Hosted by Chandra Wobschall and Paul Houtkooper

Hey there, JDE Connection listeners! We’re back with another insightful episode, and this time, we’re diving into a JD Edwards feature previously mentioned during our conversation with Clayton Seeley about load balancing —Virtual Batch Queues (VBQs). Joining us to help us understand what this capability is and how it came to be is none of other than the brainchild behind the innovation, John Holder, Senior Principal Software Engineer from Oracle.

What Are Virtual Batch Queues?

Virtual Batch Queues (VBQs) are one of those features that make you wonder how we ever lived without them. In simple terms, VBQs enable batch jobs to be dynamically routed and processed across multiple servers, rather than being locked into a single machine. This results in improved scalability, flexibility, and overall system performance.

Why Virtual Batch Queues Matter

Batch job processing has long been a challenge in Enterprise Resource Planning solutions, with traditional configurations leading to bottlenecks, inefficient resource utilization, and frustrating maintenance issues. John shared how VBQs solve these problems by:

• Enabling load balancing across multiple servers
• Eliminating single points of failure
• Reducing downtime during system maintenance
• Providing elasticity for high-demand periods, such as month-end processing

The Evolution of VBQs

John took us on a journey through the history of JD Edwards batch processing, starting with the “old way” of managing batch jobs and the limitations that prompted the need for change. He even revealed that the original concept for VBQs was sketched on a napkin back in 2003—classic JD Edwards innovation at work!

Fast forward to today, and VBQs are fully integrated into JD Edwards as of Tools Release 9.2.5, allowing organizations to modernize their batch processing without major overhauls.

How VBQs Work

Here’s a high-level look at how Virtual Batch Queues function:

1. Virtual Hosts: Rather than tying batch jobs to a specific physical server, VBQs introduce the concept of virtual hosts that dynamically assign jobs to available resources.
2. Dynamic Job Routing: The system intelligently distributes jobs to optimize performance and prevent bottlenecks.
3. Zero Downtime Deployments: VBQs allow for seamless maintenance and system updates without disrupting batch processing.
4. Improved Job Management: Users can now resubmit failed jobs, move jobs to different queues, and prioritize workload distribution more effectively.

Practical Benefits and Real-World Applications

For organizations running mission-critical batch jobs, VBQs provide significant advantages, such as:

• Month-End Close Efficiency: Instead of struggling with overloaded servers, companies can scale up resources temporarily to meet demand.
• Disaster Recovery and Failover: If one server goes down, jobs can continue running on another without intervention.
• Optimized Cost Management: Cloud-hosted environments can leverage VBQs to spin up extra servers only when needed, reducing unnecessary costs.

Midwesternism of the Day

Before wrapping up this part of our conversation with John, Chandra spent a few minutes educating us on the Danish or Norwegian word that describes a feeling of coziness and contentment. Be sure to listen to the episode to find out where you can get a private guided tour to experience these feelings.

Join the Conversation

Got questions about Virtual Batch Queues? Want to hear more about upcoming JD Edwards innovations? Drop us a line at thejdeconnection@questoraclecommunity.org.

Until next time, let’s keep learning, sharing, and—most importantly—laughing together.

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