VCAP6-CMA Deploy - Objective 5.3: Create/Modify/Execute a vRealize Orchestrator Workflow


VMware vRealize Automation vRealize Application Services VCAP6 VCAP6-CMA

Published on 18 July 2017 by Christopher Lewis. Words: 673. Reading Time: 4 mins.

Objective Overview

Objective 5.3 - Create/Modify/Execute a vRealize Orchestrator Workflow

  • Create/modify/troubleshoot actions
  • Create/modify/execute vRO workflows
  • Install/launch/use the vRO client
  • Configure variable binding in a vRO workflow
  • Perform logging from a vRO workflow
  • Add schema elements to a vRO workflow
  • Run workflow(s) in the vRO HTTP-REST plug-in to invoke a REST operation
  • Modify a workflow to display a non-default icon
  • Create a configuration element
  • Modify a workflow to use to a configuration element

Objective Prerequisites

The following prerequisites are assumed for this Objective:

  1. A fully deployed vRealize Orchestrator Appliance or Cluster.

Objective Breakdown

Install/launch/use the vRO client

When using the External vRealize Orchestrator Appliance, the client can be obtained from https://vro-appliance.fqdn:8281.

You can either choose to launch the vRO JAVA Client directly from the appliance or you can download an “installable” and save it to you local machine to run it.

When using the Embedded vRealize Orchestrator, you can obtain the client from https://vra-appliance.fqdn/.

This allows you to launch the vRO JAVA client from the vRA Appliance.

Note: if you have download thed vRO Client you can still point it to the embedded vRO instance as long as they’re identical versions.

Enter the Host name (https://vro-appliance.fqdn), User name and Password. Then click Login.

Note: this can be pointed to the embedded vRO or external vRO appliance. If using the embedded vRO appliance, the username and password should be the System Administrator (i.e. administrator@vsphere.local ). If using an external appliance the default username and password is vcoadmin (unless you have configured the administrator group via the configuration portal).

You are now ready to get your workflow groove on!

Create an Action

I see actions a “modules” within vRealize Orchestrator. They are bits of JavaScript code that can be used by (amongst other things) Workflows. They differ from Scriptable Tasks because Actions can be shared between workflows.

Ensure that Design from the view dropdown.

Click the Action icon

(optional) Create a New Module

Right click on <user>@<server-fqdn>.

Select New module.

Enter a module name, the generally accepted notation is the domain in reverse, such as local.thecloudxpert.example.

Right-click on the desired module.

Click Add action…

Update the name of the Action and click OK.

Click Scripting.

If you expect the Action to return a particular object type (such as a number or string), click on void.

Locate the appropriate Return Type from the (searchable) list.

(optionally) If you expect the action to return an array of objects, select the Array Of option.

Click Accept.

Click the Add Parameter icon.

Click arg_N.

Update the name of the parameter to something meaningful and click OK.

(optional) Change the parameter type by clicking string (which is the default type).

Choose the required object type (optionally choose the Array Of option) and click Accept.

Add additional parameters as needed.

Note: Unlike a programme language for every Parameter added here, you will need to provide a value when calling it from another action or a workflow. There is no concept of “Method Overloading”.

Now its time to write your Javascript in the script window.

Note: As you will see from the basic example below, keywords (such as system, server, return, etc) will be highlighted in Bold. When the input parameters are used, the words will change colour.

Once completed, click Save and Close.

Modify/Troubleshoot an Actions

The modification and troubleshooting an Action is not something that is prescriptive. You must understand how to change the return type, add/update/remove parameters and how to write JavaScript. All but the JavaScript is covered in the previous section.

Create/Modify a vRO workflow

To be completed

Execute a vRO workflow

To be completed

Configure Variable Binding in a vRO workflow

To be completed

Perform Logging from a vRO workflow

To be completed

Add Schema Elements to a vRO workflow

To be completed

Run workflow(s) in the vRO HTTP-REST plug-in to invoke a REST operation

To be completed

Modify a workflow to display a non-default icon

Check out http://www.jonathanmedd.net/2014/10/vco-custom-workflow-icons.html

Create a configuration element

To be completed

Modify a workflow to use to a configuration element

To be completed

Published on 18 July 2017 by Christopher Lewis. Words: 673. Reading Time: 4 mins.