Creating or modifying an operation

The portal provides a standard interface for defining all types of operations except provisioning. A simple wizard steps you through the process of creating an operation. 

To create an operation, specify the type of operation, the content that defines the operation, and its targets. You can also optionally specify the notifications the operation generates and a schedule for when it runs. 

This topic describes the full capabilities available when you create an operation. It includes the sections listed below. For a compact example demonstrating how to create a typical operation, see Example-of-creating-an-operation.

• • Types of operations
  • To create or modify an operation
  • Definition
  • Content
  • Targets
  • Notifications
  • Schedule and Run
  • Local Properties
  • Parameters

Types of operations

The following operation types are possible in BladeLogic Portal:

• Batch — Concatenates a series of jobs. To define a Batch operation, you must identify a Batch Job in BMC Server Automation.
• Compliance — Determines whether BMC Server Automation components satisfy compliance rules established for a component template. To define a Compliance operation, you must identify a Compliance Job that was defined in BMC Server Automation or select a component template and define your own operation.
• Deploy — Deploys content to one or more target servers or BMC Server Automation components. To define a Deploy operation, you must identify a Deploy Job that was defined in BMC Server Automation or select content to deploy (such as a BLPackage) and define your own operation
• NSH Script — Deploys and executes a Network Shell (NSH) script. To define an NSH Script operation, you must identify an NSH Script Job that was defined in BMC Server Automation or select an NSH script and define your own operation.
• Patch Analysis — Examines the patch configuration on one or more servers based on a collection of patches called a patch catalog. To define a Patch Analysis operation, you must identify a Patching Job that was defined in BMC Server Automation or select a patch catalog and define your own operation. For a detailed description, see Creating-or-modifying-a-Patch-Analysis-operation.
• Provisioning — Creates a new instance of a virtual machine (VM), including all computing, storage, and network capabilities and an unattended installation of an operating system. Optional post-install procedures can configure the newly provisioned VM. Although the process of creating a Provisioning wizard includes steps common to all portal operations, other steps are different enough that the procedure is described separately in Creating-a-Provisioning-operation.

To create or modify an operation

1. To create or modify an operation, do one of the following actions from the operations list page:
   • Click the Create Operation drop-down list and select a type of operation.
   • Position your cursor over an existing operation and click Edit.
     
     The Create Operation page opens. It presents the steps you must follow to create or modify an operation. Headings in a ribbon of chevrons at the top of the page identify each step. After you provide all required information, proceed to the next page by clicking Next (at bottom left) or clicking the next chevron.
     
     At any time you can click Back (at bottom left, not the browser's Back button) to display the previous page in the process.
     
     The blue boxes at right summarize the information provided for each step in the process.
     
     

2. Depending on the type of job you selected, the Operation wizard requires you to complete different pages. Each row in the table below provides links to the steps required for each page. 

   Tip

   Press "f" to view the table in full screen view.

   Operation Type	Definition	Content	Targets	Local Properties	Parameters	Notifications	Schedule & Run
   Batch	Required	Required	View only	NA	NA	View only	View only
   Compliance	Required	Required	Required for operations based on templates; view only for operations based on jobs	NA	NA	Optional for operations based on templates; view only for operations based on jobs	Optional for operations based on templates; view only for operations based on jobs
   Deploy	Required	Required	View only	Applicable only to operations based on packages	NA	View only	View only
   NSH Script	Required	Required	Required for operations based on scripts; view only for operations based on jobs	NA	Applicable only to operations based on NSH scripts	Optional for operations based on scripts; view only for operations based on jobs	Optional for operations based on scripts; view only for operations based on jobs
   Patch Analysis	See Creating-or-modifying-a-Patch-Analysis-operation.
   Provisioning	See Creating-a-Provisioning-operation.

3. When you are done defining the operation, take any of the following actions:
   • Click Execute Now to save the operation and run it immediately.
   • Click Finish to save a new operation or Update to save a modified operation.

 The following sections describe in detail each page in the Operation wizard, and the steps required for each page.

Definition

The Definition page provides general information about the operation.

Content

The Content page specifies the content that an operation uses when it executes. You can only specify content when creating an operation; for an existing operation, you cannot modify content. Typically, when specifying content, you select a BMC Server Automation job. 

Find content by using any of the procedures described below:

Targets

The Targets page specifies the targets that an operation acts on when it executes. For targets, you can choose servers, server groups, components, or component groups.

Notifications

The Notifications page defines notifications that are generated based on conditions you specify. For example, you can instruct the portal to send an email when an operation fails or aborts.

Schedule and Run

The Schedule & Run page is where you schedule the execution of an operation. From this page, you can also run an operation immediately.

Local Properties

In the Local Properties page, you can review and modify values for local properties that are used when a Deploy job in BMC Server Automation deploys a BLPackage for which local properties have been defined. Typically, local properties are used to deploy a package multiple times to the same target server.

Parameters

In the Parameters page, you can review and modify values for parameters that are used when an NSH Script Job in BMC Server Automation runs a script. The Parameters page is only available when you create or modify an NSH Script operation.