This part of the lab is presented as a Hands-on Labs Interactive Simulation. This will allow you to experience steps which are too time-consuming or resource intensive to do live in the lab environment. In this simulation, you can use the software interface as if you are interacting with a live environment.
The orange boxes show where to click, and the left and right arrow keys can also be used to move through the simulation in either direction.
In this simulation, a vRealize Code Stream pipeline with enhanced functionality will be used to serve multiple purposes: first, the pipeline will be executed to institute an emergency fix, and second, the same pipeline will be executed in order to enable new functionality.
View the vRealize Code Stream Pipeline
- Click the Edit button to open the pipeline
- This pipeline makes use of several properties. Used correctly, these properties will alter the execution of the pipeline as needed.
- Click on the FEATURE_CHECK property
- This property will be used to enable new features in the MyCommerce.com application.
- Click on the EMERGENCY_RELEASE property
- This property will be used in the event that an immediate fix is required for the MyCommerce.com application.
- Click the Stages button to view the pipeline tasks and stages
- Click the gear icon in the Resolve Artifact task
- Click Configure to open the task
- Click on the scrollbar to scroll down
- This task searches an Artifactory repository for a certified artifact. The integration with Artifactory allows for code artifacts certified for release to be accessed by the pipeline.
- Click Cancel to close the task
- Click the gear icon next to the “Install Website to Staging” task in the Staging stage
- Click Configure to open the task
- This task demonstrates an example of conditional execution. The task will only execute when the EMERGENCY_RELEASE pipeline parameter is set to "false" (the default value.)
- Click Cancel to close the task
- Click the gear icon in the Create ServiceNow Change task
- Click Configure to open the task
- As with the Install Website to Staging task, this task will only execute based on pipeline parameters. In this case, the FEATURE_CHECK parameter must be set to something other than the default value in order for this task to be executed.
- Click the scrollbar to scroll down
- This task is an example of integration with an external system via REST API. This task will create a new incident in ServiceNow, in order to create a record of feature enablement.
- Click Cancel to close the task
- Click the gear icon in the Resume Upon Approval task
- Click Configure to open the task
- As with the Create ServiceNow Change task, this task will only execute if the FEATURE_CHECK pipeline parameter is set to a value other than the default.
- Click the scrollbar again to view the exit criteria
- This task will poll a given URL over a specified interval and for a specific timeframe. The task will complete either when the timeout period is met, or when one of the listed values in the Exit Criteria section are met. In this case, a ServiceNow incident status of 6 (Resolved) will cause this task to complete successfully.
- Click Cancel to close the task
- Click the scrollbar in the Production stage to view additional tasks
- Click the gear icon in the Enable Site Feature task
- Click Configure to open the task
- This task will only execute if the Resume Upon Approval polling task earlier in the stage completes succesfully.
- Click the scrollbar to view the rest of the task
- This task makes use of a defined script within vRealize Code Stream. The script will be executed on the production server, and used to enable specific features when the FEATURE_CHECK pipeline parameter is in use.
- Click Cancel to close the task
Execute the Pipeline to Institute an Emergency Fix
- Click the MyCommerce.com browser tab to view the current production site
- A new build was mistakenly released to production with a mistake that was not detected by the Selenium test. The test parameters have been adjusted and a new build is available with the fix in place, but this fix must be deployed to production as quickly as possible. We will make use of the EMERGENCY_RELEASE parameter to execute the pipeline and skip deployment of the site to the staging environment in order to save time.
- Click the vRealize Automation tab to return to the Code Stream pipeline
- Click Close to close the pipeline
- Click Execute to begin pipeline execution
- Click on the EMERGENCY_RELEASE parameter
- Click on the default value of false to edit it
- Enter true and press Enter to change the value
- Click OK to execute the pipeline
- Click the Pipeline Executions tab to view the pipeline execution in progress
- Click the arrow icon to the left of the pipeline execution entry to expand the task in progress
- Click Enable Auto-refresh to automatically refresh the pipeline execution
- Note that the Provision Machine and Resolve Artifact tasks execute simultaneously.
- Additionally, the pipeline execution skips the “Install Website to Staging” task due to the EMERGENCY_RELEASE parameter being set to true.
- Click Disable Auto-refresh
- Click the MyCommerce.com tab to view the site in the browser
- Click Refresh to refresh the site
- The site background color is now correct.
Execute the Pipeline to Enable a New Feature
- Click the vRealize Automation tab to return to vRealize Code Stream
- Click the arrow next to the pipeline execution to minimize it
- Click Pipelines to return to the list of pipelines
- Click Execute to begin the pipeline execution again
- With the emergency fix applied successfully, the Rainpole development team is now prepared to enable new functionality on the MyCommerce.com site. Specifically, in addition to current product offerings, Rainpole will now also be selling shoes and similar goods. The new content is already available and tested, so a new build is not required. However, new feature functionality must be validated in person by Rainpole's IT Service Management team through a ServiceNow incident record. By using the FEATURE_CHECK pipeline parameter, we will enable to the new site feature and create the necessary records.
- Click the FEATURE_CHECK parameter to edit the default value
- Click on the NA default value to edit it
- Enter ENABLE_SHOE_SKU and press Enter
- Click OK
- Click Pipeline Executions
- Click the arrow icon to the left of the pipeline execution entry to expand the task in progress
- Click Enable Auto-refresh to automatically refresh the pipeline execution
- Note that the Install Website to Staging task executes normally since the EMERGENCY_RELEASE parameter was not changed
- Click the Incidents tab to open ServiceNow
- Click the Run button
- Click the link to open the incident created by the REST task
- Click the State select box to open it
- Click Resolved to change the state of this incident
- Click Resolve to update the incident
- Click the vRealize Automation browser tab to return to the Code Stream pipeline execution in progress
- Click the scrollbar to scroll down
- Note the successful execution of the Enable Site Feature task, since the Resume Upon Approval poll task completed successfully.
- Click the MyCommerce.com browser tab to open the site
- Click Refresh to reload the site
- With the pipeline execution complete, the new site functionality has been enabled and new items are available on MyCommerce.com for purchase.
To return to the lab, click the link in the top right corner or close this browser tab.