Microsoft IT process automation – PowerPoint Presentation, PPT - DocSlides

Microsoft IT process automation –an unexpected journey

Marcel Zehner | itnetx gmbh

Cloud & Datacenter MVP

@marcelzehner

Agenda

Why automating?

PowerShell

System Center Orchestrator

Service Management Automation

Azure

Automation

Why automating?

Automation Goals

Optimize time to delivery

Optimize transparency and tracability

Reduce human errors for better consistency

Reduce costs

Afraid automation takes away your job?

Without automation you are not

competitive, THIS is critical!

Show your boss you have a solid, automated infrastructure

Be the automation guy

PowerShell

Overview

Scripting language and interactive shell

The thing everything is based on

Never heard of it? Never touched it? Do it TODAY!

No PowerShell = no modern automation solution

Cmdlets

Lightweight

thing that

executes something

Verb-Noun

construct

Get-Process

Set-AzureVM

Start-Service

Can

accept parameters

Is delivered in a PowerShell module

Hundrets of cmdlets delivered with Windows Server OOB

Applications also deliver modules

You can create your own modules

Functions

Re-usable function

based on

multiple cmdlets

Can accept

parameters

«Function» keyword

Scripts

Sequence of

cmdlets and/or functions

Saved

to .ps1 file

Can be called from PowerShell

Execution Policy must be configured correctly

Restricted, RemoteSigned, Unrestricted etc.

Can be signed

Workflows

Looks like a script but

is NOT

a script

Compiled to a Windows Workflow Foundation assembly, then executed

Uses activities, not cmdlets

«Workflow» keyword

Supports parallel and sequencial activities

Supports checkpoints

Supports suspend & resume

Desired State Configuration (DSC)

Declarative configuration

All your configurations live in readable text-files (MOF)

Applied over and over again

No configuration drift

2 Modes

Copy MOF file to target nodes and execute

Copy MOF file to a pull server, target nodes query pull server

Expect DSC to be the primary interface for Microsoft products and services in the future

DEMOPowerShell

System Center Orchestrator

Overview

U

sed to be «Opalis», bought by Microsoft

Automate it processes, break up IT silos

Integrates into SCSM for business process

Limitations

32bit architecture

No efficient scaling

PowerShell 2

Not optimized for (really) long-running runbooks

And some more ...

Runbooks I

Series of activities

Advanced link logics

Databus to publish and

consume activity information

Activities delivered in

OIPs (integration packs)

Microsoft

Software/solution vendor

3rd party vendors

Community (many!)

Quick Integration Kit (QIK) available for own OIPs

Runbooks II

Variables

Store information that can be accessed by runbooks

Runbooks should not contain hardcoded information

Variables cannot be changed during runbook runtime

RBAC

Role-based access to SCORCH ressources

Protect folders, runbooks, variables etc.

Web Service

Web Portal

Architecture

DEMOSystem Center Orchestrator

Service Management Automation

Overview

Scalable, HA automation platform

Multiple active runbook workers

Many advantages conmpared to SCORCH

64-bit support

Native PowerShell

3

+

support with PowerShell modules

PowerShell workflow-based

Schedule

runbooks

Delivered with SCORCH source

Web portal delivered by WAP

Architecture

Managing Runbooks

Browser-based editor

Color-coding

Easily access

other runbooks,

global assets

etc.

Published and draft

version of runbook

Check out/edit

Test runbooks

Global Assets

Central «store» of assets

Connections

Credentials

PowerShell modules

Variables

Schedules

Runbooks can access

and

change

assets during runtime

Use no hardcoded

information

in

runbooks

Runbook Nesting

Trigger a runbook from another runbook

O

ption 1: Inline

PAT001-ChildRunbook

Same job (synchronous)

Directly compiled during runtime into the master runbook

Option 2: Start-SMAAutomationRunbook

Different Job (asynchronous)

DEMOService Management Automation

Azure Automation

Overview

SMA on Microsoft Azure

Manage all Azure resources

Connect to other systems that can be reached from Azure

Automation as a Service

No need to install anything, it’s just there for you

Pricing

Free

 500 minutes job runtime per month

Basic

 Unlimited minutes, 0.002$/minute (March 4 2015)

Architecture I

Architecture II

Architecture III

Delegation at subscription level

Not at automation account level (today)

No RBAC today

Up to 30 automation accounts per subscription

Can live in different regions

Separate «dev», «int» and «prod»

Avoid suspended runbooks due to «fair use»

policy

Start Runbooks From Outside Azure

Use Azure PowerShell module

Connect

to Azure subscription

Add-AzureAccount

Select-AzureSubscription

Start-AzureAutomationRunbook

DEMOAzure Automation

Conslusion

Conslusion

Doing a task more than once? Automate it!

Invest in PowerShell, it’s all about that!

Know your IT process automation options to make the correct

decision

Coming Soon And/Or vNext

Microsoft

goal: «One

Automation Solution» for Azure and on

premise

Graphical authoring

Create

workflows using drag’n’drop

Workflow visualization

Role-based access

Protect runbooks and

assets

New Portal for Azure

Service Manager SMA Connector



SCU 2015 Europe

August 24-26

Basel-Switzerland

60+ sessions

Top speakers from around the world

Exhibition area

Ask the experts area

Early bird CHF 659, everything included!

www.systemcenteruniverse.ch

Microsoft IT process automation –an unexpected journey

Marcel Zehner | itnetx gmbh

Cloud & Datacenter MVP

@marcelzehner