Hi Guys,

Microsoft just published the Release Candidate of System Center Orchestrator 2012. You could download it at the following address : http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=27842

What’s new ?

System Center Orchestrator 2012 Release Candidate

As part of the release candidate Microsoft has delivered the following features:

• Install Experience
  • Improved prerequisite checks
  • Implementation of Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP), error reporting and interface with Microsoft Update
  • Allow user to log on as a service and select different service accounts for each service
  • Design Improvements( Error handling, port # for DB, increased logging, enabling log on as a service automatically)
  • UI Consistency between other System Center components
  • Time bomb(easy conversion from EVAL to licensed SKU)
• Security improvements
  • Encryption of DB connection
  • Encryption/decryption of passwords
• Globalization
  • Unicode capable
  • Convert SSH to Unicode
• Web service
  • Versioning
• Orchestration Console
  • Browse events
  • View events
  • UI Updates
• Bug fixes across all product features

System Center Orchestrator 2012 Integration Toolkit

• Rebranding, security enhancements, new generic activity icons
• Wizards can upgrade 6.3 activities and IPs to be compatible with Orchestrator
• Fixes issues with upgrading IPs multiple times
• Fixes issues with DLL / dependent file conflicts among different IPs

System Center Orchestrator 2012 Release Candidate Integration Packs

• System Center 2007 Operations Manager
• System Center 2010 Service Manager
• System Center 2008 Virtual Machine Manager
• System Center 2010 Data Protection Manager
• System Center 2007 Configuration Manager

Stay stunned for a future complete review of this new release  

Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 Resources :
Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 RC is available as public RC at the Microsoft Download Center : http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=27842

Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 Team Blog : http://blogs.technet.com/b/scorch/

TechNet Forums for System Center Orchestrator : http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/systemcenterorchestrator

Cheers
Christopher KEYAERT
http://twitter.com/keyaertc

connection · Fixes · Reporting · SSH · Web

Hi Guys,

Last week, with my friend Kurt Van Hoecke (SCSM Expert), we delivered two sessions at Microsoft Belgium on System Center Orchestrator 2012. These sessions have been recorded and are now available online on Technet.

System Center Orchestrator 2012: An Overview by Kurt Van Hoecke.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/video/system-center-orchestrator-2012-an-overview

System Center Orchestrator 2012: Migration Plan by Christopher Keyaert.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/video/system-center-orchestrator-2012-migration-plan

Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 Resources :
Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 beta is available as public beta at the Microsoft Download Center : http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=26503

Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 Team Blog : http://blogs.technet.com/b/scorch/

TechNet Forums for System Center Cross Platform and Interoperability :http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/scinterop

Cheers
Christopher KEYAERT
http://twitter.com/keyaertc

online · SCSM · System · Team · TechNet

Step into the System Center Virtual Labs for Free

It's simple: no complex setup or installation is required to try out System Center running in the full-featured TechNet Virtual Lab. You get a downloadable manual and a 90-minute block of time for each module. You can sign up for additional 90-minute blocks any time.

• TechNet Virtual Lab: Opalis: Building Advanced Policies
• TechNet Virtual Lab: Opalis: Building Error Handling into Policies
• TechNet Virtual Lab: Opalis: Controlling Policy Execution with Advanced Functions
• TechNet Virtual Lab: Opalis: Creating Basic Policies with Foundation Objects
• TechNet Virtual Lab: Opalis: Creating Your Own Integration Pack with the QIK
• TechNet Virtual Lab: Opalis: Incorporating Advanced Logic into Your Policies
• TechNet Virtual Lab: Introduction to Opalis

Cheers
Christopher KEYAERT
http://twitter.com/keyaertc

Handling · Incorporating · Integration · opalis · System

Hello Microsoft Community,

I’m proud to tell you that I just received a Microsoft Community Contributor 2011 Award for my contribution to the Microsoft Online Community through Technet Forums, vNext.be and Scug.be  

Thank you !

Cheers
Christopher KEYAERT
http://twitter.com/keyaertc

Christopher · Community · KEYAERT · microsoft · Scug

Hi Everyone,

Kurt Vanhoucke and myself will present two sessions about System Center Orchestrator 2012.

Event Details

Come and join us for our first event after the hot summer months. During this event we will discuss the new System Center Orchestrator, what has changed, new integration packs and also how to migrate from Opalis 6.3 to SCORCH.

