In this blogpost we will create our first Opalis Policy. This will be a simple, easy Policy just to show you what is involved in the creation of an Opalis Policy.
Policies are visual representations of your data center operation procedures. Policies are built by dragging and dropping objects and connecting them with links. When triggered, each object performs an action. Once an object has completed it will trigger any objects that are linked to it.
Open the Client. This is found in Start > All Programs > Opalis Software > Opalis Integration Server > Opalis Integration Server Client.
Click the Policies folder
Click on the Policies Folder. Right-click and select create new folder.
Click the Policies folder.
Click the newly created folder. Right-click and select create new task
A new Policy tab will appear in the workspace with a generic name. Right-click the Policy tab and select Rename. Rename the Policy and press Enter.
Monitors
Some objects are triggered by external applications and cannot be triggered by another object. These objects are called Monitors. Monitors are used at the beginning of Policies to create start conditions. For example, the Monitor Folder object will wait for the files within a specified folder to change. When a file changes the Monitor Folder object will trigger the next object in the Policy.
Objects
Each object performs a specific action when it is executed by the Action Server. To use an object, drag-and-drop it to the Policy, configure its properties, and link it to the object that will trigger it. For example, the Send Email object is used to send email through an SMTP server. To use the Send Email object you must configure the recipients, subject, message body, and the SMTP server.
In the objects palette on the right, click the File Management module to expand the category, then drag the Monitor Folder object into the design window.
Monitor Folder
The Monitor Folder object triggers a Policy when the folder that you specify, or the files within that folder, have been changed. Use the Monitor Folder object to monitor the size of log files in a folder. If the files grow too large, the Monitor Folder object can trigger a Policy that will archive, backup, and then purge the log files to clean up the folder. To configure the Monitor Folder object you need to know the name of the folder that you are monitoring and what condition will trigger the Policy. Optionally, you may need to know what file types you want to monitor.
In the objects palette on the right, click the Notification module to expand the category, then drag the Send Event Log Message object into the design window.
Send Event Log Message
The Send Event Log Message object will create an entry in the Application Windows Event Log. The Send Event Log Message object can be used to create audit logs in the Windows Event Log of any problems that may occur while trying to correct issues using an automated Policy. To configure the Send Event Log Message object you will need to know the message of the event that you are creating and the severity of the event.
Mouse over the right side of the monitor folder object to display the arrow. Click on the arrow and drag it to the Send Event log Message object, then release the mouse.
Links are used to connect objects and create the order in which they are triggered. Links can be configured with Link Conditions that will filter data from the previous object in the Policy. The filters can test any data published to the Databus. With Link Conditions, you can build automatic decision making in your Policies.
Double click on the Monitor Folder object to open the properties pane.
Fill in the Path Field
Click on triggers and select a value that will trigger the object. Click Finish.
Double click the Send Event log Message object to open the properties. Select the computer on which you want to create an event, the message and the severity. Click finish.
Once you have finished creating a Policy, you must check in your changes to commit them to the Datastore. To check in your changes, click the Policy tab and select Check In. You may be required to add a comment about the changes that were made to the Policy.
Once you have committed your changes, you must start the Policy so that it can be executed. If the Policy begins with a Monitor object, the Monitor object will wait indefinitely to be triggered by an external source. Once a Monitor object has been triggered, the Policy runs and the Monitor begins waiting for another trigger. If your policy does not begin with a Monitor object, then it will run once and then stop.
To start your Policy, click the Policy tab and click the Start button. The Policy starts on the Action Server that was assigned to it, or the default Action Server.
The moment we have more then one file in the Monitored Folder: we will have a Warning event in the application log.
This was a very simple policy, stay tuned for more posts about Policies!
Hope this helps,
Alexandre Verkinderen
