Plot Manager - Automation Framework

A comprehensive PowerShell-based automation framework for operational task management and deployment orchestration.

Overview

Plot Manager is a sophisticated automation framework that orchestrates complex operational tasks through a flexible plot/step architecture. Originally developed for SenseNet CMS deployments, it has evolved into a general-purpose automation platform capable of managing diverse operational workflows including containerized deployments, cloud automation, and enterprise application lifecycle management.

Core Concepts

Plot Manager uses a simple but powerful paradigm:

• Plots: Predefined scenarios that execute a sequence of steps
• Steps: Individual PowerShell functions that perform specific tasks
• Settings: JSON-based configuration supporting multiple environments
• Modules: Auto-loaded PowerShell modules that extend functionality

This architecture enables complex automation workflows to be composed from reusable components, making it easy to create, maintain, and extend operational processes.

Key Capabilities

Infrastructure & Deployment

• IIS Management: Complete website and application pool lifecycle
• Database Operations: SQL Server database creation, backup, restore with authentication support
• Container Orchestration: Docker container management and networking
• Cloud Deployment: Azure Web App deployment automation
• SSL/TLS Management: Certificate creation and configuration

Development & Build Support

• Solution Building: Visual Studio solution compilation and artifact creation
• Package Management: NuGet package restoration and dependency resolution
• Source Control: TFS/Git integration for code retrieval
• .NET Core & Framework: Support for both modern .NET Core and traditional .NET Framework

SenseNet CMS Automation

• Content Management: Import/export of content and configurations
• Search Indexing: Lucene index population and management
• Site Provisioning: Complete SenseNet site setup and configuration
• Package Deployment: SnAdmin package installation and management

Environment Management

• Configuration: JSON-based settings with environment variable override
• Host Management: Local host file configuration for development
• Network Operations: Port management and firewall configuration
• Multi-Environment: Support for local, staging, and production deployments

Prerequisites

Core Requirements

1. PowerShell 5.1+: The automation engine requires PowerShell with script execution enabled

   Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

2. Administrator Privileges: Many operations require elevated permissions for system configuration

3. SqlServer PowerShell Module: Required for database operations

   Install-Module -Name SqlServer -Force -AllowClobber

Optional Components (Based on Usage)

• Visual Studio: Required for solution building and TFS integration
• Microsoft SQL Server: For database-related operations
• IIS: For web application deployment
• Docker: For containerized deployment scenarios
• 7-Zip: For archive extraction operations
• Azure CLI: For Azure deployment automation

Environment Configuration

The framework requires proper configuration through JSON settings files that define:

• Database connection strings and authentication
• File system paths for applications and tools
• Environment-specific deployment targets
• Network and security configurations

Quick Start

Basic Usage

Execute a predefined plot with default settings:

.\Run.ps1 fullinstall

Advanced Usage

Specify custom settings and sections:

.\Run.ps1 -Plot fullinstall -Settings production -Verbose

Available Commands

List available plots:

.\Run.ps1 -Help plots

List available steps:

.\Run.ps1 -Help steps

Execute individual steps:

.\Run.ps1 -Step createdb:production

Architecture

Core Components

• Run.ps1: Main entry point and orchestration engine
• AutoExt/: Auto-loaded PowerShell modules containing step definitions
• Settings/: JSON configuration files for different environments
• Deploy/, Dev/, Ops/: Specialized script collections
• Tools/: External utilities and dependencies

Execution Flow

1. Initialization: Load configuration and modules from AutoExt/ directory
2. Configuration Merge: Combine default and environment-specific settings
3. Plot Resolution: Resolve plot name to sequence of steps
4. Step Execution: Execute each step with appropriate error handling
5. Result Reporting: Return execution status and optional JSON results

Extension Model

Add custom functionality by creating PowerShell modules in the AutoExt/ directory:

Function Step-CustomOperation {
    [CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess=$True)]
    Param([Parameter(Mandatory=$false)][string]$Section="Project")
    
    try {
        # Your custom logic here
        $script:Result = 0
    }
    catch {
        $script:Result = 1
    }
}

Example Plots

SenseNet CMS Deployment

Complete SenseNet installation from scratch:

.\Run.ps1 fullinstall

Steps: Get templates → Restore packages → Build → Deploy → Create database → Install services → Configure → Start

Container Deployment

Containerized application deployment:

.\Run.ps1 netcoredockertest

Steps: Container setup → Database creation → Build images → Deploy containers → Network configuration

Production Deployment

Deploy to production environment:

.\Run.ps1 fulldeploy -Settings production

Steps: Stop services → Build → Deploy → Database update → Restart services

Backup Operations

Database backup with site management:

.\Run.ps1 backup

Steps: Stop site → Backup database → Restart site

Configuration

Settings Files

• project-default.json: Base configuration and common plots
• project-local.json: Local development overrides
• project-production.json: Production environment settings
• Custom settings: Create environment-specific configurations as needed

Environment Variables

Override any setting using environment variables with PLOTMANAGER_ prefix:

$env:PLOTMANAGER_DataSource = "production-sql-server"
$env:PLOTMANAGER_InitialCatalog = "ProductionDB"

JSON Structure

{
  "Plots": {
    "myplot": ["step1", "step2:section", "step3"]
  },
  "Project": {
    "DataSource": "localhost",
    "InitialCatalog": "mydb",
    "WebAppName": "myapp"
  },
  "CustomSection": {
    "DataSource": "remote-server"
  }
}

Documentation

User Guides

• How to Execute Plots - Comprehensive guide to running automation scenarios
• Step Execution - Running individual automation steps
• Configuration Guide - Setting up environments and configurations
• Custom Steps - Creating custom automation steps
• Build Server Integration - CI/CD integration patterns

API Reference

• Step functions follow the naming convention Step-{Name}
• All steps accept optional Section parameter for configuration targeting
• Return codes: 0 (success), 1 (failure)
• JSON results available through $Global:JsonResult variable

Contributing

Adding New Steps

1. Create PowerShell function in AutoExt/ directory
2. Follow naming convention: Step-{YourStepName}
3. Include proper error handling and result codes
4. Add synopsis for help system
5. Test with multiple environment configurations

Code Standards

• Use [CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess=$True)] for all steps
• Implement try/catch with proper $script:Result setting
• Use Write-Verbose for detailed logging
• Follow existing parameter patterns for consistency

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Support

For issues, questions, or contributions, please refer to the project's issue tracking system or contact the development team.

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Note: This framework has evolved from SenseNet-specific tooling into a general-purpose operational automation platform. While SenseNet CMS deployment remains a core use case, the framework now supports diverse automation scenarios across different platforms and technologies.