Automation¶

Virtual Machine Scheduler¶

Overview¶

The Virtual Machine Scheduler feature in CloudPi offers powerful automation for managing the start and stop operations of virtual machines. By configuring schedules, organizations can optimize resource utilization, reduce cloud costs, and ensure efficient cloud infrastructure management. This feature provides a streamlined approach to managing resource availability based on predefined schedules or real-time needs.

Key Features¶

Comprehensive Schedule Management¶

Automated Operations - Enable automatic start and stop of virtual machines during specified time periods, optimizing resource availability and cost-efficiency

Vacation and Custom Schedules - Create schedules tailored for holidays, weekends, or specific organizational needs

Multi-Region Support - Manage schedules for resources across different cloud regions seamlessly

Centralized Schedule Overview¶

Detailed Schedule View - Access all active schedules, including their type (Snooze, Start, or Stop), associated resources, and timing details

Actionable Controls - Modify, delete, or manually override schedules directly from the Schedules screen

Execution Logs - Monitor schedule activities and execution statuses for accountability and troubleshooting

Data-Driven Recommendations¶

Optimized Scheduling Suggestions - Receive schedule recommendations based on usage patterns to reduce resource idling

Streamlined Implementation - Apply recommendations with minimal configuration through the Recommendations screen

Setup and Configuration¶

Accessing the Scheduler Feature¶

Navigate to Automation - Log into CloudPi and access the Scheduler feature under the Automation section in the main menu
Explore the Three Main Screens:
Schedules - Manage and review all active schedules
Recommendations - View and apply usage-based schedule suggestions
Resources - Identify eligible resources and create custom schedules

Navigating Schedules¶

Schedules Screen¶

View All Schedules - Review the list of schedules with details such as schedule name, type, description, and associated resources

Edit and Delete - Modify schedules or remove outdated configurations directly from the Actions menu

Manual Override - Enable or disable specific resources for temporary overrides without altering the main schedule

Actions¶

View¶

The View action allows users to examine the details of a specific schedule without making changes. By selecting this option from the Actions Menu, the system displays a detailed breakdown of the schedule, including key information such as:

Name - Schedule identifier (e.g., ACCOUNT_SNOOZE_REG)

Description - Purpose or usage (e.g., "account testing for scheduler")

Schedule Type - Type of schedule (e.g., Snooze (Stop and Start))

Date Range - Period when the schedule is active

Weekday Timings - Days and times for weekday operations

Weekend Timings - Days and times for weekend operations

The View feature is particularly useful for verifying schedule configurations or sharing information with team members. Users can close the detailed view by selecting the Close View option.

Resource Details Tab:

Shows the list of resources associated with this schedule:

NAME - Resource name

INSTANCE ID - Unique resource identifier

REGION - Cloud region

STATUS - Active/Paused status with toggle

ACTIONS - Additional options menu

Manual Override¶

The Manual Override feature provides users with the ability to temporarily pause or activate the application of the VM Snooze schedule for individual instances. This allows for greater flexibility in managing resources without permanently modifying the primary schedule.

How It Works:

Accessing Manual Override:
Click the Manual Override icon in the Actions menu for a specific schedule
This will open a detailed list of instances associated with the schedule
Pausing or Activating an Instance:
Paused - Use the toggle switch to pause an instance, preventing it from being affected by the VM Snooze schedule. This ensures the resource remains operational, regardless of the scheduled start and stop times
Active - Use the toggle switch to activate an instance, ensuring it adheres to the VM Snooze schedule
Instance Details:
The manual override panel displays key details for each instance:
- Resource Name - Name of the instance
- Instance ID - Unique identifier for the instance
- Region - The cloud region where the resource is deployed
- Status - Reflects whether the instance is currently subject to the schedule (Active) or excluded (Paused)
Closing Manual Override:
Once the desired overrides are set, click Close Manual Override to return to the main Schedules view
Overrides take effect immediately but do not alter the underlying schedule configuration

Edit Action¶

The Edit feature allows users to modify the configuration of an existing schedule. This ensures flexibility for adapting schedules to changing requirements without the need to create a new schedule from scratch.

How It Works:

Accessing Edit Mode:
Click the Edit icon from the Actions menu of the selected schedule
This opens the schedule in an editable form
Editable Fields:

Users can update the following details:

Schedule Name - Update the schedule identifier

Description - Modify the description to better reflect the schedule's purpose

Start Date - Update the start date

Start Time - Change when the schedule activates

Stop Time - Change when the schedule deactivates

Time Zone - Select the appropriate time zone (e.g., Asia/Kolkata (GMT+05:30))

Saving Changes:
Once the updates are complete, click the Update button to save the changes
The schedule is updated in real time, and the changes are reflected in the Schedules screen
Closing Edit Mode:
If no changes are needed, click Close Edit to exit the edit mode without modifying the schedule

Schedule Logs¶

The Schedule Logs feature provides users with detailed insights into the execution history of a schedule. It helps track the status of scheduled actions, ensuring transparency and simplifying troubleshooting when needed.

