Pipeline Creation

Overview

The GitHub repository contains four main pipelines for managing the Smart Agent lifecycle:

1. Deploy Smart Agent - Installs and starts Smart Agent service
2. Install Machine Agent - Installs Machine Agent via smartagentctl
3. Install Database Agent - Installs Database Agent via smartagentctl
4. Cleanup All Agents - Removes /opt/appdynamics directory

All pipeline code is available in the sm-jenkins GitHub repository.

Pipeline Files

The repository contains these Jenkinsfile pipeline definitions:

sm-jenkins/
└── pipelines/
    ├── Jenkinsfile.deploy                  # Deploy Smart Agent
    ├── Jenkinsfile.install-machine-agent  # Install Machine Agent
    ├── Jenkinsfile.install-db-agent       # Install Database Agent
    └── Jenkinsfile.cleanup                # Cleanup All Agents

Creating Pipelines in Jenkins

For each Jenkinsfile you want to use, follow these steps to create a pipeline in Jenkins.

Method 1: Pipeline from SCM (Recommended)

This method keeps your pipeline code in version control and automatically syncs changes.

Step 1: Fork or Clone the Repository

First, fork the repository to your own GitHub account or organization, or use the original repository directly.

Repository URL: https://github.com/chambear2809/sm-jenkins

Step 2: Create Pipeline in Jenkins

1. Go to Jenkins Dashboard
2. Click New Item
3. Enter item name (e.g., Deploy-Smart-Agent)
4. Select Pipeline
5. Click OK

Step 3: Configure Pipeline

In the pipeline configuration page:

General Section:

• Description: Deploys AppDynamics Smart Agent to multiple hosts
• Leave Discard old builds unchecked (or configure as desired)

Build Triggers:

• Leave unchecked for manual-only execution
• Or configure webhook/polling if desired

Pipeline Section:

• Definition: Select Pipeline script from SCM
• SCM: Select Git
• Repository URL: https://github.com/chambear2809/sm-jenkins
• Credentials: Add if using a private repository
• Branch Specifier: */main (or */master)
• Script Path: pipelines/Jenkinsfile.deploy

Step 4: Save

Click Save to create the pipeline.

Step 5: Repeat for Other Pipelines

Repeat steps 2-4 for each pipeline you want to create, using the appropriate script path:

Method 2: Direct Pipeline Script

Alternatively, you can copy the Jenkinsfile content directly into Jenkins.

1. Create New Item (same as Method 1)
2. In Pipeline section:
   • Definition: Select Pipeline script
   • Script: Copy/paste the entire Jenkinsfile content from GitHub
3. Save

Pipeline Parameters

Each pipeline accepts configurable parameters. Here are the key parameters for the main deployment pipeline:

Deploy Smart Agent Pipeline Parameters

Cleanup Pipeline Parameters

Understanding Pipeline Structure

Let’s examine the key components of the deployment pipeline:

1. Agent Declaration

agent { label 'linux' }

This ensures the pipeline runs on a Jenkins agent with the linux label.

2. Parameters Block

parameters {
    string(name: 'SMARTAGENT_ZIP_PATH', ...)
    string(name: 'REMOTE_INSTALL_DIR', ...)
    // ... more parameters
}

Defines configurable parameters that can be set when triggering the build.

3. Stages

The deployment pipeline has these stages:

1. Preparation - Loads target hosts from credentials
2. Extract Smart Agent - Extracts ZIP file to staging directory
3. Configure Smart Agent - Creates config.ini template
4. Deploy to Remote Hosts - Copies files and starts Smart Agent on each host
5. Verify Installation - Checks Smart Agent status on all hosts

4. Credentials Binding

withCredentials([
    sshUserPrivateKey(credentialsId: 'ssh-private-key', ...),
    string(credentialsId: 'account-access-key', ...)
]) {
    // Pipeline code with access to credentials
}

Securely loads credentials without exposing them in logs.

5. Post Actions

post {
    success { ... }
    failure { ... }
    always { ... }
}

Defines actions to run after pipeline completion, regardless of success or failure.

Pipeline Naming Convention

For clarity and organization, use a consistent naming convention:

Recommended names:

01-Deploy-Smart-Agent
02-Install-Machine-Agent
03-Install-Database-Agent
04-Cleanup-All-Agents

The numeric prefix helps maintain logical ordering in the Jenkins dashboard.

Organizing Pipelines with Folders

For better organization, you can use Jenkins folders:

1. Create Folder:

   • Click New Item
   • Enter name: AppDynamics Smart Agent
   • Select Folder
   • Click OK

2. Create Pipelines in Folder:

   • Enter the folder
   • Create pipelines as described above

Example structure:

AppDynamics Smart Agent/
├── Deployment/
│   └── 01-Deploy-Smart-Agent
├── Agent Installation/
│   ├── 02-Install-Machine-Agent
│   └── 03-Install-Database-Agent
└── Cleanup/
    └── 04-Cleanup-All-Agents

Viewing Pipeline Code

You can view the complete pipeline code in the GitHub repository:

Main deployment pipeline: https://github.com/chambear2809/sm-jenkins/blob/main/pipelines/Jenkinsfile.deploy

Other pipelines:

• Jenkinsfile.install-machine-agent
• Jenkinsfile.install-db-agent
• Jenkinsfile.cleanup

Testing Pipeline Configuration

Before running a full deployment, test your pipeline configuration:

1. Dry Run with Single Host

1. Create a test credential deployment-hosts-test with only one IP
2. Temporarily modify your pipeline to use this credential
3. Run the pipeline and verify it works on a single host
4. Once verified, update to use the full host list

2. Check Syntax

Jenkins provides a built-in syntax validator:

1. Go to your pipeline
2. Click Pipeline Syntax link
3. Use the Declarative Directive Generator to validate syntax

Next Steps

With pipelines created, you’re ready to execute your first Smart Agent deployment!