Scheduler

Features

Multiple priority windows for each step

Multiple dependencies for each step

Step retry on failure / non-completion after configurable time interval

Alerts for step failure or non-completion

Schedule any process that can be called from a stored procedure

Stubs provided for calling DTS packages

Scenario 1

There are several files that need to be imported. On completion of the import the data needs to be processed then a web site extract and delivery executed

Possible implementation

Create a job which imports each file in turn, processes them, creates the web extract then runs the delivery process. Run the process at a time when the files should have arrived and alert if failed.

Scheduler implementation

Create a step for each import, file data process, web extract and delivery.

Create dependencies for the file data processes on the file imports.

Create dependencies for the web extract on all file data processes.

Create a dependency on the web site delivery on the web extract.

Create a processing window all steps to start at the earliest the files could arrive and ending at the web site delivery latest sla time. Configure the web site delivery window in keeping with the web site sla.

Create an alert for non-completion of the web site delivery and an earlier alert for the web extract.

When run this will now import and process any files as soon as they arrive. This means that the process will be completed as soon as possible. An alert will be generated if any files do not arrive and this can be investigated and so potentially not impact the web site delivery.

Scenario 2

As Scenario 1 but with two web sites to be delivered. These web sites are independent and receive data form different files but are created from the same server. The processing for each web site must have sole use of the server.

The data for web site 1 is expected to arrive by 5:00 a.m. (earliest files 4:00 a.m.), that for web site 2 at 6:00 a.m. (earliest files 4:00 a.m.). The expected processing time for each web site is 1 hour end to end. These web sites are managed by different departments and the managers have agreed that web site 1 will have priority up to 6:00 a.m., web site 2 between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. and then web site 1 again up to 8:00. The delivery for both systems must happen between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.

Scheduler implementation

As in Scenario 1 but create two groups, one for each web site.

Create a processing window for web site 1 with priority 2 from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.

Create a processing window for web site 2 with priority 1 from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.

Create a processing window for web site 2 with priority 3 from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.

Create a processing window for web site 1 with priority 5 from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. for the web delivery step

Create a processing window for web site 2 with priority 4 from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. for the web delivery step.

(the web delivery steps should be excluded from all other processing windows)

Now the data will be processed for the web site with priority. If no data is available for the highest priority web site then the other web site can process.

Any web site ready for delivery will deliver the data during the allotted time window.