Managing Bots
After successfully setting up Bots, you can manage them using a number of displays and tools.
A summary view of your Organization's Bots is available under Automation > BotFactory on the Listing page, click Show My Bots to filter and display just the Bots you've created.
Bot Factory Listing
You can access a list of your Bots by opening Automation > BotFactory under the main navigation. This is the default view after selecting BotFactory is the Listing page.
- You can also select Listing from the top of the page from the other tabs.
- In addition, you can download your listing by clicking on the Download option to the left of the search.
The Listing page provides:
- A download option for Bot Listings
- A general search
- A toggle (checkbox) to display only my Bots (Show my Bots)
- Options, including Toggle Columns, State Filter, Severity Filter, and Category Filter
- Filtering based on Badge Search, Cloud Search, Action and Filter Search, and Resource Type Search
- Pagination controls
- Access to the Actions menu (to the left of each Bot name)
Accessing Bot Lifecycle Actions
You can access and launch Bot lifecycle actions from the BotFactory Listing page. Details on these actions are available in the Bot Overview section here.
Starting and Stopping Bots
In addition to the viewing options, the BotFactory Listing page also enables you (with the appropriate permissions) to Start, Stop, and Enable or Pause a Bot. You can select the action submenu next to the Bot and select Enabled or click the checkbox next to the Bot for which, you want to modify.
Note
Delete requires specific permissions.
Bot Templates
Templates can be viewed, stored, and imported under BotFactory > Templates, available at the top of the BotFactory page.
Users can provide an existing template through the Import Template button to upload their template in JSON format. Alternatively, you can use an existing Bot to create a template by choosing the Actions menu next to name of the Bot and selecting Save as Template.
Create Bot
This button, available at the top of the BotFactory landing page, launches the Create Bot process. Details about that process are available in the Creating Bots documentation.
Bot Overview
To launch a detailed overview of a Bot, click the Bot name from the Listing page.
This opens an Overview page with granular detail about the selected Bot.
Info & Settings
The Info and Settings section of the Bot Overview page includes an Actions button and displays:
- Bot Created by - details on the Bot creator
- Description - Bot description
- Linked Insight - hyperlink to Insight Overview details (if applicable)
- Bot Category - categories include Security, Optimization, Best Practices, Curation, and Miscellaneous
- Current State - current states can be Running, Paused, Archived, or Scanning (see the table below for details)
| State of Bot | Description |
|---|---|
| Running | The Bot is operational and functioning on select hookpoints and/or schedule. |
| Paused | The Bot is in a suspended state and is not taking action. This state is typically found on newly created Bots and/or Bots that are in development. |
| Archived | The Bot is no longer in use but is kept for historical/auditing purposes. |
| Scanning | The Bot is currently performing a retroactive scan of the configured scope. |
- Active Hookpoints - the number of reactive states of the Bot
- Schedule Enabled - shows whether Bot has a recurring execution scheduled
- In addition, after a Bot is created, the schedule enabled cadence will display (in the Bot Overview > Info & Settings section) for any Bot that is running
Actions Button
The Actions button is available on the Bot Overview Page under Info & Settings. This button opens the same menu options that are available through the sub-menu next to each Bot's name on the BotFactory Listing page.
A detailed table of Lifecycle Actions (available on the Bot Overview through the Actions button or through the Actions menu next to the Bot name on the Listing page) are below.
