2.9 Executing jobs in a cloud environment

This section describes a system configuration that uses a flexible job and the components of such a system.

A flexible job can be executed on execution agents that are not directly managed by the manager host. For example, a flexible job can be executed on execution agents in an auto-scaling cloud environment. An execution agent that executes a flexible job on a cloud is called a destination agent.

Figure 2‒61: Executing a job by using destination agents on a cloud

A job defined in an on-premise environment can be executed in a cloud environment by relaying a flexible job execution request via an agent host. An agent that relays the job execution request is called the relay agent.

The following figure shows an example of combining an on-premise environment and a cloud environment.

Figure 2‒62: Example of combining an on-premise environment and a cloud environment 1

Figure 2‒63: Example of combining an on-premise environment and a cloud environment 2

In a cloud environment, a flexible job can be distributed to specific execution agents by using a load balancer, or it can be executed by all execution agents in the cloud.

The following figure shows a system configuration that includes a load balancer and a relay agent. For details about the system configuration for executing the same job on all execution agents in an auto-scaling environment, see 2.10 Considerations for executing a job by broadcast execution.

Figure 2‒64: Example system configuration that includes a load balancer and a relay agent

Supplementary notes

(1) About components

A manager host, a relay agent, and a destination agent under the load balancer are required to use a flexible job.

Each of these components are explained below.

Manager host

• Destination for placement

  The manager host can be placed in an on-premise environment and a non-auto-scaling environment of the cloud.

• Cluster configuration

  The manager host supports cluster configuration.

Relay agent

• Destination for placement

  The relay agent can be placed in an on-premise environment and a non-auto-scaling environment of the cloud.

• Cluster configuration

  The relay agent supports cluster configuration.

If the manager host is running on Windows or Linux, you can run the ajsatsetup -m command on the manager host to use the manager host as a relay agent.

In situations shown below, a relay agent is required for a host that is neither a manager host nor a destination agent host.

• If the manager host is running on an OS that is neither Windows nor Linux:

  The OS of the manager host or agent host that a flexible job can specify as an execution host is only Windows or Linux.

  Therefore, if the manager host is running on an OS that is neither Windows nor Linux, a relay agent is necessary.

• If the manager host and the destination agent cannot communicate directly with each other:

  As shown in Figure 2-64, a relay agent must be placed between the manager host and the destination agent to mediate communication.

Destination agent under the load balancer

• Destination for placement

  Place the destination agent in an auto-scaling environment under the load balancer.

  Note that Network Load Balancer and Classic Load Balancer are supported as load balancers (Elastic Load Balancing) for Amazon Web Service, but Application Load Balancer is not supported. In addition, Azure Load Balancer and other load balancers for use with services other than Amazon Web Service are not supported.

• Cluster configuration

  The destination agent does not support cluster configuration.

(2) About the communication environment

• If a load balancer is used, it is assumed that the load balancer can distribute TCP packets.

• For details about working through a firewall, see 2.3.2 Firewall and communication basics.

• If you execute a job defined in an on-premise environment on a public cloud environment, connect the relay agent and cloud environment with VPN.

• For communications between the relay agent and the cloud environment, use a communication environment in which safety and stability is ensured. For details, see 2.3.7 Communications used in a WAN.

(3) Other information

• The relaying function of a flexible job is executed as a job on a relay agent. Therefore, if a relay agent and an execution agent for other jobs is the same, execution of a flexible job might affect execution of other jobs, for example in terms of the number of concurrently executable jobs. Consider deploying the relay agent for a flexible job separately from execution agents for other jobs.

• For cautionary notes on flexible jobs, see 7.8 Notes on using flexible jobs in the JP1/Automatic Job Management System 3 System Design (Work Tasks) Guide.

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