Runbook Commander – An Orchestrator Console Extension for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager - Part 2

UPDATED 5/26/2012

Download locationhttps://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/Runbook-Commander-An-dba1fd33

Update 1 Additions - https://blogs.technet.com/b/neilp/archive/2012/06/27/runbook-commander-update-1-5-an-orchestrator-console-extension-for-system-center-2012-configuration-manager.aspx


Last week I introduced 'Runbook Commander' – An Orchestrator Console Extension for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager in somewhat of a Beta release. Today I would like to follow up that introduction with some enhancements and a more formal release.

You can visit my previous post for the details and a recorded demonstration of Runbook commander – https://blogs.technet.com/b/neilp/archive/2012/06/12/runbook-commander-an-orchestrator-console-extension-for-system-center-2012-configuration-manager.aspx

 

Here is a list of changes made to the current release.

Changes to the XML Generator

The majority of changes made to this release are specific to the XML Generator Application. The following changes have been made.

  • The XML Generator Application will only return any Runbook which contains a parameter named “Computer Name: ”. This is a prerequisite for the successful execution of Runbook Commander.
  • The XML Generator now has controls for credentials. If running under the context of an account that does not have the appropriate access to the Orchestrator Web Service, credentials can be entered.
  • General Error Control – I’ve cleaned up the code and added some general error control to the XML generator application.

 

XML Generator.

 

Changes made to the Runbook Commander application

  • Resizing of the application windows in order to give it a better overall appearance.

 Runbook Commander.

 

Future Changes

There are a few changes I would like to make, however will have to table for a few weeks. Most notably I will be re-working the installer to allow the following items.

  • Install the application with a predefined Console Extension XML file. This will allow an administrator to work up the appropriate console extension XML file (what will be displayed or available in CM), and then deploy Runbook Commander to a group of machines pre-staged with this file.
  • Allow the installer to re-run on a machine already containing Runbook Commander with the intentions of only replacing the console extension XML file. This will allow an administrator to make changes to the console extensions and deploy these changes to a group of computers.

 

Please Check out Runbook Commander and of you have any feedback, requests, or critique let me know.