Get-AutomationConnection cmdlet not working as expected. It's throwing error while running in Runbook.

Question

Get-AutomationConnection cmdlet not working as expected. It's throwing error while running in Runbook.

Ramakrishna Abhijeet P 70

When I tried to fetch connection values of the Automation account from one of its runbook its failed and threw the below errors.

Using AzureRM Module

$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"

$vstsConnection = Get-AutomationConnection -Name "vstsConnection"

Write-Output "VstsConnection: $VstsConnection"

Error:

Failed

Unable to cast object of type 'System.Json.JsonPrimitive' to type 'System.Json.JsonObject'. (Unable to cast object of type 'System.Json.JsonPrimitive' to type 'System.Json.JsonObject'.)

Using AZ Module

$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"

$rgname = "RG Name"

$automationaccname = "Automation Account Name"

$vstsConnection = Get-AzAutomationConnection -Name "vstsConnection" -ResourceGroupName $rgname -AutomationAccountName $automationaccname

Write-Output "VstsConnection: $VstsConnection"

Error:

Failed
The running command stopped because the preference variable "ErrorActionPreference" or common parameter is set to Stop: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

SwathiDhanwada-MSFT 18,996 Reputation points Moderator

2023-08-21T10:18:37.1133333+00:00
@Ramakrishna Abhijeet P Welcome to Microsoft Q & A Community Forum. Can you please provide below details?

Which runtime version of PowerShell are you using?

Have you tried to execute the PowerShell script in your local environment?? Are you facing the same issue?

In which region is your automation account located ?
Ramakrishna Abhijeet P 70 Reputation points

2023-08-21T10:28:18.0066667+00:00
Thanks, @SwathiDhanwada-MSFT for quick response.

Which runtime version of PowerShell are you using? 5.1

Have you tried to execute the PowerShell script in your local environment?? Are you facing the same issue? Yes, Failing with Same errors.

In which region is your automation account located? West Central US

SwathiDhanwada-MSFT 18,996 Moderator

@Ramakrishna Abhijeet P Can you modify below code with your values and execute it ? When I haven't set the context, I was getting same error as you mentioned. Also make sure to provide necessary permissions to the managed identity.

# Ensures you do not inherit an AzContext in your runbook
Disable-AzContextAutosave -Scope Process

# Connect to Azure with system-assigned managed identity
$AzureContext = (Connect-AzAccount -Identity).context

# Set and store context
$AzureContext = Set-AzContext -SubscriptionName $AzureContext.Subscription -DefaultProfile $AzureContext

$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"

$rgname = "swarg"

$automationaccname = "testcoo"

$Connection13 = Get-AzAutomationConnection -Name "Connection13" -ResourceGroupName $rgname -AutomationAccountName $automationaccname

Write-Output "Connection13: $connection13"

Ramakrishna Abhijeet P 70 Reputation points

2023-08-21T11:16:20.06+00:00

Where do you want me to run? Automation Account or from my Local machine?
Ramakrishna Abhijeet P 70 Reputation points

2023-08-21T11:19:36.27+00:00

Where do you want me to run? From Automation Account or Local Machine?
SwathiDhanwada-MSFT 18,996 Reputation points Moderator

2023-08-21T11:40:38.0766667+00:00

@Ramakrishna Abhijeet P Kindly execute it on automation account
Rajesh Kumar Muddamsetty 0 Reputation points

2023-08-21T12:31:42.14+00:00

Hi Swathi thanks for responding, when we run the below command we are getting results but the FieldDefinitionValues are not coming and its returning empty.

We are using below command in local system.
$vstsconnection = Get-AzAutomationConnection -ResourceGroupName "IT-ResourceGroup-Provisioning-PROD" -AutomationAccountName "ResourceGroup-Provisioning-PROD" -ConnectionTypeName "VisualStudioTeamServices"

$vstsconnection.FieldDefinitionValues = This value returing empty.

Note: The Powershell module and the Automation connection both are custom created.
SwathiDhanwada-MSFT 18,996 Reputation points Moderator

2023-08-21T13:05:22.82+00:00

Rajesh Kumar Muddamsetty Can you please elaborate what you meant by the Powershell module and the Automation connection both are custom created?

I just verified from my end in the local computer as well as the Runbook. I am able to access it. Can you please check if you have created the connection in automation account which you are referring to ?

Snapshots for reference :

Local :

Runbook:
Rajesh Kumar Muddamsetty 0 Reputation points

2023-08-21T13:16:08.4666667+00:00

Hi Swathi, as per Microsoft the allowed connection types for Automation account is Azure, AzureServicePrincipal, and AzureClassicCertificate

But we have created a custom connection by following the steps given here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automation/automation-connections?tabs=azure-powershell#create-a-new-connection-with-the-azure-portal

So whatever commands that you gave they are working fine with built-in connection types but not with custom connection type.

This error started from August 9th only before that its working fine.
SwathiDhanwada-MSFT 18,996 Reputation points Moderator

2023-08-22T09:38:48.04+00:00

Rajesh Kumar Muddamsetty Thanks for the information. I am checking this product team and will get back to you.
SwathiDhanwada-MSFT 18,996 Reputation points Moderator

2023-08-23T04:31:06.33+00:00

Rajesh Kumar Muddamsetty Can you please mail to AzCommunity@microsoft.com with subject as "Attn:Swathi and provide details of your subscription-id and automation-account ?

