2.7 Setting Up, Executing, and Managing Jobs

Most discovery, workload portability, and workload protection actions and operations are defined, executed, and monitored as Portability Suite jobs.

2.7.1 Selecting a Conversion Job Setup Method

You can set up a conversion job and specify the job configuration parameters in one of the following two modes:

  • Advanced mode: Uses the Conversion Job window, which provides access to all job configuration parameters.

  • Wizard mode: Provides a convenient subset of the Advanced method and interactively captures only the essential parameters of a conversion job.

The following sections provide more information:

Differences Between the Advanced and Wizard Job Configuration Modes

The Advanced and Wizard job configuration modes differ in the extent of available configuration options.

In Wizard mode, Portability Suite provides a convenient subset of the Advanced method, interactively captures the essential parameters of a conversion job, itemizes settings specified in previous wizard pages, and provides a summary at the end.

Figure 2-6 Job Configuration Window in Wizard Mode

In Advanced mode, Portability Suite provides access to enhanced job configuration options and advanced settings for some aspects of a conversion job. In Advanced mode, you access settings for an aspect of a conversion job by clicking links that are grouped in categories. To hide or show category details, click the category bar.

Figure 2-7 Job Configuration Window in Advanced Mode

You can access the following enhanced job configuration options in Advanced mode, but cannot access them in Wizard mode:

Starting a Conversion Job

To start setting up a conversion job and select either the Advanced or the Wizard method:

  1. Open the Action window by using one of the following methods:

    • Drag a discovered source and drop it on a discovered target.

    • Click a task in the Tasks pane.

    • Click the New Job toolbar.

    • In the Jobs view, right-click a source and select a command from the context menu. Available commands depend on the type of source.

    The Action window opens:

    The Source and Target panes display workloads and targets applicable to the selected type of a conversion job.

    The Full Transfer and Server Sync options are enabled only if:

    • The system detects an existing operating system on the target

    • The operating system profile of the target matches that of the source workload

    See Synchronizing Workloads with Server Sync.

  2. Check validation messages at the bottom of the window.

  3. To start configuring your conversion job in either Wizard or Advanced mode, click Start Wizard or click Advanced.

  4. (Optional) For convenience, to avoid displaying the Action window on drag-and-drop, select Don’t show on drag and drop before proceeding. Subsequent drag-and-drops bypass the Action window and directly open a Conversion Job window in Advanced mode.

    To restore the job conversion startup behavior, restore application defaults. See General Options in your Configuration Guide.

2.7.2 Pre-conversion Job Validation

When starting a conversion job, Portability Suite validates the job type, the source, the target, and the selected parameters, and might generate errors and warnings.

Error markers show configurations that you need to change before the conversion job can start.

Warning markers alert you to settings that should be confirmed prior to starting the conversion.

In a default Portability Suite configuration, validation messages display at the bottom of the Action window. See Step 1.

If you have configured Portability Suite to bypass the Action window on drag-and-drop, errors and warnings are displayed in a separate window:

Figure 2-8 Conversion Validation Window

To force this window to open only on errors, select the Show me only when validation errors occur option.

2.7.3 Saving Conversion Jobs

When you start a conversion job in Advanced mode, you have additional options for saving the job and executing it at a later time.

After all options have been configured for the job, click the arrow at the right side of the Save button, then select a command from the drop-down list:

  • Save As: Select this option to save the conversion job to run at a later time.

  • Save with NTFS Encryption: Select this option to save the conversion job to run at a later time.

2.7.4 Starting a Saved Conversion Job in the Jobs View

  1. In the Portability Suite Client’s Jobs view, locate the required saved job.

  2. Right-click the job and select Start.

    Portability Suite starts the conversion job.

2.7.5 Changing the Start Time of a Saved Conversion Job

  1. In the Portability Suite Client’s Jobs view, locate the required saved job.

  2. Right-click the job and select Change Start Time.

    The Change Job Start Time dialog box opens.

  3. Specify the required new start date and time, then click OK.

    Portability Suite reschedules the job and executes it at the specified time.

2.7.6 Viewing the Parameters of a Completed or In-Progress Conversion Job

  1. In the Portability Suite Client’s Jobs view, locate the required job.

  2. Right-click the job and select View.

    Portability Suite opens the job configuration window in Advanced mode and displays the job’s configuration parameters in read-only mode.

2.7.7 Canceling an In-Progress Job

  1. In the Portability Suite Client’s Jobs view, locate the required job.

  2. Right-click the job and select Abort.

2.7.8 Controlling the State of Source Workloads in the Jobs View

You can restart or shut down your source workload in the Jobs view.

  1. In the Portability Suite Client’s Jobs view, locate the required job.

  2. Right-click the job and select Restart Source or Shutdown Source as applicable.

To automate the startup state of source and target workloads, specify the required post-conversion state in your conversion job. See Specifying Transfer Options.

2.7.9 Running Job Diagnostics

  1. In the Portability Suite Client’s Jobs view, locate the required job.

  2. Right-click the job, select Run Diagnostics, and wait for the process to complete.

    After a few moments, Portability Suite launches a Web browser window with the results of comprehensive diagnostics on the job.

2.7.10 Generating Job Reports

You can generate detailed reports of running and completed jobs. A report records the tasks performed during the job.

To generate a job report:

  1. In the Portability Suite Client’s Jobs view, locate the required job.

  2. Right-click the job and select Report.

    A Web browser window displays the requested report.

2.7.11 Using Windows Scheduled Tasks and a Batch File to Run Jobs

You can schedule and run a job by using Windows Scheduled Tasks and a batch file. At the scheduled time Windows calls the batch file, which launches the Portability Suite in console mode and executes the specified job.

  1. Set up and save the required job, and note its location on the hard drive.

  2. Use a text editor to create a batch file containing the following line:

    PortabilitySuite.Console.exe run /job="path_to_job_file"

    Replace path_to_job_file with the actual path to the required job file.

  3. Name the batch file and save it to the same directory as the PortabilitySuite.Console.exe application:

    ..\PlateSpin Portability Suite Client\CommandLine

  4. Use Windows Scheduled Tasks to set up a task to run the batch file at the desired date and time. For more information about Windows Scheduled Tasks, see your Windows documentation.

Below is a sample command for a batch file:

PortabilitySuite.Console.exe run /job=
"C:\documents and settings\Administrator\Local Settings\
Application Data\PlateSpin ULC\PlateSpin PortabilitySuite\8.0.0.xxxx\
jobs\4f035cda-5c2b-4b73-9923-148ba743e560\32025d86-8850-4c79-8bf3-bb9c22b0ac1d.job"