Time Zones

By default, SMART 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 SMART folders and jobs run and execute in the scheduling definitions, as described in Scheduling. You can also define Site Standard rules with time zones, as described in Creating a Site Standard Rule.

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 via the appropriate New Day procedure or User Daily method. If a newly scheduled job has to 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 parameters 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 steps 2–4 of this procedure for each TimeZone.dat file:

   • Linux:

     • Control-M/EM Server: <Control-M/EM_home>/ctm_em/etc/cli/data

     • Control-M/Server: <Control-M/Server_home>/ctm_server/data

   • Windows:

     • Control-M/EM Server: <Control-M/EM_home>\Default\Data

     • Control-M/Server: <Control-M/Server_home>\ctm_server\data

     • Control-M Desktop: <Control-M_Desktop_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 -08:00) for the Pitcairn Islands, British Overseas Territories.

   • DAR (GMT +09:30) for Darwin, Australia.

4. Verify that there is an empty line at the end of the file, save the file, and close it.

5. After you have added a time zone in each TimeZone.dat file, run the following script on the following components:

   • Control-M/EM Server: "<EM_Home>/bin/em bmcpython <EM_Home>/etc/cli/data/convert_timezone_dat_to_json.py" "<EM_Home>/etc/cli/data/TimeZone.dat" "<EM_Home>/etc/cli/data/TimeZone.json"

   • Control-M/Server: run_python "<CTM_Server_Home>/ctm_server/scripts/convert_timezone_dat_to_json.py" "<CTM_Server_Home>/data/TimeZone.dat" "<CTM_Server_Home>/data/TimeZone.json"

6. Do the following:

   • Control-M/EM Server: Refresh the Control-M/EM Server.

   • Control-M/Server: Refresh the Control-M/Server.

   • Control-M Desktop: Log out and log back in to Control-M Desktop.

Daylight Savings Time

Daylight Savings Time (DST) refers to the spring, summer, and early fall season when clocks are set one or more hours ahead to add more daylight hours to the end of the work day. The following topics describe how to accommodate for DST.

• Defining Daylight Savings Time

• Daylight Savings Time Considerations

• Winter Time Considerations

Defining Daylight Savings Time

This procedure describes how to define Daylight Savings Time (DST) in the TimeZone.dat file. You must perform this procedure only in the following situations:

• The Control-M/Server resides in a location that uses DST.

• The scheduling definitions of a SMART folder, sub-folder, or job use a time zone with DST that differs from the Control-M/Server time zone.

In each of the above instances, you must change DST yearly, since the dates when the clocks are changed shift every year.

Begin

1. Navigate to the following directories, and complete steps 2–4 of this procedure for each TimeZone.dat file:

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

   • Control-M/Server: <Control-M/Server_Home>/data

   • Control-M Desktop: <Control-M_Desktop_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 standard 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 standard time is in effect, such as FROM 02.04 03:00 TO 01.10 02:00.

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

   • In the Southern Hemisphere, the syntax and type of time frame (standard time instead of DST) 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.

   • Bill needs to define DST support for Anchorage, Alaska, USA. The current entry for Anchorage in each TimeZone.dat file is ANC (GMT-09:00). Anchorage DST begins on 12 March 2023 at 02:00 am and ends on 5 November 2023 at 02:00 am. Bill changes the entry to define DST support for Anchorage, as follows:
     ANC (GMT-09:00) FROM 12.03 02:00 TO 05.11 02:00 (GMT-08:00)

   • Susan knows that in the Northern Hemisphere, during spring and summer, time zone definitions are set to DST where it is used. At the same time in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is fall and winter, locations that use DST are set to standard time. In Sydney, Australia, standard 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 set to DST for spring and summer, which is one hour later (GMT+11:00). Susan changes the current entry to define DST support for Sydney, as follows:
     SYD (GMT+11:00) FROM 02.04 03:00 TO 01.10 02:00 (GMT+10:00)

3. Verify that there is an empty line at the end of the file, save the file, and close it.

4. After you have added a time zone in each TimeZone.dat file, run the following script on the following components:

   • Control-M/EM Server: "<EM_Home>/bin/em bmcpython <EM_Home>/etc/cli/data/convert_timezone_dat_to_json.py" "<EM_Home>/etc/cli/data/TimeZone.dat" "<EM_Home>/etc/cli/data/TimeZone.json"

   • Control-M/Server: run_python "<CTM_Server_Home>/ctm_server/scripts/convert_timezone_dat_to_json.py" "<CTM_Server_Home>/data/TimeZone.dat" "<CTM_Server_Home>/data/TimeZone.json"

5. Do the following:

   • Control-M/EM Server: Refresh the Control-M/EM Server.

   • Control-M/Server: Refresh the Control-M/Server.

   • Control-M Desktop: Log out and log back into the Control-M Desktop.

6. Update the relevant scheduling attributes in Site Standards and job properties, using the new time zone definitions.

   If you delete or modify a time zone definition in the TimeZone.dat files, you must change any Site Standards and job definitions that specify the changed time zone. Otherwise, those job processing definitions are invalid.

Daylight Savings Time Considerations

The following examples assume that the clock is moved forward one hour 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 shut down Control-M when the clock is being advanced.

Winter Time Considerations

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