>>>>> BJM - Background Job Manager <<<<<
A Product Announcement from Amazon Computer Systems
December 14, 1989
Amazon Computer Systems of Little Rock, AR is proud to
announce the upcoming ship date of "BJM - the Background Job
Manager" for OS/2.
WHAT IS "BJM"
"BJM" stands for Background Job Manager - and that is
precisely what this utility does. It starts background jobs
based upon the value of a resource or time variable. BJM can
also monitor those background jobs and restart them if
problems occur. Communications between BJM and the
background jobs allow those jobs to add/update/delete jobs,
change the value of resources, etc.
BJM was originally part of a retail system being developed by
Amazon Computer Systems. As the retail system grew, BJM also
grew in power and capacity until we at Amazon realized it was
also a product with a potential market.
HOW IS BJM USED?
BJM is started as a background task during the machine's
booting cycle. After it is started, it alternates between
polling the job and resource databases and communicating with
the jobs it starts. No user intervention is needed.
HOW DOES BJM START JOBS?
BJM maintains two databases: jobs and resources. The jobs
database maintains all programs that BJM will run, along with
dependency information, and any parameters for the job. Jobs
defined for BJM can be started by BJM in one of the following
ways:
DAILY: the job runs at a specific time every
day.
INTERVAL: the job runs every N seconds (N can
range from 1 minute to 1 year.)
RESOURCE: the job only runs when a resource is
set to a certain value.
EITHER: the job runs at either interval or
resource conditions.
BOTH: the job requires both an interval and
a resource.
BJM's second database is the resource database. "Resources"
are BJM disk-variables that can be set to various values.
BJM can be set to start a certain job when the "resource" is
set to a certain value.
Finally, BJM has a "nag" mode. This causes BJM to ask a
program if he is still running. If the program does not
respond within a certain time frame (set by the user), BJM
kills the program, then restarts it. In effect, if a
program gets caught in a loop, this facility will catch it
and stop it. Of course, this function requires a little bit
of programming effort for the program that will be started,
but a function library is provided to make this easy.
The function library also allows your 'C' programs to access
the databases and update the job and resource information.
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE?
The BJM.EXE module is included, along with libraries so that
programmers can develop applications that work with BJM.
Small, medium and large models are supported. Also, command-
line utilities that access the job and resource databases are
provided.
REQUIREMENTS
BJM requires OS/2, version 1.0, 1.1 or 1.2; standard or
extended. It does not require PM, but can run under it
easily. The BJM.EXE program (the actual manager) requires
roughly 384K of RAM.
REGISTRATION
Two classes of registration will be offered: binary and
source. Binary licenses will begin at $49, and will be
discounted for quantity purchase. Source code will start at
$129, and will also be discounted.
TESTING AND SHIPPING INFORMATION
BJM is currently in alpha test. Beta testing will begin on
January 3, 1990, with shipment of version 1.0 around February
1, 1990. We will not be accepting any registrations until
version 1.0 is shipping. Please note that all registered
users of Version 1.0 will receive all updates and changes for
a period of one year following registration. This includes
all major and minor revisions.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
If you have any questions, please call me. If I am not
available, an answering machine is always online. While I
keep odd hours (like all programmer/managers) I will do my
best to be here or return your calls. Thank you for taking
the time to read this announcement, and I hope this product
can be of use!
Howard K. Warren
Owner, Amazon Computer Systems
25 Pamela Drive
Little Rock, AR 72207
(501) 225-4387