Time Zone

By default, SMART folders, sub-folders, and jobs run and execute in the time zone where the Control-M/Server is located. You can change the time zone where your jobs run and execute in the scheduling definitions, as described in Scheduling.

Jobs that are scheduled to run in a user-defined time zone must be saved at least 48 hours before their intended execution dates. Jobs with different time zones must not be combined in the same folder. This ensures that the jobs automatically run by the appropriate New Day procedure or User Daily method. If a newly scheduled job must run today, you must run it manually. For more information on New Day and User Daily, see New Day Procedure.

In the ctmpsm Monitoring utility, STATE values are calculated according to the Control-M/Server New Day time.

For more information on STATE values, see Values in STATE and STATUS ctmpsm Fields.

For more information on running jobs in a specific time zone on a future date, see the -odate and -odate_option parameter in any of the following Monitoring utility parameter tables:

• ctmcreate Parameters

• ctmorder Parameters

• ctmudchk Parameters

• ctmudly Parameters

Adding a Time Zone

This procedure describes how to add a new time zone to the TimeZone.dat file, which enables you to select a time zone in the scheduling definitions for a SMART folder, sub-folder, or job.

Begin

1. Navigate to the following directories, and complete this procedure for each TimeZone.dat file:

   • Control-M/EM Server Installation: <em_home>/ctm_em/data

   • Control-M/Server Installation: <ctm_server_home>/data

   • Control-M Client Installation: <ctm_client_home>/data

2. Open the TimeZone.dat file.

   The list of current time zones appears.

   The standard format for a time zone definition is timeZone (GMT±hh:mm), where timeZone represents the time zone label.

   The label RIO represents the Rio de Janeiro time zone, and the standard format entry is RIO (GMT -03:00).

3. Add a new time zone to the end of the list in the standard time zone format.

   • PTI (GMT -8:00) for the Pitcairn Islands.

   • DAR (GMT +9:30) for Darwin, Australia.

   There must be an empty line at the end of the file.

4. Save and close the file and refresh the client.

Defining Daylight Savings Time Support

This procedure describes how to define Daylight Savings Time (DST) support from the TimeZone.dat file. You only need to perform this procedure if the Control-M/Server resides in a location where DST is used.

Begin

1. Navigate to the following directories, and complete this procedure for each TimeZone.dat file:

   • Control-M/EM Server Installation: <em_home>/ctm_em/data

   • Control-M/Server Installation: <ctm_server_home>/data

   • Control-M Client Installation: <ctm_client_home>/data

     The standard format for a time zone definition is timeZone (GMT±hh:mm), where timeZone represents the time zone label.

   The label EST represents the Eastern Standard Time time zone. The standard format entry for Eastern Standard Time is EST (GMT -05:00).

2. Do one of the following:

   • Northern Hemisphere: Open the TimeZone.dat file and change the relevant time zone definition so that it includes DST adjustments, as follows:
     timeZone (GMT±hh:mm) FROM dd.mm hh:mm TO dd.mm hh:mm (GMT±hh:mm)

     Where:

     • timeZone (GMT±hh:mm) indicates the regular time zone value, such as CET (GMT+02:00).

     • The FROM and TO values indicate the time frame when DST is in effect, such as FROM 01.03 01:59 TO 24.10 02:00.

     • The second GMT value indicates the DST time offset value, relative to GMT, such as (GMT+03:00).

   • Southern Hemisphere: Open the TimeZone.dat file and change the relevant time zone definition so that it includes DST adjustments, as follows:
     timeZone (GMT±hh:mm) FROM dd.mm hh:mm TO dd.mm hh:mm (GMT±hh:mm)

     Where:

     • timeZone (GMT±hh:mm) indicates the DST time offset value, such as SYD (GMT+11:00).

     • The FROM and TO values indicate the time frame when DST is in effect, such as FROM 02.04 03:00 TO 01.10 02:00 .

     • The second GMT value indicates the regular time zone value, such as (GMT+10:00).

   • In the Southern Hemisphere, the syntax is reversed.

   • If a relevant time zone contains several countries, and some observe DST and some do not, or if they change the clock on different days, add additional time zone definitions to cover the variations.

   • There must be an empty line at the end of the file.

