Application Maintenance Best Practices

Objective:

• Overview of Adeptia Connect management best practices.

• Focus on log management, queue processing, and database maintenance.

• Enhances system stability and performance.

• Ensures effective troubleshooting.

Table of Content

• Log Management & Cleanup

• Queue Processor Management

• Scheduler Management

• Database Maintenance

• Log Retention & Scheduling

• Kernal & Web Runner Maintenance

• Content & Portal Log Cleanup

1. Log Management and Cleanup

Adeptia Connect retains both design-time and runtime information in its log database tables. Logs are essential for debugging and troubleshooting but, over time, can consume significant disk space and impact system performance if not properly managed. Therefore, consistent log cleanup is critical to ensure system efficiency.

a. Accessing the Application Maintenance Screen:

To manage logs and perform system maintenance, you must first access the Application Maintenance screen:

1. Log in to Adeptia Connect.

2. Navigate to the Account drop-down menu.

3. Select Maintenance.

This screen allows you to view and manage runtime logs, archived logs, and other system-level maintenance tasks.

b. Log Cleanup and Archival:

Logs can be cleaned up either manually or automatically, depending on your organization's needs:

Manual Cleanup:

Manual cleanup is typically used when immediate action is needed, such as when dealing with an embedded database or in cases of unexpected storage buildup. This method allows you to directly control which logs are deleted.

• Steps for Manual Cleanup:

  1. Access the Log Cleanup section from the Application Maintenance screen.

  2. Manually select the logs to delete, focusing on older logs that are no longer necessary.

  3. Confirm your action to free up space and enhance performance.

Automatic Cleanup:

Automating log cleanup ensures that system logs are managed without requiring manual intervention, which is especially beneficial in environments with regular logging activity.

• Steps for Automatic Cleanup Configuration:

  1. Navigate to Administer > Configure > Application Settings > Update System Properties > Maintenance > Log Cleanup Properties.

  2. Set a Cron expression to define the log cleanup schedule. By default, logs are set to clean up daily at 8 PM.

  3. Adjust the retention period according to system requirements (default is 5 days).

  4. After making changes, click on Reload Configuration and restart both the kernel and Webrunner to apply the new settings.

Benefits of Automatic Cleanup:

• Ensures that logs are deleted regularly, preventing storage overload.

• Reduces manual oversight and intervention.

• Helps maintain optimal system performance by freeing up resources.

2. Queue Processor Management

The Queue Processor page provides an overview of the current process flows, including running, ready, queued, and corrupt process flows. Proper management of the queue ensures that system resources are efficiently allocated, and that process flows are executed in a timely manner.

a. Key Features of the Queue Processor:

• Quick Search and Advanced Search: These tools allow you to filter and sort large sets of queued records quickly, making it easier to manage ongoing processes.

b. Conditions for Bypassing the Queue Processor:

Certain types of process flows bypass the Queue Processor and are executed immediately:

• Real-Time Processing Priority: Process flows with this priority are executed without entering the queue.

• Web Service Provider Executions: Flows initiated via Web services are handled immediately.

• Trigger in Sequence: If an event is marked as "Trigger in Sequence," the process flow is executed directly.

• Child Process Flows: These flows are executed without queuing when invoked by a parent process.

c. Cleaning Up Queued Processes:

To avoid build-up in the queue, it's essential to periodically clean up processes that are stuck or no longer needed.

• Steps for Cleaning Up Queued Processes:

  1. Log in to Adeptia Connect.

  2. Navigate to Account > Maintenance > Queue Processor.

  3. Click Cleanup Now to remove all ready and queued process flows.

  4. Confirm the action by selecting Yes.

This action pauses the kernel, removes unnecessary queued flows, and resumes the kernel, ensuring that the system remains efficient. Review the KernelApplication.log and WebrunnerApplication.log files located at ServerKernel > logs > applicationlog for a detailed cleanup report.

3. Scheduler Management

Schedulers in Adeptia Connect control automated processes such as data synchronization, backups, and file transfers. Mismanaged schedules can lead to resource congestion, whereas optimized schedules enhance system performance and reduce the risk of delays or conflicts.

Best Practices for Scheduler Management:

• Regular Review of Job Schedules: Periodically review all scheduled jobs to ensure they are still necessary and optimally timed.

