Recovering from Database Failure

If the primary database fails, two options exist for restoring CONTROL-M/Server operation:

1) Operate CONTROL-M/Server using the mirror database instead of the primary database. The primary CONTROL-M/Server database can be rebuilt at a later stage.

This method resumes CONTROL-M/Server operation in the minimum time possible. However, mirroring cannot be reactivated until after the primary database is repaired.

2) Restore the CONTROL-M primary database from the mirror database and start CONTROL-M/Server again.

This method allows the CONTROL-M/Server database to continue to operate with mirroring. However, you will not be able to start CONTROL-M/Server until you have completed restoring the CONTROL-M/Server database - and this can result in significant downtime.

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Failover Server

A Secondary installation of the CONTROL-M/Server resides on a separate computer. Typically the database of the secondary CONTROL-M/Server, created as part of the CONTROL-M/Server installation, acts as a mirror database.

The secondary CONTROL-M/Server, including its database, acts as a backup to the primary CONTROL-M/Server. This secondary CONTROL-M/Server computer is sometimes called the Mirror Environment.

The secondary CONTROL-M/Server duplicates all of the primary CONTROL-M/Server’s links to CONTROL-M/Agents, and CONTROL-M/Server Configuration Agent. The secondary CONTROL-M/Server is defined in each agent’s list of authorized server hosts.

During normal operation, the secondary database is constantly updated to remain identical with the primary database. The secondary CONTROL-M/Server remains inactive.

If the primary CONTROL-M/Server fails due to a hardware/software problem on the primary computer, the administrator activates failover on the secondary CONTROL-M/Server. The secondary CONTROL-M/Server performs all normal CONTROL-M/Server functions until the primary CONTROL-M/Server is repaired.

Jobs submitted to agent computers before failover continue executing. The secondary CONTROL-M/Server polls the agent computers to determine the status of jobs listed in the Active Jobs file.

When the primary CONTROL-M/Server is stable, normal operation is restored. The failover server is shut down, the primary database is restored, and the primary CONTROL-M/Server is restarted. The secondary server returns to passive readiness.

Implementing a Failover Server

A failover server can be implemented any time after CONTROL-M/Server has been installed.

The secondary CONTROL-M/Server installation should be built on a separate computer and database server, independent of the computers that host the primary CONTROL-M/Server and its database.

Several administrative functions are used to initialize and use the failover server, and restore the primary computer. These functions are accessed from the Database Mirroring menu of the CONTROL-M/Server Main Menu.

Preparing a Failover server

Verify the following conditions for the secondary installation:

The Agent-to-Server Port Number and Server-to-Agent Port Number communication parameters must be the same on both CONTROL-M/Server computers. These ports must also be dedicated to the use of CONTROL-M/Server. You should also ensure that both computers are using the same date.

1. The failover server can be configured to use a dedicated or a non-dedicated SQL database server. However, it should not use the same instance of the database server used by the primary environment.


2. The Database (Data Portion) Size parameter should be assigned the same value as the current size of the primary database.


3. All agent computers that are defined on the primary CONTROL-M/Server should also be defined on the failover server. These definitions must be identical. If you installed CONTROL-M/Agent on the primary CONTROL-M/Server computer, it should also be installed on the failover server. The parameters should be the same on both CONTROL-M/Server installations.

The host name of the failover server must be added to the list of authorized hosts of each agent.

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Mirror Database

In addition to the primary database installed with CONTROL-M/Server, a secondary database is built on another Database Server computer. All updates to the primary CONTROL-M/Server database are written to the secondary mirror database.

If updates to the mirror database fails, the mirror database is considered damaged and writing to it is disabled. Normal CONTROL-M/Server operation is not affected. Mirroring can be re-initialized after you repair the communications link.

If the CONTROL-M/Server primary database server fails, or if the primary database loses integrity, CONTROL-M/Server operation can be restored using either of the following manual interventions:

You can direct CONTROL-M/Server to use the mirror database instead of the primary database. The primary CONTROL-M/Server database can be rebuilt when time allows.

