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Table Of Contents
Role of Event Handlers
Events are changes in the states or attributes of the objects that Orchestrator finds in the plugged-in technology.
Orchestrator monitors events by implementing event handlers.
Orchestrator plug-ins allow you to monitor events in a plugged-in technology in different ways. The
Orchestrator plug-in API allows you to create the following types of event handlers to monitor events in a
plugged-in technology.
Listeners
Passively monitor objects in the plugged-in technology for changes in their
state. The plugged-in technology or the plug-in implementation defines the
events that listeners monitor. Listeners do not initiate events, but notify
Orchestrator when the events occur. Listeners detect events either by polling
the plugged-in technology or by receiving notifications from the plugged-in
technology. When events occur, Orchestrator policies or workflows that are
waiting for the event can react by starting operations in the Orchestrator server.
Listener components are optional.
Policies
Monitor certain events in the plugged-in technology and start operations in the
Orchestrator server if the events occur. Policies can monitor policy triggers and
policy gauges. Policy triggers define an event in the plugged-in technology
that, when it occurs, causes a running policy to start an operation in the
Orchestrator server, for example running a workflow. Policy gauges define
ranges of values for the attributes of an object in the plugged-in technology
that, when exceeded, cause Orchestrator to start an operation. Policies are
optional.
Workflow triggers
If a running workflow contains a Wait Event element, when it reaches that
element it suspends its run and waits for an event to occur in a plugged-in
technology. Workflow triggers define the events in the plugged-in technology
that Waiting Event elements in workflows await. You register workflow
triggers with watchers. Workflow triggers are optional.
Watchers
Watch workflow triggers for a certain event in the plugged-in technology, on
behalf of a Waiting Event element in a workflow. When the event occurs, the
watchers notify any worklows that are waiting for that event. Watchers are
optional.
Contents and Structure of a Plug-In
Plug-ins contain a standard set of components and conform to a standard structure.
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Defining the Application Mapping in the vso.xml File on page 148
To create a plug-in, you must define how Orchestrator accesses and interacts with the objects in the
plugged-in technology. You map all of the objects and functions of the plugged-in technology to
corresponding Orchestrator objects and functions in the vso.xml file.
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Format of the vso.xml Plug-In Definition File on page 148
The vso.xml file defines how the Orchestrator server interacts with the plugged-in technology. You must
include a reference to every type of object or operation to expose to Orchestrator in the vso.xml file.
Chapter 7 Developing Plug-Ins
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