   • Bill needs to create a new time zone label for Japan DST, where the time is 9 hours later than Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). DST begins on 1 March at 01:59 am and ends on 24 October at 02:00 am. Bill uses the following entry to create a new label for Japan DST, which he titles JST:
     JST (GMT+09:00) FROM 01.03 01:59 TO 24.10 02:00 (GMT+10:00)

   • Susan knows that when time zone definitions in the Northern Hemisphere are set to summer DST, definitions in the Southern Hemisphere are set to regular winter time. In Sydney, Australia, regular winter time (GMT+10:00) lasts from 2 April 2023 at 03:00 am to 1 October 2023 at 02:00 am. The rest of the year, the time zone is GMT+11:00, which is summer DST. Susan uses the following entry to create define DST support for Sydney:
     SYD (GMT+11:00) FROM 25.03 03:00 TO 01.10 02:00 (GMT+10:00)

3. Recycle the Control-M/Server.

4. Update the relevant job processing definitions, using the appropriate variations.

   If you delete a time zone from TimeZone.dat or modify a three-character name in that file, you must change any job processing definitions that specify that time zone. Otherwise, those job processing definitions are invalid.

Daylight Savings Time Considerations (Spring)

The following examples assume that the clock is moved ahead at 02:00 am. (02:00 am becomes 03:00 am). If the computer is capable of changing the clock without restarting the system, do not bring down Control-M when the clock is being advanced.

New Day Procedure

• If the New Day procedure starts before you reset the clock, the New Day procedure will start working before the clock is advanced and it will continue normally, even if the clock is advanced while the New Day procedure is in process.

• If the New Day procedure is scheduled to begin at exactly 02:00 am, the same considerations apply. It is possible that the New Day procedure will start execution before the clock is manually changed. Otherwise, changing the clock will initiate New Day processing.

• If the New Day procedure is scheduled to begin between 02:00 am and 03:00 am, after the computer clock is advanced, Control-M will start the normal New Day processing.

• If the New Day procedure is scheduled to begin after 03:00 am, no action is required. Control-M will start the standard New Day procedure.

Time-Dependent Shout Messages

• Shout messages that are scheduled before 02:00 am do not require any action.

• Shout messages that are scheduled between 02:00 am and 03:00 am will be issued, even though there may not be a delay in production because the time frame for production is smaller.

• The above information also applies to jobs that have Shout messages scheduled at a later time (for example, 06:00 am). These jobs might be considered late because of the tighter production time frame.

Time-Dependent Schedules

• FROM UNTIL: Jobs whose scheduled time overlaps the time gap created by the clock shift may need manual intervention. For example, it is possible that a job with a FROM value of 02:15 am and an UNTIL value of 02:45 am might not be submitted at all. These jobs must be manually adjusted.

• Cyclic Jobs or Cyclic SMART folder: The next run of cyclic jobs with an interval of more than one hour runs one hour sooner than it was scheduled. Cyclic jobs with an interval of less than one hour run immediately. A cyclic job may have to be deleted and then resubmitted to continue the processing cycle during the current day.

Daylight Savings Time Considerations (Winter)

The following examples assume that the clock is moved back at 02:00 am (02:00 am becomes 01:00 am):

New Day Procedure

• If the New Day procedure starts before 01:00 am, no special action must be taken. The New Day procedure will run only once, between midnight (00:00) and 00:59 am.

• If the New Day procedure starts at exactly 01:00 am, computer time must not be turned back to 01:00 am, in order to avoid another New Day process. A second New Day procedure requires manual intervention. It is advisable to wait until 02:01 am, and turn the clock back to 01:01 am.

• If the New Day procedure is scheduled to begin between 01:00 am and 02:00 am, do one of the following actions:

  • Wait at least a full hour after the daily run, and then turn the clock back as needed. The New Day procedure will have ended.

  • Update the clock before New Day processing begins.

    If the New Day time is 01:45 am, the clock must be moved back one hour at no later than 01:44 am. If the shift was not done by 01:44 am, the user must wait until 02:46 am and then shift the time back.

• If the New Day procedure is scheduled to begin after 02:00 am, no special action must be taken.

Time-Dependent Shout Messages: Shout messages scheduled between 01:00 am and 02:00 am might be issued twice.

Time-Dependent Schedules

• FROM UNTIL: No special action must be taken for jobs with FROM-UNTIL or cyclic schedules. Jobs scheduled to start between 01:00 am and 02:00 am will start at the first occurrence of the hour, provided that other conditions, such as input conditions and resources are met. However, they can be restarted after the clock is moved back.

• Cyclic Jobs or Cyclic SMART Folder: The next run of cyclic jobs run one hour later than it was scheduled.

Control-M/Server Log File: The Control-M/Server log file might contain entries with times earlier than previous entries, due to the time shift. The same considerations that apply to advancing the clock forward, must be applied to moving the clock backwards.