什么是Opalis的？那么对于那些已经在壁橱里，Opalis的是由微软去年年底抢购了一个自动化平台。更名的System Center Opalis的，这个平台有针对性地提供了一辆车，IT专业人员可以使用通过工作流没有“必然”编写代码来自动跨多种系统的任务。基于微软的营销材料Opalis的主要卖点是：
- Universal connectivity such that Opalis will work with both Microsoft and non-Microsoft systems.
- A pipeline (they call it a data bus) that is used to pass data through the workflow and in or out of systems. I really love the tag line: “without code, scripts, or variables.”
- 是应该的智能工作流程，以适应基于正在被通过“数据总线”抽中的数据。
- 脚本代码免费自动化为表示：“整合和协调系统，而不脆，硬编码的脚本。”
Wow what is with all the hate for scripts? In my opinion writing some code can’t be all that bad. In fact, I firmly believe that being able to write a script or two is something that all IT pros should know. Furthermore to claim that scripts are always hardcoded and fragile is a bunch of hog wash. It all depends. So just exactly how does Opalis achieve the miracle of codeless automation?
Well part of the secret sauce is the previously mentioned data bus. The primary purpose of the data bus is to collect data when a workflow object runs. This data is then passed on to subsequent workflow objects for consumption or used for the logic to control branches in the workflow itself. In other words, the data bus is just a pipeline. The second part of the secret sauce is the workflow objects themselves. Whether these objects are part of the Foundation Object Library or come from an Integration Pack they provide a collection of reusable automation building blocks. For example, there are workflow objects that “Query WMI” , “Write to Database”, “Invoke Web Service”, “Copy File”, “Read Text File”, “Send SNMP Trap”, and so on. Additionally, these objects also act to fulfill that universal connectivity claim that was mentioned earlier. Objects that come from Opalis integration packs allow you to connect into Microsoft and non-Microsoft systems and interact with them.
So have I drunk the Kombucha? Well… as everyone knows, I’m big believer in automation. If fact, I often state that if I have to do anything more than once, I will write a script for it. While I think that Opalis has a place in the bigger picture, I do not believe in its current state it is the end-all automation platform. To start with, Opalis has a number of issues that make working with it a bit clunky. For example, if you want to install the current version of Opalis you had better have a Windows Server 2003 SP2 32-bit machine handy (its technology base is a bit old). The data bus is a bit of a pain when you need to manipulate data before passing it to the next automation task. In fact, Microsoft released the Integration Pack for Data Manipulation in June to try and address some of these issues. The Operator Console needs JBoss and Java to be installed before it can be installed. Lastly, it’s just sometimes easier to jump down into custom automation code that Opalis calls instead of using a workflow object.
这一切都这样说...... Opalis的确实有它的地方。然而，取而代之的是更多的未来与现在。如果你愿意，我看到的Opalis的变成自动化包装或自动化中间人。IT专业人员使用的工具来编写自动化的工作流程，可以插入一些跨企业的不同系统。那么这些工作流程依次使用PowerShell来完成一切通过Opalis的控制定义的自动化任务。这是我的愿景。
如果你喜欢这个，看看泰森一些其他职位：
- Using social networks to establish a publicly verifiable level of trust…
- Which browser is more secure IE8, Safari 4, Firefox 3.5, Chrome 4, or Opera 10?
- When a computer science degree matters, and when it doesn't
- 从什么时候起计算成为云/需要的宣言？
- Why would one phish using a Certificate Authority (CA) as bait?
- Would I trust you, if everyone else trusted you?
- Here is a good question: Is scripting programming or just systems administration?
- Fun with PowerShell 2.0 Eventing!
- 创建ASP.NET Web应用程序自定义404页，手柄链接重定向
Or if you want, you can also check out some of Tyson's latest publications:
- Windows PowerShell Unleashed (2ndEdition)
- Windows Server 2008 Unleashed(Yes, I did help on this book)
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