Thunder Batch Features

Architecture ... built for dependability and mobility

Architecture...

• Thunder Batch is a scalable enterprise-grade Windows job scheduler for getting your batch tasks done consistently and correctly. There are 4 components:
• The Job Service component actually runs your Jobs. As a Windows service, it is always available.
• The Client components display and control job services. There are separate versions for desktop and Windows mobile devices. They share the same code base and interface; an advanced technological feat.
• The optional Web Communication Service provides connectivity across the Internet and other large, routed networks. Install it to bridge from direct long-distance web communications to a local Job Service to support remote administration.
• All Clients can communicate either via TCP directly to Job Services or via HTTP and web services to the Web Communication Service (and then on to Job Services). We support wired, wireless and VPN connections.

Job Templates ... specify once, reuse across environments

A Complex Job...

• Thunder Batch Jobs support complex, multi-threaded dependency-based task sequencing.
• Steps are controlled by a dynamic dictionary that supports parameter substitution, built-in functions and bypass features... even equations.
• Automatically scrutinize console or file output for content indicating success or failure. Even use regular expressions.
• Each Job can handle multiple situations. Run old Jobs in new environments with confidence. Use one Job in multiple applications.
• Test and refine Jobs in development. Move them with confidence to production. Don't get caught trying that emergency job for the first time at 3 A.M. during year-end processing!
• Job Templates bring the power of mainframe JCL to the Windows platform.

XML Storage ... simple in concept and practice

XML Storage...

• Thunder Batch Jobs and all other controlling information are stored as plain XML files. Normally, you'll build them interactively using the Client programs. But you can export them and use an XML editor of your choice. Even use notepad, as at right!
• Operating system files are the most dependable storage possible. No database expense or support.
• Trivial backup, recovery and data movement between servers or environment.
• Storage for multiple environments per server is simple.

Clients ... total mobile control

Power in your hand...

• Our powerful GUI Interface puts you in command. Context sensitive menus specific to each detail pop up when you click.
• The left hand "Service Explorer" panel connects to Job Services and displays their status at a glance. You monitor and control multiple services at once.
• The right hand "Job Flow" panel shows individual Jobs in detail.
• The lower, "Info" panel changes as you click, displaying context sensitive help.
• Create, modify, start, hold and stop Jobs and Job Templates.
• Tasks supply detailed information as they run. You know immediately how things are running.
• One interface for Windows Mobile devices, TabletPC, laptop, desktop and servers.
• Encrypted communications via TCP, HTTP and Web Service technology in "future proof" XML format.

Job Services ... continuous up-time and unattended execution

Menus and flexibility...

• Multiple services per computer can isolate data, settings, permissions, etc.
• Support development, system test, QA and User Acceptance environments on a single application server!
• Different Production applications can be isolated on the same server.
• Small footprint on memory, CPU and disk, even in large implementations.
• Other services can be difficult to stay in touch with; We display execution details as they happen.
• Thunder Batch runs .NET, COM, Windows command line commands, dos batch commands, dos exe, dos com, executables, .bat files, scripts of many kinds, WMI and more.
• The "Complex Job" shown above is the build Job for the Thunder Batch product. It executes command line commands copy and delete, runs product build, obfuscation and installation builds, runs scripts, and builds the download zip file. Resources limits are in place at several point in this job: the obfuscator can only run one at a time, the compiler overwhelms the build machine unless limited to 2 simultaneous executions, etc.

Archiving ... continuous configurable clean up

• You specify how many Job runs to retain in process for each Job family. This means how many versions of a Job remain in Job Service memory and are visible to the client. This specification can be made in terms of number of jobs or number of days to be retained.
• Older Job runs move to the archive directory. Here again, you specify how many Job runs to retain for each Job family before deletion. The archive retention specification is also made in term of number of jobs or number of days to be retained.
• The two retention choices are independent of each other.

.NET ... a newer and better foundation

• Thunder Batch is written in 100% managed .NET code for safe, dependable performance.
• .NET is the most forward looking development environment today.
• All aspects of Thunder Batch are developed using the same tool set: Windows Mobile client, desktop client, client communications, Windows service, the web communications service, TCP sockets, and HTTP web service.
• There is no risk of incompatibility between components as there is in competing products built on less homogenous platforms. No 31 flavors of Java here.
• Only the .NET runtime needs to be installed for Thunder Batch to work. No other function libraries or other underlying facilities are necessary. Your computers remain cleaner.
• Being 100% managed code, Thunder Batch cannot overstep its bounds and damaging other running processes.

Users, Authentication and Authorization ... fine-grained and flexible

Security...

• Thunder Batch security controls who can issues commands and who receives notifications of events.
• Setup can be simple... use the defaults and name the administrators.
• Command authorization can be specified per user, permission, role, group, and shift, determined down to the Job and Step level.
• Notifications via e-mail. Users and groups notifed are determined by shift, Job and even Step.
• Windows integrated and custom application security are supported.

Licensing ... working for you

Your Account ...

• Licensing is per server computer. There are no charges for client installations, multiple services, or multiple CPUs on your servers.
• Management is easy. Our website shows your licenses and activations.
• There are no secret license control mechanisms sniffing around your network
• The license manager utility even allows you to save a copy of the activated license. You can reactivate after a rebuild without contacting www.ThunderBatch.com!

Performance ... a small footprint for big results

• The Thunder Batch Job Service is heavily multi-threaded and event driven. It does not depend on 'polling' or 'timed cycle' loops. Events such as Step completions, Job completions and user requests drive the system forward in near real time.
• Performance benchmarks were produced using a one-step Job. The single step accomplishes no valuable result, but it does perform all Step preparation and completion tasks as it would when executing your tasks. Several log entries are made as the Step begins and ends and several more for the Job. These tests exercise the event mechanisms that trigger Steps and Jobs to completion and perform all normal disk activity. They are meant to give you an idea of the overhead Thunder Batch adds to the execution of your programs, batch files, and scripts. 2 client status requests per minute were made during these tests.
• Desktop as server: Single threaded, 1GHz Pentium III, single ATA disk. Thunder Batch cycles through ~900 Jobs per minute. Memory usage: ~20MB. Disk usage: ~5MB. CPU usage: ~80%. The Thunder Batch system overhead for each Job Step: .053 CPU seconds.
• Entry-level server: Dual threaded, 3GHz Pentium IV, RAID disks. Thunder Batch cycles through ~1700 Jobs per minute. Memory usage: ~30MB. Disk usage: ~5MB. CPU usage: ~90%. The Thunder Batch system overhead for each Job Step: .032 CPU seconds.
• Other Servers: tests on a dual XEON 3GHz computer with RAID 10 disks return similar results to the entry-level server above. More computing power is essential to running your tasks, but is not necessary to power Thunder Batch.
• The software is extremely efficient. These tests illustrate how little of your computer's resources need be dedicated to Thunder Batch processing.