7 Things About Insider and a MultiBatch 9.5 Upgrade you Never Knew Existed

1) Easy to do

As part of the MultiBatch 9.5 release, a menu driven upgrade macro (to accompany the base installation macro) is supplied. The upgrade will convert database files, install new macros, new object files (compatible across H, J, L-series platforms), and update the data definition libraries, all with minimal user intervention.

Insider Technologies is the only company that continues to maintain and improve their batch scheduler solution, when compared to competitor products, which remain static.

2) Backout Capability

Of course, as part of our Quality Management System (QMS), we aim to provide excellent customer service and support and one of these requirements is to allow our customers to backout the upgrade if they do not wish to proceed. Therefore, the upgrade menu includes a backout option where all changes are reverted and the customer can continue to utilise their pre-upgrade version.

3) Benefits

Audited Disaster Recovery log file

All MultiBatch runtime schedules are logged into a TMF Protect Recovery file, which can be replicated to a Standby system.

Therefore, if a system failure occurs, the MultiBatch schedule can be recovered on the new Production system – all by the use of two simple commands. The batch is fully recovered up to the point of failure, with status reporting being supplied to EMS and/or the home terminal, enabling the business to determine the state of their application.

No longer the need to manually check the status of a batch workflow, or document the start, failure, completion of batch jobs on the Production node; just in case a site-swap is required.

StepView

Current and historical runtime history of a complete batch schedule is stored, enabling the business to determine how the batch has performed over say, the past seven days, or on particular days.

MultiBatch Step metrics are captured and presented via the current Metrics List:

and via the historical Metrics List:

CRONTAB Scheduling

Enhancement to the current AT and Every scheduling mechanisms, the new CRONTAB GUI interface enable a wide variety of schedules to be configured for a job.

Mixed Case Parameters

Generally, the MultiBatch environment upshifts any Step Runtime and/or Parameter values.

Version 9.5 enables a user to configure a step to utilise the values as entered in the Pathway or GUI screens, retaining a batch jobs case sensitivity requirements.

4) Support Levels

Well, we have a very knowledgeable Support Desk who know our customers ‘intimately’, shall we say. Our customer response times are on a par with the HPE NonStop GNSC level of support, which is saying something indeed.

Not only is the support desk at a level other product suppliers would envy but Insider has Consultants, Developers and Product Managers who know our customers just as ‘intimately’ and able to assist at a minute’s notice.

Insider Technologies prides itself on the level of support we provide and as for testing our products, then we try and break them as much as possible before they leave the door. We would hate to find a product not functioning as well as expected. We do love however, continual product enhancement and MultiBatch 9.5 is one where customer feedback and our own internal testing and reporting has identified major improvements.

5) Consultants Know Their Customers

We continue to work with our customers and have been doing so for nearly 30 years, regarding them not just as customers but as friends too. We understand their environments and configurations, helping us to provide first class guidance, training and support.

6) The GUI is awesome

No other batch scheduler provides an inherent GUI configuration and monitoring interface.

Further enhancements are underway, never resting on our laurels, as we know that we can continue to improve.

For those who do not wish to use the GUI, then the Pathway block mode interfaces are always available.

7) Some customers do not wish to upgrade

That is understandable. They are content with what they use, so no need to upgrade and avail themselves of product enhancements. Product Support covers old and new releases.

If you would like further information on how MultiBatch can provide your entire mainframe-class batch scheduling requirements, then please contact Insider Technologies Limited:

hello@insidertech.co.uk

+44 161 876 6606

Additionally, download our MultiBatch White Paper to obtain an in-depth description on how MultiBatch is the class leader in NonStop batch scheduling:

https://www.insidertech.co.uk/solutions/batch-processing