Sigma Web Framework Schedule tab

The Sigma Framework Schedule screen allows an administrator to configure when background processes start and stop, and allows an administrator to configure other background processes to run at specific intervals (possibly to support other Framework screens or functions.) This screen is accessed after login by clicking on the System tab, and then clicking the Schedule tab (as needed.) The Schedule screen is available ONLY to users who have been given admin rights to the system. Otherwise, attempting to access this screen will result in a Permission Denied screen.

The Schedule screen is a standard Sigma Framework dialog. To add a new schedule entry to the system, the user clicks on the AddNew button. To edit an existing entry, the user clicks the Edit button, followed by the Commit button on the edit screen. To delete an existing entry, the user clicks the Edit button, followed by the Delete button on the edit screen. Selecting an option from the Sort By menu, and then clicking Apply can sort screen fields. By default, logins are sorted in logical order of execution.

The Schedule screen consists of a list of scheduling directives and commands or arguments to the system. Each directive has a compatible argument, as described below:

• Log Directive. This directive logs a message to the system/CO-svc.log file. The message is provided as an argument to the directive. This directive is processed when the Sigma Framework Service starts.
• Set Directive. This directive sets a specified environmental variable to a specified value. The variable / value combination is provided as an argument to the directive using ENVVAR=Value format. This directive is processed only on when the Sigma Framework Service starts.
• Start Directive. This directive specifies the name of a system command that is executed when the Sigma Framework Service starts. The system command path name should be relative to the Sigma\system directive, or should be a full path name to a program, or should be a program in the path of the CO-svc.exe program.
• Hourly Directive. This directive specifies the name of a system command that is executed on each hour change. The system command path name should be relative to the Sigma\system directive, or should be a full path name to a program, or should be a program in the path of the CO-svc.exe program.
• Daily Directive. This directive specifies the name of a system command that is executed on each day change, at midnight. The system command path name should be relative to the Sigma\system directive, or should be a full path name to a program, or should be a program in the path of the CO-svc.exe program.
• Weekly Directive. This directive specifies the name of a system command that is executed on each week change from Saturday to Sunday, at midnight. The directive should be relative to the Sigma\system directive, or should be a full path name to a program, or should be a program in the path of the CO-svc.exe program.
• Monthly Directive. This directive specifies the name of a system command that is executed on each month change. The system command path name should be relative to the Sigma\system directive, or should be a full path name to a program, or should be a program in the path of the CO-svc.exe program.
• Stop Directive. This directive specifies the name of a system command that is executed when the Sigma Framework Service terminates. The system command path name should be relative to the Sigma\system directive, or should be a full path name to a program, or should be a program in the path of the CO-svc.exe program.

Each command path may be specified by forward or backward backslashes, and each command can contain zero or multiple command arguments. Commands that are executed at a particular time interval are executed at the same time, as background processes. Hence, programs that may interfere with each other should have some mechanism (such as lock files) to prevent deadlock or contention.

By default, the Sigma scheduler contains those commands needed to execute and shutdown the Apache HTTP server. These commands can be removed from the scheduler if the administrator does not wish to execute Apache (such as if IIS is being used.)

The hourly, daily, weekly, month, and stop directives may be added to the scheduler without stopping and restarting the system. (The start, log, and set directives, which execute only on Sigma Framework startup, are executed the next time the Sigma service starts.)

Note that these directives are contained in the installationDirectory/config/sched.cnf file, which is read by the installationDirectory/system/CO-svc.exe program. Replace installationDirectory with the directory in which you installed the product. The default directory is C:\Program Files\BMC Software\BMC Defender. The user can edit the sched.cnf file directly as a method of changing these values.

Finally, note that the scheduler function has important application in the Framework, such as in the periodic refreshing and building of screens and data on the system, or implementing cleanup functions. The Framework scheduler is similar in operation to the Windows scheduler, except programs run only when the Framework service has been started.