HCL Workload Automation, Version 9.4

Defining access methods for agents

Access methods are used to extend the job scheduling functions of HCL Workload Automation to other systems and applications. They run on:
Extended agents
They are logical workstation related to an access method hosted by a physical HCL Workload Automation workstation (not another extended agent). More than one extended agent workstation can be hosted by the same HCL Workload Automation workstation and use the same access method. The extended agent runs on fault-tolerant agents defined using a standard HCL Workload Automation workstation definition, which gives the extended agent a name and identifies the access method. The access method is a program that is run by the hosting workstation whenever HCL Workload Automation submits a job to an external system.

Jobs are defined for an extended agent in the same manner as for other HCL Workload Automation workstations, except that job attributes are dictated by the external system or application.

Information about job running execution is sent to HCL Workload Automation from an extended agent using the job stdlist file. A method options file can specify alternate logins to launch jobs and check opens file dependencies. For more information, see the User's Guide and Reference.

A physical workstation can host a maximum of 255 extended agents.

dynamic agents and IBM Workload Scheduler for z/OS agents
They communicate with external systems to start the job and return the status of the job. To run access methods on external applications using dynamic agents, you define a job of type access method.
Access methods are available on the following systems and applications.
  • SAP R/3
  • z/OS
  • Custom methods
  • unixssh
  • unixrsh
  • Local UNIX (fault-tolerant agents only)

The UNIX access methods included with HCL Workload Automation, are described in UNIX access methods.

If you are working with dynamic agents, for information about defining HCL Workload Automation workstations, see the section that explains how to define workstations in the database, Workstation definition. For information about writing access methods, see Access method interface.

More information about access methods is found in Scheduling Applications with HCL Workload Automation.