Question 1

What use cases does Cesium Automation solve?

Accepted Answer

Running recurring workflows at specific time intervals. Examples include data extraction and processing, periodic restacking, security scans, resetting user LDAP credentials, managing VPN access, and granting SSH access to machines.

Question 2

What is a Task Executor?

Accepted Answer

The Task Executor (TEX) is software that runs as a daemon process within your infrastructure. It authenticates to Cesium Ops cloud, executes workflows, and communicates execution state. TEX initiates only outbound connections to Cesium core and never accepts incoming requests, requiring no open ports for enhanced security.

Question 3

What are the different task types available?

Accepted Answer

Cesium supports three task types: (1) Shell Task - runs sh/bash scripts on Linux/Mac or PowerShell on Windows, (2) Python Task - runs Python3 scripts with virtual environment support for dependencies, and (3) Run Docker - executes any Docker image from Docker Hub or private registries.

Question 4

What are the core entities in Cesium Automation?

Accepted Answer

The core entities are: Workspace (organizes task executors and workflows), Task Executor (software that runs workflows in your infrastructure), and Workflow (contains a directed acyclic graph of tasks with metadata for alerting).

Question 5

What is a Workspace?

Accepted Answer

A workspace organizes task executors and workflows into logical groups for easier management. You can create workspaces per team if multiple teams use Cesium, or group workflows by purpose to keep your automation organized.

Question 6

Where can I see the run history of a workflow?

Accepted Answer

Workflow run history shows individual executions with details including requested time, start time, end time, status, and execution type (scheduled or on-demand). Access history via the View History action in the workflows list or the View History button on workflow details. You can also see the timeline of individual task lifecycles.

Question 7

Is my data secure?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Task Executor runs within your own infrastructure and only makes outbound connections to Cesium core. It never accepts incoming requests and requires no open ports. All workflow execution happens within your environment, ensuring your data never leaves your infrastructure.

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Scheduling a shell script with Cesium