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Top 10 Tips & Tricks How to improve your Maximo Scheduler performance (Scheduler 762x and below)

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Top 10 Tips & Tricks How to improve your Maximo Scheduler performance (Scheduler 762x and below)

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Hello,

 

My name is Edgar Mengelberg and I have been working with the Maximo and TPAE product suite in various Support roles for over 15 years.

Scheduler (aka Graphical Scheduling or GS)  is a great tool that was embedded into core Maximo from version 7502 (prior to this , it was an add-on)

Graphical Assignment (=GA) is also an option in core Maximo Asset Management (MAM) or TPAE that can be used for similar work management and scheduling.

The relationship between GS (Graphical Scheduling) and GA (Graphical Assignment) is that GS is used to find a Craft (Craft as it works at the Craft level, not individual Labor codes) feasible set of schedule dates using the scheduling tools we provide up to an including Optimization.   

GA then takes that Craft feasible schedule and this is then used to make assignments to the individual Labor codes.   

This can be done manually or with the  Labor and Crew Assignment Optimization model.

 

As with all heavily used core MAM/ TPAE applications or added Industry Solutions, at any point this may well cause some performance issues and so also with the Maximo Scheduler application.

For example your Gantt View could take a long time to open, you may get blank screens ,your applet could take a long time loading or various other signs that Scheduler may not be performing as well as it could.

After a new IFix deployment, or on a new browser, 30 seconds to load the applet will be normal.
In addition, when the Java Plugin has caching enabled, then, the next time it will load much faster.  
So always verify if the Java Plugin has caching enabled, and if not, then enable the cache...

 

Here is my further Top 10 Tips and Tricks you could use 1 by 1 in order to further improve your Scheduler performance ,only if any issues of course, as follows ==>

 

(1) From Maximo 7508 Ifix007 ,there is APAR IV35491 that was created to assist in Scheduler performance issues. Make sure you have this APAR installed through an Ifix.

If not ,update your IFix level to the the most recent version that can be downloaded from Fix Central.
If you need an ifix or have further issue with this, please check with the IBM Suport Services team via a PMR.

(2) Check you have a correct JRE version installed.

For example JRE 1.7_51 and 1.7_65 do have known slowness issues for Direct Print , Gantt View and Scheduler as a whole.
The recommendation is to use the latest available updated JRE 1.7.0_79 or _80 (Version 7 Update 79 or 80) ,so that the Gantt View and Scheduler work properly.

(3) )Enable the debug and trace logging as per this article:
https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/community/wikis/home?lang=en#!/wiki/IBM%20Maximo%20Asset%20Management/page/Enabling%20Java%20Console%20to%20View%20Logging

This article is an article on how to enable the Java Console logging and how to enable maximum logging, which typically is something you would need when troubleshooting Java Plugin issues.

Please see also the Cache section of this document.
https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E19683-01/816-0378/6m6sbeklk/index.html

(4) In your System Properties application , check you have a property called mxe.skd.extensionjars (only applies when you have SCCD installed)

If not and only applicable when you run a SCCD environment, please add it using these directions:

a. Go To System Configuration -> Platform Configuration -> System
Properties
b. Click on New Row under Global Properties section
c. Property Name: mxe.skd.extensionjars
d. Enter a description
e. Global Value: pmgui_skdext.jar,pmchg_skdext.jar
f. Save it
g. Select the newly created property and click on Live Refresh
h. Click ok
i. Restart the Maximo Application Server.
j.Check if this now improved the Scheduler performance considerably

(5) Clear the Java cache.

To clear your Java cache in Windows:

    Click Start > Control Panel.
    Locate and double click the Java icon in the Control Panel.
    Click Settings under Temporary Internet Files.
    Click Delete Files.
    Select all boxes and click OK on Delete Temporary Files window.
    Click OK on Temporary Files Settings window.
    Click OK to close the Java Control Panel.

(6) Change the security settings in the Java Control Panel.

In Java Control Panel under "Security" tab --> Try to change the security settings from High to Medium to see if that makes any difference, and possibly, add your server to the Exception site list.

(7) Check if the signed code certificate revocation is enabled.

In Java Control Panel under "Advanced" tab --> Please see if the "Perform signed code certificate revocation check" is set to "Do not check".   
If it is NOT set to "do not check" , then set this to "do not check" as the certificate checking can significantly slow down the applet startup.

(8) Check if the Debugging Java Control options are checked.

Also in Java Control Panel under "Advanced" tab --> Under the "Debugging" option, ensure that ALL 3 of the Debugging section options are checked.

(9) Check if further Java caching is enabled.

In Java Control Panel under "General" tab --> Under the "Temporary Internet Files" option please verify that the Caching is NOT disabled.
In other words, the option "Keep temporary files on My Computer" should show checked.

(10) Check if any pack.gz files are present in your directory.

If you see any pack.gz files installed, those files should be removed.
Some of the later Ifixes should automatically remove them, however if on an earlier version or they were not automatically removed with your latest installed ifix, then they should be manually removed instead.

 

For further Maximo Scheduler information , see the Scheduler Wiki here:  https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/community/wikis/home?lang=en#!/wiki/IBM%20Maximo%20Asset%20Management/page/Maximo%20Scheduler


If you find this blog useful in reducing your Maximo Scheduler performance issues ,  please click the "Like" button to show your appreciation and follow me here -->  Follow me and my blogs on DevWorks here!

 

Happy pain free Scheduling!

 

-Edgar Mengelberg

 

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ibm11130787