| Lifestyle Actions | Descriptions |
|---|---|
| Pause | Suspends a running Bot. Typically this is done on newly created Bots or Bots that you want to suspend for maintenance. Note: This option only appears on Bots that are active. |
| Archive | Permanently disables a Bot. The Bot’s history and metadata are retained, but scheduled events and noncompliance data are purged. |
| Update Information | Allows you to make changes to information about the Bot--for example, its name, description, or category--without affecting the Bot’s state. |
| Save as Template | Allows you to create a Bot template from which you can create new Bots simply and consistently. |
| On-demand Scan | Runs a scan against all known resources within the configured scope. This action is useful when you want to retroactively audit and enforce policy. |
| Reconfigure | Allows you to make changes to a Bot's properties--for example, its filters/actions, schedule, and hookpoints. Reconfiguring a Bot offers the opportunity to retain all resources and scheduled events associated with the bot. Retaining resources and scheduled events only works if the Bot's scope is limited to clouds and/or badges. Note: If you reconfigure a Bot, it will change to a paused state. You will need to Enable the Bot to change its state to Running. Reconfigure will not allow you to change Bot scope. If you want to change Bot scope, copy the Bot and apply the new scope to the new Bot. |
| Copy | Copies the configuration of one Bot to another. This action is useful when only changes to Bot scope are needed. |
| Enable | Transitions a paused/suspended Bot to a running state. Any hookpoints and schedules configured will be used as the Bot’s execution point. Note: This option only appears on Bots that are paused. |
| Trigger Harvest | Allows you to enqueue a re-harvest for selected resources, facilitating testing of Bot filters against changes in the accounts. |
| Version History | Allows you to create and activate a version of your Bot. New Bot versions are created by default if any modifications are made to the Bot. |
Bot Scope (Clouds/Groups/Badges)
Provides a list of the clouds, groups, or badges that are part of the selected Bot and used to define the scope.
Read more about:
Targeted Resource Types
The Targeted Resource Types section of the Bot Overview page provides a list of the targeted resources--Instance or Database Snapshot, for example. Check out the Resources documentation for more information on supported resources.
Query Filters
This section provides a list of the Query Filters that are included with the selected Bot.
Actions
The Actions section of the Bot Overview Page provides the summary of the Actions for the Bot you are viewing.
Bot Evaluation History (Last 5 entries)
This section provides up to 5 entries that contain history and details about the last actions performed by the selected Bot.
Bot Configuration (JSON)
This section provides a JSON format of a Bot configuration. This can be exported using the Copy button to enable users to store or share a Bot configuration.
History
The History tab for a Bot displays the log history details for when the Bot runs as reactive to events and/or each resource when the Bot runs as batch or scheduled. It is available under an individually selected Bot as part of the Overview details. The display here includes:
- Errors - indicating whether any errors were found
- Context - the context in which the Bot was run
- Hookpoints - which hookpoint was used when the bot was run
- Scoped Resources - the number of resources to which the Bot was scoped
- Matched - the number of matched actions and resources
- Start time - the start time of the Bot run
- Duration - the duration (in seconds) of the Bot run
Scheduled Events
Scheduled Events, available as part of the details for an individually selected Bot, displays the events or actions that are scheduled for the Bot.
Note
When resources are exempted, their status will read RESOURCE_EXEMPTED and their associated events will not be actionable.
Noncompliant Resources
Noncompliant Resources, available as part of the details for an individually selected Bot, displays the resources that the Bot has identified as non-compliant.
To learn more about compliance, check out the Compliance Scorecard.
Audit
Audit, available as part of the details for an individually selected Bot, displays a log (an API trail) of actions your selected Bot has taken. A green check for the status code indicates the action was successful; a red X indicates the action failed. For failed actions, you can click on the red X to view more information concerning the failed action.
The audit will also show who (Name) initiated the action and the type of action executed. For example: 'get compliance counts', 'edit', or 'validate permissions' (found in the Path portion of the audit).
Logs
Logs, available as part of the details for an individually selected Bot, display information for Bots that are not operating as expected to provide more details around configuration and potential issues.
- In general, the information under the Bots > Logs is completely specific to the Bot itself and its configuration.
- This section will not include information around issues that are related to other configuration issues that may impact the Bot (Insight or Resource issues that impact the performance of a Bot, for example).
Note
For general system logging information check out Administration > System Administration > Logs.
Viewing All Audit Trails
Audit details available on the BotFactory listing are for the individual Bot selected. If you have Domain Admin rights, you can view a similar audit trail for all active Bots from System Administration > API Activity.
Details are available here, under license API activity.
Modify an Existing Bot
- To modify an existing Bot (for which you have the appropriate permissions) navigate to the Bot's listing page and locate the individual Bot you want to change.
If it's a Bot you created you and also use the Show my Bots checkbox to narrow the list. - Select the Actions menu next to the individual Bot and click on Reconfigure.
- Reconfigure will open the Create Bot workflow and allow you to walk through the steps (About Bot, Resources Type/Group, Query Filters, Actions, Run Options), to make any change.
- Update the Bot settings and click Save to complete the changes.