EDM-Pack - Excel Data Management for WFA

[korns]

Abstract: The EDM-Pack includes a general-purpose Data Source that can read from a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet directly into a WFA custom scheme and dictionaries. Those dictionary tables are then available to workflows for search and selection in user interface Queries, Filters, Finders, and Commands. This allows workflows to align with customer business rules, organization and environmental information. In addition, a workflow is included which will export an existing WFA scheme to an Excel spreadsheet allowing viewing and reporting of data within the WFA Cache Database.

The attached files include:

• EDM-Pack_UserGuide_Dv_1_0_0.pdf
• EDM-Pack_Pv_1_0_0.dar

New features incorporated in this release include:

• Rewritten Data Source Type such that no prerequistes need to be installed on the WFA server. The dar file includes everything needed (now uses PSExcel and EPPlus)
• Includes a workflow to initialize and place the prerequsite files (should be executed after importing the dar file)
• Besides the EDM Data Source Type, a workflow is included that will export an entire scheme and all it's dictionary tables to an Excel spreadsheet

This is a two person project. I came up with the simple idea in version 1 of the tool. Mirko Van Colen added table relations and rewrote the DS for PSExcel. We then collaborated on development resulting in this new packaged version we're calling EDM for Excel Data Management. Ideas for features in future versions are welcome. 

NOTE: This EDM-Pack supercedes the ACE-DS Data Source referenced preiviously in this community at: http://community.netapp.com/t5/OnCommand-Storage-Management-Software-Discussions/ACE-DS-A-reusable-Data-Source-for-acquiring-from-Excel-spreadsheets/m...

[sinhaa]

Great work David. Very good solution.

sinhaa

[sinhaa]

Oh I see that you are bundling the PS Module in the workflow using the "Help-Content". Very Clever.    

[korns]

While attempting to install the EDM-Pack on a Windows 2008 R2 server I discovered the EDM-Pack is dependent on .NET 4.5 for proper operation. I believe .NET 4.5 is built-in or included with Win2012_R2 but evidently not with Win2008_R2. As such, if you are on a Win2008_R2 server that doesn't have .NET 4.5 installed, you may get an error when running the EDM000 Pack Initialize workflow similar to this (or see screenshot below):

     Could not load file or assembly 'System.IO.Compression.FileSystem, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089 or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.... 

To install .NET 4.5 on the WFA Win2008 R2 server:

• Download and run the .NET 4.5 installer from the Microsoft site
• This URL worked for me: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30653
• It seems to require a server reboot after installing .NET 4.5, so let it reboot (but your mileage may vary)

After the WFA server reboots, connect to WFA again and run the EDM000 Pack Initialize workflow again.

===== EDM000 error when .NET 4.5 missing =====

[WAFLHERDER]

Hi All,

I am trying to design some WFA workflow for creating volumes. Seems pretty simple eh?

In this case, the SVM where a new volume should be created can vary depending on the customers desired "network zone" e.g. where the volume should be reachable from.

I would like to add this extra user input "Required Zone" into my creation workflow.

When I read about EDM package I thought "this is pefect for what I want to do!". I have imported it into WFA (4.1) and created a custom spreadsheet. As far as I can tell, everything is working e.g. under "Dictionary" I see my new "net_zones" object with the attributes like "zone_name", "svm_name", "svm_ip", "zone_description", etc.

I just seem to have one problem: How do I make use of this in WFA? I'm not sure what the next step(s) is/are to be able to offer this as menu to the user. I am imagining the user selecting one of the "zone_name" values and the SVM/vserver field being filled with the associated "svm_name" value.

I cannot seem to refer to it directly in the input field for the SVM/vserver. Selecting a resource there seems to limited to only "vserver" related filters.

Do I have to create new Filters and/or Finders, with SQL commands that select from my "net_zone" information? That seems overly complicated ...

The EDM user guide has a detailed description of the implementation, but no explanation of how to access the new data from within WFA. I guess the authors assume the reader has more more knowledge of WFA than I do - not hard 😉

Please let me know the vital next step! Or if this is the wrong approach, feel free to suggest an alternative.

Cheers,

Robb.