Managing PeopleSoft Process Scheduler

This chapter provides an overview of managing PeopleSoft Process Scheduler and discusses how to:

Use BEA Tuxedo software.
Configure PeopleSoft Process Scheduler Tuxedo servers.
Configure the Analytic Calculation Engine (ACE) and Analytic Engine in the Process Scheduler domain.
Grant PeopleSoft Process Scheduler administrative rights.
Use the PSADMIN utility with PeopleSoft Process Scheduler.
Edit Job Control Language (JCL) templates in OS390 for COBOL and SQR.

Understanding Managing PeopleSoft Process Scheduler

PeopleSoft Process Scheduler with Windows 2000 or UNIX operating system is always started through BEA Tuxedo software.

Following is a list of BEA Tuxedo servers that are available with PeopleSoft Process Scheduler. Some servers are optional and if required, are started using the PSADMIN utility’s Quick-configure menu.

Server Name	Description	Optional	Number of Instance
PSPRCSRV	PeopleSoft Process Scheduler Server Agent.	No	1
PSDSTSRV	Distribution Agent.	No	1
PSAESRV	Application Engine Server.	Yes	3
PSANALYTICSRV	Analytic Server	Yes	1
PSMSTPRC	Master Scheduler Server.	Yes	1
PSMONITORSRV	Performance Monitor.	No	1

Note. OS390 is the only platform on which PeopleSoft Process Scheduler servers are initiated outside of BEA Tuxedo.

See Using the PSADMIN Utility.

Servers in OS390

The servers listed as optional in the preceding table are not available in the OS390 UNIX System Services (USS). These servers require specific functionality in the BEA Tuxedo software, which is not ported in USS. For this operating system, the PeopleSoft Process Scheduler Server (PSPRCSRV) and Distribution Agent (PSDSTSRV) are the only servers that are booted when starting PeopleSoft Process Scheduler.

When the PeopleSoft Process Scheduler Server initiates an Application Engine program in OS390, it initiates the program using the executable $PS_HOME/bin/psae.

Note. PSAE is the same executable used in PeopleSoft releases before 8.4.

Server Logging System

Each of the Process Scheduler Tuxedo servers generates a separate log file.

See Using the PSADMIN Utility.

Using BEA Tuxedo Software

This section discusses how to:

Change a local system account to a network account.
Create a Tuxedo configuration file (PSTUXCFG).

Changing a Local System Account to a Network Account

When BEA Tuxedo software is installed, the BEA ProcMGR NT service is set up by default to be started by a local system account—a user account that does not have access to the Windows network. The service must be started by a network account if PeopleSoft Process Scheduler (or processes initiated through Process Scheduler):

Uses a network printer.
Accesses files from a network drive.
Uses Microsoft Windows utilities, such as XCOPY, that may access universal naming convention (UNC) paths.

To change an account to a network account:

Select Start, Settings, Control Panel.
Double-click Services.

The Services dialog box appears.
Select BEA ProcMGR service.
Select Stop to stop the current BEA ProcMGR process.
Select Yes to change of status message.
Select Startup to modify settings.

The BEA ProcMGR Service dialog box appears.
Select the Log On As This Account option.
Enter the domain and machine name in the This Account field.

Note. When configuring the TUXEDO server, the user ID designated to be the Application Server Administrator must have read and write permissions to the PeopleSoft file directory and read permission to the %TUXDIR% directory, such as c:\tuxedo.
Enter the machine password in the Password and Confirm Password fields.
Select OK.
Select Start.

A message in the Services dialog box indicates the “Started” status.
Click Close to return to the Control Panel.

See Also

PeopleTools 8.45 Installation Guide for your database platform.

Creating the Tuxedo Configuration File

The Tuxedo configuration file (PSTUXCFG) is created in the $PS_HOME\appserv\prcs\<Database Name> directory when you use the PSADMIN utility to:

Perform a quick-configure and load the configuration by selecting option 4 in the Quick-Configure menu.
Select the Configure Process Scheduler Server option from the Process Scheduler Administration menu of the PSADMIN utility.

You can detect a new PSTUXCFG file when you see the message: Configuration file successfully created. Loading new configuration....

If changes were made to any of the following parameters in the PeopleSoft Process Scheduler configuration file, BEA Tuxedo does not recognize the changes until a new Tuxedo configuration file is rebuilt. You can rebuild the PSTUXCFG file by selecting the Configure Process Scheduler Server option. The last task of this option is to rebuild the PSTUXCFG file.

