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vRSLCM 8.10 bring 2 major features on the table with respect to vRealize Automation
1. Enable / Disable Pendo in vRA 8.x through vRSLCM
2. Auto Revert Feature when there's an upgrade failure in vRA 8.x
In this blog, we will discuss Pendo Integration and how it works through vRSLCM 8.x
Pendo integration for vRA in vRSLCM
What's Pendo and Why is it used?
Pendo is a product-analytics app built to help software companies develop products that resonate with customers. The tool is used for collecting page clicks, feature clicks, providing in-app guides, and producing various kinds of reports, which are based on tagged pages and features
When was it introduced in vRealize Automation 8.x?
vRealize Automation participates in VMware's original Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) and also the Pendo Customer Experience Program (Pendo CEIP) for vRealize applications.
Pendo CEIP was introduced in vRA 8.8 verison.
You can separately join or leave the VMware original Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) and the Pendo Customer Experience Program (Pendo CEIP).
Each program collects somewhat different types of customer interaction data, as described below.
Original CEIP
The original CEIP provides VMware with information that enables designers and engineers to improve products and services, fix problems, and advise you on how best to deploy and use VMware products and services. It collects usage and runtime data to help gauge system stability and the consumption levels of different features. This information also helps VMware designers and engineers determine what to build next based on which use-cases and features are being used or not used.
You can join this CEIP when you install vRealize Automation with the vRealize Lifecycle Manager (LCM). After installation, vRealize Automation administrators and enabled users can also join or leave the program by using vracli ceip command line options.
Pendo CEIP
Pendo is an integrated third-party tool that collects user activities and provides analytics to vRealize Automation product development.
The Pendo CEIP collects workflow data based on your interaction with the user interface. This information helps VMware designers and engineers develop data-driven improvements to the usability of products and services.
You can join or leave the Pendo CEIP by using vracli ceip pendo command line options. Enabled users can also join or leave the Pendo CEIP by using options in their vRealize Automation user interface.
How was Pendo being enabled till now on vRA 8.x?
Command Line Method
One can join, leave, or verify the Pendo Customer Experience Improvement Program (Pendo CEIP) for vRealize services as follows.
Join
Log in to the vRealize Automation appliance command line as root.
Run the vracli ceip pendo on command.
Restart vRealize Automation services by running the /opt/scripts/deploy.sh command.
Leave
Log in to the vRealize Automation appliance command line as root.
Run the vracli ceip pendo off command.
Restart vRealize Automation services by running the /opt/scripts/deploy.sh command.
Verify
Log in to the vRealize Automation appliance command line as root.
Run the vracli ceip pendo status command.
UI Method
You can join or leave the Pendo CEIP for vRealize services by using the following on-screen interaction sequence in vRealize Automation.
From the active vRealize Automation service, click the question mark Help toggle (?) in the upper right area of the screen. Alternately and if visible, you can click Cookie Usage in the Cookie banner.
If you clicked the ? icon, click Cookie Usage in the lower right area of the subsequent Help page.
Review cookie usage and how to opt-out ocntent on subsequent page
What's new with Pendo Integration with vRA using vRSLCM 8.10 then ?
vRSLCM 8.10 now provides option to toggle pendo settings as a day-2 action on vRealize Automation product.
Select the Environment , then the product vRealize Automation. Click on the three dots where you have list of day-2 actions available for the product. There would be an option called "Toggle Pendo Setting"
When we click on "Toggle Pendo Setting" , we do get a dialogue box stating when you perofrm toggle operation whether it's "ON" or "OFF" , there would be service restart hence downtime is expected. If it's a clustered environment then the downtime could increase a bit compared to single node.
Let's understand what happens when you enable pendo and check it's flow when you disable as well.
Enabling Pendo
Click on the three dots and then in the drop down select " Toggle Pendo Setting "
Took a snapshot before changing as a precautionary measure. Not really needed but does not harm either.
Default option is "OFF" , we will change it to "ON"
The moment we click submit a request is generated with 2 stages
Stage 1: Toggle pendo setting on vRealize Automation Host
1. Start
2. Start toggle pendo on vRealize Automation Host
3. Toggle pendo on vRealize Automation Host initiated
4. Restarting services on vRealize Automation host
5. Check Pendo status on vRealize Automation host
6. Final
Stage 2 Update Environment Details
1. Start
2. Update Environment Details
3. Final
Request State Machine
After it's complete , the property is set to true
From logs perspective
Reference: vmware_vrlcm.log
#### Request is processed ###
2022-10-13 12:47:06.318 INFO [scheduling-1] c.v.v.l.r.c.p.ToggleVraPendoSettingPlanner - -- Processing toggling of vRA Pendo setting request.
2022-10-13 12:47:06.319 INFO [scheduling-1] c.v.v.l.r.c.p.ToggleVraPendoSettingPlanner - -- Processing request - toggleVraPendoSetting for environment cf8ac4ce-a7a7-4958-8401-50efdf4f1489
### Request is being set to IN PROGRESS###
2022-10-13 12:47:06.511 INFO [scheduling-1] c.v.v.l.r.c.RequestProcessor - -- Processing request with ID : d5ef03d5-7821-4755-bd7a-b1a6db3bb5d9 with request type TOGGLE_VRA_PENDO_SETTING with request state INPROGRESS.
### Task is now started ###
2022-10-13 12:47:08.658 INFO [scheduling-1] c.v.v.l.c.u.EventExecutionTelemetryUtil - -- Start Instrumenting EventMetadata.
2022-10-13 12:47:08.658 INFO [scheduling-1] c.v.v.l.c.u.EventExecutionTelemetryUtil - -- Stop Instrumenting EventMetadata.
2022-10-13 12:47:08.667 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.p.c.v.t.VraVaTogglePendoSettingTask - -- Starting :: vRealize Automation toggle Pendo Setting Task
2022-10-13 12:47:08.669 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- PRELUDE ENDPOINT HOST :: vra.cap.org
### pendo status is verified to begin with ###
2022-10-13 12:47:08.669 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- COMMAND :: vracli ceip pendo status
2022-10-13 12:47:08.884 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.u.SshUtils - -- Executing command --> vracli ceip pendo status
2022-10-13 12:47:10.430 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.u.SshUtils - -- exit-status: 0
2022-10-13 12:47:10.431 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.u.SshUtils - -- Command executed sucessfully
### Response is that it's disabled ###
2022-10-13 12:47:10.443 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.u.SshUtils - -- Command execution response: {
"exitStatus" : 0,
"outputData" : "Pendo is disabled.\n",
"errorData" : null,
"commandTimedOut" : false
}
2022-10-13 12:47:10.443 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- Command Status code :: 0
2022-10-13 12:47:10.443 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- ====================================================
2022-10-13 12:47:10.444 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- Output Stream ::
2022-10-13 12:47:10.444 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- ====================================================
2022-10-13 12:47:10.444 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- Pendo is disabled.
2022-10-13 12:47:10.444 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- ====================================================
2022-10-13 12:47:10.444 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- Error Stream ::
2022-10-13 12:47:10.444 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- ====================================================
2022-10-13 12:47:10.444 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- null
2022-10-13 12:47:10.444 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- ====================================================
2022-10-13 12:47:10.444 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.p.c.v.t.VraVaTogglePendoSettingTask - -- vRA Pendo status output : Pendo is disabled.
2022-10-13 12:47:10.444 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.p.c.v.t.VraVaTogglePendoSettingTask - -- Pendo is in disabled state on the vRealize Automation host: vra.cap.org
### Command to enable is sent ###
2022-10-13 12:47:10.445 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- PRELUDE ENDPOINT HOST :: vra.cap.org
2022-10-13 12:47:10.445 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- COMMAND :: vracli ceip pendo on
2022-10-13 12:47:10.542 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.u.SshUtils - -- Executing command --> vracli ceip pendo on
2022-10-13 12:47:12.594 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.u.SshUtils - -- exit-status: 0
2022-10-13 12:47:12.594 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.u.SshUtils - -- Command executed sucessfully
### After the command is successfully executed , there is a restart of services which needs to be done ###
2022-10-13 12:47:12.595 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.u.SshUtils - -- Command execution response: {
"exitStatus" : 0,
"outputData" : "Pendo data collection was successfully turned on. Restart the services for command to take effect.\n",
"errorData" : null,
"commandTimedOut" : false
}
2022-10-13 12:47:12.596 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- Command Status code :: 0
2022-10-13 12:47:12.596 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- ====================================================
2022-10-13 12:47:12.597 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- Output Stream ::
2022-10-13 12:47:12.597 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- ====================================================
2022-10-13 12:47:12.597 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- Pendo data collection was successfully turned on. Restart the services for command to take effect.
2022-10-13 12:47:12.597 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- ====================================================
2022-10-13 12:47:12.598 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- Error Stream ::
2022-10-13 12:47:12.598 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- ====================================================
2022-10-13 12:47:12.598 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- null
2022-10-13 12:47:12.598 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- ====================================================
2022-10-13 12:47:12.598 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.p.c.v.t.VraVaTogglePendoSettingTask - -- Enabled Pendo on the vRealize Automation host: vra.cap.org
2022-10-13 12:47:12.598 INFO [pool-3-thread-26] c.v.v.l.p.a.s.Task - -- Injecting Edge :: OnVraVaTogglePendoSuccess
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2022-10-13 12:47:12.894 INFO [pool-3-thread-24] c.v.v.l.p.c.v.t.VraVaStartServicesTask - -- Starting :: vRA VA Start Services Task
2022-10-13 12:47:12.895 INFO [pool-3-thread-24] c.v.v.l.p.c.v.t.VraVaStartServicesTask - -- isCavaDeployment :false deployOptions: null
2022-10-13 12:47:12.897 INFO [pool-3-thread-24] c.v.v.l.p.c.v.t.VraVaStartServicesTask - -- Running Deploy Script on vRA VA : vra.cap.org
2022-10-13 12:47:12.899 INFO [pool-3-thread-24] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- PRELUDE ENDPOINT HOST :: vra.cap.org
### Service restart command is executed and then it's complete ####
2022-10-13 12:47:12.899 INFO [pool-3-thread-24] c.v.v.l.d.v.h.VraPreludeInstallHelper - -- COMMAND :: /opt/scripts/deploy.sh
2022-10-13 12:47:13.016 INFO [pool-3-thread-24] c.v.v.l.u.SshUtils - -- Executing command --> /opt/scripts/deploy.sh
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2022-10-13 13:08:40.866 INFO [pool-3-thread-24] c.v.v.l.p.a.s.Task - -- Injecting Edge :: OnVraVaStartServicesSuccess
Even when you toggle it back to OFF state , the flow would remain same
Opt In & Opt Out
When the user logs in
When you click on COOKIE USAGE , you will be presented following pane where you have disclaimer and notes on how to opt out
Looking at the previous screenshot user called "arun" is sending data . He has an option to "OPT OUT"
I just click on "OPT OUT" and then it does not send any data anymore. Another click on "OPT IN" starts sending the data
Again , this is per user basis. Arun might have opted out but a user called harsha can still stay by opting in.
Remember , if PENDO is not enabled , this page would just look as below
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