Automation Tasks
Welcome to the Automation Tasks documentation for AZExecute. Automation Tasks enable you to orchestrate complex workflows across Azure and on-premises environments by combining multiple automation steps into reusable, executable tasks.
What are Automation Tasks?
Automation Tasks are workflow orchestrations that combine multiple steps to automate complex operations. Each task can execute a sequence of actions including:
• Running Azure Automation Runbooks
• Executing PowerShell scripts on Azure VMs or on-premises machines
• Managing certificates in Azure Key Vault or on machines
• Controlling Windows services
• Triggering Azure DevOps pipelines
• And more...
Key Features
Multi-Step Workflows:
Chain multiple automation steps together to create complex workflows. Each step executes in sequence, with the ability to pass data between steps using global variables.
Reusable Custom Parameters:
Define parameters once and reuse them across multiple automation tasks. Parameters can be mandatory or optional, with support for various types including text, dropdowns, and checkboxes.
Global Variables:
Share data between steps using variable references with the {{ VariableName }} syntax. Variables are securely encrypted and stored per task execution.
Parallel Execution:
Execute steps in parallel to reduce overall execution time. Configure individual steps to run concurrently without waiting for previous steps to complete.
Error Handling:
Control workflow behavior with "Stop on Failure" settings. Choose whether to halt execution when a step fails or continue with remaining steps.
Publishing & Sharing:
Publish automation tasks to end users with role-based access control. Published tasks appear in a user-friendly interface for execution without requiring operator privileges.
Execution History:
Track all task executions with detailed history including status, duration, step-by-step results, and error details for troubleshooting.
Task Types
AZExecute supports two types of automation tasks:
General Tasks:
Standalone automation workflows for any purpose. These tasks are created manually and can contain any combination of supported step types.
Certificate Tasks:
Specialized tasks linked to ACME certificate templates. These tasks are automatically associated with certificate renewal workflows and can automate certificate deployment after renewal.
Use Cases
Common scenarios where Automation Tasks provide value:
Certificate Deployment: Automatically deploy renewed certificates from Key Vault to application servers and restart services.
Application Deployment: Orchestrate complex deployment workflows involving Azure resources, on-premises systems, and DevOps pipelines.
Disaster Recovery: Create automated failover sequences that execute across multiple systems in the correct order.
Compliance Automation: Run scheduled compliance checks across your infrastructure with automated remediation steps.
Self-Service Operations: Publish pre-approved automation tasks to end users, enabling them to perform operations safely without operator access.
Getting Started
To begin using Automation Tasks, we recommend following this learning path:
1. Getting Started Guide - Create your first automation task
2. Automation Tasks - Learn about task configuration and management
3. Task Steps - Understand all available step types
4. Custom Parameters - Create reusable parameters
5. Global Variables - Share data between steps
If you encounter any issues or need further assistance, please contact us at
info@azexecute.com. Our support team is here to help you.