With Orchestrator, you can import and export runbooks, and you can re-create your runbooks on any other computer that is running a management server. Exported runbooks are packaged into an OIS_Export file that you can save to a network location or send as an email attachment. You can export all runbooks in a folder or export only a single runbook.

Important
You can import runbooks authored in Opalis 6.3 into Orchestrator. Opalis 6.3 pipeline mode runbooks will import directly into Orchestrator. Opalis 6.3 runbooks that were not configured to run in pipeline mode will import into Orchestrator, however these runbooks will appear as “Checked Out”.The legacy activities from Opalis 6.3 will appear with a question mark in the Runbook Designer and will need to be manually replaced with the Orchestrator equivalent activity.

For additional help, please refer to the on-line documentation for System Center 2012 - Orchestrator.

Use the following procedures to export and import runbooks.

To export all runbooks in a folder

  1. In the Runbook Designer, click the tab for each runbook that you want to export, and then click Check In.

    Note
    Runbooks must be checked in before you can export them.

  2. From the Runbook Designer toolbar, click the Actions menu, and then select Export to open the Export dialog box.

  3. In the File Location box, type the path to where you want to save the exported runbook, or click the ellipsis (...) button to browse for the location.

  4. Click the runbook folder that you want to export, and then click OK to open the Export dialog box.

  5. Click Export the runbooks contained in sub folders to export any runbooks in the sub-folders of the selected runbook folder.

  6. Select Counters, Variables, Schedules, and Computer Groups to export those global resources with the runbook folder.

    Selecting the option for a resource includes all items of that resource type. You cannot specify individual counters, variables, schedules, or computer groups to include in an export operation.

  7. Click Export global configurations to export all activity and integration pack configurations.

  8. Click Finish. All runbooks are exported to the location that you specified.

To export a single runbook

  1. Click the tab for the runbook that you want to export, and then click Check In.

    Runbooks must be checked in before you can export them.

  2. From the Runbook Designer toolbar, right-click the runbook tab you want to export.

  3. Click Export to open the Export dialog box .

  4. Click the ellipse button to select the location to where you want to save the export file and type the export file name.

  5. If you want to secure the exported runbook with a password, then type one into the Password box. If you do not want to secure the runbook with a password, then leave the Password box empty.

  6. Click Finish. The runbook is exported to the location that you specified.

To import a runbook

  1. In the Connections pane of the Runbook Designer, click the folder under which you want the imported runbook to appear. Click the Actions menu, and then click Import. The Import dialog box appears.

  2. In the File Location box, type the path and file name that contains the runbook or runbooks that you want to import. Or click the ellipsis (...) button to browse to the location.

  3. If the runbook file was given a password when it was exported, type the password into the Password box.

    Tip
    The Password is ignored when importing runbooks from Opalis 6.3.

  4. Select Counters, Variables, Schedules, and Computer Groups to import those global resources from the runbook file.

  5. Select Import global configurations to import activity and integration pack configurations.

  6. Select Overwrite existing global configurations to replace any current settings with the settings in the imported runbook or runbooks.

    Overwriting replaces the entire set of configurations for a particular group. For example, if an imported runbook contains an SNMP activity, any current SNMP settings will be overwritten and any currently configured SNMP activities will be deleted.

  7. Click Finish. All selected runbooks and resources are imported.

    If any existing runbooks, counters, schedules, variables, or computer groups have the same name as the resources in the imported runbook, the Overwrite dialog box opens for each type of resource or runbook where a duplicate is found in the destination directory. Select one of the following options:

    • Yes - Click to overwrite the resource or runbook.

    • Yes to All - Click to overwrite this resource or runbook and all other duplicated resources in this import operation.

      Variables that are overwritten by clicking Yes or Yes to All also prompt you to replace the value of the variable. By clicking Yes on this secondary dialog box, you overwrite the variable value in the environment with value in the export. By clicking No, you keep the value in the environment.

    • No - Click to create a new resource or runbook. Orchestrator adds a number to the name of the resource or runbook to create a unique copy of it. For example, a resource called MyCounter would be added as MyCounter (1).

      To assign your own name to the resource or runbook, finish the import operation and find the unique copy of the resource or runbook that you want to rename. Right-click the resource or runbook, click Rename, and type the new name. Verify that the activities in your runbooks use the correct name of the resource.

    • No to All - Click to create a unique resource or runbook for this resource or runbook and all other duplicated resources or runbooks in this import operation. This does not overwrite any existing resources or runbooks that have the same name.

    • Cancel - Click to stop copying further resources or runbooks. Resources or runbooks that have already been copied appear in the destination tree.