diff --git a/docs/en/manual/01-introduction.md b/docs/en/manual/01-introduction.md index d3fafd6d390..ca8756af2f6 100644 --- a/docs/en/manual/01-introduction.md +++ b/docs/en/manual/01-introduction.md @@ -9,10 +9,12 @@ you quickly become productive with the Rundeck service and tools. ## What is Rundeck? -Rundeck is open source software that helps you automate ad-hoc and routine +Rundeck is open source software that helps you automate routine operational procedures in data center or cloud environments. Rundeck provides a number of features that will alleviate time-consuming grunt work and make it easy for -you to scale up your automation efforts. +you to scale up your automation efforts and create self service for others. +Teams can collaborate to share how processes are automated while +others are given trust to view operational activity or execute tasks. Rundeck allows you to run tasks on any number of nodes from a web-based or command-line interface. Rundeck also includes other features that make @@ -27,7 +29,7 @@ Already itching to install it? Jump ahead to ### Who makes the Rundeck software? Rundeck is developed on GitHub as a project called -[dtolabs/rundeck](https://github.com/dtolabs/rundeck) +[rundeck](https://github.com/dtolabs/rundeck) by [SimplifyOps](http://simplifyops.com) and the Rundeck community. All new users are welcomed to participate in the project and contribute. Please vote on feature ideas on the [Rundeck Trello Board](https://trello.com/b/sn3g9nOr/rundeck-development). @@ -53,7 +55,7 @@ Rundeck is free software and is public under the [Apache Software License]. * pluggable execution system (SSH by default) * multi-step workflows * job execution with on demand or scheduled runs -* graphical console for command and job execution +* graphical web console for command and job execution * role-based access control policy with support for LDAP/ActiveDirectory * history and auditing logs * open integration to external host inventory tools @@ -90,18 +92,19 @@ tools and in return enable a push button interface you can hand off to others. Rundeck is a server application you host on a system you designate a central administrative control point. Internally, Rundeck stores job definitions and execution history in a relational database. Output -from command and job executions is saved on disk. +from command and job executions is saved on disk but can be forwarded +to remote stores like S3 or Logstash. Rundeck distributed command execution is performed using a pluggable -node execution layer but defaults to SSH. +node execution layer that defaults to SSH but plugins allow you +to use other means like MCollective, Salt, WinRM, or your custom method. Rundeck server configuration includes settings to define the outbound user allowed by the remote hosts. Remote machines are not required to make connections back to the server. ![Rundeck architecture](../figures/fig0001.png) -The Rundeck application itself is a Java-based webapp that runs in its -own embedded servlet container. The application provides both +The Rundeck application itself is a Java-based webapp. The application provides both graphical interface and network interfaces used by the Rundeck shell tools. @@ -119,14 +122,16 @@ granted if a user's group membership meets the requirements of the policy. Two installation methods are supported: -* RPM: The RPM is intended for managed installation and provides +* System package: RPM and Debian packaging is intended for managed installation and provides robust tools that integrate with your environment, man pages, shell - tool set in your path, init.d startup and shutdown + tool set in your path, init.d startup and shutdown. * Launcher: The launcher is intended for quick setup, to get you running right away. Perfect for bootstrapping a project or trying a new feature. +Rundeck can also install as a WAR file into an external container like Tomcat. + ## Feedback If you find problems with Rundeck, or if you have questions, remarks, or @@ -137,8 +142,9 @@ ideas about it, please send an email to the Rundeck mailing list, The remainder of the manual will give you a quick conceptual overview, and take you through installation and setup. After you are set up, you -will learn about the distributed command dispatcher and how to use it -to run ad-hoc commands. From there, you will learn about Jobs, +will learn about the Rundeck interfaces, how to navigate to Jobs, +Nodes and History. How to use the command dispatcher +to run ad-hoc commands. From there, you will learn more about Jobs, defining multi-step procedures with Job workflows and how to parameterize them with options. diff --git a/docs/en/manual/02-getting-started.md b/docs/en/manual/02-getting-started.md index 6c3601cbd20..62cebe73319 100644 --- a/docs/en/manual/02-getting-started.md +++ b/docs/en/manual/02-getting-started.md @@ -17,9 +17,10 @@ help you use and integrate Rundeck into your environment. ### Plugins Most of what Rundeck does is via one of its plugins. Plugins exist -to execute commands on nodes, perform a step in a workflow, gather +to execute commands on nodes, perform a step in a workflow, +send a notification about job status, gather information about the hosts in your network, copy a file to a remote -server, or talk to a user directory. +server, store and stream logs, or talk to a user directory. ### Node execution @@ -31,7 +32,9 @@ A *node executor* is a Rundeck plugin that implements how to communicate with the Node and how to invoke the command action. The command executes in a data context that contains information -about the Node resource, job, and job option data. +about the Node resource, job, and job option data. Your command +can use this data and thus avoid hard coding node or environment +specific values. ### Jobs @@ -39,7 +42,7 @@ about the Node resource, job, and job option data. *Jobs* encapsulate a sequence of steps, node filter and job options to provide a single executable action. Jobs can be given a unique ID, a name and group to organize them to run any time -or they may be declared and executed just once and forgotten. +or they may be scheduled to run periodically. Jobs take a number of parameters to control execution, including what to do when an error occurs in one of the steps or @@ -71,7 +74,8 @@ accessible via the HTTP GET method that returns data in one of the supported resource document formats. Rundeck currently supports XML and YAML document formats. -See [Resource Model Document formats](rundeck-basics.html#resource-model-document-formats)). +See [Resource Model Document formats](rundeck-basics.html#resource-model-document-formats)) +to learn how to introduce your own format. Each project can be configured to have multiple sources of Resource Model data. See [Resource Model Sources](plugins.html#resource-model-sources). @@ -110,13 +114,17 @@ and Job execution. (See the [Rundeck API](../api/index.html).) For more detailed install instructions, see the [Administration - Installation](../administration/installation.html) chapter. -The simplest way to install is using the Launcher jar. +The simplest way to try Rundeck is by using the Launcher jar. Simply download it, and place it into a directory that will be the `RDECK_BASE` base directory. Start the Rundeck server by running the jar using java: java -jar rundeck-launcher-1.6.0.jar +This will extract the contents into the current working directory and start the service. +You can Ctl-C the process and then start and stop it using the `rundeckd` script +(see [startup and shutdown](../administration/startup-and-shutdown.html)). + ## Upgrading Rundeck If you are upgrading Rundeck from a previous version, diff --git a/docs/en/manual/03-basics.md b/docs/en/manual/03-basics.md index 37751400f89..d44badfbc5d 100644 --- a/docs/en/manual/03-basics.md +++ b/docs/en/manual/03-basics.md @@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ The default username and password are `admin`/`admin`. #### Navigation The Rundeck page header contains global navigation control to move -between tabbed pages: Run, Jobs and History. It also has links to -logout, view your user profile and a link to this online help. +between tabbed pages: Jobs, Nodes and Activity. It also has links to +Configure the project, logout, view your user profile and a link to this online help. ![Top navigation bar](../figures/fig0201.png)