Automation events can trigger an alert when a network event occurs that might require intervention. Automation alerts can include audio signals, notifications sent via e‑mail, or entering information in a database about an event.
Scripting capabilities are available to define more complex actions, such as tracking actions performed on alarms. For information about using scripts to access information about custom properties and classes, see the Operations Center 5.5 Scripting Guide.
An automation event is an action triggered by an activity or condition change that occurs in a network. Automation events are defined to notify the appropriate personnel that an event occurred and might require intervention. There are two types of automations:
Client-Side Automations: Generally report information to a user or group.
Server-Side Automations: Generally use scripts to integrate to back-end systems. For example, a new ticket might be opened in a trouble-ticketing system.
The user who creates an automation event is the event owner. The owner can configure different automation actions for the same conditions.
Automations are accessed via the tab in the Properties dialog box for:
Element: Automations run for the user that defines them.
User or Group: Automations run on the selected element just for the users and/or groups they are setup for.
Automation Server: Automations are sent to the server and can be directed to any destination.
Creating an automation event requires specifying and defining the following two components:
Automation Filters: These define the conditions, states, system changes, or other information that changes about the system or system resources for which you want to launch a response or automation action.
Automation Actions: These define the system response launched when a filter detects that an automation event occurred. Actions can include playing an audio file, firing a script, creating a log record, or sending an e‑mail.
To define and manage automation events: