Glossary
Glossary
This glossary lists all specific technical terms in alphabetical order.
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A
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The utility AE DB Archive can be used to remove the increasing amounts of data from the .
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Utility for changing transport case exports.
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Utility for copying and deleting clients
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The utility DB Load can be used to load data into the Automation Engine database.
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Data can be reorganized by using the utility DB Reorg. It marks data records with a deletion flag in accordance with the settings that have been specified.
-
The utility AE DB Reporting Tool can be used to query tasks in your .
-
Utility unloading modification reports from the Automation Engine database. Modification reports include detailed information about modifications and accesses.
-
Utility for unloading the Automation Engine database.
-
These are Variable objects that include the Automation Engine system's specifications.
-
Refers to a computer on which a ARA//Automation Engine works.
- Automation Engine
This drives an Automation Engine system and consists of different types of server processes.
- Automation Engine
The Automation Engine is an for managing when and how objects run. Processes and various other object types can be selected and then specified to run at or within certain times. This allows you to manage processing in Automation Engine systems in an automated way and from a remote and central location. Furthermore, the of these objects are tracked and recorded for logging and analysis purposes.[Formerly called "(UC4) Automation Platform" and "(UC4) Operations Manager."]
-
A relational database management system (RDMS) that administers all scheduling data from a central point. It contains object definitions, system specifications, statistical data, reports, etc.
-
Automic's scripting language. [Formerly called "UC4 Script."]
-
Refers to Automation Engine programs such as UserInterfaces, the AutomationEngine, Agents, ServiceManagers, , and so on. [Formerly called "UC4 Server."]
-
Affects the order of execution within an Automation Engine system.
- Automation Engine system
An that is managed by Automation Engine components. [Formerly called "UC4 system."]
-
Automic Release Automation (ARA), is an end-to-end solution for planning, coordinating and automating software processes, including automated of applications across large-scale server environments and covers all mentioned use cases. [Formerly called "Application Release Automation", "Release Manager" and "Deployment Manager"]
-
Actions are predefined building blocks for recurring activities. They are commonly used for managing third party systems or in deployment scenarios.
- activities
Deployment-related activities
-
An activity (or task) is an entity that can be planned, assigned to a user or a team and tracked with respect to their plan and (started, cancelled, suspended, completed).
-
Used when creating multiple activities based on a template. Holds one or more template activities
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Adapters are our application integrations such as Informatica or Business Objects for example.
-
Admin computer refers to the computer that is used by an administrator for e.g. Automation Engine or database administration purposes.
-
A program that enables the de-centralized execution of processes (such as deployments) on target systems (computers or business solutions) or a service that provides connectivity to a target system (such as for databases or middleware). An agent is also an in the Automation Engine. [Formerly called "Executor."] See also:
-
An agent group combines agents of the same platform. The agents that should be included in an agent group are specified by entering the agent name or via filters. A task that runs in an agent group is processed on one or all of the agent group's agents, depending on the specified mode. A particular Automation Engine object type.
- application
An application is a software which helps a user to fulfill specific tasks. In the context of ARA see also: Application entity.
-
An application entity is the main container of the deployment model and typically consists of multiple components. As an example, your application may consist of two components, a and a database component. Each application component utilizes a specific technology such as Apache Tomcat or a Microsoft SQL database. The application entity also includes component-related workflows to install, upgrade or remove application components.
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A which is defined on application level and consists of a number of component workflows.
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Several actions concerning different entities in ARB require an approval by the of the affected entity. (E.g. assigning an activity to a reservation requires the reservation owner to accept the activity)
B
C
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A programming interface that processes a in the Automation Engine system. It can be called directly from within the program itself or from a different program.
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An Automation Engine object type that defines a set of days based on calendar keywords.
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The criteria for running a task is based on calendar keywords.
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The attribute of a Calendar object that defines which days included in the calendar.
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Shows a calendar overview of activities, releases or reservations.
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A subordinate task (such as a task that runs in a workflow).
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These are objects that are activated by superordinate tasks (parents).
-
A closed environment within an Automation Engine system where you can create and run objects. A client name consists of a 4-digit number that must be indicated when a user logs on to the Automation Engine system. Users and their rights are also defined in clients.A particular Automation Engine object type.
-
An Automation Engine object type that allows you to include multiple visualizations of values and states of the Automation Engine or of the monitored and controlled system in one window.
