vRealize Orchestrator (also known as vRO, Orchestrator, or vCenter Orchestrator) is a drag and drop workflow system.  This allows you to automate complex tasks in your datacenter.  A stand-alone license for Orchestrator is included with vCenter Server.  It is also part of the vRealize Suite – this edition is integrated with vRealize Automation.

It is very extensible, allowing you the flexibility to write your own logic and use third-party extensions to incorporate multiple platforms into an automation workflow.

It is comprised of the following components:

1. Workflow Designer – An easy-to-use graphical interface allows you to create workflows
2. Workflow Engine – This executes the workflows created by the Designer
3. Library – A reusable set of building blocks.  This can include built-in blocks from Orchestrator, custom steps you have created, or those provided by third-party extensions
4. Scripting Engine – The engine manages version control and script syntax
5. Versioning – Each workflow has version history – allowing for basic change management
6. Checkpointing Database – Each step in a workflow is saved in a database, allowing capture of state and context.  This allows for server restarts to occur without a full workflow restart
7. Central Management – A central management console provides a single pane for administration of process and script versions.

Getting Started

• Orchestrator Overview – This video will give you an baseline of what Orchestrator is and how it can help you automate your environment
• Coding / Design Guide – A guide that discusses building vRO workflows and the practices that will help you be successful
• Product Documentation – The one-stop shop for everything about vRO
• vBrownBag – This popular podcast covers many topics of interest to IT professionals.  The following list are those sessions that are specific to vRO
  • Getting Started with Orchestrator
  • Orchestrator Install & Config
  • Using Orchestrator to manage Active Directory and Exchange
  • Advanced Orchestrator

Additional Resources

• Training: Automate with vRealize Orchestrator and PowerCLI – If you learn better with an instructor, this 5-day course will teach you how to use vRO and PowerCLI to automate tasks in your datacenter
• vRO Orchestrator Samples – The VMware Sample Exchange at VMware{code] is a go to resource for sample code
• vRO on the VMware Marketplace – Third-party extensions for vRO that will allow you to build workflows that include their functionality.  This includes solutions like Chef, Ansible, Cisco UCS Manager, Dell EMC and more
• VMware Communities – vRO forum – The VMware Technology Network (VMTN) has a good forum to ask questions and learn from others
• Scaling vRealize Orchestrator –  This video discusses why you might need to scale vRO to larger designs and presents strategies on how to do it
• Using the REST API to start a vRO Workflow – So you have built a workflow – now the next step is how to integrate it with other systems in your environment.  The Restful API can help with this.
• Blogs
  • Spas Kaloferov’s Blog
  • vCO Team