Action catalog

To view details of automation that is used in Instana, click Automation in the navigation menu.

You can create, edit, and delete actions to diagnose and remediate events. To manage actions, click Automation > Action Catalog. The defined actions are displayed. You can apply tags to each action for Instana to use these tags in its action recommendation when an event occurs.

Action catalog

The action catalog has the following categories:

  • User-created: All the actions created by the user are added in this catalog. You can create, edit, copy, test, and delete these actions to diagnose and remediate events.

  • AI-generated: All the actions generated by watsonx.ai are added in this catalog. You can view and copy these actions, as well as test script actions. However, you cannot delete or edit AI-generated actions.

You cannot use the AI-generated action to create a policy. To create a policy from an AI-generated action, you need to copy the AI-generated action, which creates a user-created action. Then, you can use this user-created action to create the policy.

Action types

You can create the following types of actions:

  • Documentation link: Access relevant documentation to diagnose or remediate a known issue directly from an event context.

  • Script: Add an automation script that can run on your agent by using the script action sensor.

    You can save the script content in action catalog (Internal), or reference it from a GitHub repository or GitLab project. You can run scripts on your agent on the Linux, AIX, Solaris, IBMi (OS/400), macOS, and Windows operating systems. You can use any syntax and commands that are supported on your target agent system in the script.

  • HTTP: Add HTTP calls to invoke webhooks or other REST API on your agent by using the HTTP action sensor.

  • Manual: Add manual instructions or steps to remediate or diagnose the issue.

  • GitHub Issue: Open, close, or add a comment to a GitHub issue by using the Issue action sensor.

  • GitLab Issue: Open, close, or add a comment to a GitLab issue by using the Issue action sensor.

  • Jira Task: Open, close, or add a comment to a Jira task by using the Issue action sensor.

You can also import Ansible job templates and workflow job templates from your Ansible Automation Controller as Ansible actions by using the Ansible action sensor. You can only update Display name, Description, Value Type, and Default Value of the parameter for the Ansible actions.

To create, update, copy, or delete an action, you must have Two-Factor Authentication enabled.

Action parameters

You can configure input parameters for each action from the action definition.

The Static, Vault, and Dynamic parameter types are supported.

  • Static: Contain a static value that can be given a default value, and the value can be optionally updated when the action is run.
  • Vault: Derive the value from a secret manager that is configured on the target agent. To dynamically access the value at runtime, provide both Secret Path and Secret Key.
  • Dynamic: A set of values that are derived from the monitored infrastructure that is related to the issue based on a tag. The Dynamic parameters are automatically detected, and they continuously update the relations of the monitored system by using Instana's unique Dynamic Graph.
  • Default value: Optionally define a default value for a static parameter.
  • Hidden: Optionally hide the value at runtime. If it's specified, you need to set a default value.

Using action parameters

In the action definition page, you can access the input parameters in your actions as follows:

  • Parameter substitution: Reference a defined parameter in your action by using the substitution format @@parameter_name@@. The action sensors will replace the string with the action parameter value when the action is run.
    ...
echo "@@parameter_name@@"
...

Parameter substitution can be used in any field in the action definition. For example, it can be used in Host or Header fields in an HTTP action.

Parameter substitution

  • Environment variable: The script action sensor will define an environment variable named $parameter_name that can be accessed directly in an action when the action is run. This is only available for script action types.
    ...
echo $parameter_name
...

Associating actions with events and Smart Alerts

To run the action when an event is raised by an event definition or Smart Alert, associate your action with an Instana event definition or Smart Alert. Create a policy to configure this association. You cannot use the AI-generated action to create a policy. To create a policy from an AI-generated action, you need to copy the AI-generated action, which creates a user-created action. Then, you can use this user-created action to create the policy. For more information, see Creating an automation policy.