Key Terms

This topic provides an alphabetical list of the most relevant Automic Automation terms and concepts.

[A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [I] [J] [M] [N] [O] [P] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X]

A

activation

During execution, objects go through four stages. The activation stage is the first stage.

For more information, see:

activities

Old term no longer in use. In earlier versions of the product, tasks that were being executed or that had been executed were displayed in a tab called Activities. Later versions of Automic Automation re-designed how to work with the product; since then, executing/executed tasks are displayed and you can work with them in the Process Monitoring perspective.

Administration perspective

The user interface is divided in perspectives, which are functional areas that address particular user roles. The Administration perspective is the main working area for administrator users.

For more information, see:

agent

Agents are programs that run on a target system or application. They establish the connection between the Automation Engine (Automic Automation's backend) and those target systems, start the execution of tasks and make both their monitoring and the corresponding reporting possible. Agents create log files that record what occurs.

For more information, see Agents (HOST).

archive key

Archive keys are freely definable keywords that you assign to an object. These keywords are then available for selection in various areas of the user interface, allowing you to filter objects or tasks using them. For example, you can filter tasks by their archive keys in the Process Monitoring perspective. You define archive keys on an object General page.

For more information, see Defining the General Page.

autoforecast

The autoforecast functionality gives you a preview of the activities that are to run in your system within a specific time frame.

For more information, see Autoforecast.

Automic Web Interface

Browser-based application. It is the user interface of Automic Automation.

For more information, see:

B

BACKEND VARA Object

BACKEND VARA objects are dynamic VARA objects that execute commands on Operating Systems (Windows or UNIX) and provide the result as values that are shown in columns. A BACKEND VARA object can store the commands for different Operating Systems, system names, and versions. When the VARA object is resolved, the correct command of the Agent in question is automatically selected and executed.

For more information, see Defining BACKEND VARA Objects.

C

calendar keywords

Old term no longer in use. Calendar keyword is the old term for Calendar Events.

canvas

Component: Automic Automation core

Area in the Workflow editor and in the Workflow monitor where you add objects, edit, move, connect them, and so forth.

For more information, see:

child object

Some executable objects can contain other objects or they can trigger the execution of other objects. For example, Workflows, Job Groups, Schedules, and so forth. The objects contained in them are their children.

communication process (CP)

Communication processes are a type of server processes. CPs wait to be contacted by work processes (WPs), other communication processes, and non-TLS/SSL Agents. They perform the actual communication between these components.

For more information, see:

current version

Current (base) version refers to your system's version when performing and upgrade. It is the version from which you start the upgrade.

For more information, see:

custom attribute

Custom attributes serve as filtering and grouping criteria for objects and tasks. You define them on the object General page. These attributes are then available for selection in various areas of the user interface, allowing you to filter objects or tasks using them. For example, you can filter tasks in the Process Monitoring perspective using them.

For more information, see Defining the General Page.

D

dashboard

Dashboards are views that can be customized to better fit a user role. They consist of widgets that can contain different kinds of static or interactive content.

For more information, see:

dialog process (DP)

Dialog Processes are a type of server processes. They are a special type of work processes but they are used exclusively for Automic Web Interface messages.

E

ERT (Estimated Runtime)

The ERT is the expected runtime for the next execution of a task. This data is a key value for dynamic runtime monitoring and forecast calculations, as well as for calculating the most recent ending of a task. The ERT is calculated immediately after a task run using its past 25 RRTs.

For more information, see Defining the Runtime Page.

EXEC VARA object

EXEC VARA objects are dynamic VARA objects that act as intermediaries that read and pass on the values returned by other executable objects. These values may affect the subsequent execution of objects or trigger the execution of objects.

For more information, see EXEC VARA Objects.

executable object

Objects are the automation building units in Automic Automation. They are combinations of individual steps that can be assigned and linked to each other. An executable object is an object that you can process manually or automatically through other objects.

For more information, see Understanding the Object Types in Automic Automation.

See also:

object
parent object
child object

execute

Command that you run on executable objects so that they are processed automatically. The following terms are synonyms of execute: Run, process.

For more information, see Executing Objects.

executions list

Executions lists or execution data are lists of past runs of a task. These lists provide detailed information about each run. They are available in the Process Monitoring perspective.

In old versions of the product, the executions lists were called statistics, but this term is no longer used.

For more information, see Execution Data.

F

FILELIST VARA object

FILELIST VARA objects retrieve the file names of the files stored in a particular directory.

For more information, see FILELIST VARA Objects.

forecast

Forecast allow you to calculate the expected execution times and estimated runtimes of executable objects.

For more information, see Forecasts.

See also:

G

generation

During execution, objects go through four stages. The generation stage is the second stage.

For more information, see:

global search

Search box on the top right corner of the Automic Web Interface that lets you search for any object or task in the Client that you are logged into. This search box is also the entry point to perform advanced object searches.

