Beginner Guide to Azure Automation !

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Azure Automation

For Azure IAAS enthusiasts, Microsoft has provided a platform to automate all the azure services using powershell. The language is tweaked and used as “powershell workflow”.

 

Why to Use

  • Reducing Manual Effort and help in consistent testing
  • Managing resources (deployment/VM’s etc)

 

How to Use

  • Create a powershell workflow in azure web portal and execute it.

Runbook

  • Deployment and execution of tasks written in PowerShell.
  • Provisioning/Deployment/Maintenance/Monitoring.

 

Things to know!

Automation Account – A dedicated account to perform runbook design/execution/management.

Asset – Global resources used by runbooks to assist in common tasks and value specific operations

Windows PowerShell Workflow – Implementation of azure automation using PowerShell Workflows. Workflow is a group of individual steps performing an action.

Management Certificates – Authenticate azure resources for azure automation in an azure subscription.

 

Tips to remember!

  • An automation account name is unique per region and per subscription. Multiple accounts are possible. Max 30 per subscription in different region.

 

Sample One: Creating a runbook to Connect Azure Subscription using Azure AD

Create Automation Account

1. Goto https://portal.azure.com 1

2. Click Browse and select Automation Accounts.

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3. Click Add in the Automation accounts.

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4. Fill details in Add Automation Account and click Create.

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5. Automation Account is created. 5

 

6. In Automation Resources, Select Runbooks.

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7. Click Add Runbook. Enter details and click create.

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8. Runbook is created. Authoring status is New.

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9. Click Edit in the Runbook details page.

 

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10. Create an Azure AD User to the subscription and set it as a co-administrator. Add the user to the asset as credential type.

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11.Edit the Runbook with the below code and Save the runbook.

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12. Test the runbook by clicking Start in the Test Pane.

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13. Test is passed.

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14. Publish the runbook by clicking publish in the Runbook detail page.

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15. You can schedule the run book based on the Recurrence/Date etc.

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