• Off-Peak Execution: Whenever possible, schedule resource-heavy jobs during off-peak hours to avoid bottlenecks during periods of high system usage.

• Error Monitoring: Ensure that error logs associated with scheduled tasks are regularly reviewed for any signs of process failure or delays.

4. Database Maintenance

Adeptia Connect relies on a robust database to store logs, records, and runtime data. Over time, this data can grow excessively large, leading to performance degradation. Regular database maintenance ensures the database operates efficiently, and old or unnecessary records are removed.

a. Steps for Manual Database Log Cleanup:

1. Save any ongoing activities on the Adeptia Server.

2. Log out of the Adeptia Server to prevent conflicts during maintenance.

3. Restart the Adeptia Kernel and Webrunner to refresh system resources.

4. Stop the Adeptia Kernel and Webrunner again to initiate the cleanup.

5. Navigate to AdeptiaServer\ServerKernel\embeddedDb\db on your server.

6. Open the logs.script file and delete all INSERT statements, as these represent outdated log entries.

7. Save the file and restart the Adeptia Kernel and Webrunner to complete the cleanup process.

Benefits of Database Maintenance:

• Prevents database bloat by removing unnecessary logs.

• Enhances query performance and reduces server load.

• Ensures that the system remains responsive during critical operations.

5. Log Retention and Scheduling

a. Log Retention Policy:

Implementing a proper log retention policy ensures that old logs are removed in a timely manner, freeing up disk space without losing critical information for debugging or compliance purposes.

• Best Practice for Retention Period: Adjust the retention period based on the system's logging volume and the frequency of troubleshooting. For high-traffic environments, a shorter retention period (e.g., 3-5 days) may be sufficient, while lower-volume systems may benefit from longer retention (e.g., 10-15 days).

b. Log Cleanup Scheduling:

• Manual Log Retention: In environments where detailed oversight of logs is required, manual retention allows for more precise control of what logs are deleted.

• Automatic Log Retention: Configure automatic retention policies for consistent log cleanup without manual intervention, reducing the risk of storage overload.

Steps to Configure Log Retention:

1. Navigate to Administer > Configure > Application Settings.

2. Update the log retention properties based on your organizational needs.

3. Restart the kernel to apply changes.

Automatic:

You can control the log cleanup properties by going to :
Administer > Configure > Application Settings > Update System Properties > Maintenance > Log Cleanup Properties

In the picture below the cleanup requires a Cron Expression. As a default it is set to cleanup daily at 8 PM (i.e., 20 hours). You can refer to Help on how to change the expression.

The second property refers to Retention time, as a default it is set to retain 5 days of logs.

After changing the properties, click on the reload configuration link and also restart the kernels and webrunner.

6. Kernel and Webrunner Maintenance

The Kernel and Webrunner services form the backbone of Adeptia Connect’s process flows. Ensuring that these services are regularly maintained and restarted helps to resolve memory leaks, improve performance, and clear any hung processes that could degrade system responsiveness.

Best Practice for Kernel and Webrunner Maintenance:

• Periodic Restarts: Schedule regular restarts of the Kernel and Webrunner to refresh system resources and clear out any stale processes.

• Controlled Shutdown and Restart: Always perform a controlled shutdown and restart, especially after log cleanup, configuration changes, or updates.

7. Content and Portal Log Cleanup

In addition to system logs, Adeptia generates logs for portal activities, such as user actions, system events, and application-level errors. These logs need periodic cleanup to prevent them from filling up disk space.

Steps for Portal Log Cleanup:

1. Access the logs located at ServerKernel > logs > applicationlog.

2. Identify older logs that are no longer needed.

3. Delete or archive these logs to free up disk space.

4. Restart the Kernel and Webrunner to refresh the system after log cleanup.

Conclusion:

Adopting these best practices ensures the smooth operation of Adeptia Connect, minimizes the risk of system slowdowns, and enhances overall performance. Regular log management, queue processing, database maintenance, and timely restarts are essential to keeping the system efficient and stable. Proactively managing these areas will prevent issues before they arise and ensure that when problems occur, they can be resolved quickly with minimal impact on operations.

For more detailed guidance on the steps mentioned, refer to Adeptia’s support documentation or contact your system administrator for assistance.