Creating Virtual Resources

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Contents 1 Overview 2 Creating a Virtual Resource 3 Field Descriptions 4 Assigning Tasks to a Virtual Resource

Overview

A virtual resource allows you to set up a "throttling" scheme that will manage how many and which tasks are sent to a particular resource at a time. Outlined below is the basic procedure and processing flow:

1. Create a virtual resource. A virtual resource normally represents an actual resource, but the virtual resource record is not actually tied to a resource record.
2. Assign the virtual resource a number. The number represents the maximum number of resource "units" that this resource can handle at any one time. If the resource has a high CPU, you will give it a higher number. Resources with limited processing power are given a lower number.
3. For each resource, identify those tasks that will run on that resource. For each of those tasks, use the Task Virtual Resources tab to add a virtual resource record. Specify a number identifying how many resource units this task will consume. For example, a task that requires a small amount of processing power might consume one unit; a task that requires a high amount of resources might consume 3 units. The number of units you specify for the task is relative to the maximum number that you assign to the resource.
4. When a task with a virtual resource launches, the system checks the virtual resource to see if enough units are available to run the task.
   • If enough units are available, the task runs and the number of available units is decremented by the amount specified in the task. For example, if the resource has a maximum of 10 and the task uses 2, the remaining amount available on that virtual resource for use by other tasks is 8.
   • If there are not enough units available, the task is listed in the Outstanding Requests tab in the virtual resource. When the required amount of resource becomes available, the task is launched.

Creating a Virtual Resource

1. From the Resources section in the Navigation Pane, select Virtual. The system displays the Virtual Resource list:



2. To add a new virtual resource, click New. The system displays a blank Virtual Resource field.
3. Using the field descriptions provided below, fill in the fields.
4. Click the Submit button to save the record and return to the menu or right-click on the title bar and select Save to save the record and remain on the current display.

Shown below is a sample Virtual Resource definition with a limit of 1. Because each task has a minimum value of 1, this virtual resource would be limited to running only one task at a time.

Field Descriptions

The following table provides descriptions of the fields on the virtual resource form.

Name	Description
Resource Name	A descriptive name for this Virtual Resource.
Resource Limit	The number of resource "units" that the resource can handle at any one time. Resources with a high amount of processing power generally have high numbers. This number is compared to the number consumed by tasks, which defaults to 1 for each task. For example, if a virtual resource has a limit of 2, then only two tasks, each consuming 1, can run on the virtual resource at a time. Or, a single task consuming 2 can run on the virtual resource at a time. If you want to make sure that only one task runs on a resource at a time, use a limit of 1 on your resource. However, any task that consumes 2 or more will not run when assigned to that resource. For information about changing the default for tasks, see Assigning Tasks to a Virtual Resource
Resource Summary	Description of this virtual resource.
Resource Used	System-supplied. Shows how many units are currently in use, as of the time you opened the record.
Submit button	Submits the new record to the database.
Update button	Saves updates to the record.
Delete button	Deletes the current record.
Task Virtual Resources tab	Lists all the tasks that use this virtual resource, as of the time you opened this record.
Currently In Use By tab	Lists the tasks that are currently running on this virtual resource, as of the time you opened this record.
Outstanding Requests tab	Lists the tasks that are currently waiting to run on this virtual resource, as of the time you opened this record.
Notes tab	Displays all notes associated with this virtual resource. See Runbook Notes.

Assigning Tasks to a Virtual Resource

Note: You can also assign a task to a virtual resource from the task screen.

1. Open the virtual resource to which you want to assign one or more existing tasks.
2. Click on the Task Virtual Resources tab or scroll down to that section.
3. Click the Edit button. The Edit Members form displays:



4. The tasks listed under Collection are existing tasks that are not assigned to this virtual resource. The tasks listed in the Referenced By list are tasks that refer to this virtual resource. You can filter the days listed under Collection as follows:
   1. Click Add Filter. See To create a filter for information about how to construct a filter.
   2. When you have defined the filter you want, click Run Filter. The Collection list now displays only those tasks that match the filter.
   3. To remove filtering, click the minus sign to the left of each condition, then click Run Filter again.
5. To add to or remove tasks from the Referenced By List:
   • To add a task to the list, double-click on the task in the Collection list.
   • To remove a task from the list, double-click on the name in the Referenced By List.
   As you click on a task the system displays details about the task at the bottom of the form.
6. When you are finished, click Save.
7. Note that the default amount assigned to each task is 1, as shown.



8. To change the amount, click on the 1. The task virtual resource record opens.



9. Change the Amount field to the new number of units and click Update.