1. Workflow automation concepts and building blocks
May 2011
Munich Grasbrunn
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2. WFA basic concepts and building blocks
Workflow
Commands
Variables
Finders & filters
Functions
Policy templates
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Storage Workflow
Definition
A series of steps that performs an end-to-end Storage process
Examples
Provisioning storage for an application (SAP, Oracle, Exchange)
Provision storage component (Gold, Silver,..)
Decommission storage for an application
Storage migration for server, application or VM
Designed by an Architect, to be executed by an Operator/administrator
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Commands
Definition
An action taken as part of a workflow (excluding selection of resources)
Every workflow includes a list of commands, to be performed in order
Commands can be added by customers if written in PowerShell, Java and later on Perl
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Commands - Examples
CreateVolume
CreateQtree (or resize existing one)
Create NFS export
Setup mount
Resize aggregate
Resize Qtree quota
Add volume to dataset
Trigger 3rd party API commands (ie, VMWare)
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Workflow Table
A Workflow is defined by filling a table
Actions performed left to right, top to bottom
Commands appear as the columns of the table
Command’s sub-columns are the parameters required for every Command to operate
Example:
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Table Cell types
Constant value
Numbers or strings that will be the same in every execution of the workflow (200, ‘TMP’ , etc)
Variable (or variable attribute)
A variable is an object that needs to be defined for the commands to operate. Examples: db_data_vol, PrimaryAggr, qtree1
User Input
A value to be provided upon the execution of the workflow. Examples: $Appname, $dbData_volSize
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8. Table Cell types (cont.)
Function call
Usage of function (Either pre canned or user created) on a variable or user input. Examples: NextName($Customer), CalcVolSize(Vol.size_mb)
Expression
A combination of the aforementioned types in a formulaic expression. Examples: $VolSize - 2, vol.name + “/” + qtree.name
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Variables
Example for a use of a variable:
The command “Create Volume” requires a “Volume” type variable to operate
A Variable has a name and an object type (based on pre-defined types)
Every variable has a list of attributes that define the variable. The attributes will be given values of any applicable type (String, Integer etc.) and source (Constant, user input, other variables or variable’s attributes)
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Define a Variable
The architect can enter values for all the attributes of a variable to define it
Attributes can be entered using:
Constant values (500, ‘TMP’)
$user_inputs
Variable – volume1
A variable attribute - volume1.array.ip
Function result
Expression
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Finders & Filters
Finder
A search operation for locating resources
The finder looks for information on WFA Objects in the WFA cached repositories
Comprised of several filtering rules that “filter out” irrelevant resources
Includes a possible sorting order for the list of applicable results
Populates a variable if a match was found
Example: “Find Aggregate, Find Array, Find volume”
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12. Using a Finder to define a Variable
A Finder’s result may populate a variable:
Upon execution, the filters associated with the finder will narrow down the possible resources that correspond with the finder’s definition
The finder will then sort the short list of still applicable resources based on available attributes as per filtration criteria
The finder will either populate a variable with the information of the chosen WFA object or declare a match was not found
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13. Using a Finder to define a Variable
Example: For locating an aggregate, we will:
Input parameters for location and required capacity
Select filters would run and filter out ill matching aggregates
Sorting order will be employed based on selected aggregate attributes
The result may be either a chosen aggregate or a decision that one was not available given the selected filtration criterias
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Find Chart
Definition
A logical construct that supports defining and finding variables
Include the following step types:
Define a variable
Find a variable
Return (success)
Error (Stop workflow execution)
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15. Workflow execution preparation
Execute Find charts to define all variables
For every command and every row:
Converting cells of command’s sub columns to Command parameters from :
User input
Constant value
Variable or variable attribute
Output is a list of commands with their parameters, example:
CreateVolume “Array1” “db_vol” “200” “dedup”
CreateVolume “Array1” “log_vol” “100” “dedup”
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Workflow execution
Execute list of Commands and parameters one by one
Actions
Audit, logging
Status checks
Start, stop, pause
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Functions
A complementary tool to achieve non-trivial or black boxed operations required for planning and execution
Written in a variant of Java (Processed at run time by 3rd party library)
Examples:
Calculate volume size from actual usable size
Create a volume name following naming scheme
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Policy templates
A blueprint of object to be used as a reference or for adhering to usage policies
Examples:
Gold, silver bronze Volume
Setup object templates for fast editing
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Policy templates
Policy may be used as a source for pasting information when defining a WFA object.
Any workflow attached to a policy will use the current values of policy in execution (No backward policy enforcement)
Attached policies prohibits the user from changing it’s attached attributes
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