Azure DevOps pipeline tasks
Summarize
Summary of Azure DevOps Pipeline Tasks
This collection of Azure DevOps pipeline tasks enables ServiceNow customers to integrate configuration data management within their DevOps pipelines using the DevOps Config data model. These tasks facilitate uploading, retrieving, publishing, exporting, validating configuration snapshots, and associating changesets and snapshots with pipeline executions. Note that starting from the Washington D.C. release, DevOps Config is being prepared for future deprecation but remains supported for existing instances.
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Key Features
- Upload Config Data: Upload configuration files (JSON, YAML, XML, etc.) iteratively to application data models targeting components, collections, or deployables. Supports multiple uploads in a single changeset with options to auto-commit and auto-validate.
- Get Snapshots: Retrieve specific snapshots by changeset or deployable, the latest validated snapshots, or all snapshots related to a changeset. Validation results can be published as test results in Azure DevOps.
- Extract Snapshot Name: Extract snapshot names from snapshot objects for use in downstream pipeline tasks such as publishing or exporting snapshots.
- Publish Snapshot: Publish a snapshot to make it available for downstream consumption.
- Export Snapshot: Export snapshot data in various formats (YAML, JSON, INI, etc.) for use in deployment or provisioning tools. Supports saving export files to Azure repositories or pipeline workspace.
- Register Pipeline: Associate changesets and snapshots with pipeline executions for tracking within DevOps Change Velocity UI.
- Validate Snapshot: Validate configuration data against organizational policies with optional console log output of validation results.
- Change Request Automation: Automatically create and associate change requests in ServiceNow Change Management for agentless (server) pipeline jobs, linking snapshots and applications to change requests.
Practical Usage and Configuration
- Each task requires specifying the ServiceNow DevOps pipeline endpoint connection and application name.
- The upload task supports targeting different data model elements (component, collection, deployable) and handles multiple file formats and iterative uploads within the same changeset.
- Snapshot retrieval can be filtered by changeset, deployable, validation status, and fallback to latest snapshots if none are generated.
- Validation results can be integrated into Azure DevOps pipeline test results using the native Publish Test Results task for visibility.
- Snapshot name extraction uses inline scripting to parse JSON snapshot objects and is essential for linking tasks like publishing and exporting snapshots.
- The export task facilitates downstream deployment by converting snapshots into formats consumable by infrastructure or application provisioning tools.
- Automating change requests within the pipeline supports compliance and traceability by linking configuration changes directly to change management processes.
Expected Outcomes
- ServiceNow customers can manage application configuration data seamlessly within Azure DevOps pipelines, ensuring traceability and governance.
- Config data uploads and changesets are versioned and linked to pipeline executions, enabling controlled deployments.
- Validation against organization policies helps catch configuration issues early in the CI/CD process.
- Publishing and exporting snapshots make configuration artifacts accessible for deployment and provisioning tools downstream.
- Integration with ServiceNow Change Management automates change request creation, enhancing change velocity and audit readiness.
- Pipeline traceability is improved by associating configuration changesets and snapshots with pipeline runs, visible in DevOps Change Velocity UI.
Use these tasks in your Azure DevOps pipeline to interact with the DevOps Config data model.
These tasks are provided to create a specific pipeline definition to achieve your goal.
- ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Upload-Config
Upload config data to a deployable in the data model via Agent Job.
- ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot
Get the snapshots for an application.
- ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot-Name
Extract the name of a snapshot.
- ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Publish-Snapshot
Publish a snapshot of your configuration data.
- ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Export-Snapshot
Export a subset of your configuration data.
- ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Register-Pipeline
Register a changeset and/or snapshot to a pipeline execution.
- ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Validate-Snapshot
Validate configuration data against organization policies.
- ServiceNow-DevOps-Server-Change-Acceleration
Create a change request as part of the pipeline.
ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Upload-Config
Task to upload a configuration file to a given location within an application data model.
- Input variables
connectedServiceName Specifies the DevOps pipeline endpoint connection. applicationName Specifies the application to where config data is uploaded. deployableName Specifies the deployable for the application (required if target is deployable). uploadTarget Specifies the data model target to where config data is uploaded (for example, component, collection, deployable). collectionName (Optional) Specifies the collection to where config data will be uploaded (required if target is collection). namePath Specifies the data model path to where config data is uploaded.
Note:When uploading to a vars folder, you must start the name path with "vars/" to specifiy the variable folder path.configFilePath Specifies the source folder from which config data is uploaded to the component or deployable path in the data model.
Empty is the root of the repo. Use variables if files are not in the repo (for example, $(agent.builddirectory)).
convertPath (Optional) Specifies whether to preserve the directory structure of the configuration files (with respect to the workspace), and convert the directory to paths within the data model. Default is false. dataFormat Specifies the data format of the config_file (for example, JSON, YAML, XML, etc.). changesetNumber (Optional) Specifies the (open) changeset to which this upload activity is associated. If not provided, a new changeset is created.
Note:Only used for multiple upload scenarios.autocommit Specifies whether to commit configuration data after upload (true/false). Default is false. autoValidate Specifies whether to validate configuration data during commit (true/false). Default is true. - Output variable
changesetNumber Changeset record created/committed during the upload.
Provide a name to the task so it can be used later in the pipeline (per example, componentUpload).
- Example - Upload config
-task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Upload-Config name: componentUpload inputs: connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance' applicationName: 'PaymentDemo' uploadTarget: 'component' namePath: 'wep-api-v1.0' configFilePath: 'k8s/helm/values.yml' dataFormat: 'yaml' autoCommit: true autoValidate: true- Example - Multiple uploads (component)
- You can call the upload task more than once to upload configuration data in different file formats from different locations, while still keeping the uploads part of one changeset.
- In the first upload, name the task so the changesetNumber output variable can be reused
in subsequent uploads.YAML file upload:
-task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Upload-Config name: componentUpload inputs: connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance' applicationName: 'PaymentDemo' uploadTarget: 'component' namePath: 'wep-api-v1.0' configFilePath: 'k8s/helm/values.yml' dataFormat: 'yaml' autoCommit: false autoValidate: false - In subsequent uploads, reference the changesetNumber output variable from the first
upload as an input variable.JSON file upload:
-task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Upload-Config inputs: connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance' applicationName: 'PaymentDemo' uploadTarget: 'component' namePath: 'wep-api-v1.0' configFilePath: 'featureToggles/set1.json' dataFormat: 'json' autoCommit: true autoValidate: true changesetNumber: '$(componentUpload.changesetNumber)'
- In the first upload, name the task so the changesetNumber output variable can be reused
in subsequent uploads.
- Example - Multiple uploads (collection and vars)
- You can call the upload task more than once to upload configuration data in different file formats from different locations, while still keeping the uploads part of one changeset.
- In the first upload, make sure to name the task so the changesetNumber output variable can be reused in subsequent uploads.XML file upload:
-task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Upload-Config name: componentUpload inputs: connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance' applicationName: 'PaymentDemo' uploadTarget: 'collection' collectionName: 'release-1.0' namePath: 'v1-common-configs' configFilePath: 'infra/v1/config.xml' dataFormat: 'xml' autoCommit: false autoValidate: false - In subsequent uploads, reference the changesetNumber output variable from the first upload as an input.JSON file upload:
-task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Upload-Config inputs: connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance' applicationName: 'PaymentDemo' uploadTarget: 'deployable' deployableName: 'Production-EMEA' namePath: 'vars/dbSettings' configFilePath: 'infra/prodc/dbSettings.json' dataFormat: 'json' autoCommit: true autoValidate: true changesetNumber: '$(componentUpload.changesetNumber)'
Note:To upload to a variable folder, uploadTarget must be set to deployable, and the correct values must be set for deployableName and changesetNumber. - In the first upload, make sure to name the task so the changesetNumber output variable can be reused in subsequent uploads.
ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot
- Retrieve a specific snapshot.
Following the CD flow, a specific snapshot is retrieved so it can be published and then exported to be consumed downstream (for example, to provision out infrastructure or application).
- Retrieve latest validated snapshot.
The latest validated snapshot is retrieved for the given application-deployable combination.
- Retrieve all snapshots for any impacted deployables.
When config files are uploaded to an application data model, the system will create snapshots for any deployables determined to be impacted by the upload. Following along the CI flow, assuming the last Upload call had validation enabled, the next step would be to iterate through the list of snapshots and ensure they all passed validation.
