Developing with VMware vCenter Orchestrator

164 Pages·2014·2.26 MB·English

Developing with VMware vCenter
Orchestrator
vCenter Orchestrator 5.5.1
This document supports the version of each product listed and
supports all subsequent versions until the document is
replaced by a new edition. To check for more recent editions
of this document, see http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs.
EN-001341-01
Developing with VMware vCenter Orchestrator
You can find the most up-to-date technical documentation on the VMware Web site at:
http://www.vmware.com/support/
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Copyright © 2008–2014 VMware, Inc. All rights reserved. Copyright and trademark information.
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Contents
Developing with VMware vCenter Orchestrator 7
Updated Information 9

1 Developing Workflows 11
Key Concepts of Workflows 13
Workflow Parameters 13
Workflow Attributes 13
Workflow Schema 14
Workflow Presentation 14
Workflow Tokens 14
Phases in the Workflow Development Process 14
Access Rights for the Orchestrator Client 14
Testing Workflows During Development 15
Creating and Editing a Workflow 15
Create a Workflow 15
Edit a Workflow 16
Edit a Workflow from the Standard Library 16
Workflow Editor Tabs 17
Provide General Workflow Information 18
Defining Attributes and Parameters 18
Define Workflow Parameters 19
Define Workflow Attributes 19
Attribute and Parameter Naming Restrictions 20
Workflow Schema 21
View Workflow Schema 22
Building a Workflow in the Workflow Schema 22
Schema Elements 25
Schema Element Properties 28
Links and Bindings 31
Decisions 36
Exception Handling 39
Foreach Elements and Composite Types 40
Obtaining Input Parameters from Users When a Workflow Starts 43
Creating the Input Parameters Dialog Box In the Presentation Tab 43
Setting Parameter Properties 45
Requesting User Interactions While a Workflow Runs 48
Add a User Interaction to a Workflow 49
Set the User Interaction security.group Attribute 49
Set the timeout.date Attribute to an Absolute Date 50
Calculate a Relative Timeout for User Interactions 51
Set the timeout.date Attribute to a Relative Date 52
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Define the External Inputs for a User Interaction 53
Define User Interaction Exception Behavior 54
Create the Input Parameters Dialog Box for the User Interaction 55
Respond to a Request for a User Interaction 56
Calling Workflows Within Workflows 56
Workflow Elements that Call Workflows 57
Call a Workflow Synchronously 59
Call a Workflow Asynchronously 60
Schedule a Workflow 61
Prerequisites for Calling a Remote Workflow from Within Another Workflow 61
Call Several Workflows Simultaneously 62
Running a Workflow on a Selection of Objects 63
Implement the Start Workflows in a Series and Start Workflows in Parallel Workflows 64
Developing Long-Running Workflows 65
Set a Relative Time and Date for Timer-Based Workflows 65
Create a Timer-Based Long-Running Workflow 66
Create a Trigger Object 68
Create a Trigger-Based Long-Running Workflow 69
Configuration Elements 70
Create a Configuration Element 70
Workflow User Permissions 71
Set User Permissions on a Workflow 72
Validating Workflows 72
Validate a Workflow and Fix Validation Errors 73
Debugging Workflows 74
Debug a Workflow 74
Example Workflow Debugging 75
Running Workflows 75
Run a Workflow in the Workflow Editor 76
Run a Workflow 76
Resuming a Failed Workflow Run 78
Set the Behavior for Resuming a Failed Workflow Run 78
Set Custom Properties for Resuming Failed Workflow Runs 79
Resume a Failed Workflow Run 79
Generate Workflow Documentation 80
Use Workflow Version History 80
Restore Deleted Workflows 81
Develop a Simple Example Workflow 81
Create the Simple Workflow Example 83
Create the Schema of the Simple Workflow Example 84
Create the Simple Workflow Example Zones 86
Define the Parameters of the Simple Workflow Example 87
Define the Simple Workflow Example Decision Bindings 88
Bind the Action Elements of the Simple Workflow Example 89
Bind the Simple Workflow Example Scripted Task Elements 92
Define the Simple Workflow Example Exception Bindings 99
Set the Read-Write Properties for Attributes of the Simple Workflow Example 100
Set the Simple Workflow Example Parameter Properties 100
Set the Layout of the Simple Workflow Example Input Parameters Dialog Box 102
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Contents
Validate and Run the Simple Workflow Example 103
Develop a Complex Workflow 104
Create the Complex Workflow Example 105
Create a Custom Action for the Complex Workflow Example 106
Create the Schema of the Complex Workflow Example 107
Create the Complex Workflow Example Zones 109
Define the Parameters of the Complex Workflow Example 111
Define the Bindings for the Complex Workflow Example 111
Set the Complex Workflow Example Attribute Properties 121
Create the Layout of the Complex Workflow Example Input Parameters 121
Validate and Run the Complex Workflow Example 122

2 Scripting 125
Orchestrator Elements that Require Scripting 125
Limitations of the Mozilla Rhino Implementation in Orchestrator 126
Using the Orchestrator Scripting API 126
Access the Scripting Engine from the Workflow Editor 127
Access the Scripting Engine from the Action or Policy Editor 128
Access the Orchestrator API Explorer 128
Use the Orchestrator API Explorer to Find Objects 128
Writing Scripts 129
Add Parameters to Scripts 131
Accessing the Orchestrator Server File System from JavaScript and Workflows 131
Accessing Java Classes from JavaScript 132
Accessing Operating System Commands from JavaScript 132
Exception Handling Guidelines 132
Orchestrator JavaScript Examples 133
Basic Scripting Examples 134
Email Scripting Examples 135
File System Scripting Examples 137
LDAP Scripting Examples 137
Logging Scripting Examples 138
Networking Scripting Examples 138
Workflow Scripting Examples 138

3 Developing Actions 141
Reusing Actions 141
Access the Actions View 141
Components of the Actions View 142
Creating Actions 142
Create an Action 142
Find Elements That Implement an Action 143
Action Coding Guidelines 144
Use Action Version History 145
Restore Deleted Actions 145

4 Creating Resource Elements 147
View a Resource Element 147
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Import an External Object to Use as a Resource Element 148
Edit the Resource Element Information and Access Rights 148
Save a Resource Element to a File 149
Update a Resource Element 149
Add a Resource Element to a Workflow 150
Add a Resource Element to a Web View 151

5 Creating Packages 153
Create a Package 154
Set User Permissions on a Package 155

6 Creating Plug-Ins by Using Maven 157
Create an Orchestrator Plug-In with Maven from an Archetype 157
Maven Archetypes 158
Plug-In Development Best Practices 158
Index 161
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Developing with VMware vCenter Orchestrator
Developing with VMware vCenter Orchestrator provides information and instructions for developing custom
®
VMware vCenter Orchestrator workflows and actions.
In addition, the documentation contains information about the Orchestrator elements that require scripting
and provides JavaScript examples. Developing with VMware vCenter Orchestrator also provides instructions
about how to create resources and packages.
Intended Audience
This information is intended for developers who want to create custom Orchestrator workflows and actions,
as well as custom building blocks.
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Updated Information
Developing with VMware vCenter Orchestrator is updated with each release of the product or when necessary.
This table provides the update history of Developing with VMware vCenter Orchestrator.
Revision Description
EN-001341-01 Added “Maven Archetypes,” on page 158 and “Plug-In Development Best Practices,” on page 158.
EN-001341-00 Initial release.
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