Features and Benefits

Adding Agents to Flux

Delegate Processes to Remote Machines

Agents are used to delegate processes to remote machines, consequently dividing the workload of a single machine to achieve better scalability. This architecture allows lightweight Flux agents to run scripts, native executables, batch files, and processes.

Utilize Computers with Unique Resources

An advantage to using agents is they allow processes to run on computers that contain unique resources.

Group Agents into Pools

Remote processes can run on a free agent that is a member of a group of agents that you designate. When you don't care which particular agent runs your process, you can use a Flux agent pool.

Commands can be run on Agents either asynchronously or synchronously.

Run commands on agents and wait for a result to come back before progressing on through your workflow. Or, spin off your command to an agent and keep moving through your workflow without waiting for a response.

Commands run on Agents can be configured to run with a timeout period.

If a command takes too long to run, react accordingly in your workflow. Take correcting action within your workflow. Notify personnel. Do whatever you need to do in order to handle your overdue command.

Monitor Agents through the Operations Console

The Operations Console can monitor agents and display the following:

• State of the agent
• Last command executed
• Currently executing command
• Duration of the last command
• Start time of currently executing command
• Last result returned from agent

In addition, the Operations Console also provides the ability to start, stop, interrupt, unregister, and dispose agents.

Figure 1 below displays the basic layout of the Flux Agent Architecture.