StartUp
Process Scheduler
Tuxedo Settings
PSTools
PSAESRV
PSDSTSRV
CacheSettings

To go directly to the last task after selecting the Configure Process Scheduler server option, enter n at the Do you want to change any config values (y/n) prompt. The following prompts appear to rebuild the PSTUXCFG file:

Do you want to change any config values (y/n)? [n]:n
Do you want the Application Engines configured (y/n)? [y]:
Do you want the Master Scheduler configured (y/n)? [n]:
Do you want the Analytic Engines configured (y/n)? [n]:
Configuration file successfully created.

Add To Path

The Add To Path parameter in the Tuxedo Settings section of the PeopleSoft Process Scheduler configuration file is set with all of the libraries that are needed to run the executables that are delivered with PeopleSoft. If you plan to run processes using software that is not supplied by PeopleSoft, include all of the directory paths that are needed to run the process through PeopleSoft Process Scheduler successfully. Recreate the Tuxedo configuration as noted previously.

You can verify the current library path included in the appropriate environment variable by browsing the contents of the PSPRCSRV.ENV file.

Note. If you experience any printing problem in the UNIX environment, be sure to enter a full path in the Add To Path parameter in the Process Scheduler configuration file. For example, you may enter /bin:/usr/bin

Using the PSADMIN Utility to Configure Process Scheduler Tuxedo Servers

All of the PeopleSoft Process Scheduler server configuration information for a specific database is contained in the PSPRCS.CFG configuration file, and the PSADMIN utility provides an interface for editing the PSPRCS.CFG file.

This section discusses how to set parameters for the:

Distribution Agent (PSDSTSRV).
Application Engine Server (PSAESRV).
Analytic Engine Server (PSANALYTICSRV)
Master Scheduler Server (PSMSTPRCS).

PeopleSoft automatically archives the Process Scheduler configuration file whenever it is changed. The older version is archived as PSPRCS_<Time Stamp>.CFG and the current version becomes psprcs.cfg. The archive directory path is <PS_Home>\Appserv\prcs\<database>\Archive\. For example, c:\pt844\Appserv\prcs\fin844\Archive\

Setting Parameters for the Distribution Agent

The Distribution Agent posts reports and system log files to the Report Repository. When the PSPRCSRV server detects that a process has finished, it sends the PostReport BEA Tuxedo service request to the Distribution Agent to initiate the transfer of the report.

Parameter	Description
Max Instances (maximum instances)	Indicates the maximum number of PSDSTSRV that can be started within BEA Tuxedo. The default value is 2.
Min Instances (minimum instances)	Indicates the minimum number of PSDSTSRV that can be started within BEA Tuxedo. The default value is 1.
Recycle Count	Indicates the number of services after which PSDSTSRV automatically restarts. If this is set to 0 (default), PSDSTSRV is never recycled.
Allowed Consec Service Failures (allowed consecutive service failures)	Indicates the number of consecutive service failures after which PSDSTSRV automatically restarts. If this is set to 0 (default), PSDSTSRV is never recycled.

Setting Parameters for the Application Engine Server

This server is responsible for running requests with a process type of Application Engine.

Parameter	Description
Max Instances	Indicates the maximum concurrency set for process types with a generic process type of Application Engine, as defined on the Server Definition page in Process Scheduler Manager.
Recycle Count	Indicates the number of services after which PSAESRV automatically restarts. If this is set to 0 (default), PSAESRV is never recycled.
Allowed Consec Service Failures	Indicates the number of consecutive service failures after which PSAESRV automatically restarts. If this is set to 0 (default), PSAESRV is never recycled.

PSAESRV Max Instance and Application Engine Max Concurrent

By default, three instances of the PSAESRV are booted in PeopleSoft Process Scheduler to allow the maximum concurrent processes, as specified in the server definition. If this server is intended to increase or decrease the maximum concurrent for PeopleSoft Application Engine, you must change Max Instances in the PSAESRV section of the process configuration file to match the Max Concurrent value for PeopleSoft Application Engine. PeopleSoft Process Scheduler schedules the maximum concurrent processes for PeopleSoft Application Engine based only on the minimum number from both values.

