Chains require a "Runner" to execute Commands, with two types available: CloudRunner and GroundRunner. This post offers insights into each Runner type and guidance on when to utilize them.

When configuring a Connector, you must select at least one or more Runner types from the available Runners. Below is a screenshot example which illustrates that both the CloudRunner and a GroundRunner have been selected for this sample connector:

CloudRunner

CloudRunner is the default Runner managed and maintained by Workiva. It is suitable for use when your Chain does not need to interact with any on-premises systems, private clouds that do not expose their Domain Name System (DNS), or remote data sources that are not accessible over the internet. For example, if your Chain's logic involves downloading a file from an SFTP server and importing it into a Wdata Table, CloudRunner would be the appropriate choice of Runner. Similarly, if your Chain's logic only involves Workiva Commands and does not interface with any remote third-party applications or tools, CloudRunner would also be the suitable option.

When using commands for remote systems in your Chain, if your network requires an allow list of inbound IPs, add one of the following CloudRunner IPs:

*For the most up-to-date information on IP addresses, please refer to the Allow hosts and emails for Workiva documentation to verify any changes made after this post was published.

GroundRunner

GroundRunner is similar to CloudRunner, but is hosted on-premises and can interface with applications both inside and outside a client network. In order to utilize commands within your Chain that require access to on-premises systems, private clouds with restricted DNS, or similar setups, it is necessary to host a GroundRunner on an operating environment capable of reaching those specific locations.

You can find the documentation for installing and managing GroundRunners at this link: https://support.workiva.com/hc/en-us/articles/360035643872-Install-and-manage-GroundRunners. To successfully install a GroundRunner, follow these steps:

1. Verify that the installation location meets the necessary requirements
2. Download the GroundRunner
3. Install the GroundRunner
4. Activate the installed GroundRunner

With an installed, configured, and running GroundRunner, you can check the status of the GroundRunner to make sure it is active and can communicate with Chain Builder. If the GroundRunner is not listed as active, it cannot be utilized by commands within a Chain. For instance, if the GroundRunner service is stopped or the server is shut down, any Chains relying on the GroundRunner will fail until the GroundRunner service is restored and becomes active again.

When using a combination of CloudRunner and GroundRunner for the commands in your Chain, it is important to note that CloudRunner can share output with GroundRunner, but the reverse is not possible. GroundRunner cannot share output to CloudRunner.

Another important factor to consider when using GroundRunner is the impact on Chain execution performance. If the location where the GroundRunner is installed is experiencing heavy load, high usage, or does not meet all the necessary requirements, it can potentially lead to a decrease in Chain performance. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that all the requirements for the GroundRunner are met in order to avoid any negative impact on the execution performance of your Chains.

If your network needs to allow outbound domains, the following domains are relevant to GroundRunner:

*For the most up-to-date information on the relevant domains, please refer to the GroundRunner outbound domain settings documentation to verify any changes made after this post was published.

The following are helpful links to assist you in maintaining your GroundRunner:

• GroundRunner configuration settings and outbound domains
• Manually update a GroundRunner
• Troubleshoot GroundRunner errors
• Uninstall a GroundRunner

GroundRunner and CloudRunner Security

Below are diagrams for both CloudRunner and GroundRunner to help visualize how these two Runners interact with Workiva and other systems. For more details on Chain Builder and Runner security, please review the Chain Builder Security Architecture documentation.

CloudRunner:

GroundRunner: