Pre-builts allow developers to accelerate execution of network automation use cases within IAP (Itential Automation Platform). More specifically, pre-builts combine the abilities of multiple components that live within IAP. As such, a pre-built can be comprised of the following component types:
- Automation Catalog
- Automations (Operations Manager)
- Form
- JSON Forms
- Command Template (MOP)
- Analytic Template (MOP)
- Service Catalog
- Template
- Transformation
- Triggers (Operations Manager)
- Workflow
Each of these components serves a specific role to help various network use cases. You can read more about each component in their respective documentation guides on docs.itential.com.
Terminology
The following terms apply to the use of pre-builts in Admin Essentials.
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Pre-built | A pre-built automation uses other IAP components to execute a certain network use case. |
| Component | A component is a building block of a pre-built. Each component helps serve as a tool in a network automation use case. |
| IAP Dependency | An IAP dependency is an application or adapter that is required by the pre-built to be in the current IAP environment for the pre-built to function properly. |
Pre-builts UI
The primary user interfaces (UI) in the Pre-builts application are described below. Each interface allows you to view details about the pre-built along with the ability to uninstall a pre-built item or download data.
Details View
User interactions available through the Details View are shown below.
| Label | UI Element | Edit View Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Browse | Click to browse all available pre-builts from the Itential Open Source Repository. |
| 2 | Search bar | Use to search the list of installed pre-builts. |
| 3 | Installed pre-builts | A collection list of all installed pre-builts on the current IAP environment. |
| 4 | Name | The name of the pre-built. |
| 5 | Details | Pre-built metadata regarding the publisher, publish date, version info, repository location, and license info. |
| 6 | Beta release | A pre-built will show the Beta flag if the version is less than 1.0.0. |
| 7 | Uninstall | Click to uninstall the pre-built. |
| 8 | Download | Click to download a pre-built data file from the database of the current IAP environment. |
| 9 | ReadMe | Displays the readme file for the pre-built. |
| 10 | Pre-Built Content | Click the links to access components for the pre-built in Automation Catalog, JSON Forms, and Automation Studio. |
Browse View
User interactions available through the Browse View are shown below.
| Label | UI Element | List View Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Search | Used to search the pre-built repository. |
| 2 | Name | The name of the pre-built. |
| 3 | Version Info | The latest version of the pre-built that is compatible with the current running IAP version. |
| 4 | Description | A summary description of the pre-built. |
| 5 | View | Click to view details about the pre-built. |
| 6 | Beta release | A pre-built will show the Beta flag if the version is less than 1.0.0. See note below for more information on this feature. |
| 7 | Download | Click to download a pre-built data file from the repository. |
| 8 | Metadata | Pre-built metadata regarding the publisher, publish date, version, repository type, and license type. |
| 9 | ReadMe | The readme file for the pre-built. |
Note: If the Beta release of a pre-built is not compatible with the current environment, a red indicator displays next to the Beta flag.
Installing a Pre-built
To install a pre-built:
- Open Admin Essentials from the Home page or the Applications menu.
- Select the Pre-builts dropdown in the sidebar (left-side of the screen).
- Click Browse.
- A list of available pre-builts will populate on the left-side of the screen.
- Select any pre-built and click Install.
If you are installing your first pre-built:
- After installing the pre-built, go to Authorization -> Groups.
- Click View List.
- Select Show Inactive.
- The Itential Pre-builts group should appear. Click Edit Group under Actions.
- Uncheck Inactive and click Save.
- In the sidebar, select Users
- Click the user you wish to apply the Itential Pre-built group to.
- Click Groups (on the Main view of the page).
- Select Itential Pre-builts and click Save.
Uninstalling a Pre-built
To uninstall a pre-built:
- Open Admin Essentials from the Home page or the Applications menu.
- Select the Pre-builts dropdown in the sidebar (left-side of the screen).
- Click the @itentialopensource dropdown in the sidebar (left-side of the screen).
- A list of installed pre-builts will display.
- Select the pre-built you wish to uninstall.
- On the Details View for the pre-built you have selected, click Uninstall.
Downloading a Pre-built
There are two options for downloading a pre-built data file that can then be imported into an IAP environment. The first option downloads the content directly from the Itential pre-built repository whereas the second option provides the download from your locally installed system.
Download from Browse View
Downloading a pre-built from the Browse View will pull the data of the selected pre-built from its respective Gitlab repository.
- Open Admin Essentials from the Home page or the Applications menu.
- Select the Pre-builts dropdown in the sidebar (left-side of the screen).
- Click Browse.
- A list of available pre-builts will populate on the left-side of the screen.
- Each pre-built has the option to Download (bottom-right corner of the pre-built card).
- Click Download.
Download from Details View
Downloading a pre-built from the Pre-built Details View will pull the data of the selected pre-built from the IAP environment's database (e.g. the installed copy of the pre-built).
- Open Admin Essentials from the Home page or the Applications menu.
- Select the Pre-builts dropdown in the sidebar (left-side of the screen).
- Click the @itentialopensource dropdown in the sidebar (left-side of the screen).
- A list of installed pre-builts will display.
- Select the pre-built you wish to download.
- On the Details View for the pre-built you have selected, click Download.
Importing a Pre-built
To import a pre-built:
- Open Admin Essentials from the Home page or the Applications menu.
- Click the Import icon.
- A modal window with appear with the option to Browse for files.
- Select the pre-built data file you wish to import.
- Click Install.
Updating a Pre-built
To update a pre-built:
- Open Admin Essentials from the Home page or the Applications menu.
- Select the Pre-builts dropdown in the sidebar (left-side of the screen).
- Click the @itentialopensource dropdown in the sidebar (left-side of the screen).
- A list of installed pre-builts will display.
- If a pre-built is available for an update, an orange dot will appear next to the pre-built name.
- Click the pre-built that is available for an update.
- Click Update.