This method ensures that CONTROL-M/Server functionality is resumed as soon as possible. However, mirroring is not resumed until after you repair the failed primary database and restore it from the mirror database.

You can repair and rebuild the CONTROL-M/Server primary database and restore it from the mirror database.

This method allows mirroring of the CONTROL-M/Server database to continue without interruption. However, depending on database size and the cause of the failure of the database, it may take some time to rebuild the CONTROL-M/Server database before CONTROL-M/Server can be restarted.

Implementing a Mirror Database

Database mirroring can be initialized any time after CONTROL-M/Server has been installed.

The mirror database should be built on a separate database server, independent of the database server that hosts the primary CONTROL-M/Server database.

Several administrative functions are used to initialize, enable, and restore CONTROL-M/Server database mirroring. These functions are accessed from the Database Mirroring menu of the CONTROL-M/Server Main Menu.

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Failover Planning

As CONTROL-M is integrated in the production environment of the data center, it becomes increasingly important to ensure that interruptions of CONTROL-M functionality are as short as possible.

A properly designed and executed failover plan ensures that CONTROL-M functions are resumed as soon as possible if a recovery is necessary.

Failover planning for CONTROL-M should provide for the following contingencies:

1. Loss of integrity in the CONTROL-M/Server primary database due to a failure of the SQL server that maintains the database


2. Failure of the computer on which CONTROL-M/Server runs (server computer) Ideally, your failover plan should include a complete backup for both the server computer and the CONTROL-M/Server database.

You can implement either one of the following levels of failover capability:

Mirror Database: a database on an independent database server mirrors the CONTROL-M/Server database. If this level of failover is implemented, only CONTROL-M/Server database is backed-up and will be available in case of loss. There is no failover support for any loss of information affecting the CONTROL-M/Server installation. Readmore...

Failover Server: a secondary CONTROL-M/Server installation on a different computer. The CONTROL-M/Server database of the secondary installation is considered the mirror database. If this level of failover is implemented, failover support is provided for loss of information affecting both the CONTROL-M/Server installation and the CONTROL-M/Server database. Readmore...

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Control-M New Day Process(NDP)

• At a set time each day (defined during installation as the start of day at the site), CONTROL-M performs New Day processing, during which:
• CONTROL-M performs a number of maintenance and cleanup functions that the operator would otherwise have to perform manually.
• Job scheduling definitions are selected from the scheduling tables (based on their basic scheduling criteria) and are placed in the Active Jobs file. These jobs can then be submitted and tracked by the CONTROL-M monitor.
• During New Day processing, jobs that have ended OK or whose retention period has expired according to job scheduling definition parameters are deleted from the Active Jobs file.
• In simple terms "this loads all of the jobs that Control-M knows should run that day. Control-M does not necessarily know all of the jobs to run. it only knows the ones scheduled to run that day. In process of cleanup Control-M will clear all the jobs (ended OK, Deleted Jobs, Maxwait expired jobs, Eligible Failed jobs) except the jobs which are in Hold and Jobs which are having MAXWAIT". 
• Note: The jobs which were ended OK will be retained for one day.

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Understanding the flow diagram in AJF and Workspace

In the flow diagram, components of the environment (definition environment or active environment) are represented by node boxes. The information displayed in a node varies depending on the type of node and on customization options

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AJF (Active Job File)

In Control-M EM GUI, where you can see the currently running jobs for today is called AJF (Active Job File).

The CONTROL-M/Enterprise Manager window (AJF) consists of the following parts:

Ø  Navigation Tree – Hierarchical view of jobs in the current environment.

Ø  Flow Diagram – Graphic representation of job production flow, based on job dependencies established by prerequisite conditions specified in job processing definitions. Components of the active environment are represented by boxes called nodes. The information displayed in a node varies depending on the type of node and on how certain customization options.