-
An Automation Engine object type that defines a complete set of characters.
-
A command line interface (CLI) is a human to machine interface based on text messages and commands entered solely by a keyboard. It stands in contrast to a (GUI). Examples are MS-DOS or Linux in console mode.
-
A communication process is part of the component Automation Engine. It is responsible for connecting the components.
- component
A component is a single deployable application artifact. As an example, this can be yourfile.war to be deployed into a Tomcat container. Each component has different properties which determine where to get it from, how to configure it, etc. You will need one component per application artifact: e.g., one for the application tier and one for the database backend.
-
A component may need to reference another component of the same application, for example, if a web application component needs the database component's connection string.
-
A workflow which should be executed for a component of an application within one ore more application workflows for installing, udating or removing the application.
-
A set of constituent components that make up a system. This includes information on how the components are connected including the settings applied.
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Custom types may have zero or more custom properties (with a user defined meaning). E.g. a single choice field for the state of a bug, or a freeform text field for a long user entered text.
-
Used by the customer to define own set of types with custom properties. Can be used on the Web UI by users which have the rights to create the custom type. A custom type is always based on a main type.
-
A custom, user defined version of a .
D
- Deployment Manager
The Automic Release Automation is split into the two products and Deployment Manager. The Deployment Manager provides automation and governance capabilities for complex, multi-tier application deployments and configuration processes for heterogenous environments.
-
A detached component is not connected to any . You can use detached components as blueprints for hosts that should be provisioned.
-
DevOps is the combination of development and operations in a single role.
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The Download Center (http://downloads.automic.com/) is the place where you find everything you need to know about your Automic solution to make sure you are using our products to their fullest potential.
-
Quick overview, depending on context. Holds zero or more widgets
-
An internal listing of Console outputs or lines of Variable objects, etc. The lines of a data sequence can be accessed by using a PROCESS loop or the script element GET_PROCESS_LINE. The script elements PREP_PROCESS* generate data sequences.
- database
A database is an organized collection of data including relevant data structures.
-
Department name to which the Automation Engine user belongs.
- deployment
The deployment of a single application revision to an environment within a single activity.
-
A deployment package represents a specific snapshot (set of values) of the of an application deployment model, including the dynamic properties of the application entity itself as well as one, several or all of the components the application is comprised of.
-
A deployment profile links applications to environments. It refers to a subset of the deployment targets the environment is comprised of. For each of the dynamic properties stored with a component definition, a profile-specific value may override the default, making it easy to separate the deployment model (what and how) from the environment (where).
- deployment target
A Deployment Target is an endpoint where you deploy your application component(s) to. All endpoint related parameters, e.g. port numbers, IP addresses and directories are typically related to the deployment target and can be configured there. The execution itself will be handled by the assigned operating system agent.
-
A part of the Automation Engine component and a special form of . Is exclusively responsible for messages.
- dynamic properties
Created entities may need to hold custom properties which are not defined in the type, or may need to reference properties of other types during deployment. Dynamic properties can be used for this task.
-
A Variable object with the attributes "Source" - "EXEC", "SQL", "SQL internal", "Multi" or "Filelist". Values are directly retrieved from the data source and not stored in the object.
E
-
This is a functionality of Windows and UNIX Agents that is used to send e-mails.
-
Abbreviation for the
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Used when an email should be sent out on specific occurrences (e.g. an activity has finished). May hold multiple message templates.
- Enterprise Control Center
Automic's web application that provides a single, browser-based interface for the platform.
-
First of FileSystem and Console Events in the Automation Engine. Both Event types require communication between the AE component and an Agent. They communicate via the first RunID. Otherwise, Event identification is no longer possible after the first log change.
- environment
An Environment consists of Deployment Targets which represent your endpoints. Different environments are used for different phases in the software delivery cycle, for example Development, QA, Staging, Production. An environment is typically set up once and used by several applications.
-
An environment can be reserved for a specific time period.
-
Action that is triggered if particular conditions apply. It can be an Automation Engine object type or an entry in a Policy Orchestrator EventBase.
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A task whose end is considered when a workflow is being processed. The task itself, however, does not run within the framework of this workflow.
F
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Transfers files from one computer to another. A particular Automation Engine object type (FileTransfer object).
