NSK Agent

[MISC]

The parameters that are included in this section are required for internal purposes in the agent. Values must not be changed.

[HOSTS]

Assignment of an external address (DNS name or TCP/IP address of an agent) to the agent's AE name.

In a file transfer, the Automation Engine sends the partner agent's internal address to an agent. This address is replaced by the external address that is defined here.

Every agent that participates in the file transfer should be entered here in order to avoid problems that might occur when you convert network addresses (for example, with a firewall).

[GLOBAL]

system=

Name of the AE system.
This entry must be identical to the entry in the Automation Engine's INI file.

name=

Name of the agent.

The agent name is limited to 32 of the following characters: A-Z, 0-9, _, ., $, @, - and #.

The host name is used instead if this parameter remains undefined. Lowercase letters are converted to uppercase letters.

logcount=

Number of stored log files.

logging=

Log-file name.

The number signs serve as placeholders for a series in numerical order. When the agent starts, the log files are renamed and the most current log file is always the one with number "00".

language=

Language that should be used for the logging. You can specify a primary and a secondary language.

Allowed values: "E", "D", "F"
Default: "E,D" (primary English, secondary German)

If there is no message in the primary language, the system searches for a message in the secondary language.

License class that corresponds to the acquired license and the hardware and software that is used.

Allowed values: "1" to "9"
"1" to "9" = The agent's license class.

• vhterm belongs to the agent
• user_vterm belongs to the particular job

The setting user_vterm can be overruled in the Job object and in the script by using attributes.

Preferably, the virtual terminal "user_vterm" is defined in the NSK job. You can enter it directly in the Job object or specify it in the script using the attribute HOME_TERMINAL. An error occurs if the virtual terminal does neither exist in the job nor in the INI file.

UC4_MACRO_FILE=

NSK-file name (fully qualified) of the file including TACL macros that are supplied with the AE CD (usually the file name is UC4MACS; the volume and subvolume are installation-specific).

TACL_TIME_TO_LIVE=

Time (in 1/100 seconds) that a TACL process that has been started by the agent is kept available for reuse.

Specifying a value that is too high can result in many TACL processes that remain in the system and are never used again. If the value is too low, many job starts cause individual TACL starts which increases system load. Automic recommends using the value 90000 (15 minutes).

COLLECTOR=

NSK process name of the AE Output Collector process. This name must be clearly identified throughout the system and must be available at any time.
Recommendation: $UC4OC

COLLECTOR_PARAMS=

Leave this field blank because it is only relevant for diagnostic purposes.

CPU_MASK=

A chain of up to 16 0/1 values (such as 0001111). This parameter indicates the CPUs that AE can use for batch processing. The first position refers to CPU 0, the second to CPU 1 etc.  AE starts processes only in these CPUs , thereby facilitating the separation of online and batch applications. If no CPUs of value 1 are available, AE also uses other CPUs (processing is given priority over resource protection).

TACL_TIME_RESERVED=

Time (in 1/100 seconds) that a TACL that has been started by the agent can require to start a job process. An error message is sent and the job is canceled if this period of time is exceeded.

COLLECTOR_PRIO=

Priority of the Output Collector.

COLLECTOR_CPU=

CPU of the Output Collector. Another CPU than the agent's should be selected here. This increases the system's fault tolerance. The Output Collector and the agent mutually monitor themselves. If one of the processes fails (even if this happened because of a CPU failure, for example), the other one automatically restarts the troubled process (if EXECUTOR_RESTART is set).

EXECUTOR_RESTART=

0 or 1 indicates whether the automatic restart of the agent by the Output Collector should be allowed (value 1). Value 0 indicates that manual interference is necessary if troubles occur that affect the agent.

DEFAULT_USER_FETCH_INTERVAL=

Interval (in seconds) after which the erroneous attempt of logging on to the default user is repeated by the Server.

MAX_OPEN_TABLE_SIZE=

The number of files that jobs can open at the same time.

Allowed values: "0" to "32767"
Default value: 21000

This limitation serves to avoid problems that can occur if jobs open files but do not close them because of an error in their JCL.

MAX_OPENS_PER_JOBS=

The number of files that an individual job can open at the same time.

Allowed values: "0" to "32767"
Default value: 1000

This limitation serves to avoid problems that c can occur if jobs open files but do not close them because of an error in their JCL.

ft_temp_file=
ft_temp_file_oss=

This parameter creates temporary files in file transfers.

Allowed values: "yes" (default value) and "no"

"yes" - The file obtains a temporary name which is composed of the letter "T" and an alphabetic string that originates from the RunID. The new file transfer protocol additionally appends a file ID in order to ensure a unique file name because only a RunID is available. The file is renamed after it has successfully been transferred.
"no" - The agent assigns the final file name when the file transfer starts.

The OSS file system requires the parameter file_temp_file_oss to be used.

Nagle algorithm usage for file transfers and all the agent's other sockets.

Allowed values: yes (default value) and no

no = Activates the Nagle algorithm.
yes = This procedure is not applied.

