OneCloud: Questions related to GroundRunners.

Where are the GroundRunner Logs stored?

To locate the GroundRunner log:

1. Click Applications near the lower-left corner.

2. Select Admin.

3. On the left side, choose Runners.

4. Locate the runner.

5. The file listed for "Install Location" is the GroundRunner.

6. Follow the path to secure the GroundRunner.

 

What is the difference between a GroundRunner and CloudRunner?

The table below highlights some key feature differences between a GroundRunner and a CloudRunner.

Read the OneCloud Security Architecture white paper to learn more.

Why do I receive the error: "Failed to communicate with agent - this command was not executed"?

The network connection between the GroundRunner and the OneCloud service has been disrupted. This could be due to the fact that GroundRunner did not start or a network disruption between the OneCloud platform and the GroundRunner.

A OneCloud Chain or Command fails because it cannot cannot communicate with the OneCloud GroundRunner or CloudRunner. Often times when this happens you will receive the following message in the command log:

• Failed to communicate with agent - this command was not executed.

To resolve the error please review the GroundRunner, check if the service is working and that there is a network connection to the internet from the server hosting the GroundRunner. If the issue is related to a CloudRunner, then please contact support@workiva.com.

In some circumstances utilizing the timeout conditions of a Command can sometimes account for temporary network disruptions. 

Error: "Unable to download resources associated with command. Please contact support if error persists"

This error is often caused by Commands in a Chain using different runners that are not able to communicate with one another. While a CloudRunner is able to share its Outputs with a GroundRunner, a GroundRunner is unable to share its Outputs with a CloudRunner. For example, if the first Command in a Chain uses a GroundRunner and the second Command uses a CloudRunner and takes the Output of the first Command as an Input, then the Chain will fail.

To solve this, ensure the same runner is used across the entire Chain or that the communication flow is supported. This is because CloudRunner outputs can be used as Inputs to a Command using a GroundRunner but not the reverse.

Why can I use a Command File Output from a CloudRunner on a GroundRunner, but not the opposite?

File Command outputs generated by the CloudRunner can indeed always be downloaded by a GroundRunner. However, OneCloud does not allow File Command outputs generated by the GroundRunner to be downloaded by a CloudRunner. This is to ensure that the on-premises data remains secure and does not inadvertently leaves the on-premises environment.

Can GroundRunners and CloudRunners exchange data?

Depending on the configuration of a OneCloud Chain, GroundRunners and CloudRunners can exchange data. Here is a quick overview:

How do you remove old GroundRunners?

GroundRunners that are no longer active must be removed from all connections in order to be deleted. 

What IP address does the CloudRunner originate from?

All requests from the CloudRunner originate from a single IP address: 34.225.179.107

If you are using an application that restricts access by IP address, whitelist this IP address to ensure the CloudRunner is able to communicate with your application.

Which ports need to be open for a GroundRunner?

GroundRunners do not require any ports to be open. During the installation, by default, the configuration file has the listening portion disabled. If necessary to have the listener enabled, you will need to edit the GroundRunner config file and specify a PORT=. This allows GroundRunners on different servers to be able to share command outputs inside your corporate network.

How do I test that a GroundRunner is accessible through a firewall?

• Make sure the GroundRunner configuration is correct and a GroundRunner PORT= specified. More information can be found on this in the Advanced GroundRunner Notes Configuration documentation.

• If you haven't recently restarted the GroundRunner, perform that action now to make sure it picks up that setting. Make sure to check if anything is running in the platform first.

• Once the GroundRunner has been restarted, do a port listing on the server to see if it is successfully listening at the specified port. If you do not have anything listening at the specified port, then a deeper analysis will need to be performed.
  -- Windows: netstat -an | findstr 8821
  -- Linux/macOS: netstat -an | grep 8821

• Once you have identified the listening port, you can attempt to telnet to the port. The GroundRunner is a light-weight HTTP client that is expecting input, but if we do not supply input, an acceptable error will be presented if we just press <Enter>.
  -- Windows: telnet localhost 8821
  -- Linux/macOS: telnet localhost 8821
  

• If the above tests perform as expected, perform the telnet test from a machine on the other end of the firewall. The same response is expected. You will need to substitute "localhost" with the valid DNS name of the machine.

Depending on the various stages of your results you may need to engage your local IT/Infrastructure staff to assist and answer questions.

How long are GroundRunner logs retained and is this end-user configurable?

Currently the GroundRunner logs are retained for 168 hours (~7 days). Any log file (or compressed archive) older than 168-hours is purged. 

How do I remove or disable a CloudRunner?

At present, CloudRunners may not be removed. However, since Runners work in conjunction with Connections a CloudRunner may be essentially disabled by not assigning it to a Connection.

1. Visit Connections from the left-side panel.

2. Find the Connection used and select the 🔽 on the right side.

3. Choose Edit.

4. In the Runners section, deselect CloudRunner.