For more information, see Using the Global Search for Objects and Tasks.

I

Information Lifecycle Management (ILM)

During the daily operation of an Automation Engine system, large amounts of reporting, statistical and historical data accumulate. ILM allows you to partition the database to deal with this data flow and maintain the object version as well as the deleted object data. ILM partitions allow you to store data in different logical areas in the database according to the start time of the object, to define the intervals in which the partitions should change, and so on.

For more information, see:

internal account

Internal accounts serve as filtering and grouping criteria for objects and tasks. You define them on the object General page and they are then available for selection in various areas of the user interface, allowing you to filter objects or tasks using them.

For more information, see Defining the General Page.

IT service administrator

A person in an organization who ensures that the proper infrastructure is available to provide IT services to users. This person typically provides some services directly, especially services that are part of the IT standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the organization, and can also provide IT support. An IT service administrator can play an important role in implementing automated service orchestration in an organization.

For more information, see:

IT service owner

A person in an organization who is responsible for providing and maintaining IT services for users in the organization. This person identifies the kind of IT services that the users in the organization need and ensures that those services are provided. As such, an IT service owner plays a key role in successful IT service management (ITSM). This person is also important in defining and implementing automated service orchestration in an organization.

For more information, see:

J

Java Communication Process (JCP)

Java Communication Processes are a type of server processes. The JCP is a communication process (CP) but with the technical configuration of a Java work process. As happens with any other CO, it is also contacted by Work Processes (WPs).

For more information, see:

See also:

communication process (CP)
Java Work Process (JWP)

Java Work Process (JWP)

Java Work Processes are a type of server processes. The JWP is a work process implemented in Java and it is used to host special services. It executes the tasks in the JWP relevant queues (MQnJWP, MQnAUT, MQnUTL). Also, it is contacted by other work processes (WPs) to carry out sync calls.

For more information, see:

job plan

Old term no longer in use. Workflows were called Job Plans in earlier versions of the product. This is why the abbreviation for Workflow is JOBP.

M

monitor

Many executable objects have a monitor, for example Workflows, Schedules, Jobs, Service Level Objective objects, and so forth. The monitor is available after a task has started. It provides detailed information about the progress of the task and it lets you manipulate the task to some extent.

For more information, see:

MULTI VARA object

MULTI VARA objects combine the values rendered by two different VARA objects.

For more information, see MULTI VARA Objects.

N

new version

New (target) version refers to the version to which you want to upgrade your system.

For more information, see:

notification

Notification (CALL) objects are customized messages and requests. They can be assigned to executable objects.

For more information, see:

O

object

Processes in Automic Automation are combinations of individual steps that are linked to each other. An object represents one of these steps. Objects are entities that work together to form coherent automated sequences. As a developer and object designer, you create, edit and work with them in the Process Assembly perspective. Objects that are executing or have been executed are called tasks and they are visible in the Process Monitoring perspective, where you can access their history and monitors.

For more information, see:

P

parent object

Some executable objects can contain or trigger the execution of other objects. For example, Workflows, Job Groups, Schedules, and so forth. These objects are the parents of the objects that they contain.

partition

A partition is a division of a logical database entity (database table) into independent logical parts based on certain criteria. ILM partitions allow you to store data in different logical areas in the database according to the start time of the object, to define the intervals in which the partitions should change, and so on.

For more information, see:

perspective

A perspective is an area in the user interface that contains the functions to which a particular user role should have access to.

For more information, see:

primary work process

Work process tat is used for special tasks. It performs central work process (WP) tasks that must not be distributed such as the time basis or process administration. At system start, the work process (WP) that starts first becomes the primary work process (PWP). The primary work process (PWP) is the only work process (WP) that has a port assigned.

Process Assembly

The user interface is divided in perspectives, which are functional areas that address particular user roles. The Process Assembly perspective is the main working area for developers and object designers.

For more information, see:

Process Monitoring

The user interface is divided in perspectives, which are functional areas that address particular user roles. The Process Monitoring perspective is the main working area for operators and managers.

For more information, see:

provisioning

Provisioning in its simplest sense means providing something or making something available. The Automic system has functionality that enables you to provision services, environments, virtual machines, and any kind of software component, application, server, or infrastructure. You provision these for users or for systems, that is, you make them available to users or systems.

R

REST process (REST)

REST Processes are a type of server processes. The REST process provides a REST endpoint for the Automation Engine. Several important functions in the Automation Engine, such as triggering and monitoring executions and the advanced object search, depend on the REST process being installed and running. Therefore, the installation of the REST process is mandatory

For more information, see:

See also:

Java Work Process (JWP)
Java Communication Process (JCP)

RRT (Real Runtime)

The RRT is the period of time during which a task is active, that is, between its start and its end.