Agenda

Thursday, September 29, 2011 from 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM (GMT+0100)

TimeSlot	Speaker	Title
18.00 – 18:30		Welcome and Pizza
18.30 – 19:30	Kurt Vanhoucke	System Center Orchestrator 2012 : Overview
19:30 – 20:30	Christopher Keyaert	System Center Orchestrator 2012 : Migration Plan

Location

Microsoft Belgium
Leonardo Da Vincilaan 3
Zaventem
Belgium

or Online via LiveMeeting (Lync)

Registration

Go to the registration website.

Cheers
Christopher KEYAERT
http://twitter.com/keyaertc

Migration · Orchestrator · pizza · Thursday · Vincilaan

Get a sneak peak preview of System Center Orchestrator and see what Opalis can do in your environment today.

By combining the power of the system center suite, we will demonstrate an entire workflow automated through Opalis. This will provide the attendees a view of the Opalis solution and how to implement runbook solutions with or without other System Center Products.

Watch the video : http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/introduction-to-opalis-and-a-sneak-peek-at-system-center-orchestrator

Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 Resources :
Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 beta is available as public beta at the Microsoft Download Center : http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=26503

Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 Team Blog : http://blogs.technet.com/b/scorch/

TechNet Forums for System Center Cross Platform and Interoperability :http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/scinterop

Cheers
Christopher KEYAERT
http://twitter.com/keyaertc

blog · opalis · Orchestrator · platform · technet microsoft

The Audit Trail is a collection of text file logs that contain information about the interaction of a Runbook with external tools and systems. This provides a quick method to identify what and who made changes for audit purposes.

How to activate/deactivate the Audit Trail:

• Open a command prompt with the Run as administrator privilege.
  
  
• and go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft System Center\Orchestrator 2012\Opalis Integration Server\Management Service
   
  
• To activate the Audit Trail: atlc /enable
  
  
• To deactivate the Audit Trail: atlc /disable
   

Where are the audit files ?

In the folder : C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft System Center\Orchestrator 2012\Opalis Integration Server\Management Service\Audit

The file contains information about the date and time at which the policy was launched, the user name and domain that launched the policy, the name of the computer where the policy ran, and the name of the policy that was launched.

In the folder : C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft System Center\Orchestrator 2012\Opalis Integration Server\Action Server\Audit

The file contains information about the date and time at which the activity ran, the name of the action server it ran on, the ID of the Policy Module that ran it, and the Object XML.

For having a better view, I advise your to copy/paste the output into a XML indenter tool (Example : http://xmlindent.com/).

Depending on how many policies you run and how many objects those policies contain, the Audit Trail may consume a large amount of disk space on the computer that runs the management server and action server. (When a file reaches 200 megabytes in size, a new file is created) Two solutions, active it only when needed and cleaned the files after, or create a little Runbook for archiving these files to another location.

Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 Resources :
Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 beta is available as public beta at the Microsoft Download Center : http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=26503

Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 Team Blog : http://blogs.technet.com/b/scorch/

TechNet Forums for System Center Cross Platform and Interoperability :http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/scinterop

TechNet Library – Audit Trail : http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg464925.aspx

Cheers
Christopher KEYAERT
http://twitter.com/keyaertc

collection · indenter · policy · Runbook · TechNet

Hi All,

As you probably notice, in the default activities available with Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 Beta, there is no Copy Folder activity.

Someone asked why during one of the Community Evaluation Program meetings and the answer was quite simple : “RoboCopy could easily take care of this task”. Here we go, I will show you how to simply use Robocopy in a System Center Orchestrator 2012 Runbook.

Today scenario will be a content copy of the folder C:\SCO\FolderSource (including files / sub-folders)

into another folder C:\SCO\FolderDestination.

For that we will use the command Robocopy and two default Orchestrator activities, the Initialize Data and the Run Program.

Once done, we will create two new variables, one for our Source folder and the other for our Destination Folder.

Back to our Runbook, we could go directly in the properties of the Run Command activity.

• Mode : we choose Command execution.
• Details > Computer : I chose to run the command by the Orchestrator server, so right click in the Computer Field, choose Returned Data, check the box Show common Returned Data and select Runbook Server Name.
  
• Details > Command : Robocopy is built-in in Windows 2008, so we could call it directly. If you are running Windows Server 2003, you will have to download it and to specify the path in the command field.

After calling robocopy, we specify the two variables (FolderSource and FolderDestination) that we defined earlier, and finally we specify the parameters : /E /COPYALL /TS /FP

All the details about the parameters could be found here : http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc733145(WS.10).aspx

Our Copy Folder Runbook is now ready to run. Just press on the Run button and check the log history :

A little look in our destination folder, we could see that all the content has been well copied.

