System Center Configuration Manager Objects
Applies To: Opalis 6.3
This integration pack adds the System Center Configuration Manager category to the Object pane in the client. This category contains the following objects:
Get Software Update Compliance
Common Configuration Instructions for All Objects
The following configuration instructions apply to all objects in this integration. Links to this section are included in the configuration instructions for each object.
Object Properties
Each object has a set of required or optional properties that define the configuration of that object. This includes how it connects to other objects or how the object performs its actions. You can view or modify object properties when the object is placed in the policy window.
To configure the properties for an object
Double-click the object. Alternatively, you can right-click the object, and then click Properties.
To save your configuration entries, click Finish.
In the object properties dialog box, several tabs along the left side provide access to general and specific settings for the object. Although the number of available tabs for object properties differs from object to object, all objects will have a General tab, a Details tab, and a Run Behavior tab. Some objects may have additional tabs.
General Tab
This tab contains the Name and Description properties for the object. By default, the Name of the object is the same as its object type, and the Description is blank. You can modify these properties to create more descriptive names or provide detailed descriptions of the actions of the object.
Details Tab
This tab contains properties that are specific to the object. All objects in this integration pack except for the Refresh Client object have the Connection Name property at the top of the Details tab. This property is used to specify the connection to the Configuration Manager server.
To configure the Connection Name property
- Click the ellipsis (…) button next to the Name field, and then select the applicable connection name. Connections displayed in the list have been previously configured as described in Configuring the System Center Configuration Manager Connections.
Run Behavior Tab
This tab contains the properties that determine how the object handles multi-value published data and what notifications will be sent if the object fails or runs for an excessive period of time.
Multi-Value Published Data Behavior
The Get objects retrieve information from another object or outside source, and can return one or more values in the published data. For example, when you use the Get Collection Member object, the data output from that object might be a list of computers that belong to the specified collection.
By default, the data from the Get object will be passed on as multiple individual outputs. This triggers the next object as many times as there are items in the output. Alternatively, you can provide a single output for the object by enabling the Flatten option. When you enable this option, you also choose a formatting option:
Separate with line breaks. Each item is on a new line. This format is useful for creating human-readable text files for the output.
Separate with _ . Each item is separated by one or more characters of your choice.
Use CSV format. All items are in CSV (comma-separated value) format. This format is useful for importing data into spreadsheets or other applications.
The object will produce a new set of data every time it runs. The Flatten feature does not flatten data across multiple executions of the same object.
Event Notifications
Some objects are expected to take a limited amount of time to complete. If they do not complete within that time they may be stalled or there may be another issue preventing them from completing. You can define the number of seconds to wait for completion of the action. After this period a platform event will be sent and the issue will be reported. You can also choose whether to generate a platform event if the object returns a failure.
To be notified when the object takes longer than a specified time to run or fails to run
In the Event Notifications box, enter the number of seconds of run time before a notification is generated.
Select the Report if object fails to run check box to generate run failure notifications.
For more information aboutOpalis events, see the "Event Notifications" chapter of the Opalis Integration Server Administrator Guide (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=205302).
Published Data
Published data is the foundation of a working policy. It is the data produced as a result of the actions of an object. This data is published to an internal data bus that is unique for each policy. Subsequent objects in the workflow can subscribe to this published data and use it in their configuration. Link conditions also use this information to add decision-making capabilities to policies.
An object can only subscribe to published data from the objects that are linked before it in the policy. You can use published data to automatically populate the property values needed by objects.
To use published data
Right-click the property value box, click Subscribe, and then click Published Data.
Click the Object drop-down box and select the object from which you want to obtain the data.
To view additional data elements common to all policies, select Show Common Published Data.
Click the published data element that you want to use, and then click OK.
For a list of the data elements published by each object, see the Published Data tables in the object topic. For information about the Common Published Data items, see the "Policy Workflow Rules" chapter of the Opalis Integration Server Client User Guide (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=205284).