Using 2 different Switches for illustrator

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PdFUser5000
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Using 2 different Switches for illustrator

Post by PdFUser5000 »

Using only one Illustrator is sometimes not enough. Since i have 2 Switches, is it possible to use the other one for Illustrator also?

Is there a way to send files to the other illustrator only when the first one is busy? Or should i just start adding a counter to the metadata and sending odd numbers to one switch and even numbers to the other? Are there any other options for this?
freddyp
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Re: Using 2 different Switches for illustrator

Post by freddyp »

When you add 2 outgoing connections to "Hold job" Switch will send 1 job here, 1 job there, 1 job here, etc. In this way the number of jobs will be equally split over the outgoing connections.

That is not always the best choice because not all jobs take equally long. To make it a bit more intelligent, have a look at the properties of the outgoing connection of "Hold job". Use "Folder constraint" and set the number of jobs to 1. The load balancing will now happen based on which outgoing connection becomes free first.
PdFUser5000
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Re: Using 2 different Switches for illustrator

Post by PdFUser5000 »

freddyp wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 12:01 pm When you add 2 outgoing connections to "Hold job" Switch will send 1 job here, 1 job there, 1 job here, etc. In this way the number of jobs will be equally split over the outgoing connections.

That is not always the best choice because not all jobs take equally long. To make it a bit more intelligent, have a look at the properties of the outgoing connection of "Hold job". Use "Folder constraint" and set the number of jobs to 1. The load balancing will now happen based on which outgoing connection becomes free first.
Thanks, that worked! One question: What happens to files when the second Switch instance is not working for example? are they sent to problem jobs? Is there a way to create a safety net, which in the case of only one switch working does not send jobs to the send to switch portal?
freddyp
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Re: Using 2 different Switches for illustrator

Post by freddyp »

It depends how you transfer the jobs to the other Switch and what it is that is not running.

If you drop the job in a local folder that is a remote folder for the other Switch, the job will be stuck in that folder. As it is stuck "Hold job" will route all the other jobs to the other local instance.

If you drop the job in a remote folder and the remote computer is down, you will get errors, and if the remote computer is up but Switch is down then you will have the same situation as in the first case.

My advice: use the Switch2Switch bundle of apps. This is Switch-to-Switch communication, there are no folders involved. In other words, when the remote Switch cannot be reached for whatever reason, the job will follow the error connection and you can continue to process it locally.
PdFUser5000
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Re: Using 2 different Switches for illustrator

Post by PdFUser5000 »

freddyp wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 3:05 pm It depends how you transfer the jobs to the other Switch and what it is that is not running.

If you drop the job in a local folder that is a remote folder for the other Switch, the job will be stuck in that folder. As it is stuck "Hold job" will route all the other jobs to the other local instance.

If you drop the job in a remote folder and the remote computer is down, you will get errors, and if the remote computer is up but Switch is down then you will have the same situation as in the first case.

My advice: use the Switch2Switch bundle of apps. This is Switch-to-Switch communication, there are no folders involved. In other words, when the remote Switch cannot be reached for whatever reason, the job will follow the error connection and you can continue to process it locally.
Switch2Switch works perfectly, thanks again!
PdFUser5000
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Re: Using 2 different Switches for illustrator

Post by PdFUser5000 »

freddyp wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 12:01 pm When you add 2 outgoing connections to "Hold job" Switch will send 1 job here, 1 job there, 1 job here, etc. In this way the number of jobs will be equally split over the outgoing connections.

That is not always the best choice because not all jobs take equally long. To make it a bit more intelligent, have a look at the properties of the outgoing connection of "Hold job". Use "Folder constraint" and set the number of jobs to 1. The load balancing will now happen based on which outgoing connection becomes free first.
Something still isn't quite right. I set folder constraint to 1 on both outgoing connections of the hold job element. I also set the target folder to the same folder( Timestamp Input) on both connections. But it seems switch still moves jobs cyclically between the 2 connections eg when the first Switches illustrator input folder is empty, Switch still sends it to the second Switch. Am i missing something here, or is it supposed to be like that?
Capture.PNG
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freddyp
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Re: Using 2 different Switches for illustrator

Post by freddyp »

There is no need to set a target folder and the second Hold job element is not necessary. This is the principle:
Screen Shot 2021-05-10 at 11.39.57.png
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PdFUser5000
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Re: Using 2 different Switches for illustrator

Post by PdFUser5000 »

freddyp wrote: Mon May 10, 2021 11:43 am There is no need to set a target folder and the second Hold job element is not necessary. This is the principle:
Screen Shot 2021-05-10 at 11.39.57.png
Made the fixes. Switch still keeps sending jobs cyclically between the two connections.
freddyp
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Re: Using 2 different Switches for illustrator

Post by freddyp »

Are you sure you set the folder constraints on the outgoing connections?

Put the connections after Local and Remote on hold and place 5 input jobs in the input folder. The folders should each get 1 job and there should be 3 jobs waiting before "Hold job". Release one of the two connection and see what happens. The released folder should now get a job after the previous one was processed and the number of waiting jobs drops to 2. If that is not the case, then there is something wrong with the settings. I have used this method often enough to know that it works.

Put differently, the number of jobs in Local and Remote should never be higher than 1 (unless the sending to the remote Switch fails and it is diverted to the Local folder, which you could potentially handle with an extra "Hold job" as you had it in your flow).
PdFUser5000
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Re: Using 2 different Switches for illustrator

Post by PdFUser5000 »

freddyp wrote: Tue May 11, 2021 8:12 am Are you sure you set the folder constraints on the outgoing connections?

Put the connections after Local and Remote on hold and place 5 input jobs in the input folder. The folders should each get 1 job and there should be 3 jobs waiting before "Hold job". Release one of the two connection and see what happens. The released folder should now get a job after the previous one was processed and the number of waiting jobs drops to 2. If that is not the case, then there is something wrong with the settings. I have used this method often enough to know that it works.

Put differently, the number of jobs in Local and Remote should never be higher than 1 (unless the sending to the remote Switch fails and it is diverted to the Local folder, which you could potentially handle with an extra "Hold job" as you had it in your flow).
Everything you described happens so it must be correct. The problem is though that sometimes, when the Local folder is available, Switch still sends the job to Remote. This happens when a single job goes through with no queue. Sometimes it moves to Local, sometimes to remote. I would like the job to always move to Local and only move to remote when local is busy. Or is this how hold job is meant to function, since it's cyclical and there is only one job in the queue?
freddyp
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Re: Using 2 different Switches for illustrator

Post by freddyp »

"Connection priority"
PdFUser5000
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Re: Using 2 different Switches for illustrator

Post by PdFUser5000 »

freddyp wrote: Tue May 11, 2021 3:04 pm "Connection priority"
Thanks!!, works like a charm
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