Activating the Nagle algorithm can improve the performance of file transfers, especially if you transfer many small files.

The BS2000 agent always uses the Nagle algorithm. Therefore, it does not include this INI-file parameter.

Note that this parameter should only be set in close cooperation with Automic Support!

Use this parameter in order to specify the TACL Executable that should be used. The standard TACL environment is used if this parameter is missing or if no parameter has been specified.

Security string for job files-

Allowed values: "N" or "JSecurity string"

"N" - Job files should be created with the user who has started the agent. The agent user's default security is used.

"JSecurity string" - Job files should be created with the user of the job's Login object. Specify the security string that should be used.

For example:

JOBFILE_SEC=JNNNN

Password check for jobs.

Allowed values: "Y" (default) and "N"

"Y" - For each job, the agent checks the passwordA secret combination of characters for a Automation Engine user. in the Login object.
"N" - The agent does not check the passwords of jobs. This setting is useful if the agent runs under super.super and passwords of job users are unknown, users are inactive or when passwords are often changed.

The name and the path of the file that includes the authentication package (company-key file).

This parameter must be specified if you use the authentication methods "Server" or "Server and Agent". Any attempt to log in fails if the company-key file cannot be found.

When the agent starts, it reads the company-key file and stores its information in the file that is specified in the parameter KeyStore=. The first file is deleted afterward.

The name and the path of the file that includes the information of the authentication package (see parameter InitialPackage=).

If no file name and/or path is specified, the system uses the name (file ending *.kstr) or the path of the agent's INI file. If you define a file name, the ending *.kstr is not automatically appended.

The KeyStore file is created when the agent starts for the first time. You must not delete, rename or move it subsequently. Regardless of the authentication method that you use, any attempt to log in will fail if the agent cannot find this file when it starts. In this case, you must open the menu item "Renew transfer key" in the affected agent's System Overview.

[VARIABLES]

This section contains agent variables with agent information and settings.

[TRACE]

Trace files are limited to 200MB. The agent creates a new file if this value has been reached.

Name of the trace file.

The number signs serve as place holders for a series in numerical order. When a trace is started, files are renamed and the most current trace file is always the one with the number "00".

Agent's trace flags.

Allowed values: "0" (default value) to "9"

Trace flags must only be used in close cooperation with Automic Support.

[TCP/IP]

connwait=

Time interval in seconds during which the agent waits for a response from its communication partner (CP or another agent). If this time limit is exceeded, the connection to the communication partner is disconnected.

Default: 30 seconds

port=

Agent's port number.

Other agents and the Job Messenger connect to the agent via this port number.

bindaddr=

IP address or host name for Server-process connection.

Use this parameter if a connection should be established via a particular IP address (for example, the computer has more than one network interface card).

Alternately, you can also specify the IP address or host name in port=

(Format: port=IP address:port or DNS name:port). Specifications made in bindaddr= are then ignored.

bindlocal=

Consideration of local host (127.0.0.1).

Use this parameter together with bindaddr=.

Allowed values: "0" (default value), "1"

"0" - No listen socket is created.
"1" - An additional listen socket is created on the local host.

connect=

Time interval in seconds in which the agent attempts to establish a connection to the Automation Engines. This affects the connection setup for restarts or after a lost connection.

Default: 120 seconds

This parameter is only effective until the first successful logon to the AE system. Afterwards, the parameter RECONNECT_TIME in the host characteristics is used for this purpose.

report=

Time interval in seconds in which the agent sends the logging to the Automation Engine.

Default value: 60 seconds

cp=

Address of the communication process in the AE system to which the agent should connect itself.

Allowed formats:
DNS name:port number
TCP/IP address:port number

Input-buffer size in bytes for file transfers.

Default value: 33000

For the input buffer, Automic recommends specifying 33000 bytes in combination with TCP/IPv6 and 20000 bytes for the standard TCP/IP.

Nagle algorithm usage for file transfers and all the agent's other sockets.

Allowed values: yes (default value) and no

no = Activates the Nagle algorithm.
yes = This procedure is not applied.

Activating the Nagle algorithm can improve the performance of file transfers, especially if you transfer many small files.

The BS2000 agent always uses the Nagle algorithm. Therefore, it does not include this INI-file parameter.

Note that this parameter should only be set in close cooperation with Automic Support!

This sends keep-alive packets in order to keep the agent connections.

Allowed values: "N" and "Y" (default value)
"Y" - Keep-alive packets are sent.
"N" - Keep-alive packets are not sent.

[CP_LIST]

List of communication processes.

This list is created when the agent starts and extended when new communication processes are activated. More detailed information about establishing a connection is provided in the chapter Multi-Server Operation.

The communication process that has been defined in the parameter cp= (section [TCP/IP]) is not included in the cp list.

Format:
Port number=DNS name
or
Port number=TCP/IP address

Name of the StatusStore files that store the restart information.

The name of the sub-volume is already specifed in the file INSTINI during the installation process and generated in the agent's INI file using the default file names (UC4SST, UC4SSD, UC4SSL, UC4SSH).