Control-M Project Status: Re-Engineering Jobs, Runbooks, Presentations, Missing Job Owners……

It’s been a slow process getting jobs into production the last two months. Even though this is fact I still think I have had a lot of good wins.

I am improving with making batch files but finding job owners and identifying the purpose of jobs has been very challenging. I am starting to pile up newly tested scripts that are in need of a nice owner and and a detailed run book. It’s so funny to me that looking back I was struggling with simple tasks. Now those tasks are a walk in the park but now I am held up by searching for job owners and then waiting for run book information to be sent to me via email. In fact when I get impatient I have interviewed a few job owners over the phone to make sure I get the information I need. Well more like a run book interview. I am persistently hunting these folks down and doing my due diligence. It will pay off but I am learning to be patient during this process.

Also during this process or migration whatever this is, I have became acquainted with scripting up batch files. I have re engineered older long winded scripts and simplified them using batch.(embedded scripts) Some of these I have done on my own and others I have had the help my friend and heck of a Workload Automation expert Robert Stinnett. http://www.robertstinnett.com/control-m-resources/ I am slowly building a foundation in basic scripting and can now read advanced scripts very well. This is going to come in handy as I move forward.

One thing I am still trying to perfect is setting variables in my scripts using the Control-M parameter option. Some of the basic functions such as setting date stamps in formats such as ddmmyyyym yymmdd, yyyy, mmddyyy and other formats are very easy for me now. I still seem to have to go back and check my work and test when I substring variables within the parameter setup in Control-M. I usually get it but always have to check it a few extra times. It’s fun to play with but I would like to be confident the first time I sub string something out.

I have also made major use of the documentation link that is reachable by clicking on a job in the Control-M environment. You can access your documentation via Web link or to a file path. It worked better for me to use a web link and set it up that way. I also took the time to set up a standardized template then saved as a PDF document that way my run books are standard and very easy to read. I have received a few kudos for this setup. Run books are very tedious and annoying to setup but very necessary. Also the cool thing is when a particular job has issues the folks monitoring the jobs can use the documentation link and it takes the user straight to the PDF for that particular job. It then loads the PDF right in front of their eyes for them to follow the instructions. This has been my most simple task this whole project but it is something a lot of pride in! People love run books but nobody wants to do them. I promise you I will be doing them for a long time!

I have done three slide deck presentations on Control-M in the last two months and I am about to do my fourth one this Friday. I am looking forward to this but very nervous about presenting at the same time. This presentation will make or brake my Control-M career at my shop. No pressure right? Oh yeah, by the way as a Workload Automation Expert at your IT shop you also have to be able to sell your product internally to other departments! If I sell this right I will be the Control-M King at my shop. No pressure right?

So things are looking good. Jobs are slowly but surely being migrated. I am starting to be able to sale the product like a Control-M salesmen minus the sharp shirt and tie. I am getting versed and comfortable in scripting. I am making sure every job has a good run book. I am implementing a good setup model for my Control-M environment. Learning new things and most importantly having fun doing all of this!