network Administrator for help with DNS and TCP/IP.
Master-to-Agent Port – The Master-to-Agent Port field displays when defining an agent connection. The port used to communicate with the cqd process of an agent machine. The default is 5912. This number is specified during installation.

Backup-to-Master Port – The Backup-To-Master Port field displays when defining a Backup Master connection. This port is used to communicate between the Backup Master and Primary Master for fault tolerance purposes. The default is 6704. This number is specified during fault tolerance installation.
Fault Monitor Master Port – The Fault Monitor Master Port field displays when defining a fault monitor connection. This port is used to communicate between the fault monitor computer and the Primary Master and Backup Master for fault tolerance purposes. The default is 6703. This number is specified during fault tolerance installation.
Agent-to-Master Port – The port used when defining a Master connection. The default is 5591. This number is specified during installation.

Do not use port values that are in use by other software programs. Connection performance will be unpredictable.

Host Environment Log (This option only appears for a Master connection if you are using an adapter offered by TA.) – Sets the detailed level for the logging in the adapter host environment. Like the logging levels set on the Logging tab of the System Configuration dialog, there are seven progressively more detailed levels of details available that range from None to High Debug. The Severe level is the default option. When the log reaches 512 MB in size, it is archived and a new log file is started. The log file is named AdapterHost with a date and time stamp and a .log extension. After 25 log files are created, the oldest log file is deleted to make room for a new log file. These AdapterHost files are stored in the same directory as the Master's log files at Program Files\Tidal\Scheduler\Master\log.

There is also a Service log file named Service.log for each corresponding adapter. This log is located inside of the corresponding adapter GUID. For example, the SAP Service Log location would be:

C:\Program Files\TIDAL\Scheduler\Master\services\{51C57049-3215-44b7-ABE1-C012FF786010}\log.

Changing the level of the Host Environment Log will directly effect the debug level of every adapter.
Remote Primary Master Machine Name – The Remote Primary Master Machine Name field displays when defining a remote Master connection. Type the machine name of the remote Master that is managing the interMaster dependency.

If you are defining a remote connection, then your Connection tab is slightly different. There are two machine name fields and a Communication Port field.

Remote Backup Master Machine Name – The Remote Backup Master Machine Name field displays when defining a remote Backup Master connection. Type the name for the Backup Master if the remote Master managing the interMaster dependency is in fault tolerance mode. If the remote Master is not fault tolerant, leave this field blank.
Communication Port – The Communication Port field displays when defining a remote Master connection. This port is used to communicate between the local Master and the remote Master (and its backup machine if fault tolerance is being used). The default is 6215. This communication port should be the same number that Client Manager(s) of the remote Master use.

Connection Definition – Outages Tab

This tab only appears in the Connections Definition dialog when defining an agent or adapter connection and allows you to add, edit, and delete an agent or adapter outage.

This tab lists the time windows when the agent/adapter will not be available. The actual parameters of the outage are defined from the Outage Definition dialog, see Outage Definition Dialog. TA will use the information entered here to manage jobs that may not complete before an outage window begins. From a system configuration viewpoint, use the Defaults tab to configure how TA handles jobs at risk of failing due to a planned outage.

This page contains these elements:

Calendar – Displays either the name of the calendar assigned to the outage or the date that the outage begins. One time outages would not have a calendar but if an outage occurs regularly, it should be assigned a calendar.
From – The start time of the outage window.

Until – The time that the outage ends. If the outage extends more than one day, the date that the outage ends is also displayed.

Suspend/Disable – Indicates if the connection is disabled or suspended during the outage. A suspended connection will automatically enable at the end of the outage while a disabled connection must be manually enabled at the end of the outage. An agent/adapter connection in an outage window can always be enabled to end the outage.

Add – Displays the Outage Definition dialog to define a new outage.

Edit – Opens the Outage Definition dialog to modify the parameters of the selected outage.

Delete – Deletes the selected outage.

Outage Definition Dialog

The Outage Definition dialog displays by adding a new outage period or editing an existing one from the Outages page in an agent's connection definition. An outage may be a one-time event or define a reoccurring outage by assigning the outage a calendar.

