Scripted Actions have been part of Nerdio Manager for Enterprise for a couple of months now and the feedback that we have been getting is nothing but positive. The predefined scripts we have added, which are easy to change and reuse (clone), together with the option to upload your own Scripted Actions building out your library both turned out to be very popular.
Recently, we added the option to run code outside of your virtual machines (though still tied to the VM), directly in Azure enables you to deploy and build different types of Azure resources. This is accomplished with Azure Automation Runbooks and can leverage both AzureRM and Az PowerShell modules. Not too long from now, we are getting ready to take it to the next level.
It gets even better
As part of version 2.9.0 of Nerdio Manager for Enterprise we will be adding a third option to the mix:
Global Azure runbooks scripted actions. A New type of scripted action designed to run in the context of the Nerdio Manager application in the Azure environment without being tied to a specific VM. Scripted actions can now run as Windows scripts and Azure runbooks based on VM triggered events (e.g. VM start, stop, create, delete, update, etc.) or in an Azure subscription according to a schedule or run once on demand.
As of next week, we will have:
- Windows scripts – VM specific runs inside OS (desktop images, session hosts)
- Azure runbooks (VM) – VM specific runs inside OS (desktop images, session hosts)
- Azure runbooks (global) – not VM specific within Azure
The global Azure runbooks can be run directly from the SCRIPTED ACTIONS page or scheduled to run on a recurrence.
We are also adding new VM events to trigger scripted action execution. Scripted actions can be attached to host pool VM events: VM start, VM stop, VM create, and VM delete. For example, an Antivirus agent can be installed and registered on VM create and un-registered on VM delete or a monitoring agent can be installed on VM start and removed on VM stop.
What’s not to like?!
Enter third parties
As a next step (we have multiple planned), we will be adding an additional building block on top of the ones we already have, enabling any third-party service or application that supports programmatic access. But it doesn’t stop there. Where it gets even more interesting is when third parties can start to build their own integrations, baking themselves into WVD leveraging Nerdio Manager for WVD as a platform. We will offer the tools and building blocks to do just that – API included, which we have released a few months ago. Unfortunately, I cannot share any more details at this time, but it’s going to be good, we promise.
Eventually, there could be an entire community effort around plugging anything and everything into WVD.
We are looking for input from YOU!
While the above is being worked on as we speak, we want to involve as many of you (the community) as we possibly can. In short, we are looking for scripts that add potential value to Windows Virtual Desktop to be made available through our Scripted Actions library. You will get full credits, of course. We might alter your script(s) slightly according to our standards, though you will always be able to review before we publish.
PowerShell scripts can be combined with chocolatey, for example the Evergreen PowerShell module, to name another, or anything else you can think of in this pace.
Please let us know if you would like to be involved and in what way.
You can do so by emailing either Neil McLoughlin at nmcloughlin@getnerdio-9411e41a77-a9atbhhugteta8d6.z02.azurefd.net or myself (Bas van Kaam) at bvankaam@getnerdio-9411e41a77-a9atbhhugteta8d6.z02.azurefd.net and we will make sure to reply ASAP.
We are looking forward to your submission(s).
As always, if you have any questions or any other comments or suggestions on how we can make things even better, please do let us know as well. Remember, we’re just getting started. More to come (very) soon!
Bas van Kaam
Nerdio Field CTO, EMEA
