Task Priority

Description

Instructs the system to determine when an agent can run a task in conjunction with other tasks based on conditions set, and how to behave if it cannot meet those conditions. Task prioritization can be used to limit consumption of system resources (for example, CPU and memory usage), and to prevent interactive tasks from interfering with one another.

To access the Task Priorities properties, select Options on the Server Management Console's navigation bar, and then select Default Properties > Tasks > Task Priorities.

You can also access these properties in the Repository by right-clicking a task, and then selecting Go to > Task Priorities.

NOTE: By default, the priorities set here are inherited by all tasks on the system unless they are overwritten by way of an individual agent, workflow, or task. For more information on inheritance hierarchies, see Property Inheritance.

Related Topics

Parameters

Property Description
Priority type Specifies the task's priority/condition for when it can run. The available options are:

  • Always run task - The task is free to operate alongside other tasks and runs without checking any priority conditions. However, this does not prevent the task from being suspended, stopped, or queued by another task that has already begun with priorities that conflict with it.

    For example, if a task with priorities set to Run task if no other tasks are running on the agent has already started, the task with priorities set to Always run task will not immediately start. Instead, the task is required to wait in a queue until completion of the task currently running, assuming the condition Hold task until condition is met is selected.

  • Run task if the number of running instances of this task is below the threshold - The task will run if the number of instances of this task currently running on the agent do not exceed the Running instances threshold value. If the number of instances exceeds this value, the selected If the condition above is not met option will occur.

  • Run task if the number of running instances of all tasks is below the threshold - The task will run if the number of instances of all tasks currently running on the agent do not exceed the Running instances threshold value. If the number of instances exceeds this value, the selected If the condition above is not met option will occur.

  • Run task if no other tasks are running on the agent - The task only runs if there are no other tasks running on the agent. This option is equivalent to the priority type Run task if the number of running instances of all tasks is below the threshold with Running instances threshold set to 1.
Running instances threshold Specifies the maximum number of running instances for a task, based on the priority/condition selected.
If the condition above is not met Specifies the action to take if the task cannot run due to its priority/condition not being met. The available options are:
  • Hold task until condition is met - Queues the task to run once all other prioritized tasks are complete. Queued tasks will run in the order received.
  • Hold task, then abort task if still not met - Queues the task to run once all other prioritized tasks are complete, but only for the time specified in the Hold duration parameter. If the specified time elapses and the task has not yet run, then the task is removed from the queue and discarded.
  • Hold task, then interrupt all running tasks and run task - Queues the task to run once all other prioritized tasks are complete, but only for the time specified in the Hold duration parameter. If the specified time elapses and the task has not yet run, all tasks currently running on the agent are interrupted, and the current task begins immediately after that. When used in conjunction with the Run task if no other tasks are running on the agent priority type, this option provides a task the highest possible running authority.
  • Interrupt all running tasks and run task -Interrupts all running tasks and then immediately runs the current task.
  • Interrupt all other running instances of this task and run task - Interrupts all currently running instances of the task and then immediately runs the task.
  • Do not run task - Prevents the task from running.
Hold duration Specifies the number of minutes to hold the task before other actions take place.
If the task does not run, treat as If the task does not run, specify how to report its status in Automate by selecting Success or Failure.