Store Batch Scheduler Information

Most information about batch scheduling can be held in application tables. This applies to:

•Information about what job should be started and when

•Information about job parameters to be used

•Information about authorization of user groups to run batch jobs

You can keep all this information within the application by modeling tables that deal with batch scheduling.

The only thing you need to specify outside USoft is a command triggering the job scheduler process. You only need a single operating system command that fires regularly. This way you can schedule jobs within USoft instead of using third-party scheduling software.

The advantage of keeping batch schedule information within your application is that:

1.	You have full control over job scheduling. You can handle job scheduling via constraints, interactive specification, or both.

2.	Job scheduling is fully integrated in the rest of the application. For example:

•Job scheduling can be associated with menu options

•Authorization to schedule jobs can be specified in USoft Authorization in the same way as access to any other application function

•In one and the same interface, you can leave the user a choice between scheduling a job or waiting for it to execute immediately, or between running a job on client or server.

•Users need not learn to use a third-party scheduler program.

3.	Your job scheduler information has a single point of definition.

4.	Your job scheduler information is platform-independent.

To keep batch scheduler information within a USoft application:

5.	Model business objects allowing you to specify batch jobs and the moment they should be executed.

Often, a main SCHEDULED_JOBS table is used which has JOB_NAME and EXECUTION_TIME columns. A child table can be used for parameters since a job can run with more than one parameter.

6.	Define authorization over batch scheduling in USoft Authorizer in the same way you authorize user groups to access any other business areas.

You can refine batch authorization by modeling batch job types. For instance, user groups may be able to schedule certain batch jobs without being able to call these jobs interactively.