Can the scheduler help with online systems?

An online system, such as a CICS® system, is a job or started task, so it can be started like any other operation defined to HCL Workload Automation for Z.

Many batch applications cannot start until the online system shuts down. One advantage of defining an online system to HCL Workload Automation for Z is that a batch application can be made dependent on the online system and HCL Workload Automation for Z can start the batch application automatically (assuming other dependencies are met) when the online system ends.

The scheduler administrator can specify that HCL Workload Automation for Z issues a message when an operation deadline passes before the operation is complete. This is called a DEADLINE WTO. If a DEADLINE WTO is specified for the operation representing an online system on a z/OS® system, HCL Workload Automation for Z sends a write-to-operator (WTO) message to the operator console when the online system must shut down. This message can trigger events in NetView®, such as the broadcasting of a “Closing in 5 minutes” message to online users and the initiation of the shutdown transaction 5 minutes later.