Links provide communications between Tivoli Workload Scheduler workstations in a network. Links are controlled by the AUTO Link flag, and the Console Manager link and unlink commands. When a link is open, messages are passed between two workstations. When a link is closed, the sending workstation stores messages in a local pobox file and sends them to the destination workstation when the link is reopened.
This means that when links are closed, the message queues fill up with messages for the inaccessible workstations. To maximize the performance of Tivoli Workload Scheduler, monitor workstations for closed links and attempt to reopen them as soon as possible.
To have a workstation link opened automatically, turn on the AUTO Link flag in the workstation's definition. The link is first opened when Tivoli Workload Scheduler is started on the Master Domain workstation. If the subdomain manager and workstations are not initialized and their AUTO Link flag is on, the master domain manager attempts to link to its subordinates and begin the initialization processes. If the AUTO Link flag is turned off, the workstation is only initialized by running a link command from the master domain manager. After the workstation is initialized, it automatically starts and issues a link back to its domain manager.
When the link command is issued and the connection has been established, if the domain manager does not receive any reply within the timeout period, the chkhltst service is automatically invoked by mailman.
This service can also be launched manually by using the conman command. See the IBM® Tivoli® Workload Scheduler User's Guide and Reference for more details.
To be certain that inter-workstation communication is correctly restored, you can issue a link command after restarting a workstation.