How It Works:

Accessing Schedule Logs:
Click the Schedule Logs icon in the Actions menu of a specific schedule
This opens a log view displaying the execution history
Log Details:

Each log entry includes:

Started At - The timestamp when the schedule action began

Completed At - The timestamp when the action finished

Status - Indicates the success or failure of the action (green "Success" label)

Message - Details about the action performed (e.g., instance IDs started/stopped)

Troubleshooting Support:
If a schedule action fails, the log entry provides error messages or status details
These can be used to identify and resolve issues
Closing Logs:
After reviewing the logs, click Close Logs to return to the main Schedules view

Delete Schedule¶

The Delete Schedule feature allows users to permanently remove an existing schedule from the system. This is useful for eliminating outdated or unused schedules, ensuring that only relevant configurations are maintained.

How It Works:

Accessing Delete Option:
Click the Delete icon in the Actions menu of the selected schedule
This action initiates the schedule deletion process
Confirmation Prompt:
A confirmation dialog appears to prevent accidental deletions
Users must confirm their intent to delete the schedule
Deletion Outcome:
- If confirmed, the schedule is permanently removed from the list, and all associated configurations are erased
- If canceled, no changes are made, and the schedule remains in place
Impact on Resources:
Deleting a schedule does not impact the current state of associated resources
It only removes the automation tied to the schedule

Export Instance Details¶

The Export Instance Details feature allows users to download a detailed spreadsheet (.csv) of all active schedules, instances, and their associated configurations. This enables efficient tracking, reporting, and analysis of virtual machine schedules and their statuses.

How It Works:

Accessing the Export Feature:
Click the Export Instance Details button located in the top-right corner of the Schedules screen
Downloading the Spreadsheet:
When clicked, the system generates a spreadsheet and prompts you to download it
The file contains detailed information for each schedule and associated instance, including:
- Instance ID
- Region
- Instance Status
- Schedule Name
- Schedule Status
- Schedule Type
- Weekdays
- Weekends
- Action Type
- Description
- Start Date and End Date
- Time zone
- Weekday Start Time and End Time
- Weekend Start Time and End Time
- Is Recommended (Yes/No)
- Tag
Spreadsheet Output:

The spreadsheet provides a comprehensive, instance-level view of schedules, enabling users to: - Monitor schedule execution for each instance - Identify instances and schedules based on region, type, or tags - Audit or analyze resource utilization and scheduling effectiveness

Recommendations¶

Reviewing Recommendations¶

The Recommendations Screen displays a list of recommended snooze schedules tailored to optimize resource utilization and cost efficiency. These recommendations are generated based on usage analytics, helping users identify optimal start and stop times for cloud resources.

How It Works:

Recommendations Column:
The Recommendation column lists the recommended snooze schedules for each resource
Each entry includes:
- Instance ID - Identifies the resource
- Snooze Schedule - Indicates the suggested start and stop times (e.g., Snooze_10 PM_5 AM)
Reviewing Suggested Schedules:
Users can browse the recommendations to understand the proposed snooze schedules
The recommendations provide actionable insights for aligning resource schedules with real-world usage patterns
Taking Action:
Check the boxes next to one or more recommendations to activate the Create Schedule button
Use the Create Schedule feature to customize and apply these recommendations
Additional Actions:
Download - Click the Download icon to export the recommendations list
Share - Click the Share icon to share recommendations via social media, email, or by copying a link
Add Columns - Click the Add Columns (+) icon to customize visible columns

Actions¶

View Recommendation Details and Usage Analysis:

Access recommendation details and analysis by navigating to Actions → View. This feature helps users evaluate a recommendation by providing detailed insights and usage analysis, enabling informed decisions about adopting a snooze schedule.

Recommendation Details:

Displays key information about the recommendation: - Resource ID, Name, and Region - Recommendation Type (e.g., Snooze) - Date Range and Start/Stop Times - Average CPU Utilization and Network In/Out metrics

Usage Analysis:

Provides a visual graph of historical metrics (e.g., CPU Utilization) over a configurable lookback period
Users can select metrics like CPU or network usage to assess resource activity trends

This feature allows users to validate recommendations before creating schedules, ensuring they align with usage patterns.

Resource Scheduling¶

The Resources section allows you to view and manage resources eligible for scheduling actions.

Features:

Select Resources:
Check the box in the row for one or more resources to enable the Create Schedule button
Create Schedule:
After selecting resources, click the Create Schedule button to define scheduling parameters

Schedule Configuration:

Select Schedule Type - Choose between Vacation or Custom

Schedule Name - Enter a name (5-10 letters)

Description - Provide schedule purpose

End Date Option - Choose "No End Date" or set an end date

Start Date - Select when the schedule begins

Start Time - Set the activation time

Stop Time - Set the deactivation time

Time Zone - Select appropriate time zone (e.g., Asia/Kolkata)

View Resource Details:
Use the View action in the Actions column to see specific details about a resource

Resource Details View:

Shows comprehensive information including: - Resource ID - Region - Environment - Tags (Name, project, department, etc.)

Additional Features:

Download - Export resource details as a spreadsheet
Share - Share resource data via various platforms
Add Columns - Customize the displayed columns for a tailored view of resource data