1 answer

Your answer

SwathiDhanwada-MSFT 18,996 Reputation points Moderator

2023-08-21T10:18:37.1133333+00:00

@Ramakrishna Abhijeet P Welcome to Microsoft Q & A Community Forum. Can you please provide below details?

Which runtime version of PowerShell are you using?

Have you tried to execute the PowerShell script in your local environment?? Are you facing the same issue?

In which region is your automation account located ?
Ramakrishna Abhijeet P 70 Reputation points

2023-08-21T10:28:18.0066667+00:00

Thanks, @SwathiDhanwada-MSFT for quick response.

Which runtime version of PowerShell are you using? 5.1

Have you tried to execute the PowerShell script in your local environment?? Are you facing the same issue? Yes, Failing with Same errors.

In which region is your automation account located? West Central US
SwathiDhanwada-MSFT 18,996 Reputation points Moderator

2023-08-21T11:08:13.8433333+00:00

@Ramakrishna Abhijeet P Can you modify below code with your values and execute it ? When I haven't set the context, I was getting same error as you mentioned. Also make sure to provide necessary permissions to the managed identity.

# Ensures you do not inherit an AzContext in your runbook Disable-AzContextAutosave -Scope Process # Connect to Azure with system-assigned managed identity $AzureContext = (Connect-AzAccount -Identity).context # Set and store context $AzureContext = Set-AzContext -SubscriptionName $AzureContext.Subscription -DefaultProfile $AzureContext $ErrorActionPreference = "Stop" $rgname = "swarg" $automationaccname = "testcoo" $Connection13 = Get-AzAutomationConnection -Name "Connection13" -ResourceGroupName $rgname -AutomationAccountName $automationaccname Write-Output "Connection13: $connection13"
Ramakrishna Abhijeet P 70 Reputation points

2023-08-21T11:16:20.06+00:00

Where do you want me to run? Automation Account or from my Local machine?
Ramakrishna Abhijeet P 70 Reputation points

2023-08-21T11:19:36.27+00:00

Where do you want me to run? From Automation Account or Local Machine?
SwathiDhanwada-MSFT 18,996 Reputation points Moderator

2023-08-21T11:40:38.0766667+00:00

@Ramakrishna Abhijeet P Kindly execute it on automation account
Rajesh Kumar Muddamsetty 0 Reputation points

2023-08-21T12:31:42.14+00:00

Hi Swathi thanks for responding, when we run the below command we are getting results but the FieldDefinitionValues are not coming and its returning empty.

We are using below command in local system.
$vstsconnection = Get-AzAutomationConnection -ResourceGroupName "IT-ResourceGroup-Provisioning-PROD" -AutomationAccountName "ResourceGroup-Provisioning-PROD" -ConnectionTypeName "VisualStudioTeamServices"

$vstsconnection.FieldDefinitionValues = This value returing empty.

Note: The Powershell module and the Automation connection both are custom created.
SwathiDhanwada-MSFT 18,996 Reputation points Moderator

2023-08-21T13:05:22.82+00:00

Rajesh Kumar Muddamsetty Can you please elaborate what you meant by the Powershell module and the Automation connection both are custom created?

I just verified from my end in the local computer as well as the Runbook. I am able to access it. Can you please check if you have created the connection in automation account which you are referring to ?

Snapshots for reference :

Local :

Runbook:
Rajesh Kumar Muddamsetty 0 Reputation points

2023-08-21T13:16:08.4666667+00:00

Hi Swathi, as per Microsoft the allowed connection types for Automation account is Azure, AzureServicePrincipal, and AzureClassicCertificate

But we have created a custom connection by following the steps given here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automation/automation-connections?tabs=azure-powershell#create-a-new-connection-with-the-azure-portal

So whatever commands that you gave they are working fine with built-in connection types but not with custom connection type.

This error started from August 9th only before that its working fine.
SwathiDhanwada-MSFT 18,996 Reputation points Moderator

2023-08-22T09:38:48.04+00:00

Rajesh Kumar Muddamsetty Thanks for the information. I am checking this product team and will get back to you.
SwathiDhanwada-MSFT 18,996 Reputation points Moderator

2023-08-23T04:31:06.33+00:00

Rajesh Kumar Muddamsetty Can you please mail to AzCommunity@microsoft.com with subject as "Attn:Swathi and provide details of your subscription-id and automation-account ?

Answer 1

Ramakrishna Abhijeet P 70

The West Central US region is one of the early regions where a change is being made to run cloud jobs on Containers instead of Sandbox that automation jobs used to run.

The role out of this change was gradual, so some jobs run on Sandbox and others on containers. I found that all the jobs that run on a sandbox complete successfully and the ones that run on containers fail. This explains the intermittent failures that you observed.

SwathiDhanwada-MSFT 18,996 Reputation points Moderator

2023-08-24T11:23:31.6233333+00:00

@Ramakrishna Abhijeet P Thanks for sharing the cause of the issue. It would be very beneficial for the community members who are facing similar issues.

Share via

Get-AutomationConnection cmdlet not working as expected. It's throwing error while running in Runbook.

1 answer

Your answer