Runbook Commander Update 1.5 – An Orchestrator Console Extension for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager.

Updated 10/26/2012 - Runbook Commander 2.0 has been released. Information can be found and the following links.

Download Location - https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/Runbook-Commander-20-116ec91c

Runbook Commander 2.0 Overview - https://blogs.technet.com/b/neilp/archive/2012/10/19/runbook-commander-2-0-system-center-orchestrator-console-extension-for-configuration-manager.aspx

Deployment and Administration Guide - https://blogs.technet.com/b/neilp/archive/2012/10/23/runbook-commander-2-0-deployment-and-administration-guide.aspx

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Items added in V1.5 -

• Runbook Commander now supports extended console actions against not only Computer objects but collections as well.
• Runbook Commander XML Generator has been modified to auto generate the extension XML for both Computer Object extensions and Collection extension.
• General Error handling and UI design changes (including multi select and de-select).

Configuration and Functionality –

There has not been much change here. Follow these steps to configure and use Runbook Commander.

• Install the Runbook Commander Tools.
• Execute The Runbook Commander XML Generator application.
• Enter the Orchestrator Web Service URL and appropriate credentials – click ‘Fetch’.
• Select Runbooks to add to the Configuration Manager console. There is a field for both Computer targeted and Collection targeted Runbooks – Click Next.
• Enter Friendly Names for each selected Runbook – this is the name that will appear in the Configuration Manager console.
• Click the Generate Button.
• Open up the Configuration Manager Console and the extensions will be available for execution.

Update Prerequisites –

• Orchestrator must be installed including the Web Service.
• System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Console must be installed. Please do not install this tool (or any other home grown console extensions) on your site servers.
• The Runbooks which you intend on making available to Runbook Commander must have a parameter with a Name of “Computer Name: ” (including the : ) or “Collection ID: ” (including the : ).
• The Orchestrator Web Service must be reachable from the machine(s) running Runbook Commander each time a Runbook is invoked.
• The user account used to launch the Configuration Manager console must also have the appropriate access to execute Orchestrator Runbooks.

Collection Targeting Overview –

In order for the new collection targeted Runbook extension to work the targeted runbook must have an initialize data parameter the is named “Collection ID: ’. Runbook Commander will simply supply the collection ID of the subject collection as a value to this parameter. In most cases this would then be passed to a ‘Get Collection Member’ activity for further processing.

Example Initialize Data

Runbook including Get Collections Member activity

 

Screen Shots –

XML Generator Tool

Computer Targeted Extension

Runbook Commander with Computer Name

Collection Targeted Extension

 

Runbook Commander with Collection