1

Automating NetApp ONTAP with WFA:

Senthilkumar Muthusamy

Overview of WFA:
OnCommand Workflow Automation (WFA) is a software solution that
helps to automate storage management tasks, such as provisioning,
migration, decommissioning, data protection configurations, and
cloning storage. You can use WFA to build workflows to complete
tasks that are specified by your processes. WFA supports both ONTAP

my
and Data ONTAP operating in 7-Mode.

a
A workflow is a repetitive and procedural task that consists of

us
sequential steps, including the following types of tasks:

•
th
Provisioning, migrating, or decommissioning storage for
Mu
databases or file systems
• Setting up a new virtualization environment, including
r
ma

storage switches and datastores

• Setting up storage for an application as part of an end-to-
ku

end orchestration process

l

Storage architects can define workflows to follow best practices and

hi

meet organizational requirements, such as the following:

nt

• Using required naming conventions

Se

• Setting unique options for storage objects

• Selecting resources
• Integrating internal configuration management database
(CMDB) and ticketing applications

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 1

2

WFA Features:
• Designer portal to build workflows
The designer portal includes several building blocks, such as
commands, templates, finders, filters, and functions, that are
used to create workflows. The designer enables you to
include advanced capabilities to workflows such as
automated resource selection, row repetition (looping), and
approval points.
The designer portal also includes building blocks, such as

my
dictionary entries, cache queries, and data source types, for
caching data from external systems.

a
us
• Execution portal to execute workflows, verify status of
workflow execution, and access logs
th
Administration/Settings option for tasks such as setting up
Mu
•
WFA, connecting to data sources, and configuring user
credentials
r
ma

• Web services interfaces to invoke workflows from external

portals and data center orchestration software
ku

• Storage Automation Store to download WFA packs

l
hi
nt

WFA Deployment Architecture:

Se

OnCommand Workflow Automation (WFA) server is installed to

orchestrate the workflow operations across several datacenters.

You can centrally manage your automation environment by

connecting your WFA server to several Active IQ Data Center Manager
deployments and VMware vCenters.

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 2

3

my
a
us
th
Mu
r
ma
l ku
hi
nt
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 3

4

Installation:

my
a
us
th
Mu
r
ma
l ku
hi
nt
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 4

5

my
a
us
th
Mu
r
ma
l ku
hi
nt
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 5

6

Configuring WFA:

After you complete installing OnCommand Workflow Automation

(WFA), you must complete several configuration settings. You have to
access WFA, configure users, set up data sources, configure
credentials, and configure WFA.

amy
us
th
Mu
r
ma

WFA Data Source:

ku

OnCommand Workflow Automation (WFA) operates on data that is

l

acquired from data sources. Various versions of Active IQ Data Center

hi

Manager and VMware vCenter Server are provided as predefined WFA

nt

data source types. You must be aware of the predefined data source
types before you set up the data sources for data acquisition.
Se

You must set up a connection with a data source in OnCommand

Workflow Automation (WFA) to acquire data from the data source.

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 6

7

WFA Setup Wizard

my
a
us
th
Mu
Select Unified Manager
Data Source
r
ma
l ku
hi
nt
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 7

8

Follow the
instructions from
Unified Manager.

my
a
us
Login to Unified Manager and proceed the WFA setup options.
th
Mu
r
ma
ku

WFA Setup in Unified Manager.

l
hi
nt
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 8

9

my
a
us
th
Mu
r
ma
l ku
hi
nt
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 9

10

Workflow Automation Designer:

my
You create workflows in the Workflow Automation (WFA) designer
using the building blocks such as finders, filters, and commands.

a
us
Understanding the building blocks and the workflow creation process
is important before you start creating your workflows.
th
Mu
r
ma
l ku
hi
nt
Se

Creating a Workflow:
You must break down the goal of a workflow into the steps that should
be executed by the workflow. You can then arrange the steps to
complete your workflow.

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 10

11

A workflow is an algorithm that includes a series of steps that are

required to complete an end-to-end process. The scope of the process
might vary, depending on the goal of the workflow. The goal of a
workflow might be defined to handle only storage operations or more
complex processes such as handling networking, virtualization, IT
systems, and other applications as part of a single process.
OnCommand Workflow Automation (WFA) workflows are designed by
storage architects and are executed by storage operators.

Defining your workflow includes breaking down the goal of your

my
workflow into a series of steps—for example, creating an NFS volume
includes the following steps:

a
us
1. Creating a volume object
th
2. Creating a new export policy and associating the policy
Mu
with the volume
r
ma
l ku
hi
nt
Se

Map the ONTAP Command Parameters:

The parameters in Workflow Automation (WFA) commands are
mapped to specific attributes and dictionary entry references based

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 11

12

on certain rules. You must be aware of the rules to map command

parameters when you create or edit a WFA command.

Command parameter mapping defines how command details are

defined in the workflows. Mapped command parameters of a
command are displayed in tabs when you are specifying the command
details for commands in workflows. The tabs are named based on the
group name specified in the Object Name column of the Parameters
Mapping tab. The parameters that are not mapped are displayed in
the Other Parameters tab when you are specifying the command

my
details in workflows.

a
us
Select the create volume
th workflow step (Drag & Drop)
Mu
r
ma
l ku
hi
nt
Se

Specify Workflow name and

Description.

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 12

13

User Input Values:

The OnCommand Workflow Automation (WFA) user inputs are data

input options that are available during the execution of workflows.
You must define the user input parameters for your workflows to
enhance the flexibility and usability of your workflows.