Note. Because PSAESRV runs both of the Application Engine and Optimization Engine processes, you must include the Max Concurrent for the Application Engine and Analytic Engine process type when you configure the number of PSAESRV tuxedo processes in the domain.

Select PeopleTools, Process Scheduler, Servers to access the Server Definition page.

PSAE vs. PSAESRV

PeopleSoft recommends the use of PSAESRV as it delivers better system performance.

If PeopleSoft Process Scheduler was set to not start any instance of PSAESRV in Windows 2000 or UNIX, but the server definition corresponding to this server allows you to run PeopleSoft Application Engine, then Process Scheduler initiates an Application Engine program using the $PS_HOME\bin\psae executable.

Note. This is similar to how PeopleSoft Process Scheduler initiates PeopleSoft Application Engine in OS390.

Setting Parameters for the Master Scheduler Server

Master Scheduler is an optional server that enables you to distribute workload across multiple Process Schedulers. However, in certain conditions, a Master Scheduler is required.

Note. PeopleSoft recommends that you always use a Master Scheduler.

Configuring the Analytic Calculation Engine (ACE) and Analytic Engine in the Process Scheduler Domain

Unlike the Application Server domain that requires you to configure the Analytic Server, there is no need to configure the Analytic Server in the Process Scheduler domain. Because the Analytic Calculation Engine (ACE) and the Analytic Engine are built in the Analytic Server, all Application Engine jobs launched by Process Scheduler are run in PSAESRV or on the command line: psae. Consequently, PSAESRV and psae load the analytic instances directly into their own process rather than sending the analytic instances to the Analytic Engine.

See Also

Enterprise PeopleTools 8.46 PeopleBook: Server Tools: Managing Analytic Servers

Enterprise PeopleTools 8.46 PeopleBook: PeopleSoft Analytic Calculation Engine

Enterprise PeopleTools 8.46 PeopleBook: PeopleSoft Optimization Framework

Granting PeopleSoft Process Scheduler Administrative Rights

Personnel responsible for administering a PeopleSoft Process Scheduler Server require administrative rights granted through PeopleSoft Security.

Administrative Rights	Description
Update all PeopleSoft Process Scheduler definition tables and monitor all process requests on the Process Monitor page.	Grant the ProcessSchedulerAdmin role. See Granting a PeopleSoft Process Scheduler System Administration Role.
Authorize users to view reports in the Report Manager.	Grant either the ReportDistAdmin or ReportSuperUser role. See Granting Report Manager Administrative Roles.
Start the PeopleSoft Process Scheduler Server.	Authorize to have the Can Start Application Server rights in the permission list and grant the ProcessSchedulerAdmin role. See Setting General Permissions. See Granting a PeopleSoft Process Scheduler System Administration Role.

Using PSADMIN With PeopleSoft Process Scheduler

This section discusses how to use PSADMIN from the command line.

Note. This section doesn't discuss how to configure, start, and stop PeopleSoft Process Scheduler.

See PeopleTools 8.45 Installation Guide for your database platform.

In addition to the instructions in the Installation and Administration manual about how to administer PeopleSoft Process Scheduler through PSADMIN in interactive mode, PSADMIN provides options to:

Task	PSADMIN Parameter
Start a PeopleSoft Process Scheduler.	-p start -d <database name>
Stop a PeopleSoft Process Scheduler.	-p stop −d <database name>
Configure a PeopleSoft Process Scheduler.	-p configure −d <database name>
Show the status of a PeopleSoft Process Scheduler.	-p status −d <database name>
Create a new PeopleSoft Process Scheduler.	-p create −d database −t <template> -ps <ps set>

<ps_set> specifies startup settings, having the following format:

DBNAME/DBTYPE/PRCSSERVER/OPR_ID/OPR_PSWD/CNCT_ID/CNCT_PSWD/SERV_NAME/LOGOUT DIR/SQRBIN/ADD_TO_PATH/DBBIN

Show Status of a Process Scheduler Server

The Show Status of a Process Scheduler Server option includes the following Distribution Agent queue information:

Column Name	Description
Program Name	Name of the distribution agent program. (PSDSTSRV.EXE)
Queue Name	The queue name. (DSTQ)
# Serve	Number of server instances.
# Queued	Number of report requests queued.
Ave Len	Average length of the queue.
Machine Name	Name of the machine where the Distribution Agent is located.

See Also

Using the PSADMIN Utility