Software Upgrade (IOS) - Workflow

Now that you have created a JSON Form and a Transformation (JST), you are ready to put things together in the workflow.

Workflow Video

Step 1

From the Itential Automation Platform dashboard, click Automation Studio in the left navigation panel.

Step 2

Before we begin creating our workflow, let’s first look at the Itential Pre-Built that will be incorporated into it. Click the Workflows in the left navigation menu.

Step 3

Click the Software Upgrade-IOS group.

Step 4

and then click the Software Upgrade – IOS workflow.

Step 5

This is the Itential Pre-Built workflow we will use to upgrade the software on our IOS device. As mentioned in the overview, at a high level the automation will:

• Verify the OS version on the device and the file version
• Complete a pre-check
• Set the boot configuration
• Reload the device
• Verify the new file version is on the device after reboot
• Complete a post-check
• Provide a pre and post check Diff to user

Instead of having all of these tasks on our workflow canvas, we will incorporate this workflow in a modular fashion through the use of a childjob. 

From the Automation Studio dashboard, click the + at the top of the left navigation panel.

Step 6

In the Create dropdown, select Workflow and then enter Lab – Software Upgrade – IOS – XX and click create (XX represents your initials).

Step 7

A fresh workflow canvas opens. The new workflow canvas in IAP 2023.1 defaults to a vertical presentation, however as shown here, you can drag the Start and End terminator tasks to a horizontal position if you prefer.

Step 8

In the Task Toolbar search bar, enter Transformation. The list of available tasks will begin filtering down as you type the name.

Step 9

Using your cursor, drag the Transformation task on to the canvas to the right of the Start task.

Step 10

Next, you will need to add a child job task to the canvas, by entering childjob in the search box. The list of available tasks will begin filtering down as you type the name.

Step 11

Using your cursor, drag the Child Job task on to the canvas to the right of the Transformation task.

Step 12

Now that you have all of the tasks on the canvas, the next step is to add transitions, which will connect the tasks together to form the workflow. This is done by first clicking the task you want to transition from, which will highlight the task with a dashed border.  Click within the dashed border and begin dragging the transitions toward the destination task.  When the transition snaps to the destination task, release the mouse button.

Click the Start task, drag the transition to the Transformation task. Release the mouse button when the transition snaps to the Transformation task. 

Note:  The default transition is a Success transition.   If you would like to add an Error or a Failure transition,  press and hold the E or the F key on your keyboard as you are adding the transition.    

Step 13

Perform the same steps and add Success transitions between the Transformation and Child Job Tasks and the Child Job and the End Tasks.

Step 14

Next, double click the Transformation task to configure it.

Step 15

Click the Select Transformation drop down and enter Software Upgrade in the transition search box.

Step 16

Select Lab – Software Upgrade – IOS – XX . This is the transformation you created earlier. (XX represents your initials)

Step 17

For the Variable Source, select Job and ensure formData is selected as the Job Variable. 

By changing the formData Variable Source of the Incoming Schema from static to job, we are configuring the Transformation task to source the data from the form inputs submitted to the workflow, rather than static inputs. Click Close

Step 18

Next, double click the Child Job task to configure it.

Step 19

In the Select Workflow search box, enter Software Upgrade - IOS. Select the Software Upgrade – IOS workflow. This is the Itential Pre-Built workflow we reviewed earlier.

Step 20

Scrolling down in the childJob configuration window, you will need to configure the four variables provided from our formData.

For each, ensure that the Variable Source is set to Task and the appropriate variable is selected under Task Variable. 

These include: 

• autoApprove
• device 
• version
• flashmemory 

Step 21

Click the Close icon when complete.

Step 22

Click the Save icon to save the workflow, then click the Run icon.

Step 23

The Set Job Variables window opens, showing the variables the workflow requires to run. This workflow expects to receive one variable, formData, which will be passed in from Operations Manager, which will be covered in the next module. The Run button will run the workflow, but we are only testing it to confirm the inputs. Your view should match the image below.
 

Click the Cancel button.