Using the System Automation Plug-in for Zowe CLI to Operate System Automation

The System Automation Plug-in for Zowe™ CLI lets you extend Zowe to get an overview and control of resources managed by System Automation conveniently from a shell window running on your client PC.

You can use this CLI in the following ways:
  • Use it from your client system to interact with System Automation and get the requested information as response into your command shell.
  • Work with resources. List information like current status, start or stop, suspend or resume the resources.
  • Create or delete dynamic resource instances.
  • List current available requests and delete them if not required anymore.
  • Activate automation policies.
  • Interact with automation agents and automation managers.
  • Use the CLI to integrate it into other software. To make it easier to parse the response, each command can be called with the option "--rfj" (response format JSON) that provides the responses in JSON format, which can be easily parsed.

The CLI contacts the System Automation systems using the features provided by the System Automation Operations REST Server. The following actions are supported on the System Automation Plug-in for Zowe CLI.

Action/Verb Description
activate Activate a configuration from a data set.
create/delete Create or delete a dynamic resource from its template. With API V1.1, it is possible to cancel requests as well.
enable/disable Enable or disable recording or takeover-file processing.
list

List defined resources or templates with their current state. Many filters to limit the list of shown resources or templates are available.

With API V1.1, you can also list all available requests and so called "members" that are automation agents or automation managers defined and running in the SAPlex.
start/stop Start or stop resources via requests. To cancel a request, you can use the delete action that is available with API V1.1.
suspend/resume Suspend or resume resources. With API V1.1, it's also possible to suspend and resume SAPlex members (Automation Agents).
set Set a secondary automation manager to become the new primary automation manager (PAM).
view

Get detailed information about one specific object, like one resource or one template.

With API V1.1, details about a specific request or any automation member can be viewed.

Command help

The Zowe CLI has a built-in help system that provides more details about all the above listed commands. Use the option "--help" to get the command help:
  • zowe --help

    Provides help about the Zowe CLI itself.

  • zowe plugins --help

    Provides help about listing and managing installed CLI plug-ins.

  • zowe profiles --help

    Provides help about listing and managing profiles that hold configuration (like connection parameters) for each plug-in.

  • zowe sa --help

    Provides help about the System Automation Plug-in for Zowe CLI, especially when actions or verbs are available to work with System Automation.

  • zowe sa <ACTION> --help

    Provides help about one specific action or verb that is provided by the System Automation Plug-in for Zowe CLI. It shows which action is available for a specific object.

  • zowe sa <ACTION> <OBJECT> --help

    Provides help about the specific action for the chosen object. It shows a description, which options are available and also some examples.

All help information is printed on standard output. It is also possible to get a well-formatted HTML version of the help by using the option "--help-web" instead of "--help". This option renders the help for all installed plug-ins as an HTML page and opens the local installed standard web browser with it.
Figure 1.