Code Library

Let’s start by giving a definition of an Azure Automation runbook. If you’re familiar with the enterprise software development life cycle (SDLC), the definition of a runbook encompasses a set of processes and procedures that you execute repetitively to support various enterprise tasks. These tasks can include deployment and lifecycle management of resources, deployment, patching, upgrades, backups, error log management, database volume management, user management, and security management.

A runbook allows you to build processes that can be repeated using a Windows PowerShell Workflow script. This technology and methodology (and the script) is now being moved into Azure Automation runbooks, which map to automation of operational tasks. A runbook is one of the core components for Azure Automation that can be used to automate and orchestrate business processes. It is a container for a Windows PowerShell workflow script.

The Windows PowerShell Workflow code used in runbooks typically leverages Azure Automation Assets, which are common and reusable operations and items that can be shared globally across all runbooks. These items include schedules for which the runbooks can run, variables, connections to databases and resources, and authentication entities like certificates and credentials.


Runbooks support in the Azure Management Portal
The Azure Management Portal is your one-stop shop for creating, importing, and managing runbooks. When creating a runbook, you can start it as a draft or you might have a library of runbooks inside your organization that you import from a common location. You can also import runbooks from the Microsoft Script Center. Creating a runbook refers to your creation of an empty runbook, for example, in the Azure Management Portal. Authoring a runbook refers to the editing and building of the code inside the runbook.

In addition to establishing the runbook via the Azure Management Portal, you can also do all of your runbook management there (including debugging). For example, you can insert Windows PowerShell Workflow scripts into the runbook, and edit and test the scripts. Then, you can debug the script, make sure it works, and see the results, all in the same portal. After you test the script, you can publish the runbooks, invoke them, and manage or view the execution of the job in an integrated manner in the Azure Management Portal.

Source of Information : Azure Automation