VIPCON E-Bonding Runbook for BMC Atrium Orchestrator extends and makes use of the following BMC Software technology platforms:

• BMC Remedy ITSM Suite 7.6.04 or higher
• BMC Atrium Orchestrator 7.6.04 or higher

The solution extends the BMC Remedy ITSM Suite by additional forms and workflows. The E-Bonding Runbook application leaves the out of the box code as it is. This ensures the BMC upgrade capabilities for 100%. The module comes along with clear defined groups and roles.
The extension of BMC Atrium Orchestrator is implemented in multiple Orchestrator modules. The BMC upgrade capability is 100% given.
The picture shows how E-Bonding Runbook integrates into the BMC Software platforms BMC Remedy ITSM Suite and BMC Atrium Orchestrator. In addition to those platforms, E-Bonding Runbook requires a database schema for the Transaction Database.

Figure 2 E-Bonding Runbook Architecture
As shown in the figure the application E-Bonding Runbook consists of different modules, which are implemented, in different software platforms. The following chapters give an overview of the E-Bonding Runbook modules sorted by technology platform they are implemented in.
It's strongly recommended to operate the BMC Atrium Orchestrator platform in high-availability mode.

E-Bonding Runbook Core Modules – BMC Remedy ITSM Suite

This chapter gives an overview of E-Bonding Runbook modules, which are basing on the platform BMC Remedy ITSM Suite.

Overview Rule Engine

The Rule Engine is a set of configuration and management forms, implemented in Remedy ARS and accessible through the ITSM Application Administration.
The E-Bonding Runbook Partner Configuration enables administrators to register new interface partner systems in a data driven manner. In addition, ITSM Support Groups can be mapped to interface partners. This principal defines the basic rules for the E-Bonding Runbook Event Engine and allows clear mappings of events to specific interface partner systems.
The E-Bonding Runbook Partner Message Configuration is a configuration option on top of the partner configuration. Administrators can configure a set of enabled E-Bonding Runbook messages per interface partner system.
The E-Bonding Runbook KPI Console enables administrators and interface owners to get a complete overview of E-Bonding Runbook. The measurements contain important indicators regarding performance, health and load of the platform.
The E-Bonding Runbook Log Console is focused to administrators and implementers and grants simple and full access to all logging events that E-Bonding Runbook triggers.
Details for the usage of the Rule Engine can be gathered from chapter 3 and the VIPCON E-Bonding Runbook for BMC Atrium Orchestrator – User Guide.

Overview Event Engine

The Event Engine is a set of Remedy ARS workflow objects that collect events in the ITSM Suite Incident Management and / or Change Management module. The events are the source for all outbound interface communication.
A Remedy module that supports the internal processing logic of the E-Bonding Runbook platform completes the Event Engine. Events are processed based on defined E-Bonding Runbook rules, enriched by required transactional data and send to the E-Bonding Runbook Transaction Database.
The Rule & Event Engine is designed completely as an extension to the out of the box ITSM forms and workflows. This ensures the BMC upgrade capabilities for 100%. The module comes along with clear defined groups and roles.
For further information on the Event Engine see chapter 4

E-Bonding Runbook Core Modules – BMC Atrium Orchestrator

This chapter gives an overview of E-Bonding Runbook modules, which are basing on the platform BMC Atrium Orchestrator.

Overview Transaction Engine

The E-Bonding Runbook Transaction Engine includes all workflows and processes to provide the rich amount of E-Bonding Runbook features. This module covers the processing of inbound and outbound message and the transaction lifecycle. All transactions are handled in defined states and can be monitored end2end.
In addition, the Transaction Engine fulfills the transformation procedure, described within the Message Library and verifies inbound events.
The Transaction Engine defines status values for transaction metadata and enables the E-Bonding Runbook platform to connect ITSM Suite with partner systems in an asynchronous way.
The E-Bonding Runbook base configuration for events (processed by the Transaction Engine) is done and stored in the E-Bonding Runbook Administration Console within the Remedy AR System.

Overview Message Library

The E-Bonding Runbook Message Library contains a complete set of messages, which can be used by interface partners to communicate with the ITSM Incident Management and / or Change Management module. The standard messages are already built to support bi-directional interfaces.
For further information on the Message Library see guides:

• VIPCON E-Bonding Runbook Message Library - Incident
• VIPCON E-Bonding Runbook Message Library - Change

Overview High Availability

In case of a system breakdown or planned downtime, E-Bonding Runbook has a persistence layer to continue the interface processes after the restart of the underlying BMC Atrium Orchestrator platform or one of the interface partner systems.
The persistence layer is the central data storage to provide all necessary information to the connected BMC Atrium Orchestrator grids in a multi-grid environment. There is no need for additional configuration. E-Bonding Runbook can be scaled and adjusted to the customer business requirements at each time.
For further information on High Availability see chapter 3.10.

Overview Error Handling

The E-Bonding Runbook Partner Feedback provides the interface partner system with an error code and a detailed error message for each error that can happen during the inbound operation. In case of Remedy ITSM errors (e.g. through the creation of a new ticket), the ARERR error messages are forwarded to the partner system within the SOAP response. The partner system implementation is responsible to cover this kind of errors.
If an outbound operation fails, then E-Bonding Runbook generates a detailed log entry in ITSM. The log entry includes an error code and a detailed error message. This makes the whole communication transparent. The E-Bonding Runbook Log Console provides a rich amount of information for each transaction to permit the analysis of upcoming transaction errors.
E-Bonding Runbook provides a configurable retry function for all outbound transactions. In case of an unsuccessful communication between the E-Bonding Runbook system and the partner interface, E-Bonding Runbook sends the message in specific periods of time again automatically. The retry method can be configured per partner system within the Rule Engine.
E-Bonding Runbook defines no exception handling process neither for outbound nor inbound operations. E-Bonding Runbook provides all available data to support the exception handling process, defined by the customer and any interface partner.
For further information on Error Handling see chapters 3.9 and 8 .

E-Bonding Runbook Core Module - Transaction Database

E-Bonding Runbook stores all data that are necessary for the transaction in the so-called Transaction Database. E-Bonding Runbook uses standard SQL and supports MySQL and Oracle databases. The Transaction Database defines the E-Bonding Runbook persistence layer and supports stability and performance features by queuing and configurable chunking.
Inbound messages contain metadata and transaction data. Optionally, a partner system specific "enabler" module can be used to translate the partner system messages to the E-Bonding Runbook standard message.
Outbound messages contain metadata and transaction data. Only metadata needs to be stored in the E-Bonding Runbook Transaction Database.