Automic Automation Cloud Integration: AWS SSM

Broadcom's AWS SSM Automation Agent lets you easily execute AWS SSM jobs, monitor and manage them with your existing enterprise workload automation, as well as other cloud-native activities. You instantly inherit the advanced capabilities of your enterprise solution, enabling you to deliver your digital transformation more quickly and successfully.

Video transcript

Introduction to the Automic Automation AWS SSM integration

The Automic Automation AWS SSM integration allows users to orchestrate and manage AWS SSM jobs directly from the Automic Automation workspace. This solution centralizes process automation, enabling the synchronization of cloud-based tasks with non-cloud operations across various environments.

Understanding AWS Systems Manager (SSM)

AWS Systems Manager (SSM) is a secure, unified management service used to visualize, automate, and configure AWS resources (such as EC2, RDS, and S3) as well as on-premises infrastructure.

• Centralized management: It eliminates the need to log into individual servers manually.

• Core capabilities: Provides tools to patch, configure, run commands, and maintain compliance through a single console.

• Command execution: Allows users to execute commands across multiple EC2 instances simultaneously.

Key benefits of the integration

Integrating AWS SSM with Automic Automation shifts the focus of operation from the AWS console to a centralized orchestration tool.

• Unified supervision: Trigger, monitor, and supervise cloud and non-cloud workloads in one place.

• Operational efficiency: Eliminates the need to manually refresh the AWS SSM environment; Automic Automation manages all execution and monitoring.

• Intuitive interfaces: Use native Automic features like drag-and-drop workflows, simple dashboard tools, and color-coded statuses.

• Advanced orchestration: Synchronize complex configurations involving databases, file transfers, web services, and system backups.

Architecture and deployment sequence

The integration utilizes a conventional architecture consisting of the Automic Automation host and a dedicated system for the agent.

Deployment steps

• Download the package: Obtain the integration package from the marketplace.

• Unzip the directory: This contains the agent, INI configuration files, and start commands.

• Configure the INI file: Update the following four essential values in the ucxjitx configuration file:

  • Agent name: The unique name for the agent.

  • Automic system: The name of the Automation Engine (AE) system.

  • Connection details: The JCP connection and TLS port.

  • Security: The path to the TLS certificate.

• Start the agent: Invoke the JAR file via the Java command to connect to the engine and deploy new object templates.

Configuring the connection object

Once the agent is active, a connection object template is used to store AWS SSM endpoint and login data. You can create multiple connection objects if you are managing several AWS SSM instances.

Credential methods

Users can choose from four authentication types:

• Secret access key: Requires an access key and an encrypted secret access key.

• EC2 profile instance: Used for connecting to an EC2 VM within an AWS cloud application.

• External provider: Supports Single Sign-On (SSO) with Azure AD, requiring tenant IDs, authentication URLs, and SAML credentials.

• AWS assume role: Allows for temporary access by assuming a specific role ARN and session name.

Creating and executing a send command job

The Send Command job allows for the remote execution of scripts (like Python or Shell) on multiple instances without direct SSH or RDP access.

Job configuration details

• Input modes: Choose Guided for step-by-step parameter entry or Expert for direct JSON payload input.

• Action types: * Run command: Used for custom shell scripts (e.g., echo or sleep).

• Automation: Utilizes predefined AWS documents for tasks like starting or stopping instances.

• Targeting: Resources can be targeted via specific Instance IDs, Resource Groups, or Tags (key-value pairs).

• Parameters: Define specific commands (e.g., echo hello) and set timeout limits (e.g., 600ms).

Monitoring and reporting

After executing a job, Automic Automation provides detailed feedback and logs for operational analysis.

• Execution view: Automatically builds the payload and tracks the live process.

• Report log: Provides structured JSON output containing execution details and results sent from AWS.

• Agent log: Lists every step the agent took, including the parameters used and the response from the target system.

• Details pane: Tracks the Remote Status and provides a Command ID, which serves as a unique identifier for further analysis or troubleshooting.

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