- Retrieve the latest snapshots for a deployable of an application in the event an upload does not generate any snapshots.
A set of config data is available to deploy to an environment for an application-deployable-changeset combination when no configuration changes are made.
- Show policy validation results in a pipeline execution.
View policy validation results as test results on the ADO build tests results page, including compliant with exception, when getting a snapshot.
- Input variables
connectedServiceName Specifies the DevOps pipeline endpoint connection (defined in the service connection settings of the project). applicationName Specifies the application to upload config data to, or export data from. deployableName (Optional) Specifies the deployable (per the specified application) on which to get the latest snapshot data. changesetNumber (Optional) Specifies the changeset ID for the applicable set of config changes. isValidated (Optional) Specifies whether to return only snapshots that are passed, or passed with exception (true/false). Default is true. continueWithLatest (Optional) Specifies whether to return the latest snapshot per the applicationName-deployableName-changesetNumber combination if no snapshots are generated (true/false). Default is false. - Output variable
snapshotObject A JSON object containing the requested snapshots.
Provide a name to the task so it can be used later in the pipeline (per example, getSnapshot).
- Example - Specific snapshot
-task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot name: getSnapshot inputs: connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance' applicationName: 'PaymentDemo' deployableName: 'Production' changesetNumber: 'Chset-16' isValidated: true continueWithLatest: true- Example - Latest validated snapshots (for a given application-deployable combination)
-task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot name: getSnapshot inputs: connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance' applicationName: 'PaymentDemo' deployableName: 'Production' isValidated: true- Example - All changeset snapshots
-task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot name: getSnapshot inputs: connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance' applicationName: 'PaymentDemo' changesetNumber: 'Chset-16'- Example - Show policy validation results
Assign a variable to the path of the file that contains the snapshot validation results generated during the ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot task.
To load the snapshot validation results in your pipeline execution, you need to leverage the ADO native Publish Test Results v2 task, using the variable as an input.
stages: - stage: Two jobs: - job: A variables: - name: validationResultsPath value: 1/TEST_DATA_$(Build.DefinitionName)_$(Build.BuildNumber)_*.xml steps: - task: PublishTestResults@2 inputs: testResultsFormat: 'JUnit' testResultsFiles: '$(validationResultsPath)' searchFolder: '$(System.WorkFolder)'
ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot-Name
This task is used as a follow-up from the ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot-Name task to get the snapshot name from a particular snapshot. From here, the snapshot name can be used as an input to a downstream task, like publishing the snapshot.
- Input variables
deployableName Specifies the deployable to get the snapshot object that was returned from the ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot task. script Specifies the script to extract the snapshot name from the snapshot object. - Output variable
snapshotName The snapshot name for the deployable.
Provide a name to the task so it can be used later in the pipeline (per example, getSnapshotName).
- Example - Get snapshot name
Use this script to extract the snapshot name retrieved from the ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot task.
-task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot-Name inputs: deployableName: 'PRD' script: | function run() { let name; let deployableName = process.argv[2]; let jsonObj = $(getSnapshot.snapshotObjects); let size = jsonObj.result.length; for(let i=0; i<size; i++) { obj = jsonObj.result[i]; if(obj[“deployable_id.name”].toLowerCase() == deployableName) { name = obj.name; console.log(name); } } } run();- Example - Get snapshot name used with get snapshot
Call the ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot-Name task right after the ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot task to return the snapshot name.
Get snapshots (returns a JSON object containing impacted snapshots):-stage: Two jobs: -job: B steps: -task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot name: getSnapshot inputs: connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance' applicationName: 'PaymentDemo' deployableName: 'Production-2' changesetNumber: 'Chset-16'Get snapshot name (returns snapshot name for a specific deployable):-stage: Two jobs: - job: B steps: - task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot name: getSnapshotName inputs: deployableName: 'Production-2' script:| function run() { let name; let deployableName = process.argv[2]; let jsonObj = $(getSnapshot.snapshotObjects); let size = jsonObj.result.length; for(let i=0; i<size ;i++) { obj = jsonObj.result[i]; if(obj["deployable_id.name"].toLowerCase() == deployableName) { name = obj.name; console.log(name); // This standard output of inline script is given as the task output } } } run();Use returned snapshot name in the pipeline (for example, publish):-stage: Three jobs: -job: C variables: varSnapshotName: $[stageDependencies.Two.B.outputs['getSnapshotName.snapshotName']] steps: -task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Publish-Snapshot inputs: connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance' applicationName: 'PaymentDemo' deployableName: 'Production-2' snapshotName: '$(varSnapshotName)'
ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Publish-Snapshot
This task publishes a snapshot for the given application and deployable. From here, the snapshot can be consumed through the Export process.
