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Cisco UCS Director includes orchestration features that allow you to automate the configuration and management of tasks performed by SCVMM through a set of simple, predefined workflows. The same workflow can include Hyper-V VM, Hyper-V host, network, and storage tasks.
For more information about orchestration in Cisco UCS Director, see the Cisco UCS Director Orchestration Guide.
A task is a single action or operation with inputs and outputs (except in rare cases where the task operation does not require inputs or outputs). A task cannot be decomposed into smaller operations.
Cisco UCS Director has a task library containing hundreds of predefined tasks that cover most of the actions an administrator must perform using Orchestration. In cases where there is no suitable predefined task, you can create custom tasks.
A workflow is a series of tasks arranged to automate a complex operation. The simplest possible workflow contains a single task, but workflows can contain any number of tasks.
Workflows are the heart of the Cisco UCS Director Orchestrator. They enable you to automate processes of any level of complexity on your physical and virtual infrastructure.
You build workflows using the Workflow Designer that has a drag-and-drop interface. In the Workflow Designer, you arrange tasks in sequence and define inputs and outputs to those tasks. Outputs from earlier tasks are available to use as inputs to any subsequent task.
A complete list of the orchestration tasks is available in Workflow Designer, in the Task Library, and the Virtualization folder. The Task Library, which includes a description of the orchestration tasks, can be accessed from the following locations in Cisco UCS Director:
The Hyper-V orchestration tasks include tasks to configure and manage the following:
You build workflows using the Workflow Designer that has a drag-and-drop interface. In the Workflow Designer, you arrange tasks in sequence and define inputs and outputs to those tasks. Outputs from earlier tasks are available to use as inputs to any subsequent task.
Follow the steps listed to access Workflow Designer and create workflows from individual tasks.
Cisco UCS Director Orchestrator provides a mechanism for validating the flow of data from one task to the next in a workflow. Workflow validation checks the data bindings and connections between tasks. Orchestrator supplies a wizard-based issue resolver. When you validate a workflow, the wizard presents a list of issues along with suggestions for fixing those issues. Some issues require additional information or input from you. Other issues are quick fixes that are resolved for you.
Triggers are used to execute workflows based on specified conditions. Once those conditions are met, a workflow is automatically executed.