Example: Automating service requests to create a virtual machine in Microsoft Azure

The following video (2:26) explains how to automate a user request for virtual machine creation:

https://youtu.be/ytn_M5Pxcpo

Task 1: To create an Azure connector

1. Log in to BMC Helix Digital Workplace Catalog.
2. On the Administration tab, click Connectors.
3. Select Connectors > Azure, and click Add new setting.

4. Enter the following fields:

   Field	Description
   Connection Id	Connection ID for the connection.
   Name	Name for the connection.
   Subscription Id	ID obtained while creating the Azure account.
   Tenant Id	Value of the Directory ID corresponding to Active Directory in Azure.
   Client Id	Value of the Application ID obtained after creating an application in Azure Active Directory.
   Client Key	The password that you specified during the creation of the Active Directory account.
   Region	The region from the available Microsoft Azure regions.

5. Click Save.

Task 2: To define Create Azure VM service

1. Log in to BMC Helix Digital Workplace Catalog.
2. On the Services tab, click Services.
   The service BMC Sample Create Virtual Machine <version> is displayed in the Service Management console.

1. Select the service, click Actions, and click Edit Service Name.
   

1. Update the service name, and click Save.
   For example, Create Azure VM.

Task 3: To define Create Azure VM service workflow

1. In the BMC Helix Digital Workplace Catalogapplication, in the Service Management console, select the Create Azure VM service.
2. Click Actions and click Open.
3. In the Service Options pane, click Edit corresponding to the Workflow option.
   

1. In the Workflow and Questions pane, in the Workflow section, click Edit.
   
   The following workflow is displayed in the Workflow designer:
   
   The following elements are used in the workflow:
   • Create Vm—Creates a virtual machine in Azure based on the input variables provided to the workflow. 
   • Send User Message—Uses the Create Vm output and sends an email to the service requester with details of the virtual machine that is created.

1. If required, update the workflow input variables.
   The following input variables are available:
    
   Map these input variables to the service questionnaire so that the user responses to service questions are used as variable values.
2. Select the Send User Message element in the workflow and update the Outgoing Profile Source and Outgoing Email Profile properties.

1. Save the changes.

Task 4: To define Create Azure VM service questionnaire

1. In the BMC Helix Digital Workplace Catalogapplication, in the Service Management console, select the Create Azure VM service.
2. Click Actions and click Open.
3. In the Service Options pane, click Edit corresponding to the Workflow option.
   
   

4. In the Workflow and Questions pane, in the Questions section, click Edit.
   
   The following questions are displayed in the Questions Designer:

   Question	Description
   vnName	The value specifies the name of the virtual machine. Users can specify any name.
   subscriptionID	Values are populated by using the Subscription Azure Resource Graph. Users can select any one of the values.
   region	Values are populated based on the selected subscriptionID. Users can select any one of the values.
   imagePublisher	Values are populated based on the selected region. Users can select any one of the values.
   imageOffer	Values are populated based on the selected imagePublisher. Users can select any one of the values.
   imageSKU	Values are populated based on the selected imageOffer. Users can select any one of the values.
   imageVersion	Values are populated based on the selected imageSKU. Users can select any one of the values.
   imageURL	Values are populated based on the selected imageVersion. Users can select any one of the values.
   customImageID	Values are populated based on the selected imageURL. Users can select any one of the values.
   osType	Values are populated based on the selected subscriptionID. Users can select any one of the values.
   IsExistingResourceGroup	Value specifies whether the virtual machine belongs to an existing resource group. Users can specify the value as True or False.
   ResourceGroupName	Values are populated by using Resource Group Name Azure Resource Graph. Users can select any one of the values.
   networkName	Values are populated based on the selected ResourceGroupName. Users can select any one of the values.
   subnet	Values are populated based on the selected networkName. Users can select any one of the values.

5. If you have added additional input variables in the workflow to receive inputs from the service requester, add questions corresponding to the variables.
6. Save the changes.

Task 5: To publish the Create Azure VM service

1. In the BMC Helix Digital Workplace Catalogapplication, in the Service Management console, select the Create Azure VM service.
2. In the Service Options pane, click , and click Publish.
   

After you publish the service, the service is available to users.

Task 6: To test the Create Azure VM service

1. Log in to BMC Helix Digital Workplaceapplication.
2. Submit a virtual machine creation request by using the Create Azure VM service.
   

1. Verify that you receive an email about virtual machine creation.

Result

The Create Azure VM service is available to users. Users can submit Azure virtual machine creation requests by using this service, and their requests are processed automatically.