Of course this is a really simple activity, now you could re-use it in any of your existing Runbooks.

This Runbook is available here : DOWNLOAD

Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 Resources :
Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 beta is available as public beta at the Microsoft Download Center : http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=26503

Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 Team Blog : http://blogs.technet.com/b/scorch/

TechNet Forums for System Center Cross Platform and Interoperability :http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/scinterop

Cheers
Christopher KEYAERT
http://twitter.com/keyaertc

activity · Data · folders · program meetings · scenario

In some of your Runbooks, you will have to read text files, csv files, SQL results, and you have to extract, to manipulate these data for using it into other activities.

Orchestrator 2012 enables you to manipulate string data from text files, Published Data items, or other sources, and convert it into a usable form. You can also perform arithmetic operations, such as calculating sums and differences, and performing division and multiplication operations. For example, you can extract text from a text file using a text file management object, trim leading and trailing spaces from the text, and then retrieve specific parts of the text that you can pass to other objects as Published Data items.

I will demonstrate all that by using the following activities :

The Initialize Data activity is just use here as the start command of the Runbook, no need of any configuration.

The Read Line activity will return the raw data that we want to manipulate. We simple read the first line of a text file.

The Send Platform Event activity will be use for manipulating the data and showing the result.

For using the Orchestrator embedded data manipulations functions, we have to enclosed in square brackets ('[' and ']'). Keep also in mind that the functions are case-sensitive.

Upper/Lower - converts text functions

The contain of our text file :

In the details part of the Send Platform Event properties, we call the use the Upper function into brackets :

Now just run the Activity and check the result in the Events pane:

Our text is now well completely in Upper case. Of course the otherwise function, Lower('Text'), also exist.

Field - returns text in a specific position

One other useful function is the Field function, this allow you to extract a part of a line base on a delimiter.

Field('Text', 'Delimiter', Field Number)

Our text file is now compose of information about users, separate by a comma, you could imagine a csv file that contains the list of your collaborators :

In the Send Platform Event, we use the Field function for extracting the information from the line that we just read in the previous activity :

Just have to Run the Runbook and here the result :

Nested Functions

You have also the capability to use data manipulation function within another function, here a example :

Upper(Field('Text', 'Delimiter', Field Number))

We keep the same text file than the previous case and we just want to have the email address in Upper case :

We just have to nested the Upper function with the Field function, like below :

We could now run our Runbook and here the expected result, the email address is well in upper case :


I hope this help This Runbook is available for download here : DONWLOAD
Below you have a description of all the available functions and the System Center Orchestrator 2012 Resources.

All the available functions

Function and Definition	Usage	Parameters	Example
Upper - converts text to upper case.	Upper('Text')	Text - the text that is being converted to upper case.	Upper('this will be converted to uppercase') returns 'THIS WILL BE CONVERTED TO UPPERCASE'
Lower - converts text to lower case	Lower('Text')	Text - the text that is being converted to lower case.	Lower('This Will Be Converted To Lowercase') returns 'this will be converted to lowercase'
Field - returns text in a specific position	Field('Text', 'Delimiter', Field Number)	Text - the text that is being searched	Field('John;Smith;9055552211', ';', 2) returns 'Smith'.
		Delimiter - the character that separates each field
		Field Number - the position of the field that is being returned (starting at 1)
Sum - returns the sum of a set of numbers	Sum(firstNumber, secondNumber, thirdNumber, ...)	Number - the number being added, you can put any set of numbers each separated by a comma (,).	Sum(2,3,4,5) returns '14'
Diff - returns the difference of two numbers	Diff(Number1, Number2, <Precision>)	Number1 - the number that will be subtracted from	Diff(9, 7) returns '2'
		Number2 - the number that will be subtracted from Number1	Diff(9.3, 2.1, 2) returns '7.20'
		Precision <Optional> - the number of decimal places that the result will be rounded to
Mult - returns the product of a set of numbers	Mult(firstNumber, secondNumber, thirdNumber, ...)	Number - the number being multiplied, you can put any set of numbers each separated by a comma (,).	Mult(2, 3, 4) returns '24'
Div - returns the quotient of two numbers	Div(Number1, Number2, <Precision>)	Number1 - the number that will be divided	Div(8, 4) returns '2'
		Number2 - the number that will divide Number1	Div(9, 2, 2) returns '4.50'
		Precision <Optional> - the number of decimal places that the result will be rounded to
Instr - returns the position of first occurrence of text within another text	Instr ('SearchText', 'TextToFind')	SearchText - the text that is being searched	Instr('This is a string that is searched', 'string') returns 11
		TextToFind - the text that you are searching for
Right - returns a subset of the text from the right side of the full text	Right('Text', Length)	Text - the full text	Right('Take from the right', 9) returns 'the right'
		Length - the number of characters from the right side that will be returned
Left - returns a subset of the text from the left side of the full text	Left('Text', Length)	Text - the full text	Left('Take from the left', 4) returns 'Take'
		Length - the number of characters from the left side that will be returned
Mid - returns a subset of the text from the middle of the full text	Mid('Text', Start, Length)	Text - the full text	Mid('Take from the middle', 5, 4) returns 'from'
		Start - the starting position in the text where you want to begin returning characters
		Length - the number of characters starting from the Start position that will be returned
LTrim - Trims leading spaces from text	LTrim('Text')	Text - the text being trimmed of leading spaces	LTrim(' Remove the leading spaces only. ') returns 'Remove the leading spaces only. '
RTrim - Trims the trailing spaces from text	RTrim('Text')	Text - the text being trimmed of trailing spaces	RTrim(' Remove the trailing spaces only. ') returns ' Remove the trailing spaces only.'
Trim - Trims leading and trailing spaces from text	Trim('Text')	Text - the text being trimmed	Trim(' Remove leading and trailing spaces. ') returns 'Remove leading and trailing spaces.'
Len - returns the length of text	Len('Text')	Text - the text that is being measured	Len('Measure this text') returns 17

Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 Resources :
Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 beta is available as public beta at the Microsoft Download Center : http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=26503

Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 Team Blog : http://blogs.technet.com/b/scorch/

TechNet Forums for System Center Cross Platform and Interoperability :http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/scinterop

TechNet Library – Opalis 6.3 Data Manipulation : http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg440683.aspx

Cheers
Christopher KEYAERT
http://twitter.com/keyaertc

multiplication operations · raw data · square brackets · string data · sums

Today, a new Runbook based only on the default activities, I will show you how to monitor an Internet Application with System Center Orchestrator 2012 beta.

Work case : we have an intranet website, we want to ensure the availability. If the website is not available we want to restart a service, re-check the availability, and if still unavailable, we want to be notify.

For that we will use the following activities :

1. Runbook design : Every x seconds, we check the availability of the website. If available, we just do an entry in the log with the information “Site up”. If the website is not available, we restart the World Wide Web Publishing Service. If the site become available after the service restarted, we do an entry in the log with the information “Site up”, if still available, we do an entry in the log with the information “Site down” and we send an email.

2. Monitor Date/Time activity : We decide to run this Runbook every 30 seconds.

3. Get Internet Application activity : In that activity, we define the website that we want to monitor. It’s also possible to check a particular word on the website.

This activity allows to monitor http website availability, but not only, the following protocols are available in General  part :

4. If the website is available the activity returns Success
 

5. Thanks to the Send Platform Event activity, We could now write in the log that the site web is available.

6. Now, if the website is not available, the Get Internet Application activity returns Failed.



We have to edit the link between the Get Internet Application activity and Start/Stop Service activity for using the failed condition.

7. The Start/Stop Service activity will restart the World Wide Web Publishing Service on the webserver.

8. If the service successfully started, we re-check the website availability for a second time. If available we could now link back to the previous Send Platform Event activity, that will write in the log that the site web is available.

9. If the Start/Stop Service activity didn’t succeed to restart the service, or if the website is still unavailable at the second check, we will use a second Send Platform Event activity for writing in the log that the site is down.

10. Send Platform Event activity configuration:

11. Last but not least, we could use the Send Email activity for being notify of the website unavailability.

12. Let’s testing the policy, the web site is available.

13. Start the Runbook :

14. Stop the World Wide Web Publishing Service, the website is now unavailable. 

15. The Runbook detects this unavailability, start the service, check again the availability and notify that the site a now available.

16. If the Runbook doesn’t succeed to start the service, or if the site is still unavailable after the service restart, we are notify.

Et voilà, how to simply monitor a website availability. As always, the Runbook is available here : DOWNLOAD

Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 Resources :

Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 beta is available as public beta at the Microsoft Download Center : http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=26503

Microsoft System Center Orchestrator 2012 Team Blog : http://blogs.technet.com/b/scorch/

TechNet Forums for System Center Cross Platform and Interoperability : http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/scinterop

Cheers
Christopher KEYAERT
http://twitter.com/keyaertc

intranet · microsoft · Runbook · wide web publishing · wide web publishing service