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Creating a shell script task

Use Lumen® Edge Service Manager to automate tasks using shell scripts for your Unix-based operating system instances. Shell script is a file that is executed by the shell which is the operating system command line interface that interprets the commands. Shell scripts are useful for repetitive tasks that are typed one line at a time such as executing routine backups, creating and modifying files, and running a program. Shell scripts combine a series of commands that are then stored and run from one file.

Use shell script tasks in conjunction with write attribute tasks to create and modify where the write attribute task stores values. Use shell script tasks to create content directly within a task and then call the stored values of a write attribute task at a later time. Having accessibility to stored values is important when creating a provisioning workflow. Task results are chained within the same phase of an instance but not accessible outside of each individual phase. Using the shell script in conjunction with the write attribute task gives you access to those results to call in other phases of a provisioning workflow.

To store files in a repository and access them for your tasks, integrate a Git account into the Edge Service Manager.

You can execute your automated task as a single task or combine it as part of an operational or provisioning workflow.

Note: Library tab functionality is only available for AWS (Amazon Web Services) and Azure cloud providers.

To create a shell script task:

  1. Click Library, click Automation, then click Tasks.

    The Edge Service Manager shows the tasks created for your organization.
Edge Services Manager Library automation tasks view
  1. Click +Add.

    The Edge Service Manager shows the New Task window.
New Task window
  1. In the New Task window, complete the following fields:
Field Description
NAME Type a unique name for the shell script task.
CODE

Type a unique code to identify the shell script task.

To combine this task with write attribute tasks, use this code in fields and scripts for tasks and workflows to call the shell script task results.
TYPE Select Shell Script.
RESULT TYPE

Select one of the following options:

  • None—Task results are not returned.
  • Single Value—Task results are returned in a single string.
  • Key/Value Pairs—Task results are returned in key=value format.
  • JSON—Task results are returned in key pairs in JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) key:value format. JSON is a data interchange format that uses readable text to store and transmit data consisting of attribute-value pairs and arrays.
SUDO To run the script as SUDO (super user do; meaning run the program as another user), select the checkbox.
SOURCE Select one of the following options:
  • Local—Directly write and apply shell scripts through the task. 
  • Repository—Access the repository where shell scripts are stored. This requires a Git account to be integrated with the Edge Service Manager.
  • URL—Access the URL path where shell scripts are stored.


Additional fields appear based on your selection.
CONTENT

Type shell script in this area to directly create content for your instance. Use the task result values in separate tasks and in different phases of a provisional workflow by using the key in the key-value pair. (e.g., FOLDER_NAME=<%=instance.attributes.folderName%>

mkdir $FOLDER_NAME)
REPOSITORY Select the repository that contains the shell script.
WORKING PATH Type the Git repository file path where the shell script is stored.
BRANCH/TAG Type the branch or tag of the Git repository to access the stored shell script.

A repository branch is an area of the repository where code can be worked on but the changes are isolated from the original source. A repository tag is a version reference point of the respository at a given time.
URL Type the URL to access where the shell scripts are stored.
  1. In the Target Options section, complete the following fields:
Field Description
EXECUTE TARGET

Select one of the following options:

  • Remote—Execute the task from a remote server. 
  • Resource—Execute the task from a managed server or instance.


Additional fields appear based on your selection.
IP ADDRESS Type the IP address of the target executing the shell script.
PORT Type the IP address of the SSH (Secure Shell) port of the target executing the shell script.
CREDENTIALS

Select one of the following options to enter credentials for a remote server:

  • username and password—Create a new user to perform this task.
  • username, password, and keypair—Create a new user to perform this task and apply a keypair private key to the user.
  • username and keypair—Create a new user to perform this task and apply only a username and keypair private key to the user.
  • Local Credentials—Use an existing user to perform this task.


Additional fields appear based on your selection.
SECRET STORE

Select one of the following options:

  • Internal—Use credentials that are internal to the remote server.
  • External—Use credentials that are external to the remote server.
USERNAME Type the username of the target that is executing the shell script.

If you selected Local Credentials in the CREDENTIALS field, type the local administrator username in this field.
PASSWORD Type the password of the target that is executing the shell script.

If you selected Local Credentials in the CREDENTIALS field, type the local administrator password in this field.
PRIVATE KEY Select the private key that was generated to access the server executing the shell script.
KEY

Select the key that was generated to access the server executing the shell script.
  1. In the Execute Options section, complete the following fields:
Field Description
RETRYABLE Select this option to retry the task if it initially fails.
RETRY COUNT Type the maximum number of attempts to retry the task if it initially fails.
RETRY DELAY Type the amount of time (in seconds) the Edge Service Manager waits between retry attempts for the task.
ALLOW CUSTOM CONFIG Select this option to enable a text field to add extra variables or specifications to the task. This field appears in the Advanced Options section in the Execute Task? window when you manually execute a specific task.
  1. Click SAVE CHANGES.

    The Edge Service Manager creates the shell script task.

Next, you can execute a single automated task or combine tasks in operational or provisioning workflows.