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Top level entities such as Environment, Deployment Target, Activity, … are stored in folders. The permissions a user has on an entity depend on the permissions that are set on the folder for the entities.
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Estimates a task's on the basis of previous executions.
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File transfers without . One particular file is transferred (as opposed to a ).
-
Pre-defined run book template in the Automation Engine. One single step only, e.g. Start Windows Service, Copy file,…
G
-
Window that shows the state of tasks assigned to a object.
- graphical user interface
A graphical user interface (GUI) is a human to machine interface based on windows, icons and menus which can be operated by a computer mouse in addition to a keyboard. In contrast to command line interface (CLI).
- group
An Automation Engine object type that integrates tasks so that they can be processed together.
H
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Deprecated Term.
-
Contains a history of all changes to a specific entity
- host
Computer, target system.
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Platform-independent attributes of the Job object.
I
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Stands for Information Lifecycle Management, which refers to a wide-ranging set of strategies for administering storage systems on computing devices.
-
An Automation Engine object type for a script that is frequently used in more than one object.
J
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Java Database Connectivity is an database connectivity API for the Java programming language from Oracle.
- Java work process
The , implemented in Java, is used to host special services, which have been developed in Java.
-
Short form of "Job Control Language". It refers to applications that are processing steps executed on computers.
- job
An Automation Engine object type for a process that runs on a target system.
K
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Column in static Variable objects that can be used to access values of a particular line.
L
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The utility LogMix supports the generation of one common file from several , log or trace files.
- list
Shows entities in a grid view
-
The logical date is used as a comparison date for checking Calendar conditions.
-
An Automation Engine object type that stores account credentials used by agents on target systems.
-
Login objects store account credentials used by agents on nodes. Account credentials can be related to single nodes or shared between a set of nodes (E.g. shared account).
M
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A window that appears on the user interface and contains information, warning, and error messages.
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Release, Package, Package Dependency, Application, Deployment Target, Component, Activity, Environment, Reservation and Workflow.
-
Specifies the message, the recipients and the send conditions. Used in an email template.
N
- NonStop Server
You can use nonstop processes (NWP) in order to increase your system reliability. A specific license is required for this purpose. In nonstop operation, only the WPs of one computer are active. The processes of a different computer (nonstop processes) are available upon request. If the primary computer that includes the active WPs fails, the nonstop processes take over their role. As opposed to a usual parallel operation, the system configuration does not use the WPs of all computers. The WPs of ony computer are always in the mode "hot standby." [Formerly called "UC4.Nonstop Server."]
-
Window of the that is sent to one or several users at runtime.
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Part of the component Automation Engine. Nonstop processes assume processing if the computer with the active server processes fails.
- notification
An Automation Engine object type used to send messages to users and user groups. [Formerly called "CallOperator."]
O
- ONE Automation
The name of an Automic platform (product family). [Formerly called "ONE Automation Platform."]
- object
Automation Engine controlled activities and processes are structured in the form of objects. See also: Task
-
There are four classes of objects: executable, active, passive and system objects.
- object type
An individual object is provided for the individual activities: There are User, UserGroup, Notification, Cockpit, CodeTable, Documentation, Event, Agent, FileTransfer, Group, Include, Job, Workflow, Calendar, Login, Client, , Schedule, Script, Server, Sync, Variable and TimeZone objects
-
Placeholder for values that are stored in an object's "Variables & Prompts" tab/section.
- owner
Entities are owned by a specific user or team. Only this user//users inside the team may change the entity.
P
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An Automic graphical analysis tool that displays the activities, statistical data and forecast data per Automation Engine system client in a bar diagram and that can be used to calculate the critical path. [Formerly called "ClearView," "Graphical Workload Analyzer," or "JobMonitoringStudio (JMS)."]
-
Deprecated Term. Replaced by: workflow
-
Fields/control elements that are used to query User values. They are the content of a PromptSet input mask.
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Separate Automic product that can be used as an additional service program in combination with the Automation Engine.Combines and reroutes CP connections.
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A Package is an instance (a version, a revision, a tag, …) of your application and defines the content which you want to deploy. Here you decide, if you want to deploy the entire application or just a few specified components.
-
A package may reference applications, components and related .
-
A may depend upon another package to have passed a specific milestone.
- package milestone
Since packages define a state machine, they need some sort of timely order. Milestones are used for this.
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A package module is a group of related package types, e.g. Feature, Change Request, or Bug. It defines how the packages are displayed in the GUI and the features enabled for each package type.
- packages
Delivery package, a bundle of functionality.
-
There are different ways of activating objects. The originator of an activation is referred to as the (parent). See also: Child; Children
- parent
A super-ordinate task (such as a workflow that is used to process the task).
- partially qualified file transfer
File transfers that use wildcard characters in order to transfer several files (as opposed to fully qualified file transfers).
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A secret combination of characters for a Automation Engine user.
-
Controls the execution of periodical tasks.
-
Fixed variables that can be used in the attributes or the script of executable objects. The values refer to the object or the system.
-
It is responsible for the execution of Automation Engine-internal tasks and work processes.
-
Privileges in the Automation Engine refer to user rights to work with certain frontend and user interface functions. You grant privileges to users in the Automation Engine.
Q
-
A Queue Run is the resulting entity, when a is started and the contained workflows are being executed.
- queue
A particular Automation Engine (AE) object type. In AE, a queue determines the maximum number of concurrent tasks, their priorities and the order in which tasks should be executed. In ARA, queues are containers for workflow executions that should be executed at a certain time one after another.
R
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A solution that is based on the Rapid Automation Technology that allows the Automation Engine (AE) to access an external system / application / platform. The RA Solution is supplied as a JAR file that must be loaded into the AE Database and connected with an RA Agent. The specific RA objects (such as Jobs, Connections, Agent) are available in the AE system as soon as the solution has been loaded.
- Release Orchestrator
The Automic Release Automation is split into the two products Release Orchestrator and Deployment Manager. The Release Orchestrator can be used to manage release plans and release content for single or multiple application releases etc.
- RemoteTaskManager
It monitors and controls external Jobs that were not started by the Automation Engine (AE). An AE object type. [Formerly called "QueueManager."]
-
Deprecated Term. Replaced by: UserInterface
- RunID
Short for "run number". It is a number that provides unique information about a task's execution. The RunID can include 7 to 10 digits. It is assigned by the Automation Engine component .
-
Users which are not owner of an entity may still see it in the UI if they have read access rights on this entity.
-
These tasks are scheduled without using a and mostly consist of a period that is less than a day.
-
This is the status of a task that runs within a group and is waiting for its start.
- release
Releases combine a set of activities and a set of packages as well as other release artifacts under a timeline (a plan including milestones and phases), which can be planned, baselined and tracked.
-
Release Notes contain information about highlights, new functions, improvements, and corrections for various and releases of the Automic product family.
- report
A report provides more detailed information about a task's execution or a component.
-
After you rollback part(s) of a workflow, we'll provide the ability to re-run, i.e. to start from those tasks that have been successfully rolled back or not yet executed.
-
A restart refers to the repetition of an object's execution. This action differs from a new start in some parts.
-
The first column of dynamic Variable objects with the sources "SQL", "SQL-internal" and "Multi". The content of this column can be defined with Result format.
-
The value that represents the result of tasks and script functions.
-
The scope of a workflow to roll back. For a rollback on a job the scope is this single task while for a rollback on a workflow the scope is this workflow and all sub-workflows in arbitrary depth.
-
The rollout of a release to an environment which can span multiple activities (both manual and deployment activities).
- runtime
The duration of a task's execution. It refers to the period between a task's start and end. It does not include its activation period (see also: activation and start).
S
-
Graphical view of the execution of Schedule objects.
- Schedule object
It starts executable objects periodically. A particular Automation Engine object type.
-
The Service Manager serves to start, stop and access components such as the Automation Engine processes or agents from a central point.
-
A program that facilitates the starts and stops of Automation Engine components.
-
Window which contains the state of a and the assigned tasks.
- Sync object
It synchronizes executable objects based on defined states and actions. A particular Automation Engine object type.
-
The UserInterface window that contains information about the Automation Engine system.
- script
A particular Automation Engine object type.
-
A placeholder for a value within a script.
-
The core of the component Automation Engine. Different types are available: communication, work and dialog processes, as well as nonstop processes.
-
The release plan, contains several stages and milestones
- state
The state a package or a task currently is in.
-
A Variable object with the setting "Source" - "Static": Variable values are entered by a user or with a script and remain stored in the object.
-
This is a list of a task's previous runs.