- Input variables
connectedServiceName Specifies the ServiceNow endpoint connection. applicationName Specifies the application to publish. deployableName Specifies the deployable for the application to publish config data. snapshotName Specifies the name of the snapshot to publish. - Output variable
- Not applicable (returns true if successful, otherwise false).
- Example
-task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Publish-Snapshot inputs: connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance' applicationName: 'PaymentDemo' deployableName: 'Production-2' snapshotName: 'Production-v23.dpl'
ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Export-Snapshot
This task exports a snapshot for the given application and deployable. Specify the exporter, relevant exporter arguments, the export format (for example, YAML, JSON, etc.), and output location for the exported config data. From here, the config data can be used directly as an input for a deployment or provisioning tool downstream in the pipeline.
- Input variables
connectedServiceName Specifies the ServiceNow endpoint connection. applicationName Specifies the application from which to publish. deployableName Specifies the deployable for the application from which to export config data. snapshotName Specifies the name of the snapshot from which to export config data. exporterName Specifies the exporter to apply to the snapshot (for example, UniqueCDIs). args (Optional) Specifies arguments to be used along with the exporter. exportFormat Specifies the format to export the snapshot data (for example, INI, YAML, PROPS). saveFile Checks if file is to be saved to an Azure repository (true/false). Default is false.
Note:Appropriate permission/OAuth token access to script is required.Otherwise the export file is created in the pipeline workspace directory.
- Output variable
- Not applicable (returns true if successful, otherwise false).
- Example
-task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Export-Snapshot inputs: connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance' applicationName: 'PaymentDemo' deployableName: 'Production-2' exporterName: 'returnAllData-nowPreview' dataFormat: 'yaml' args: '' snapshotName: 'Production-v23.dpl' saveFile: true fileName: 'ExporterOutput/ExportData_$(build.definitionName)_$(build.buildNumber).yaml'
ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Register-Pipeline
This task ties a changeset and a snapshot to the pipeline so that it can be tracked during the pipeline execution. In DevOps Change Velocity, this is shown in the Pipeline UI.
- Input variables
connectedServiceName Specifies the DevOps pipeline endpoint connection. applicationName Specifies the application name. changesetNumber (Optional) Specifies the ID of the changeset to associate to the pipeline execution. snapshotName (Optional) Specifies the name of the snapshot to associate to the pipeline execution. - Output variable
- Not applicable (returns true if successful, otherwise false).
- Example
-task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Publish-Snapshot inputs: connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance' changesetNumber: 'Changeset-143'
ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Validate-Snapshot
- Input variables
connectedServiceName Specifies the ServiceNow endpoint connection. applicationName Specifies the application to validate. deployableName Specifies the deployable (per the specified application) to validate. snapshotName (Optional) Specifies the name of the snapshot to validate. showResults (Optional) Specifies to show validation results in the console log. - Output variable
- Not applicable (returns true if successful, otherwise false).
- Example
-task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Validate-Snapshot inputs: connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance' applicationName: 'PaymentDemo' deployableName: 'Production-2' snapshotName: '' showResults: false
ServiceNow-DevOps-Server-Change-Acceleration
This task is required for agentless (server) jobs to automatically create a change request in ServiceNow Change Management as part of the Azure DevOps pipeline.
In DevOps Config, to associate multiple snapshots of the same changeset to a change request, use snapshot name and application name to track specific configuration data for a given application service.
See Accelerating your DevOps change process for more information regarding the DevOps Change Acceleration feature.
- Input variables (related to DevOps Config)
connectedServiceName Specifies the DevOps pipeline endpoint connection. applicationName Application associated with the snapshot being attached to the change request. snapshotName Name of the snapshot to attach to the change request. - Example
-stage: ChangeRequest jobs: -job: 'changerequestjob' pool: server steps: -task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Server-Change-Acceleration inputs: connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance' applicationName: 'PaymentDemo' snapshotName: 'Production-v23.dpl'
YAML pipeline example
trigger:
branches:
include:
- none
stages:
- stage: One
displayName: Upload Configuration Data
pool:
vmImage: ubuntu-latest
jobs:
- job: A
displayName: Upload
steps:
- task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Upload-Config@1
name: componentUpload
inputs:
connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance'
applicationName: 'PaymentDemo'
uploadTarget: 'component'
configFile: 'k8s/helm/values.yml'
namePath: 'processor-api-v1.0'
dataFormat: 'yaml'
autoValidate: true
autoCommit: true
convertPath: true
- stage: Two
displayName: Get Latest Snapshot
pool:
vmImage: ubuntu-latest
jobs:
- job: B
displayName: Get Snapshot
variables:
- name: varChangesetNumber
value: $[stageDependencies.One.A.outputs['componentUpload.changesetNumber'] ]
- name: varConfigValidationResults
value: 1/TEST_DATA_$(Build.DefinitionName)_$(Build.BuildNumber)_*.xml
steps:
- task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot@1
name: getSnapshot
inputs:
connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance'
applicationName: 'PaymentDemo'
deployableName: 'Production-EMEA'
changeSetNumber: '$(varChangesetNumber)'
continueWithLatest: true
- task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Get-Snapshot-Name@1
name: getSnapshotName
inputs:
deployableName: 'Production-EMEA'
script: "function run() {\n let name;\n let deployableName = process.argv[2]; \n let jsonObj = $(getSnapshot.snapshotObjects);\n let size = jsonObj.result.length;\n for(let i=0; i<size ;i++) {\n obj = jsonObj.result[i];\n if(obj[\"deployable_id.name\"].toLowerCase() == deployableName) {\n name = obj.name;\n console.log(name); // This standard output of inline script is given as the task output\n }\n }\n}\nrun();\n"
- task: PublishTestResults@2
inputs:
testResultsFormat: ‘JUnit’
testResultsFiles: ‘$(varConfigValidationResults)’
searchFolder: ‘$(System.WorkFolder)’
- task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Register-Pipeline@1
inputs:
connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance'
snapshotName: '$(getSnapshotName.snapshotName)'
applicationName: 'PaymentDemo'
- stage: Three
displayName: Publish Snapshot
pool:
vmImage: ubuntu-latest
jobs:
- job: C
displayName: Publish
variables:
- name: varSnapshotName
value: $[stageDependencies.Two.B.outputs['getSnapshotName.snapshotName']]
steps:
- task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Publish-Snapshot@1
inputs:
connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance'
applicationName: 'PaymentDemo'
deployableName: 'Production-EMEA'
snapshotName: '$(varSnapshotName)'
- stage: ChangeRequest
dependsOn:
- Two
- Three
jobs:
- job: 'changerequestjob'
timeoutInMinutes: 2
pool:
name: server
variables:
- name: varSnapshotName
value: $[stageDependencies.Two.B.outputs['getSnapshotName.snapshotName']]
steps:
- task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Server-Change-Acceleration@1
inputs:
connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance'
applicationName: 'PaymentDemo'
snapshotName: '$(varSnapshotName)'
- stage: Four
displayName: Export Snapshot
dependsOn:
- Two
- Three
- ChangeRequest
pool:
vmImage: ubuntu-latest
variables:
- name: varSnapshotName
value: $[stageDependencies.Two.B.outputs['getSnapshotName.snapshotName']]
jobs:
- job: D
displayName: Export
steps:
- task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Config-Agent-Export-Snapshot@1
inputs:
connectedServiceName: 'MyServiceNowInstance'
applicationName: 'PaymentDemo'
deployableName: 'Production-EMEA'
exporterName: 'returnAllData-now'
dataFormat: 'yaml'
snapshotName: '$(varSnapshotName)'
saveFile: true
fileName: 'ExportData_$(build.definitionName)_$(build.buildNumber).yaml'
- task: CmdLine@2
inputs:
script: |
echo Write your commands here
echo Hello world
tree $(Pipeline.Workspace)