Batch workload management

Workload management can dynamically manage the number of batch initiator address spaces in a JES2 or JES3 environment. You can selectively turn over control of the batch initiator management to WLM for one or more job classes. WLM will start new initiators, as needed, to meet the performance goals of this work.

By specifying or defaulting MODE=JES on the JES2 JOBCLASS statement or the JES3 GROUP statement, you indicate that the initiators for the job class should be JES-managed, as in the past. By specifying MODE=JES, you keep the job class in JES-managed mode. (JES will manage the batch initiators for that job class, in the same way it has in prior releases.) By specifying MODE=WLM, you put that class into WLM-managed mode.

You can switch as many job classes to WLM-managed mode as you wish. You can easily switch any job class back to JES-managed mode by using the JES2 $TJOBCLASS command or the JES3 MODIFY command.
Note:
  1. If you have velocity performance goals set for the work running on WLM-managed batch initiators, be aware that the initiation delays will be figured into the velocity formula. This will affect your velocity values and probably require some adjustment to your goals. See Defining service classes and performance goals for information on defining velocity goals.
  2. All jobs with the same service class should be managed by the same type of initiation. For example, if jobs in job classes A and B are classified to the HOTBATCH service class, and JOBCLASS(A) is MODE=WLM, while JOBCLASS(B) is MODE=JES, workload management will have a very difficult time managing the goals of the HOTBATCH service class without managing class B jobs.
  3. You can use the JES2 JOBCLASS parameter to specify a default scheduling environment, thereby saving the effort of changing JCL jobcards or writing a specific JES2 exit to assign the scheduling environment.
  4. If a WLM initiator is experiencing ABEND822s, there are two ways to recycle the initiator:
    • If you can determine the ASID of the initiator that is abending, you can stop it by issuing the P INIT,A=asid command. The initiator does not need to be idle at the time that you enter the command. If the initiator is busy processing a job, it will stop itself after the job finishes. WLM will automatically replace the initiator with a new one.
    • If you cannot determine the ASID, or if you want to recycle all initiators as part of a regular cleanup process, you can enter the $P XEQ and $S XEQ commands. The $P XEQ command causes all WLM initiators on that system to be “flagged” to terminate. The $S XEQ command enables WLM to start new initiators (without needing to wait for the old initiators to end). Beware that the $P XEQ command purges WLM's history which tells it how many initiators are needed for each service class. It may take some time for WLM to build up the same number of initiators that existed before.
See the following JES2 and JES3 documentation for more information about WLM-managed JES2 job classes:
The following other functions exist to help you manage batch work in a JES environment: