How to run SCOM tasks

About SCOM tasks

SCOM tasks are tasks that can be executed for single objects, for example displaying the object's account settings. The tasks in Dashboard Server are similar to the tasks you find on the tasks pane in the SCOM console.

Which tasks are available depends on the object and the management packs that are installed. Only users with the correct SCOM access will be able to run the task (see How do SCOM roles affect what users can do in Dashboard Server?).

How to run SCOM tasks

There are two different ways to run SCOM tasks in Dashboard Server:

• Running tasks on dashboards or perspectives in the SCOM Task tile

  Running tasks in the tile allows you to show the results of a SCOM task in a tile on a dashboard or perspective. Tasks in the SCOM Task run every time the dashboard refreshes (by default every minute).

  (see How to use the SCOM Task tile)

• Running tasks directly from a dashboard or perspective via a button

  You can run tasks directly from a dashboard or perspective just by clicking a button. Tasks that are executed via a button only run when the button is clicked.

  • On perspectives, you can run any task that is available for that object with the task button at the top of the perspective.

    How to run a task on a perspective with the task button

    1. Go to the object you want to run the task for and choose any of the available perspectives.

    2. Click on the task button at the top of the perspective.

       

       Now a dropdown menu with all available tasks opens.

    3. Choose the task you want to run from the dropdown menu.

       Which tasks are available depends on the object and the management packs that are installed. Only users with the correct SCOM access will be able to run the task (see How do SCOM roles affect what users can do in Dashboard Server?).

    4. Some tasks let you override parameters, for example the time until the task runs into a timeout. Which parameters are available depends on the task.

       If you want to override parameters for the task, click add under override parameters and enter your settings.

    5. Click execute to run the task.

       A new sections opens and displays the result of the task. The results are visible until you close the section or leave the page.

  • On dashboards and perspectives, you can create an action button for a specific task.

    What is an action button?

    Action buttons are customized buttons that you can add at the top of a dashboard or perspective.

    

    How to create an action button for a specific task

    1. For dashboards: Go to the dashboard where you want to add the action button.

       For perspectives: If you want to add the action button to a specific perspective, go to an object that contains the perspective and choose this perspective. If you want to add the action button to all perspectives of a specific class of objects, go to an object that is a member of this class.

    2. Click on the edit button to go into edit mode.

       

    3. Click on the Edit actions button.
       

    4. Under Actions, click on the add button.
       

    5. Enter a name for your new action button.

    6. Select the type of action you want to create:

    • Open an internal link

      An internal link within your Dashboard Server instance. For example, when you want to link from an object's perspective to a dashboard that is relevant for that object.Internal links use only the part of the URL that comes after .../SquaredUpv[version number]/. For example, if the full URL to a dashboard is https://mysquaredup.com/SquaredUpv5/page/dashboard-enterprise-applications, you need to use /page/dashboard-enterprise-applications.

    • Open a web link

      A link to any URL. For example, when you have a dashboard for monitoring a website or application, you can add a link to that website or application. Web links have to include the http:// or https:// prefix. These links will open in a new tab by default.

    • Execute a SCOM task

      You can run a SCOM task on an object.

      Which tasks are available depends on the object and the management packs that are installed. Only users with the correct SCOM access will be able to run the task (see How do SCOM roles affect what users can do in Dashboard Server?).

    7. If you selected the action type "task":

       For dashboards: Enter the object you want to run the task on. While you are typing, you'll get suggestions for matching objects. Then select the task you want to run from the dropdown.

       Which tasks are available depends on the object and the management packs that are installed. Only users with the correct SCOM access will be able to run the task (see How do SCOM roles affect what users can do in Dashboard Server?).

       Some tasks let you override parameters, for example the time until the task runs into a timeout. Which parameters are available depends on the task.

       For perspectives: Select the task you want to run for the object you are currently viewing.

       Take care to add task buttons to a relevant perspective so the button doesn't appear for objects where it will not run. For example, if you add the Display Server Statistics task to a button on the Monitored Entity perspective then it will show for all objects, but when if you try to run it when you are viewing an application you will get a task failed error message because server statistics cannot be shown for an application.

       Which tasks are available depends on the object and the management packs that are installed. Only users with the correct SCOM access will be able to run the task (see How do SCOM roles affect what users can do in Dashboard Server?).

       Some tasks let you override parameters, for example the time until the task runs into a timeout. Which parameters are available depends on the task.

    8. Only for perspectives: Decide when the action button will be shown.

       "only show when this perspective is selected":
       If you leave the checkbox activated, the action button will be visible only on this one perspective.

       If you deactivate the checkbox, the action button will be visible on all perspectives for all objects of the same class as the object you are currently viewing.

    9. Click done to save the action button.

    10. You can add more buttons or click done to finish adding buttons.

    11. Click publish to make the changes live.

        You can now see your newly added action button.

        For task action buttons: All users with the correct SCOM access will be able to run the task with the action button. Clicking the button will display the results of the task at the top of the page. The results stay there until you close them or go to another page.
        

    5 minute Video

    This 5 minute video 'Dashboard actions' describes how to create and edit actions on a dashboard or perspective: