Product Overview: Job Stream
Introduction
Job Stream is a sophisticated job management and automation tool designed to streamline and optimize the execution of complex job sequences. This product is particularly useful in environments where multiple jobs need to be executed in a specific order, with defined dependencies, priorities, and scheduling requirements.
What Job Stream Does
Job Stream enables users to create, manage, and monitor a sequence of jobs, known as a job stream, which is a series of linked jobs that are executed in a predefined order. This ensures that jobs are processed efficiently, taking into account time constraints, priorities, and inter-job dependencies.
Key Features and Functionality
Job Stream Definition and Organization
- A job stream is defined as a sequence of jobs, each with its own set of actions to be executed. These job streams can be organized into smart workflow folders, allowing for categorization by line of business or other custom categories.
Scheduling and Timing
- Job streams can be scheduled to run at specific times, using run cycles that include calendar dates, sets of dates, or repetition rates. This flexibility ensures that jobs are executed according to the required schedule.
Dependencies and Conditions
- Job streams support various types of dependencies:
- Internal Dependencies: Between jobs within the same job stream.
- External Dependencies: Between job streams or between jobs in different job streams.
- Internetwork Dependencies: Dependencies on jobs or job streams running in another network, facilitated by a network agent workstation.
- Job streams can also implement backward dependencies (conditions) in addition to forward dependencies, enhancing the control over job execution sequences.
Parallel Processing
- Job streams can be configured to allow steps to be processed in parallel, which can significantly speed up the execution time. However, this feature requires careful planning to avoid potential issues like deadlocks or resource conflicts.
Security and Access Control
- Job streams can be defined with specific security settings, such as private job streams that can only contain private jobs created by the same user and can only be used in other private job streams created by that user. Public job streams, on the other hand, can be used in any job stream.
Monitoring and Management
- Job streams are easily monitored through dedicated interfaces, such as smart workflow folders, which provide real-time status updates and notifications. Users can track the progress of each job within the stream and manage the execution process efficiently.
Configuration and Import
- Job streams can be configured using detailed JSON files or through graphical interfaces. Users can import predefined job stream configurations, making it easier to set up complex job sequences quickly.
In summary, Job Stream is a powerful tool for automating and managing complex job sequences, offering robust scheduling, dependency management, parallel processing capabilities, and comprehensive monitoring and security features. This makes it an essential solution for organizations needing to optimize their job execution processes.