The Serena Release Automation server provides a variety of services, such as: the user interface, component and application
configuration tools, workflow engine, and security services among others. The REST-based user interface provides the web-based
front-end that is used to create components and fashion workflows; request processes, and manage security and resources, among
other things.
When a workflow is requested, many services are used to fulfill the request, which are shown in the following illustration:
Workflow requests are initiated with the user interface, either the web-based application or the CLI (command line interface).
Table 2. Services
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| User Interface | Used to create components and fashion workflows, request processes and manage security and resources, among other things. REST-based. |
| Workflow Engine | Manages workflows—application and component processes. Calls the agent responsible for performing the workflow's current plug-in step. When the workflow is finished, alerts the notification and inventory services. Called by the deploy service. REST-based. |
| Agent | Tracks installed agents and routes plug-in commands to affected agents. Commands come from plug-in steps. Invoked by the workflow service. REST-based. |
| Work Item | Operates in tandem with the approval service; provides approver alerts and enables approvers to accept or reject workflows. If a scheduled workflow remains unapproved at run-time, the job fails automatically. REST-based. |
| Plug-in Manager |
Serena Release Automation can interact with virtually any system through its extensible plug-in system; plug-ins provide functions by breaking-down tool features into automated steps. Plug-ins can be configured at design- and run-time. When a plug-in step executes, the controlling agent invokes its run-time process to execute the step. When a new component version is available, the agent compares the current component version and downloads and only new or changed artifacts. |
| Event | The event service is ubiquitous; it alerts other services as various trigger conditions occur. |
| Deployment Service | Manages deployments. When a deployment process is requested, invokes the workflow engine to perform the process. Works in tandem with the security service to ensure users have required permissions. REST-based. |
| Notification Manager | Notifies users about the status of deployments; notifications are sent to approvers if the system is configured with an email server and the user has an email address. Invoked by the workflow manager. REST-based. |
| Inventory Manager | When a workflow finishes, the inventory manager updates affected inventory records. Serena Release Automation maintains an inventory of every deployed artifact in every environment, which provides complete visibility across environments. REST-type service. |
| Approval Engine | Enables creation of approval-requiring jobs and approver roles. Works in tandem with the work item service to ensure required approvals are made before scheduled jobs. REST-based. |
| Security | Controls what users can do and see; maps to organizational structures by teams, roles, activities, etc. REST-based. |
| Calendar | Used to schedule processes to being at some future point; works in tandem with the approval and work item services. REST-based. |
| CodeStation | Handles versioning of artifacts; agents invoke it when downloading component versions. REST-based. |
