Timeout interval for disconnected jobs

Timeout interval for disconnected jobs system value specifies how long a disconnected job can be inactive before the job is ended and the action to take when a job reaches timeout.

If you set the timeout interval action for inactive jobs to disconnect inactive jobs, you should set the timeout for disconnected jobs to end the jobs eventually.

A disconnected job uses up system resources, as well as retaining any locks on objects. To prevent two users from trying to change the same information at the same time, the system locks a record before updating it. Any locks on resources remain in effect when a the system disconnects a user’s job. Depending on your application design and the number of users on the system, locks may cause performance problems on your system. Check with your programmer or application provider to determine if locking may impact your performance.

See Quick reference table for an overview of the timeout interval for disconnected jobs system value.

Relationship to security policy

Within your security policy you should inform users your company's expectations for managing their signon activities. Inactive jobs pose a potential risk to system resources because someone could gain access to your system through an inactive terminal. However, normal job duties often interrupt users at their workstations, so you need to provide some flexibility for these expected interruptions. Using the interactive job system values provide a means to maintain security of system resource and provide user's flexibility to perform all their job responsibilities. Your security policy should state expectations for users regarding signon activities to both their workstations and to system to which they have access. For example, users are expected to password protected their workstations and enable password protection every time they leave their workstation. If they need to leave their workstation while performing a job on the system, locking their workstation provides a first barrier to anyone who tries to gain access to your system through that workstation. However, password protection is only the first line of defense. Use the interactive job system values to ensure that malicious users do not gain access to system resources.

If a job exceeds the timeout interval for inactive jobs, the system will take the specified timeout interval action. If this action is to disconnect the job, the system will wait until the timeout interval has elapsed before disconnecting the job. If a job also exceeds the timeout interval for disconnected jobs, the system will end the job. Assume you have set the inactive job timeout interval to 30 minutes and the disconnected job timeout interval to 300 minutes or 5 hours. If a user forgets to signoff at 9:30 a.m., the system disconnects her job at 10:00 a.m. and will end the job at 3:00 p.m.

When the system ends the disconnected job, any data on the user's display that has not yet been entered into the system will be lost. If the user signs on to the same workstation before the disconnected job timeout elapses, then the job resumes from the point where the system disconnected the job.

For more in-depth information about this security value, see Chapter 3, "Security System Values" in Security Reference.