SLOs false positives in 24.x using archive keys and custom attributes

Products

• CA Automic Workload Automation - Automation Engine
• CA Automic One Automation

Issue/Introduction

After upgrading to version 24.4.2 or earlier, Service level objects (SLO) have unexpected activation or violation behavior, especially when using Archive keys and custom attributes in the Service Selection criteria.

For instance, a SLO may be set up with a CUSTOM Attribute equal to something specific and also specify using an Archive key 1 not equal to a certain string.  When a job runs that DOES have the archive key set to that string and it has a CUSTOM attribute equal to a specific string, it will activate the SLO when it should not.  This incorrect behavior DOES NOT happen in 21.0.  Full example:

1) In client 0, add the following line to UC_CUSTOM_ATTRIBUTES:

Key: NOTIFY_ON_LONG_RUNNING#

Value 1: VARA.LONG_RUNNING

Value 2: Notify on Long Running Job

2) In a non-0 client, create a variable called VARA.LONG_RUNNING with two entries; give it Key/Value1: NO  and Key/Value1: YES

3) Create a SLO object (here, called SLO.NOT_EQUAL_TEST)

4) In the Service selection:

For Service Beneficiaries, choose "Notify on Long Running Job: NO"

In Service selection:

    All

 Object Type equals "JOBS"

 Archive Key 1 not equals "TEST"

5) In Fullfillment Criteria:

Service Fullfillment:     "End with specific end status" checked with "ANY_OK_OR_UNBLOCKED"

Actions: On violation checked with "SCRI.HELLO.WORLD"

6) Create a script called scri.hello.world that simply has this in the process:

:send_msg ,,'hello world'

7) Create windows job, give it an agent and a login that works

8) Make it so that this job will go to ENDED_NOT_OK - I put a dur command in mine

If the Archive Key 1 is set to something besides test, and the Custom Attribute is set to NO, we would expect it to kick off a hello world message.  If not, no message should show up.

The following is a table of what happens for a test on each of the specifications above (JOBS, Archive key set, Custom Attribute set):

Archive Key 1	Custom Attribute set to...	Task Type	End status	SLO activation expected?	SLO activation occurs?
TEST		JOBS	ENDED_NOT_OK	NO	NO
SOMETHINGELSE		JOBS	ENDED_NOT_OK	NO	NO
TEST	NO	JOBS	ENDED_NOT_OK	NO	YES <- Unexpected
SOMETHINGELSE	NO	JOBS	ENDED_NOT_OK	YES	YES <- expected
	NO	JOBS	ENDED_NOT_OK	YES	YES <- expected
		JOBS	ENDED_NOT_OK	NO	NO
TEST	YES	JOBS	ENDED_NOT_OK	NO	NO
SOMETHINGELSE	YES	JOBS	ENDED_NOT_OK	NO	NO
	YES	JOBS	ENDED_NOT_OK	NO	NO

Environment

Automic Automation: all 24.x releases prior to 24.4.3

Resolution

This is caused by a defect with the product and will be fixed with release 24.4.3 which has a tentative release date in early December, 2025