Welcome
Releasing software
A release is a repeatable plan that is used to drive deployments.
Tasks
A task represents a business-meaningful activity that is associated with a software deployment. Each task is defined on a separate row in a deployment plan. During a deployment, you run tasks defined in the deployment plan to complete the deployment.
Creating Ansible tasks
Create an Ansible® task.

Welcome
Welcome to the HCL™ Accelerate version 2.1.x documentation, where you can find information about how to install, maintain, and use HCL Accelerate.
Release information
This document contains information about what's new, bug fixes, known issues, and upgrade notes.
Getting started
This document provides an overview of HCL™ Accelerate.
System requirements
High-level overview
Use HCL™ Accelerate to automate your release lifecycle and manage your DevOps value stream.
Learning
Learn how to complete tasks in HCL™ Accelerate.
Installing and upgrading
Migrating
Administering
A default HCL™ Accelerate administrator ID is included as part of HCL Accelerate. It is used to install and complete initial configuration tasks.
Managing value streams
A value stream represents the objects and activities that you employ to deliver customer value, from initial concept to final delivered project.
Developing data insights
The Insights feature provides DevOps metrics for your project data.
Releasing software
A release is a repeatable plan that is used to drive deployments.
- Managing a release
  Use the release details page to view details about a specific release.
- Managing releases
  Release management is the process of planning, scheduling, and controlling software deliveries.
- Creating releases
- Archiving releases
  You can archive a release to remove it from the list of releases.
- Events and tags
  An event represents a release-related activity that you manage with the calendar. A tag is a label that you can add to a release or an event. You can use tags to filter the Activities list on the Releases page. Tags do not appear on the calendar.
- Restoring archived releases, plans, and templates
  You can restore archived releases, deployment plans, and templates.
- Deployment plans
  A deployment plan is a container for tasks. Tasks define the activities that your team runs to complete a software deployment.
- Running deployments
  Complete deployments by resolving the tasks in a deployment plan.
- Tasks
  A task represents a business-meaningful activity that is associated with a software deployment. Each task is defined on a separate row in a deployment plan. During a deployment, you run tasks defined in the deployment plan to complete the deployment.
  - Managing tasks
    A list of associated tasks can be viewed from a deployment plan page. The list of tasks include details about the task. You use action icons to change the task's status during a deployment, such as start or skip a task.
  - Creating tasks
    By default, new tasks are inserted at the bottom of the deployment plan. After a task is created, you can move it, or copy it and paste it into another deployment plan. You can also create dependencies with other tasks.
  - Managing task dependencies
    You can make a task a prerequisite for other tasks. If a task is a prerequisite, dependent tasks cannot start, even if they are otherwise eligible, until the prerequisite task is resolved.
  - Creating task groups
    You can combine two or more tasks into a task group. When you create a group, you define the whether the group task are executed sequentially or in parallel.
  - Managing task groups
    You can combine two or more tasks into a task group. When you create a group, you define the whether the group task are executed sequentially or in parallel.
  - Managing task tags
    Tags are organizing elements that you can add to tasks. You can filter deployment plans by tag. For example, during a deployment to a production environment, you might disable tasks with the `DEV_only` tag, which is intended to be used only in development environments.
  - Creating run another plan tasks
    A run another plan task runs a deployment for another deployment plan.
  - Creating delay tasks
    Delayed-type tasks represent milestones or critical events during a deployment. With delayed tasks, you can ensure that important tasks start at the expected time. Typically, delayed tasks are prerequisites for other important tasks.
  - Creating email tasks
    An email task sends an email message when the task runs. You specify the email's recipients and message when you create the task. Email tasks are auto tasks and run as soon as they are eligible.
  - Creating header/note tasks
    Header tasks represent organization elements that you can add to deployment plans. If you create a task group, you might identify the group with a header task. Header tasks can have dependencies like any other task.
  - Creating Jenkins tasks
    A Jenkins® task runs a job in your integrated Jenkins instance.
  - Creating manual tasks
    Manual tasks represent some activity that is associated with a software release. Manual tasks have a start point, end point, and a measurable duration.
  - Creating run shell script tasks
    Shell script tasks are used to execute a sequence of commands.
  - Creating ServiceNow tasks
    A ServiceNow™ task can create and update ServiceNow™ change requests.
  - Creating UrbanCode Deploy tasks
    Use UrbanCode Deploy tasks to run UrbanCode Deploy applications.
  - Creating Ansible tasks
    Create an Ansible® task.
  - Creating wait for approval tasks
    A Wait for approval task pauses a deployment until a designated user provides approval. Email notifications are sent to users when the task starts.
- Properties
  A deployment plan can contain user-defined properties. Properties values can be defined at design- or run-time.
Extending product functions
Learn how to extend the function of HCL™ Accelerate
How to
The topics in this section describe how to work with HCL™ Accelerate features. Tutorials and workbooks are available for users of all experience levels.
Troubleshooting
Before you contacting support, gather background information and perform tasks that will assist in solving the problem. It helps to be as specific as possible and include all relevant information.
Glossary

Creating Ansible tasks

Create an Ansible® task.

Before you begin

In your Ansible® instance, create a user token. You use the token to authenticate your HCL™ Accelerate user to Ansible®.

About this task

Create an Ansible® task to manage Ansible® jobs.

To create an Ansible® task, complete the following steps:

Procedure

On the Deployment plan detail page, click Create Task.
If you want to insert a task at a specific position in the plan, select a task before using the Create Task. The new task is inserted above the selected task.
On the Create Task dialog box, in the Type list, select Ansible.
In the Name field, enter a name for the task.
In the Description field, enter a name for the task.
In the Instance URL field, enter the location of your Ansible® installation..
In the Access Token field, paste the token that you generated in your Ansible® instance.
In the Job ID field, enter the Ansible® job identification number..
Optional: In the Extra Variables box, enter any parameters that you want to pass to the Ansible® job.
The parameter format is JSON. For example:
```
     {
      "environment": "DEV"
     }
```
example,
Click Save.
The task is inserted into the deployment plan.

What to do next

When you run the task, a webhook is created that uses the Ansible® API to run the job. While the job is running, you can accesses Ansible® logs by using a link in the deployment plan. When the Ansible® job is finished, the HCL™ Accelerate task status is updated.