# Is it possible to influence the preferred build agent

**URL:** https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/is-it-possible-to-influence-the-preferred-build-agent/5368
**Category:** Discussion
**Created:** [June 25, 2015, 11:24am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/is-it-possible-to-influence-the-preferred-build-agent/5368 "2015-06-25T11:24:54Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![chillefeld](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/user_avatar/www.finalbuilder.com/chillefeld/32/1333_2.png) [@chillefeld](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/chillefeld)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2015, 11:24am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/is-it-possible-to-influence-the-preferred-build-agent/5368/1 "2015-06-25T11:24:54Z")

</div>

Hi,  
  
we are currently using Continua with two build agents which have vastly different performance statistics. Unfortunately whenever a build is started Continua will prefer to start it on the slower agent.   
Is there a way to tell Continua to prefer the other agent when possible?  
  
Regards,  
Christoph

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Sparky](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/user_avatar/www.finalbuilder.com/sparky/32/10_2.png) [@Sparky](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/Sparky)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2015, 3:01am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/is-it-possible-to-influence-the-preferred-build-agent/5368/2 "2015-06-26T03:01:57Z")

</div>

Hi Christophe,  
  
You can currently require a stage to run on one single agent by adding an expression to Agent Requirements tab of the Stage Options dialog. e.g." $Agent.Hostname$" Equals “AgentName”.   
  
We don’t however have any way to specify a preference of one agent over another.  
  
We have a feature called Agent Weightings listed in our to-do list. This will involve collecting agent performance metrics such as CPU, memory and disk space usage and adding them to the $Agent expression object and then creating an extra Agent Weightings tab on the Stage option dialog which will allow you to enter a weighting number against expressions involving these are other properties and variables. No time scale for this yet, but its certainly something we want to implement.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![chillefeld](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/user_avatar/www.finalbuilder.com/chillefeld/32/1333_2.png) [@chillefeld](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/chillefeld)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2015, 7:32am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/is-it-possible-to-influence-the-preferred-build-agent/5368/3 "2015-06-26T07:32:04Z")

</div>

Thanks for the info. Limiting stages to run only on one agent is not an option though.   
 Guess I’ll just have to push for new hardware then.