This dialog contains these elements:

Specific Date Interval – Click this option to define a specific time interval for a single outage. Click on the drop-down arrow in the first From field to display a calendar to choose a start date for the outage period. In the adjacent text field, enter the time that the outage should start on the designated day. In the Until field, choose the date and time that the outage should end. The Until field is unavailable if the Disable connection during outage option is selected.
Calendar – Click this option to define a reoccurring outage on multiple dates by assigning an existing calendar. Once the outage is assigned a calendar of dates, enter the starting time of the outage in the From field and an ending time in the Until field. The Until field is unavailable if the Enable connection at end of outage time window option is selected.
Enable connection at end of outage time window – Click this option to enable the connection when the outage window ends. By default this option is selected, suspending a connection during an outage so that when the outage ends, the connection will automatically enable itself. Clearing this option ensures that the connection is disabled at the start of the outage window. The connection will not be enabled until an operator manually enables it. If this option is not selected, then the Until options used to define the end of the outage are disabled since the outage cannot end until the connection is enabled manually by an user.

Connection Definition – Resources Tab

This tab only appears in the Connections Definition dialog when defining an agent connection and displays all the system resources and current values collected for the connection.

Connection Definition – Options Tab

This tab only appears in the Connections Definition dialog when defining an agent connection and allows you to add, edit, or delete name/value connection parameters. When you click Add, you see the Parameter Definition Dialog.

Parameter Definition Dialog

You can configure parameters for connections and jobs via the Parameter Definition dialog. Click the parameter, then click Add or Edit to display the Parameter Definition dialog.

This dialog contains these elements:

Parameter Name – The name of the new parameter.

Parameter Value – The value of the new parameter.

Variables – If displayed, click to use a predefined variable.

Connection Definition – Variables Tab

This tab only appears in the Connections Definition dialog when defining a remote Master.

This tab lists the various names and types of variables published by the specified remote Master. The actual value of a variables is only determined when needed as the job processes. The list of variables published by the remote Master is regularly updated and cached by the subscribing Master with the inter-Master dependency.

Changing Existing Connections

These sections describe how to edit existing connections.

Changing the Computer Name Displayed in TA

To change the name of the computer:

Click the Connections pane.
Double-click the licensed computer to edit or select the computer and click Edit. The licensed computer’s Connection Definition displays.

Change the computer’s name in the Name field. This name is used when referring to the computer on TA panes and dialogs.

Click OK.

Changing the Computer Hostname

To change the hostname of the computer:

Click the Connections pane.
Double-click the licensed computer to edit, or select the computer and click Edit to display the licensed computer’s Connection Definition dialog.

Click the Connection tab.

Update the computer’s name in the Machine Name field.

This name can be found in the DNS section of the TCP/IP protocol of your network configuration. See your System Administrator for more information.

Changing the Connection Port Numbers

You can update communication port numbers for licensed connections if they conflict with other programs that use the same numbers.

To change the connection port numbers:

Click the Connections pane.
Double-click the desired connection or select the connection and click Edit to display the licensed computer’s Connection Definition dialog.

Click the Connection tab.

Different fields are displayed, according to the type of connection selected:

Master – The Agent-to-Master Port field is used when defining a Master connection. The default is 5591. This number is specified during installation. Update this port if it conflicts with other programs.

Agent – The Master-to-Agent Port field is used when defining an agent connection. Update this port number if it conflicts with other programs. The default is 5912.

Backup Master – The Backup-To-Master Port field is used when defining a Backup Master connection. Update this port if it conflicts with other programs. The default is 6704.

Fault Monitor – The Fault Monitor Master Port field is used when defining a fault monitor connection. Update this port if it conflicts with other programs. The default is 6703.

The Fault Monitor Client Port field is a JMS port used by the Client Manager to communicate with the Fault Monitor. The default is 6705.

Remote Master – The Communication Port field on this tab is used for communicating between the local Master and the remote Master. There is always one remote Master that will use this port but this port is also available to the remote Backup Master if the remote Master is in fault tolerant mode. The default port for this connection is 6215, so change the value if there is a conflict. This same JMS Port is also used for the Client Manager to Master communication.

Deleting an Agent Connection

To delete an agent connection:

Click the agent to delete on the Connections pane.

Click Delete on the TA toolbar.