topic Re: How to avoid ALTERYX APP being put on QUEUE ? in Alteryx Server Discussions

How to avoid ALTERYX APP being put on QUEUE ?

srikant96 — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 17:08:36 GMT

I thought the purpose of APPS is to run on demand when user input is required to process further . By putting APPS on 'scheduler queue'....it defeats the purpose of ALTERYX APP functionality

Wondering how we can avoid this ? is there a setting that allow other jobs to be queued but let app run on its own....and put in wait status if load on server is very high... . At least that can trigger someone to act on increasing server capacity

Thanks

Re: How to avoid ALTERYX APP being put on QUEUE ?

jamielaird — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 17:55:42 GMT

Hi @srikant96 ,

If an app requires a user input it will generally not be suitable for scheduling. Apps that require user input (via the Interface Tools) would normally be run manually from the Gallery.

It is possible to schedule Apps but this will usually only make sense where the app doesn't require any user input, or the user inputs are being pulled from a pre-defined set of values (this approach is used with Connect metadata loaders, for example).

To avoid apps (or any other type of workflow) that are run manually interfering with scheduled runs you can assign a dedicated worker to your scheduled jobs.

Hope this helps. If there's a particular problem you're facing then giving some more detail on that will help me or others on the forum to answer more specifically.

Re: How to avoid ALTERYX APP being put on QUEUE ?

danilang — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 11:58:24 GMT

Hi @srikant96

Alteryx servers can only run so many jobs at once. This based on number of processor cores that you have licensed divided by 2 with the standard server license including 4 cores or 2 concurrent jobs. this number is the "Workflows Allowed to Run Simultaneously" in server settings. This number includes both scheduled and user-run jobs. If you already have the max number of jobs running and a user start another one it will be queued and run when the first of the existing jobs ends. From the research that I've done, there's no way to change this nor is there a way to have a Queue message status, i.e. "Your job is Nth in the queue"

There are ways that you can minimize the disruption.

On the Engine page in the server settings, make sure that you have "Run Engine at a Lower Priority" check to ensure that the Gallery jobs will take precedence once a slot becomes available.
Make sure that you use the maximum number of jobs that that you're licensed for. When you first install the gallery with the standard license, it will set the simultaneous jobs to 2. If you then add license packs to take advantage of additional cores, the simultaneous jobs setting doesn't automatically change. It will remain at it default setting until you change it.
Consider adding one or more worker node to handle scheduled jobs. This will free up the server to run gallery jobs.

BTW: having a "Queue message status, i.e. "Your job is Nth in the queue" is a great idea. Add it as potential new feature in the ideas forum

Dan

Re: How to avoid ALTERYX APP being put on QUEUE ?

srikant96 — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 17:06:32 GMT

The issue is this . This is an APP on demand - an Alteryx workflow that copies file from one location to another after some processing . if a user has access to this URL that was published in GALLERY ( that is the only way other than all those users to buy ALTERYX desktop license to run this workflow ) ..he or she should be able to run ON DEMAND and not wonder what to do when its queued ...they lose connection . In other words ..they have to keep trying till it goes thru ...which is not an ideal solution at all

So , i was wondering why not ALTERYX allow such workflows to be not put QUEUE when it has user input to process further

thanks

Re: How to avoid ALTERYX APP being put on QUEUE ?

srikant96 — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 17:08:02 GMT

To avoid apps (or any other type of workflow) that are run manually interfering with scheduled runs you can assign a dedicated worker to your scheduled jobs.

--what is a worker . its for my IT team to configure somethings ?

Thank You Jamielaird