Getting Started with Orchestrator

Orchestrator uses workflows, composed of a series of connected steps, to automate your content collection, processing, and distribution. The following steps outline the process of creating a workflow, configuring its steps, configuring workflow logging and monitoring, and launching a workflow as a work order.

These steps assume that Orchestrator is already installed and running; for instructions, see the IBM Aspera Orchestrator Admin Guide.

  1. Log in to the Orchestrator UI.
    Orchestrator workflows, work flow steps, and logging can only be configured in the Orchestrator web UI. For instructions on logging in, see Connecting to the Orchestrator UI.
  2. Create a workflow or open a workflow template.
    Workflows are based on an arrangement of steps that control content flow/data processing between computers. The actions performed in a workflow can include ingest, processing, transfer, and output of data. Actions can run automatically in response to triggering events or can be managed through manual oversight. Each workflow can be configured for success, failure, and error outcomes. A workflow can connect to multiple sub-workflows that are triggered by particular conditions.
  3. Configure plugins within the workflow.
    Workflow steps consist of action plugins. To add a plugin to a workflow, you can drag-and-drop it from the plugin list into your workflow editing space. Before you can save the workflow, the plugin must be configured and saved as a new template. The configuration options vary, depending on the action.

    For example, you can use the Ascp Client Action Plugin to transfer files as an Aspera Client between the Orchestrator computer and an Aspera server, and must enter the IP address of the server, transfer user credentials, and transfer specifications. You can trigger this plugin by preceding it with and connecting it to the Aspera Node File Watcher Action Plugin, which detects when a specific file or file pattern is present on the Aspera server. Once the transfer is complete, you can perform local file operations.

  4. Configure run-time logs (journaling).
    Journals are run-time logs that track the progress of files (assets) through a workflow. Journal books consolidate journal log data for specific sources or actions; for example, to track files sourced from a particular vendor through the entire workflow, or to track all asset ingest steps across multiple workflows. You can create multiple journal books for a workflow; conversely, a single journal book can be used across multiple workflows.

    To use journals and journal books, you assign individual plugins within a workflow to specific journals or journal books. Journal books must be created before a plugin can be assigned to them. For information about journal books, see Working with Journal Books. For instructions about assigning workflow steps to journals and journal books, see Working with Journals.

  5. Configure Orchestrator monitoring.
    You can create monitors with which you can monitor the status of workflows and specific areas of the file system. For example, you can configure email alerts in order to know as soon as a workflow or folder enters an "Alerts" or "Warning" status.

    You can also create a custom dashboard (portal page), from which you have easy access to Orchestrator system and workflow information, start work orders, or interact with other Aspera products. These views and actions are added as portlets; Orchestrator comes with many portlets, and you can also create your own custom portlets.

    • For more information about using monitors, see Monitors.
    • For more information about creating dashboards and portlets for your dashboards, see The Dashboard and Portlets.
  6. Run the workflow by creating a work order.
    The workflow defines the series of actions to take, and you start a workflow by creating and launching a work order. In the work order, you select the workflow you want to run, enter any required parameters, and click start.
  7. Monitor workflow progress.
    Once a work order is launched, you can monitor the progress of a workflow in several ways:
    • If monitors were configured, you might receive email notifications triggered by workflow events.
    • You can follow along on a customized dashboard.
    • You can view journals or journal books to which workflow steps have been assigned.
    • You can view the event queue and adjust event priority. The queue displays pending workflow actions, and these can be re-prioritized in the Manage Queues page. For more information, see Queues
    • You can use the Orchestrator API to check the status; see API Calls for Workflows and API Calls for Work Orders.