Ø  Net Overview – Miniature version of the flow diagram, indicating the part of the network currently displayed in the Flow Diagram view. By ragging the selected area in this view to a different part of the network, you can quickly navigate in a complex environment.

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Control-M Desktop Collection Feature to Mass Update

The purpose of this article is to provide information on how to do a mass update on a group of jobs using the Job Collections feature in Control-M Desktop.

I just would like to give step by step process using pictures to guide any one who is new to Control-M scheduling.


The version of Control-M used here is 6.3.01

Click on “View -> Filter…” or click on “Filter…” Icon on standard Toolbar

 It will display the Filter dialog box. Enter your filtering criteria and click on OK when finishes. (In this example I’m filtering the jobs start with ‘job’)

All the jobs are still there but only the ones from the collection will show or be affected by Mass Updates. To change the draft back to all jobs select View / Filter then ‘Select the Full Draft’.

Go to ‘Edit -> Find and Update…’ or click the  Icon on standard toolbar.

   This will display ‘Find and Update’ dialog box, enter your criteria and click on ‘OK’. Here I'm changing the group to ‘test’. Make sure ‘Collection’ radio button is selected else all the jobs in the draft with the matching criteria will be changed.

Now you can select the full draft in the ‘Filter’ window to have look at entire table.

I hope this gives you some sort of idea how do a mass update. The dialog boxes may differ from version to version.

Share with your friends and colleagues if you like my site.

Cheers,
Mahi

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Dynamic Filter in Control-M EM GUI

A dynamic filter is a filter that you define locally as you need it. You can then discard it or save it for reuse.

To define a dynamic filter:

1. If the Dynamic Filter Definition dialog box is not currently displayed, display it by performing one of the following tasks (whichever is appropriate):
• If the Select ViewPoint dialog box is currently displayed (that is, you are in the process of opening a ViewPoint), after you select the ViewPoint, click Dynamic Filter.
• If the ViewPoint is currently displayed, select <Dynamic Filter> in the Filter list box.
• The Dynamic Filter Definition dialog box displays the last-used dynamic filtering criteria.
2. To edit an existing filter, select it in the Filter Presets field and click OK. To create a new filter, specify a name for it in the Filter Presets field.
3. Fill in filtering criteria.
4. To save this definition for later reuse, click SAVE Button.

Consider the following when filling in filtering criteria:

• Most fields are self-explanatory. If you need a description of the fields that correspond to fields in the job editing form,
• You can use the LIKE operator for all text fields except the Odate and Time parameters. For Odate From and Time From, use the >= operator. For the Odate To and Time To fields, use the <= operator.
• For Odate From and Odate To, use the yymmdd format. For Time From and Time To, use the hh:mm format.
• Fields can contain several criteria separated by commas (for example, CONTROLM = A*,B*).
• If you specify values for Time From and To fields in the filter, the filter processes values in the Start Time and End Time fields in the Job Detail screen (not the From and Until fields in the Job Detail screen).
• The Job Status and TaskType fields each have a button, when clicked, opens an appropriate dialog box (with relevant check boxes):
• For BMC Batch Impact Manager users: Check the Included in Business Service checkbox to filter on jobs belong to a critical batch service.

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Find jobs in Control-M

To find jobs in the flow diagram that conform to specific criteria

1. In CONTROL-M/Desktop or CONTROL-M/EM, select Edit => Find Jobs.
2. In the Find Job dialog box, fill in the criteria (you can specify pattern-matching strings in certain fields).
3. In CONTROL-M/EM only, to save the specified Find criteria for future use, assign a name in the Find Presets field, and click Save.
4. Click Find, which selects all nodes matching the criteria, and displays the first node that fits the criteria.

To change the focus (navigate among multiple selected nodes)

Click the appropriate navigation button (First)  , (Previous) , (Next) , or (Last) ,  or use the View => Toggle Selection menu.

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