Automation Config: Setting Up and Executing Simple Jobs

In this series of posts, we will be exploring the Automation Config product and how to manually enable management of deployed systems, create a custom desired state, and integrate with Cloud templates. In this post, we will focus on initiating simple jobs to gain familiarity with the concept and process.

Defining Jobs in Automation Config

In Automation Config, a job is defined as a set of tasks to be performed. Out of the box, there are many pre-built jobs available, while you can also create custom jobs to suit your specific requirements. The first job we will execute is a ping job, which is one of the simplest default jobs available.

Executing the Ping Job

To execute the ping job, follow these steps:

1. Log in to the Automation Config server using your account.

2. From the navigation menu, expand the Config menu and select Jobs.

3. Select the test.ping job by clicking on its name.

4. From the navigation menu, click on Minions, then ensure All Minions is selected.

5. Locate your Ubuntu server and tick the checkbox next to it.

6. Click the RUN JOB button. In the popup dialog, select the test.ping job and tick both options to notify for success or failure of the job. Then, click RUN NOW.

Monitoring Job Execution

After running the job, you can monitor its execution by expanding the Activity menu and selecting In Progress. You will see your job queued and waiting to be executed. After a minute, refresh the screen, and the job will have disappeared. Note that the screen does not currently refresh automatically when a job’s status changes!

Examining Job Details

To view the details of the completed job, select the Completed option on the navigation menu. You will see your completed job at the top of the list. Click on the entry in the Job ID column to open up the job. The job details screen is quite intuitive and contains several sections that are important to look at:

* Summary: This section displays who executed the job, as well as the results. A green tick indicates the number of minions that reported success in executing the job, while a cross represents those that failed. The brown looking diamond symbol represents minions that have not reported back.

* Lower Portion: This section is divided into selectable sections, each containing different information about the job execution. Let’s explore each section:

+ Job History: This section displays a list of all jobs executed on the system, including the one we just ran.

+ Task History: This section displays a list of all tasks executed as part of the job, along with their status.

+ Logs: This section contains logs related to the job execution.

Executing Another Job

Let’s execute another job, this time selecting the Reboot Linux job as shown below:

Monitor the job to see when it completes. As you will see, the job reports as completed, but your server will still be rebooting. Note that this task does not wait for the server to reboot and come back online.

Conclusion

In this post, we have covered the basics of setting up and executing simple jobs in Automation Config. We have seen how to define a job, execute it, and monitor its execution. We have also explored the job details screen and the different sections it contains. In our next post, we will delve deeper into creating custom desired states and integrating with Cloud templates. Stay tuned!

Tagged: automation, SaltStack, VMware, vRealize, Paul Davey, CIO at Sonar, Automation Practice Lead at Xtravirt, guitarist in The Waders.