7.1

The Imports tab displays imported namespaces from which you can select entity types to add to the
workflow.
The collapsible Information pane at the bottom of the console displays any errors in configuring activities
and provides access to the XAML representation of the workflow.
IaaS Workflow Types
You can customize two types of workflows by using vRealize Automation Designer: state change
workflows and menu operation workflows.
n
A state change workflow is executed when the master workflow transitions between states, for
example at a particular stage during the process of provisioning a new machine.
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A menu operation workflow is executed when a user selects an option from the Action menu in the
service catalog or from the machine menu in the Infrastructure tab.
State Change Workflows
Creating a state change workflow enables you to trigger the execution of a workflow before the IaaS
master workflow enters a specific state.
For example, you can create custom workflows to integrate with an external database and record
information at different stages of the machine life cycle:
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Create a custom workflow that runs before the master workflow enters the MachineProvisioned state
to record such information as machine owner, approvers and so on.
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Create a custom workflow that runs before a machine enters the MachineDisposing state to record
the time at which the machine was destroyed and data such as its resource utilization at last data
collection, last logon, and so on.
The following illustrations show the main states of the master workflow.
Life Cycle Extensibility
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