- status
This represents the condition of a task (such as active, blocked, generating).
-
A workflow that is part of a different workflow.
- superordinate task
There are various ways of activating objects. The originator of the activation is referred to as the superordinate task (parent).
-
Name of the Automation Engine instance to which a user is connected.
T
-
A TNS name is used to establish a connection from a client to an Oracle database server using the Local Naming service. Configured in the TNSnames.ora file.
- task
An executable object that is running. Tasks are also referred to as activities.
-
A template of an activity used inside an activity template.
-
Pre-defined 'workflows' for specific components/tasks, e.g. Tomcat, SubVersion.
-
It defines a local time. A particular Automation Engine object type.
-
A token is used for authentication within a session between a client and a server. A (soft) token is a unique identifier which is generated and sent from a central server to a client software. The client uses the token to authenticate each request.
U
-
Deprecated Term. Replaced by: Automation Engine
-
Deprecated Term. Replaced by: ONE Automation
-
Deprecated Term. Replaced by: Deployment Manager
-
Deprecated Term. Replaced by: Automic Release Automation
-
Internally, the Automation Engine uses UTC (Universal Time Coordinated) because UTC is the international time standard and is always precise. Nevertheless, TimeZone objects are available that can be used to show local times in tasks and script elements.
- UserInterface
This is the Automation Engine's graphical user interface. [Formerly called the "Rich Client", "RichGUI" and "Dialog Client."]
- user
In the Automation Engine, a user is an instance of a User object, and generally the user is a specific person who works with Automic products. The User object is assigned a user ID and then a set of access rights to various parts of the Automation Engine system and product suite. These access rights come in the form of Automation Engine authorizations and privileges, Decision user roles and EventBase rights and ARA web application object rights. You can manage all these centrally in the ECC user management functions. See also, Unified user management.
-
A group of users who have a common profile of rights. A particular object type in the Automation Engine.User groups are an organizing construct to help you better manage users because you can grant user groups access rights the same way that you grant various access rights to a single user. All users in the user group are automatically given those access rights. This makes managing users not only more efficient but also more secure because working with user groups gives you a better overview of what rights are assigned.
-
Name of the Automation Engine user.
-
A user can login to the web UI. A user may be part of zero or more teams. A team can hold zero or more users.
- utilities
Utilities support the execution of administrative tasks in an Automation Engine system (such as reorganizing and archiving the Automation Engine database).
V
-
This refers to an object version that is stored when you have modified the object.
-
vSphere is a virtualization platform for building cloud infrastructures by VMware.
-
It stores or retrieves values dynamically at runtime. An individual Automation Engine object type.
- versions
An application version holds zero or more deployment packages and may have dependencies to zero or more application versions of the same (or to different) applications
W
-
One of the help formats that are provided for manuals. You open it with a Web browser.
-
Deprecated Term.
-
You use it to add, arrange, link, define the properties and remove the tasks of a workflow. It is available in the Main Pane of the Process Assembly perspective (definition).
- web application
A web application is an application that is accessible over a network (Internet or intranet) and is typically coded in a programming language like Java or JavaScript, combined with a markup language like HTML. Web applications are provided on web servers and web browsers are used as GUI on client computers.
-
May show delayed activities, delayed milestones etc. inside a dashboard. A Analytic widget holds a chart that presents some aspect of the performance of an AE system.
- wildcard characters
These are placeholders for characters when you specify filters. ? stands for exactly one character, * for any number of characters.
- work process
A part of the component Automation Engine. It is responsible for an Automation Engine system's processes (see also 'Primary work process').
- workflow
An object of the Automation Engine that can include several executable objects and which runs them in a specified order. [Formerly called "ProcessFlow" and "JobPlan."]
- workflow
Workflows are used to carry out physical deployments. A workflow describes all necessary steps for a deployment of your application. As your application consists of different components, the top level of the workflow (Application Workflow) represents your application architecture and Component Workflows are used to deploy the individual components. You can define your Component Workflow quickly with pre-defined Actions.
-
An execution is an instance of a workflow. It can be monitored and controlled using the workflow monitor.
X
-
A format for imports and exports. An XML file contains object structures.
Z
-
A special function in the Automation Engine, which is meant to enable system upgrades between major versions, minor versions or service packs without the necessity of closing down the AE system at any point during the upgrade.