IBM Workload Automation, Version 9.4

IBM Workload Scheduler user interfaces

A combination of graphical and command-line and API interface programs are provided to work with IBM Workload Scheduler. In particular, the command-line interface is available for certain advanced features which are not available in the graphical user interface. The available IBM Workload Scheduler user interface programs are:
Single Entry Point
Single Entry Point is a web-based page to access all the IBM Workload Scheduler user interfaces:
  • Dynamic Workload Console
  • Self Service UIs (Self-Service Catalog and Self-Service Dashboards)
  • Application Lab

Single Entry Point is a role-based interface that you can access from any computer in your environment by using a web browser through the secure HTTPS.

Single Entry Point provides quick links to the most important Dynamic Workload Console tasks: connect your engines, design your workload, monitor your workload, and dashboard. With Single Entry Point you can access the mobile applications, the Self-Service Catalog and the Self-Service Dashboards, through the link or the Qrcode. To access the Application Lab you must add configuration settings to define your engine and your environment ID. The environment ID is defined by the Administrators when they configure access to the Application Lab in the security file and it is identified by a two-letter prefix.

Dynamic Workload Console
A Web-based user interface available for viewing and controlling scheduling activities in production on both the IBM Workload Scheduler distributed and z/OS environments. With the Dynamic Workload Console you can use any supported browser to access the IBM Workload Scheduler environment from any location in your network.
You can use the Dynamic Workload Console to:
  • Define scheduling objects in the IBM Workload Scheduler database
  • Browse and manage scheduling objects involved in current plan activities
  • Create and control connections to IBM Workload Scheduler environments
  • Submit jobs and job streams in production
  • Set user preferences
  • Create and manage event rules
  • Define and manage mission-critical jobs

Dynamic Workload Console must be installed on a server that can reach the IBM Workload Scheduler nodes using network connections. See the IBM Workload Scheduler: Planning and Installation for information.

Application Lab
A Web-based user interface available for creating, running, and monitoring a set of simple business processes. It connects to an existing Dynamic Workload Console distributed engine that is either shared or configured in single sign-on. This interface is easy-to-use and is dedicated to application developers who require control and autonomy when driving workloads, but that are not required to handle complex workload automation concepts. It uses simplified terminology to express concepts like jobs, job streams, and run cycles. Application developers create their processes which are made up of one or more steps. The processes can be scheduled to run (on dynamic agents only) according to the triggers defined for them. You can use any supported browser to access the IBM Workload Scheduler environment from any location in your network through the secure HTTPS protocol. An administrator must enable users to access Application Lab through the definition of a working environment
You can use the Application Lab to:
  • Define a process to run any number of steps, where steps can perform simple operations or integrate with external application to perform more complex operations. See the overview section in theIBM Workload Automation: Application Lab User's Guide for more detailed information about the types of operations supported.
  • Import existing crontab files or Windows Task Scheduler tasks and benefit from the full set of IBM Workload Scheduler capabilities.
  • Set up processes to run according to a scheduler.
  • Publish processes to the Self-Service Catalog and submit them to run on demand from a mobile device.
  • Move your processes to the Dynamic Workload Console to run it with more complex scheduling conditions.
  • Monitor the progress and status of processes.

Application Lab is not an installable component. It is accessed through a URL that connects to an existing Dynamic Workload Console engine. An administrator must perform some preparatory steps before application developers can access and use Application Lab. See the IBM Workload Automation: Application Lab User's Guide for information.

composer
A command-line program used to define and manage scheduling objects in the database. This interface program and its use are described in Defining objects in the database and Managing objects in the database - composer.
conman
A command-line program used to monitor and control the IBM Workload Scheduler production plan processing. This interface program is described in Managing objects in the plan - conman.
Java™ API and plug-ins
A set of available classes and methods running in a JAVA environment that you use to create your custom interface to manage scheduling objects in the database and in the plan. This API cannot be used to create your custom interface to set global options. In addition, you can use and modify a set of plug-ins that perform specific tasks, or create your own plug-ins. The API is available through a Software Development Kit, which is part of the product. For more information and to learn how to access the documentation of the API and plug-ins, refer to IBM Workload Automation: Developer's Guide: Extending IBM Workload Automation.
optman
A command-line program used to manage the settings that affect the entire IBM Workload Scheduler environment. These settings, also called global options, are stored in the database. This interface program is described in the IBM Workload Scheduler: Administration Guide.
planman
A command-line program used to manage the IBM Workload Scheduler planning capability. This interface program is described in Planman command line.
Web Services Interface
An interface that provides you with a web services based access mechanism to a subset of functionality used to manage jobs and job streams in the plan. It does not allow you to manage the plan, to set global options, to manage objects in the database. For more information refer to IBM Workload Automation: Developer's Guide: Driving IBM Workload Scheduler for z/OS®.

You must install the IBM Workload Scheduler Command Line Client feature on fault-tolerant agents and systems outside the IBM Workload Scheduler network to use the composer and optman command-line programs and to run planman showinfo and planman unlock commands.

For information on how to set the options needed to allow a user to access the command-line interfaces, refer to Setting up options for using the user interfaces.