For more information, see Defining the Runtime Page.

S

SEC_SQL VARA object

SEC_SQL (Secure SQL) VARA objects retrieve values from external databases in a secure manner. SEC_SQL VARA objects are similar to SQL VARA objects because they also run SQL statements on an external database. As opposed to SQL VARA objects, with SEC_SQL you can use all supported variables within SQL statements without putting the database at risk of an SQL injection.

For more information, see SEC_SQL VARA Objects.

SEC_SQLI VARA object

SEC_SQLI (Secure SQL Internal) VARA objects retrieve values from the Automation Engine database in a secure manner. SEC_SQLI variables can always be used in SQL statements regardless of the VAR_SECURITY_LEVEL setting in the UC_SYSTEM_SETTINGS - Systemwide Settings variable. You use bind parameters for this purpose. This means that you cannot compose SQL statements, which protects the database from the risk of an SQL injection.

For more information, see SEC_SQLI VARA Objects.

server process

Server processes are the technical foundation of the Automation Engine. They are either work processes (WPs), communication processes (CPs) or REST processes. However, there is a further subdivision within these two categories.

For more information, see:

ServiceManager

The ServiceManager allows you to start ,stop and access components or agents from a central point.

For more information, see:

service orchestration

Service orchestration is the automated coordination of processes that span multiple domains or applications and may also include manual steps, such as human approval or intervention, to provide a service. At the heart of service orchestration is the Workflow. The overall process typically involves multiple Workflows for individual tasks. Nevertheless, one main Workflow orchestrates the tasks across the entire infrastructure.

For more information, see About Service Orchestration.

SQLI VARA object

SQLI (SQL Internal) VARA objects retrieve values from the Automation Engine database using SQL statements. It is not necessary to specify a Connection or a Login object to connect to the database because the database access remains internal.

For more information, see SQLI VARA Objects.

STATIC VARA object

STATIC VARA objects allow you to store as many keys as you need with a maximum of 5 values each. You can set the values manually, with a script element, or with a condition action. You define and enter the values for STATIC VARA objects on two pages. On the Variables main page you set its values. On the Attributes page you define the specific VARA object parameters.

For more information, see STATIC VARA Objects.

statistics

Old term no longer in use. In earlier versions of the product, past executions of a task were called statistics. Later versions of Automic Automation re-designed how to work with the product; since then, past task executions are displayed in various lists called Executions, Child Task Executions, Parent Task Executions and Activator Executions. They are available in the Process Monitoring perspective.

For more information, see Execution Data.

system name

system name definition

The system name identifies a complete Automation Engine (AE) environment.

In Automic SaaS, each environment provided in a subscription has its own unique system name.

The Automation Engine, the Agents and the TLS Gateway in an environment must use the same system name in their configuration (INI) files. The server processes names are build dynamically and also include the system name, so that they are easily recognizable.

system overview

Old term no longer in use. In earlier versions of the product, all administrative tasks were accessible from an area in the user interface that was called System Overview. Later versions of Automic Automation re-designed how to work with the product; since then, administrators work mainly in the Administration perspective.

T

task

A task is an instance of an executed object or of an object that is currently being executed. Task have defining properties such as runID (unique number that identifies an execution or run), object type, start time, end time, activation status, current status, and so forth. Every instance of an executed object is a task. That is, if an object is executed 10 times, this creates 10 different tasks, each of them with its own properties.

There are different types of tasks for different types of objects. Some objects, when executed, create stand-alone tasks, for example Jobs, File Transfers or Scripts. Others, such as Workflows or Schedules, integrate stand-alone objects within themselves to automate or sequence workload processing. When they are execute, they generate parent tasks (the Workflow or Schedule) and child tasks (the stand-alone tasks that they contain).

For more information, see Tasks.

U

utility

Utilities are tools that allow you to manage and maintain your Automation Engine database. They allow you to keep the database size to a minimum, reorganize the repository to minimize integrity losses, keep the system more responsive and so on.

For more information, see:

V

VARA object

VARA objects have the same function as variables but they are objects themselves and, as such, they have their own attributes. There are various types of VARA objects.

For more information, see:

variable

Variables store and pass values when objects are executed. There are various types of variables.

For more information, see:

W

work process

Work processes are a type of server processes. They perform the actual server work, such as activating, generating, and executing tasks. The primary work process performs central tasks that must not be distributed.

For more information, see:

Workflow

A Workflow is a container for objects that must be executed in a specific sequence and with specific parameters.

For more information, see:

X

XML VARA object

You store complex data as XML structures in XML VARA objects. Through the XML VARA object, you can then reference and use this data in PromptSet objects, in Script objects, and other script contexts system-wide. XML VARA objects can have any number of keys. The value of each key is a structured XML.

For more information, see XML VARA Objects.