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Simulation allows you to validate the execution of a workflow, a specific set of tasks within a workflow or a standalone task in the Universal Controller without actually having to execute the underlying operation of each task instance.

Using Simulation Mode 

Outlined below is the basic procedure and processing flow for using Simulation Mode:

Step 1

Designate a task for Simulation Mode by enabling the Simulation option on any Task Form.

If enabled at the workflow-level, all tasks within the workflow will inherit the option and run in simulation mode.

To customize simulation behavior of a task running in a specific workflow, you must select both the task and the specific workflow.

If you only specify the task, the custom simulation behavior applies only to the task running standalone.

By default, when an instance is running in simulate mode:

  • The instance will complete with a status of Success.

  • The instance will complete with an exit code of 0 (or 200 for the Web Service task).

  • The instances Status, Late Start, Late Finish, and Early Finish events are not published to running task monitor instances.

  • The instances Actions are not executed.

A simulated instance will transition through the same Status changes as a non-simulated instance, and honor virtual resource limits, mutually exclusive constraints, execution limits, etc.

Authorization constraints, such as permission to execute on a particular agent, or execute using particular credentials, are also validated in simulation mode.

Step 2

To simulate a Task Instance without the Default Simulation Mode Behavior, see Customizing Simulation Behavior.

Step 3Launch the Task.

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Note
titleNote

To open an existing record on the list, either:

  • Click a record in the list to display its record Details below the list. (To clear record Details below the list, click the  button that displays above and below the Details.)
  • Clicking the Details icon next to a record name in the list, or right-click a record in the list and then click Open in the Action menu that displays, to display a pop-up version of the record Details.
  • Right-click a record in the a list, or open a record and right-click in the record Details, and then click Open In Tab in the Action menu that displays, to display the record Details under a new tab on the record list page (see Record Details as Tabs).

Simulation Details

The following Simulation Details is for an existing Simulation. See the field descriptions, below, for a description of all fields that display in the Simulation Details.

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Simulation Details Field Descriptions

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Field NameDescription
DetailsThis section contains detailed information about the Simulation.
TaskTask to be run in Simulation Mode with the specified behavior.

Workflow

Parent Workflow of the Task to be run in Simulation Mode with the specified behavior.
Vertex ID

Vertex ID of the Task to be run in Simulation Mode with the specified behavior.

Note

By default, all simulated instances of the Task that is specified in the Task field will run with the specified behavior regardless of Vertex ID. 


StatusStatus for the Simulated Instance once completed. 
Exit CodeExit Code for the Simulated Instance. 
Simulation Variables

Specifies variables that should be added for simulation purposes, including any built-in monitor variables starting with "ops_trigger_".

The Simulation Variables are for adding variables that the simulated instance would have normally produced, therefore, are only available after the instance is already Queued or Running.

Publish Status Specifies if Status events should be published to task monitor instances.
Publish Late StartSpecifies if Late Start events should be published to task monitor instances.
Publish Late Finish Specifies if Late Finish events should be published to task monitor instances.
Publish Early Finish Specifies if Early Finish events should be published to task monitor instances.
Execute Abort ActionsSpecifies if Abort Actions should be executed for the simulated instance.
Execute Email Notification ActionsSpecifies if Email Notification Actions should be executed for the simulated instance.
Execute Set Variable ActionsSpecifies if Set Variable Actions should be executed for the simulated instance.
Execute SNMP Notification ActionsSpecifies if SNMP Notification Actions should be executed for the simulated instance.
Execute System Operations Actions Specifies if System Operation Actions should be executed for the simulated instance.
MetadataThis section contains Metadata information about this record.

UUID

Universally Unique Identifier of this record.

Updated By

Name of the user that last updated this record.

Updated

Date and time that this record was last updated.

Created By

Name of the user that created this record.

Buttons

This section identifies the buttons displayed above and below the Simulation Details that let you perform various actions.

Save

Saves a new Simulation record in the Controller database.

Save & New

Saves a new record in the Controller database and redisplays empty Details so that you can create another new record.

New

Displays empty (except for default values) Details for creating a new record.

Update


Saves updates to the record.


Delete


Deletes the current record.


Refresh

Refreshes any dynamic data displayed in the Details.

Close

For pop-up view only; closes the pop-up view of this task.

Tabs

This section identifies the tabs across the top of the Script Details that provide access to additional information about the script.

OutputOutput for a Simulated Instance. 

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Simulation Mode Behavior

Task Types 

  • Workflow

    • You can only specify a Status Success and Exit Code 0.

      • Regardless, the Status transitions for a workflow depend solely on the outcome of the instances within the workflow.

    • Specifying the simulate option on a workflow indicates all tasks within the workflow run in simulation mode.

  • Timer

    • You can only specify a Status Success and Exit Code 0.

    • In simulation mode, the instance still sleeps for the specified time.

  • Manual

    • You can only specify a Status Success and Exit Code 0.

    • In simulation mode, the instance transitions as if both Set Started and Set Completed commands were executed, that is, it will transition through Action Required, Started, and Success.

  • Recurring

    • You can only specify a Status Success and Exit Code 0.

      • Regardless, the Status transitions for a recurring task instance depend solely on the outcome of executing the recurrences.

    • In simulation mode, Recurring instances still process recurrences, however, any created/launched target task instances will run in simulation mode.

  • Monitors (Task Monitors, Agent File Monitors, Remote File Monitors, System Monitors, Variable Monitors, Email Monitors, and Universal Monitors)

    • The simulate option has no impact on (continuous) monitors associated with an enabled monitor trigger.

    • The simulate option is applied to (non-continuous) monitors running standalone or within a workflow.

    • Use the Simulation Variables to populate the ops_trigger_* variables, if necessary.

  • Universal Monitors

    • In simulation mode, the Universal Task Publisher instance is not created/launched.

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Both the Launch with Variables… and Trigger Now… commands will provide a Simulate option on the dialog, allowing you to simulate a task and/or a workflow without setting the Simulate option directly on the definition.

Calculate Critical Path

The Calculate Critical Path option on the workflow will be ignored when the Simulate option is on.

If the Simulate option on the workflow is off, but on for one or more tasks within the workflow, the Calculate Critical Path option will be honored.

Statistics

Task-level and Workflow-level statistics will not be collected for an instance that is being simulated.

Workflow Monitor

From a List, the Simulate field is available for both display and filtering, however, from within a workflow monitor, there is no way to determine if a task instance is being simulated without opening the task instance form.