General workstations

A general workstation lets you control operations that are normally not controlled automatically. To do this, the operation can create events to notify HCL Workload Automation for Z of its status, or an operator can report the status manually. For operations and workstations that are associated with z/OS jobs and started tasks, these events are created automatically by JES and SMF exits. On computer workstations with other non-z/OS operating systems, events are also created automatically. Operations that are specified to run on general workstations, or computer workstations that have a user-defined destination, must use one of several methods to inform HCL Workload Automation for Z of the operation status:
  • HCL Workload Automation for Z ISPF panels
  • The TSO command OPSTAT, used either in TSO, or in a CLIST or REXX EXEC
  • The EQQEVPGM batch program, using the OPSTAT command as input
  • The program interface
  • The EQQUSIN subroutine, which lets you create events from your own programs
HCL Workload Automation for Z also uses three special general workstations to perform these tasks:
  • Set up JCL for jobs and started tasks
  • Issue WTO messages, possibly to trigger action by NetView®
  • Create dummy operations that run for specified periods of time (WAIT option).

When you add an operation that is defined on a general non reporting workstation to the current plan, the estimated duration of the instance is automatically set to 1 second, regardless of the value that is set in the operation definition. This rule applies for all general non reporting workstations, except the WAIT workstations.