A user scenario

This scenario introduces you to HCL Workload Automation for Z by describing the steps that you would take to run a payroll system under the control of HCL Workload Automation for Z.

If you are the scheduling administrator, responsible for automating applications that are run manually, you must:
  1. Design the automation of the work.

    Your work is more than a collection of jobs: you have people who know how to edit JCL and when to run jobs, documentation that describes your jobs and procedures, and people on call who decide what action to take when jobs fail at night.

    Successful design takes into account all procedures, including manual processes. HCL Workload Automation for Z can reduce manual work and can handle the exceptions as well as the routine.

  2. Specify your data processing environment to HCL Workload Automation for Z.
  3. Create your calendar and any necessary periods. Periods are special units of time such as semesters and tax years.
  4. Specify the jobs and started tasks. In this step you must specify:
    1. How jobs are grouped
    2. When jobs will run, using the calendar and periods created earlier
    3. Which jobs they depend on
    4. Which resources they need, such as data sets, tape drives, and initiators
    5. How the JCL is processed before each job is submitted
    6. Which actions HCL Workload Automation for Z must take if any job fails.
  5. Build the high-level schedule, which is called the long-term plan (LTP). The long-term plan typically lasts a few months, and is extended once a week.
  6. Build the low-level schedule, which is called the current plan (CP). The CP typically lasts one day, and is extended a few hours before it expires.

When you finish this scenario, you should understand the main building blocks of HCL Workload Automation for Z and how they fit together.

You can work through the scenario using your HCL Workload Automation for Z system. By performing the steps in the scenario, you cannot corrupt any programs, though you might want to re-create your databases before you specify your own systems.