Email Customization - Bueller? Bueller?

[aamodei01]

Hello and thanks in advance!

I was just wondering, has anyone successfully modified vcac/vra emails? The instructions out there are lacking a bit as to the full process or a complete example

Another thing I found through trial and error is that of custom properties (while "allowed" in the emails in version 6.2) must actually be a user selectable option on the request screen. So this shoots a huge hole in my customization plans as there are several things we hide behind the scenes from the end user's selection abilities. Has anyone found a creative way around this?

I have successfully "overridden" the email for the provisioning completion by simply adding an email workflow into my master provisioning workflow in orchestrator, but my next issue is that of the approval workflow emails.

I have not found anywhere in orchestrator where they may be fired from (and I doubt they are exposed there from my experiences thus far).

So my question(s) are:

• Does anyone have/know of a clear and concise step by step document to customize any built in 6.2 email templates (not the 3 existing kb/blog articles that EVERYONE points too, please)
• Any hook in orchestrator I can use with the default approval process (I'm not using ASD for anything at this time, just the built in functionalities)

Thank you!!

[SeanKohler · Accepted solution]

>> 3 existing kb/blog articles that EVERYONE points too

Yeah... from what I have seen, there isn't much showing much of anything.  Is this one of the three you are talking about?

Enhancing User Experience: Customization of vRealize Automation 6.2.x Email Notifications - VMware v...

$formData.get("provider-<CustomPropertyName>”)

Based on my understanding elsewhere in the product. This should get all Machine Properties that you can see in the Properties tab (post request), whether user-selected or not, if the property was given a value in the request.  Is this not working for you? Can you make the request from a browser with firebug (or equivalent) running to capture the makeRequest POST.  Format the request in a text editor for JSON and see if your request includes your "hidden" property with value.

What isn't clear in your question: Are you using the builtin email, or are your completely sending email from within vRO extension?  (Machine Provisioned, etc)  I am suspecting the former, but you are also asking about vRO extensible stub calls for approvals. That doesn't readily exist, though I seem to remember hearing the PSO had some capability to create custom stubs on the vRA side. (it is rumor and conjecture for me...)  In theory the workflow runner could run any workflow with an appropriate trigger.  Creating a trigger is a bit of a black hole for me. (and honestly with the direction of the Windows IaaS components, not a high priority to understand)

For machine-requests, the only clear path I see for TRULY customized email is a collection of operations on the vRO side leveraging Async workflows that run during (and after) the stubs.  Basically a workflow that is called from Build Machine and then again from Machine Provisioned.  Essentially a watchdog workflow that waits for desired request state, and then build and sends an email based on any data accessible to the plugin. (which is just about everything we would want to report on)

For Resource Actions (power on, power off, change lease, etc)... there isn't a workflow kicked off in vRO unless you are using ASD.  So we are limited to the built-in notifications and the customization demonstrated above (or if someone can figure out more, then we have more).

Another potential... turn off all vRA notifications.  Setup your own Request Watcher workflow that runs every minute (or so).  The workflow looks for new requests in vRA, gathers data based off the request, and sends an email.  This is more of a Process Request Watchdog.  It would be complicated to write, but it should be possible (e.g you have to take into account if a request is already being managed for notification or a subsequent workflow will step on it).  This would make your notifications a little bit out of band, but it grants easier customization.  As opposed to scheduled workflow(s), You can also do this through vRO policy to watch for CatalogRequest objects.  Managing Policies

This is all I have been able to come up with, but I haven't had time to implement any of it.  (just living with the default notifications for the moment)  Hopefully somebody has a better answer... (for both of us, cause I want GOOD notification customization too).

[aamodei01]

Sean,

Thank you for your response. At least the user community has some input...

I've come to many of the same conclusions as you pointed out.

I am trying any possible way to get these outcomes:

Either:

• actually customize the messages being sent by default in such a way that I can actually change the variables and form of the email
• access the workflow or trigger somewhere within vRO to create my own function and USABLE email message for the end user.

I am just trying to make use of the built in provisioning mechanisms to allow end user deployment of a vm. I have not been using the ASD to provision anything, but it might just be a better idea to build vro workflows to redo everything that vRA does now, at least that works with some relative common sense.

I mean, honestly VMware - did you even look at the emails coming out of the system at all? Or perhaps from an end user perspective?

I guess this what happens when you cobble crap code together and slap your company name on it.

Oh, and the wonderful documentation... or lack their of...

[HariRajan]

I am also agreed that as VRA as an enterprise product , they should give proper email templates by default .

Again , yes we can customize it , we can put custom parameters in each email actions  in VRA velocity template  , but it is not up to the mark with your imagination , or you should spend days to accomplish that. I would say, To start with just write whatever minimum information you need and how it should look , then you can go ahead and customize that.

example  : For VM catalog request

Company Logo

Request Information

Number of Machine Requested

CPU

Memory

Disk1 Size

Disk 2 Size

Description of the VM

Reason for the Request

Footer :

Cloud service provided by XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX and for support contact XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Confidentiality Information

This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This message contains confidential information and is intended only for the individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and delete this e-mail from your system. If you are not the intended recipient you are notified that disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited.

This you can achieve easily while referring the URL mentioned by Sean ,  To extend the email response based on your imagination , it will take time.

I am also in the same page , didn't invested much time on this and waiting for VRA 7.2 release to come .

[mikestevenson00]

It is a little kludgey, but you could do it with Orchestrator.  There's a send email flow already put together, so with a little AD querying to get the requesting user's email address you could use that to send whatever info you need.  I agree that the dearth of info on email customization is frustrating, and the fact that some cannot be customized by any means is doubly so.