Hands-on Demo – Create PowerShell Workflow runbook in Automation

Hands-on Demo – Create PowerShell Workflow runbook in Automation

Azure Automation provides a platform for managing and automating your Azure and on-premises infrastructure. One of the core components in Azure Automation is Runbooks, which contain the scripts and processes for automating tasks. You can create PowerShell Workflow runbooks in Azure Automation to handle complex, long-running, or parallel tasks.

In this guide, we will walk through the process of creating a PowerShell Workflow Runbook in Azure Automation.

Prerequisites

Before creating a PowerShell Workflow runbook, you should have:

1. Azure Subscription: Ensure you have an Azure subscription to use Azure Automation.

2. Automation Account: You need an Azure Automation Account created in your Azure portal.

3. Permissions: Ensure you have sufficient permissions to create and manage runbooks within the Automation Account (typically, you'll need Contributor or Owner access).

Steps to Create a PowerShell Workflow Runbook

Step 1: Create an Automation Account

1. Go to the Azure Portal.

2. Navigate to Azure Automation (search for "Automation" in the search bar).

3. Click + Add to create a new Automation Account.

4. Fill in the necessary details:

   • Name: Name your Automation Account (e.g., MyAutomationAccount).

   • Subscription: Select the Azure subscription to associate with the Automation Account.

   • Resource Group: Choose an existing resource group or create a new one.

   • Location: Select an Azure region (preferably close to your environment).

5. Click Review + Create and then click Create.

Step 2: Create a PowerShell Workflow Runbook

1. Once the Automation Account is created, navigate to it from the Azure Portal.

2. Under the Process Automation section, select Runbooks.

3. Click + Create a Runbook to create a new runbook.

4. Provide the following details:

   • Name: Name your runbook (e.g., MyPowerShellWorkflowRunbook).

   • Runbook Type: Select PowerShell Workflow from the dropdown.

   • Description: Optionally, add a description of what the runbook will do.

5. Click Create to create the runbook.

Step 3: Edit the Runbook

1. After creating the runbook, you will be directed to the Edit page for the runbook.

2. Click Edit to open the editor.

In the editor, you can define your PowerShell workflow script.

Below is an example of a PowerShell Workflow runbook that retrieves services from remote machines in parallel.

Example PowerShell Workflow Script

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workflow Get-RemoteServices {
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    param (
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        [string[]]$ComputerNames
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    )
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    foreach -parallel ($ComputerName in $ComputerNames) {
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        InlineScript {
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            # Using InlineScript to run commands on remote machine
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            Get-Service -ComputerName $Using:ComputerName
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        }
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    }
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}

This script is a simple workflow that runs the Get-Service cmdlet on multiple computers in parallel, and it demonstrates:

1. Parallel Execution using foreach -parallel

2. Remote Execution using the -ComputerName parameter to query services on remote systems.

You can modify this script to suit your requirements, for example, performing installations or system checks.

Step 4: Publish the Runbook

Once you’ve finished editing your PowerShell workflow, you need to publish the runbook to make it available for execution.

1. Click Save to save the script.

2. After saving, click Publish to publish the runbook. You will be prompted to confirm that you want to publish the runbook.

Note: Only published runbooks can be executed in Azure Automation.

Step 5: Test the Runbook

1. To test your runbook, you can start a test run directly from the Azure portal.

2. After publishing, click Start to initiate the runbook.

You will be prompted to provide parameters (if your runbook accepts parameters). In the case of the above example, you would provide the list of computer names to query services from.

1. After starting the runbook, the status will be displayed as Running.

2. Once the runbook completes, click on Jobs under the Runbook to view the job details and output.

3. You can monitor progress, check for errors, and view the runbook output in real-time.

Step 6: Schedule the Runbook (Optional)

You can schedule the PowerShell workflow runbook to run automatically at specific times.

1. In the Runbook section of the Automation Account, go to Schedules.

2. Click + Add a schedule to create a new schedule.

3. Provide the schedule details, such as:

   • Start Time: When the runbook should first run.

   • Recurrence: Choose how often it should run (e.g., hourly, daily, weekly).

Once the schedule is created, you can link it to your runbook by selecting the newly created schedule under the Runbook schedule settings.

Step 7: Monitor Runbook Jobs

After the runbook is executed, whether manually or via a schedule, you can monitor the status and outputs:

1. In the Runbook blade, go to Jobs.

2. You will see a list of jobs that have been executed for that runbook. The job's status can be Running, Succeeded, Failed, or Suspended.

3. Click on a job to view its details, including logs and output, which can help in debugging and tracking the results.

Advanced Use: Passing Parameters to a Workflow Runbook

Workflows often need parameters to make them more flexible. You can pass parameters when starting a runbook.

Here’s an example of a more advanced runbook with parameters:

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workflow Deploy-Software {
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    param (
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        [string]$SoftwareName,
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        [string[]]$ComputerNames
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    )
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    foreach -parallel ($ComputerName in $ComputerNames) {
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        InlineScript {
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            # Install software on remote computer
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            Install-Package -Name $Using:SoftwareName -ComputerName $Using:ComputerName -Force
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        }
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    }
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}
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# Example usage: Deploy software to multiple machines
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Deploy-Software `
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-SoftwareName "Notepad++" `
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-ComputerNames @("Server1", "Server2", "Server3")

In this example:

1. The Deploy-Software workflow installs software on multiple remote systems.

2. The $SoftwareName and $ComputerNames parameters are passed when executing the workflow.

3. When you start this runbook from the Azure portal, you will be prompted to provide values for $SoftwareName and $ComputerNames.

Considerations and Best Practices

1. Parallel Execution:

PowerShell workflows are great for tasks that need to be executed in parallel. However, be cautious with parallel execution in large environments because it can overwhelm resources if too many tasks run at once.

2. Error Handling:

Always implement error handling in workflows, especially when performing tasks on remote systems. PowerShell workflows support try-catch blocks and -ErrorAction parameters for better error management.

3. Testing Before Production:

Always thoroughly test your PowerShell workflow runbooks in a non-production environment to ensure that they behave as expected before running them on live systems.

4. Security Considerations:

When working with remote systems, ensure that the necessary credentials are available in your Automation Account, and consider using Automation Run As accounts for secure management of credentials.

5. Logging:

Make sure to include sufficient logging in your runbooks for troubleshooting. You can use Write-Output or Write-Host to log information to the runbook job’s output.

Summary

Creating a PowerShell Workflow Runbook in Azure Automation allows you to automate long-running tasks, execute operations on multiple systems in parallel, and handle complex automation scenarios in the cloud or on-premises environments. Workflows are especially useful for tasks that require parallel execution, error handling, and the ability to resume after failures.

By following the steps outlined above, you can create, test, and schedule PowerShell workflow runbooks, enabling efficient and scalable automation in your Azure environment.