Automating patching operations in BMC Helix Innovation Suite

As an operator, use the Patch Orchestrator, powered by BMC HelixGPT, to automate the end-to-end patching workflow in TrueSight Server Automation, including pre-patching, patching, and post-patching actions by using a simplified UI in BMC Helix Innovation Suite.

Before you begin

Before you start using Patch Orchestrator, make sure you complete the following prerequisites:

Sr.	Action	Product	Role	Reference
1.	Create or update patch catalogs Create patching jobs	TrueSight Server Automation	Patching administrator	Creating and updating patch catalogs Creating a Patching Job Creating and running a job that uses the NSH script Template NSH script for pre-patch checks Important: Make sure to perform the following actions when creating the patching job: Select Create remediation artifacts in the Remediation options panel. Select Do not execute in the Deploy Job Options panel.
2.	Create server groups Create server smart groups	TrueSight Server Automation	Patching administrator	Assigning servers to server groups
3.	Assign the following permission in BMC Helix Portal: Server Automation > Agentic AI Automations	BMC Helix Portal	Adminstrator	Setting up roles and permissions
4.	Configure the TrueSight Server Automation connector	BMC Helix Automation Console	Administrator	Configuring the TrueSight Server Automation connector
5.	Configure Email Engine mailboxes	BMC Helix Innovation Suite	Administrator	Configuring Email Engine mailboxes
6.	Create an Outgoing Email Profile	BMC Helix Innovation Suite	Administrator	Configuring email profiles and templates

To create an automation run in Patch Orchestrator

1. Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Suite.
2. On the Workspace tab, from the Application launcher, select BMC Helix Server Automation.
3. On the Automation Runs page, click Create Automation Run.
4. On the Create Automation Run page, provide the following details:

   Field	Description
   Automation Information	Enter a unique name for the automation run (Optional) Enter a description for the run
   Jobs	Enter the NSH Script Job ID created in TrueSight Server Automation by executing the /api/v1/nshscript-jobs API. Enter the Patch Job ID created in TrueSight Server Automation by executing the /api/v1/patching-jobs API.
   Server group IDs	Enter the IDs of the server groups created in TrueSight Server Automation by executing the /api/v1/groups/{type} API. You can enter multiple comma-separated IDs in this field.
   Automation Schedule	Select one of the following options to execute the automation run: Select Set Schedule to execute the automation run at a future date  In the Schedule start time field, click the calendar icon and select the date and time. The automation will run on the selected date and time. In the Maintenance window schedule field, click the calendar icon and select the date and time. The deploy (commit) will run on the selected date and time. Select Execute now to execute the automation run immediately.
   Change request	Use the toggle key to trigger a change request.
   Retry Attempts	Select the number of retry attempts for the automation run. You can select a maximum of 10 retries.
   Notifications	To send an email notification on the status of the automation run, perform the following actions: Select the Send email to checkbox. Enter one or more email addresses, separated by commas.

5. Click Save.

To view automation run results

After you execute an Automation run, the results are displayed on the Automation Runs page.

• Enter the Automation run name in the Search box to find a specific automation run.
• Select or clear the results filter checkboxes to view the automation run results according to the following results:
  • Success
  • In progress
  • Failed
  • Awaiting approval
  • Scheduled
• Click on an Automation run name to view its details.
  
• Click on a target name to view the summary of jobs executed in the automation run.
  

To resolve pre-patch failure

When a pre-patching or NSH job fails, the automation run status is Awaiting User Action.

To resolve pre-patching failure, perform the following steps:

1. Click the Action menu against the automation run awaiting user action.
2. Select Resolve Pre-Patch Failure.
   
3. Select Continue to proceed with the automation run, or Abort to end the automation run.
   

To update the Application Configuration

1. Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Suite.
2. On the Workspace tab, from the Application launcher, select BMC Helix Server Automation.
3. Click Settings , and then expand Application Configuration.
4. Click Common Configurations.
5. Update the following fields, as required:
   1. Web API Connection Name
   2. API Page Size
   3. Outgoing Email Profile
6. Click Save.