Cisco Cisco Process Orchestrator 3.0 User Guide
C H A P T E R
1-1
Cisco Process Orchestrator User Guide
OL-30196-01
1
Understanding Service-Oriented Orchestration
and the Cisco Process Orchestrator
and the Cisco Process Orchestrator
Cisco Process Orchestrator 3.0 introduces a new set of features providing Service-Oriented
Orchestration that enable a paradigm shift vs. traditional run-book automation and IT process
automation. This shift enables automation to align to the high-level services provided by IT, and models
how a high level service is supported by a topology of lower level services, systems, and devices.
Orchestration that enable a paradigm shift vs. traditional run-book automation and IT process
automation. This shift enables automation to align to the high-level services provided by IT, and models
how a high level service is supported by a topology of lower level services, systems, and devices.
Planning for services and their desired state are the initial focus of automation design. Focus then moves
to defining process actions against these services, with implementation of specific process workflows
that traverse these services to act on lower level elements as a final implementation step.This enables a
declarative approach to automation, focusing primarily on what is desired instead of how it is achieved.
to defining process actions against these services, with implementation of specific process workflows
that traverse these services to act on lower level elements as a final implementation step.This enables a
declarative approach to automation, focusing primarily on what is desired instead of how it is achieved.
Note
The capabilities are additive and complimentary to traditional orchestration definitions and approaches,
so Cisco Process Orchestrator provides both service-oriented and process-based orchestration. This
means that you can still program Process Orchestrator as usual, so you can ease into the new concepts
or not use them at all. This guide, however, will demonstrate the service-oriented orchestration approach.
so Cisco Process Orchestrator provides both service-oriented and process-based orchestration. This
means that you can still program Process Orchestrator as usual, so you can ease into the new concepts
or not use them at all. This guide, however, will demonstrate the service-oriented orchestration approach.
This chapter contains an overview of Service-Oriented Orchestration and Process Orchestrator.
•
•
•
•
Understanding Service-Oriented Orchestration
Cisco Process Orchestrator is an advanced orchestration engine belonging to the Run-Book Automation
(RBA) or IT Process Automation (ITPA) class of products. Traditionally, tools in this category focus on
a sequence of IT processes that achieve automation. The process is the focal point of automation.
Processes act on lower-level IT elements such as devices, servers, or specific tools. The set of elements
on which automation acts are typically delivered in the product and through adapters connecting to
various layers of the IT technology stack. IT, on the other hand, is focused on services providing value
to the business, which are much higher up the stack. The inability of RBA/ITPA tools to act on the
business-level services in the environment becomes an inhibitor to delivery and creates a poor
abstraction for users.
(RBA) or IT Process Automation (ITPA) class of products. Traditionally, tools in this category focus on
a sequence of IT processes that achieve automation. The process is the focal point of automation.
Processes act on lower-level IT elements such as devices, servers, or specific tools. The set of elements
on which automation acts are typically delivered in the product and through adapters connecting to
various layers of the IT technology stack. IT, on the other hand, is focused on services providing value
to the business, which are much higher up the stack. The inability of RBA/ITPA tools to act on the
business-level services in the environment becomes an inhibitor to delivery and creates a poor
abstraction for users.