User inputs are shown as input fields, which can be filled out with
relevant data when previewing or executing workflows. You can
create a user input field when specifying the command details in a
workflow by prefixing a label or variable with the dollar sign ($).

a my
For example, $VolumeName creates a Volume Name user input field.

us
WFA automatically populates the User Inputs tab in the Workflow
th
<workflow name> window with the user input labels that you have
created. You can also define the type of the user input and customize
Mu
the input fields by modifying the user input attributes, such as type,
display name, default values, and validation values.
r
ma

Specify the User Input Values

ku

as required.
l
hi
nt
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 13

14

Pre-defined Filters
to select an
aggregate

User has to provide

the Cluster and
Volume size.

a my
us
th
Mu
r
ma

Specify the SVM

l ku
hi
nt
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 14

15

Select the provisioning type

(Thin or Thick)

a my
us
th
Mu

Using Constants:
r
ma

You can create and use constants to define a value, which can be used
across a single workflow. Constants are defined at a workflow level.
l ku

The constants used in the workflow and their value are displayed in
hi

the monitoring window of the workflow during planning and

execution. You must use unique names for constants.
nt
Se

You can use the following naming conventions to define constants:

• Uppercase for the first letter of each word, without

underscores or spaces between words
All terms and abbreviations should use upper case—for
example, ActualVolumeSizeInMB.
• Uppercase for all letters

You can use underscores to separate words—for

example, AGGREGATE_USED_SPACE_THRESHOLD.
SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 15
16

a my
us
th Defined user inputs for
Mu
creating volume workflow.
r
ma
l ku
hi
nt

Run preview with user

Se

inputs.

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 16

17

Preview of workflow is
successful.

a my
us
You can list the execution plan.

th
Mu
r
ma
l ku

User input values

hi
nt
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 17

18

Workflow created successfully.

my
As per this example, svm01

a
has svm root volume only.

us
th
Mu
r

Specify the user input

ma

values to create a
volume.
Execute the
ku

workflow.
l
hi
nt
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 18

19

Execution of workflow is
successful.

a my
us
th
Mu
Check the execution status.
r
ma
l ku
hi

Volume volnew1 with 1GB

size created successfully.
nt
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 19

20

You can edit the user

input variables.

a my
us
th
Mu
r
ma

Change Volume size

variable type to Enum.
l ku
hi
nt
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 20

21

Enter the values (For Ex: 1,2 and

3 GB)- Users able to select the
defined size only.

a my
us
th
Mu
r
ma
l ku
hi
nt
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 21

22

Enter your query to

select the cluster.

You can define a query to select

the cluster while running
workflow.

a my
us
th
Mu
User input variables changed
successfully.
r
ma
ku

Execute the workflow, then

l

select the cluster name and

volume size.
hi
nt
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 22

23

my
WFA Building Blocks:

a
Workflow Automation (WFA) includes several building blocks, which

us
are used to construct workflows. You can create the WFA buildings
blocks that are required for your workflows. th
Mu
Example Workflow building blocks.
1. Search or define the cluster to perform these operations.
r

2. Create an export policy for NFS.

ma

3. Create an access rule

ku

4. Create a new volume

l

5. Create Qtrees
hi

Once you execute this workflow, It creates volume and qtrees with
nt

defined export policy rule automatically.

Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 23

24

my
Example User Inputs:

a
us
1. Cluster Name: cluster1
2.
3.
SVM name: svm01
Export Policy Name: ep1
th
Mu
4. Client Match rule:
5. Rwrule and ROrule
r

6. Volume size
ma

7. Volume Name
ku

8. Qtree Names.
l
hi

User input values for this

nt

workflow.
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 24

25

Volnfs1 created successfully.

Qtrees also created automatically.

a my
us
th
Mu
Export policy ep1 created
automatically.
r
ma
l ku

Export policy ep1 assigned to

hi

volume volnfs1 automatically.

nt
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 25

26

Approval Point:
Approval points are check points used in a workflow to pause the
workflow execution and resume it based on a user approval.
You can use approval points for incremental execution of a workflow,
where sections of the workflow should be executed only after a certain
condition is met. For example, when the next section has to be
approved or when successful execution of the first section is validated.
Approval points do not handle any process between pausing and
resuming of a workflow.

my
Email and SNMP notifications are sent, as specified in the WFA

a
us
configuration, and the storage operator can be asked to perform
certain actions upon receiving the workflow pause notification. For
th
example, the storage operator can send planning details to admin,
Mu
approver, or operator for approval and resume the workflow when the
approval is received.
r

For example, you can set the approval point for creating volume. Once
ma

the workflow executed, it will select the cluster, create an export policy
ku

and set the policy client match rules.

l

But it won’t initiate the next building block, because it needs an

hi

approval.
nt
Se

You can set approval point

also.

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 26

27

Approval point created

successfully.

a my
Once the workflow executed, It will create export policy and policy

us
client match rule then it will wait for the approval to create a volume.

th
Mu
r
ma
l ku
hi

Waiting for approval

nt
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 27

28

Workflow Execution status in

Waiting For Approval

my
Once the concern user approves it and resume the workflow.

a
us
th
Mu

Select the workflow and

r

approve it.
ma
l ku
hi
nt
Se

Type the comment and click Approve and

Resume.

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 28

29

Workflow executed successfully.

my
a
us
th
Mu
r
ma

Execution status completed with approval

comments.
l ku
hi
nt
Se

SENTHILKUMAR MUTHUSAMY | SAN MASTERS 29