Azure CSP Integration with the Automation Platform
Summary
This section helps you understand the process of integrating Azure CSP service (for provisioning and billing) with the automation platform.
Pre-requisites
Infrastructure set-up as per below:
One Windows VM per setup with one of the following software configuration.
Windows Server 16. (Recommended)
Windows Server 12 with PowerShell upgraded to 5.0
Python compiler 2.7.x
IIS server
Markups needed to be applied
Privileges for creating plans etc
Version of Product Supported
NA
Billing Model Supported
Pay-per-use & Pre-paid (is available on demand)
Benefits of Integrating
Automatic provisioning of Azure Subscription
Auto Azure resource consumption collection & rating based on markups
Suspend and un-suspend Azure Subscription
Step by step process of Integration
Configuring plans in the Automation Platform, for this:
Add Product in the Automation Platform
From this section, you can learn how to add Azure plans in the automation platform
Home >> Settings >> Products/Services >> Packages
First log in to your automation platform panel.
- Go to Home >> Settings. (Look for gear icon in the upper right corner of the home page)
- Select Packages under the Products/Services section.
- Click on Add Product.
- This will open the Add Product window.
- Select the Product type to be ‘Cloud’. The new product will be created in the product type which you select.
- Mention the Product Name. For ex: You can add Azure.
- Click on Save.
Once you add the Product Type, you have to create the product group. Product Group is the logical grouping of product under a group.
- Click on Product Group on the packages section window.
- This will open the Add Product Group window.
- Select the Product Name which you created in the previous section. For Ex: we kept the Product name as Azure.
- Mention the name of the Product Group.
- Apply taxes if any. You can also add multiple taxes.
- Click on Save.
After creating the Product Group, you need to create the plans.
- Click on the Create a new Plan option on the packages window.
- This will open the Create a New Plan window.
- Select the Venture from the drop-down. (if you have different business units selling different products etc.)
- Select the Product Type from the drop-down.
- Select the Product Name from the drop-down.
- Select the Product Group from the drop-down.
- Mention the Plan name. You can keep a name per your suitability.
- Click on Save.
After successful creation of the plan, you need to configure the details in the plan.
- From the Packages section, click on edit icon located in front of the plan which you want to edit.
- Click on the Pricing section.
- You will see the pricing structure of the plan.
- As it is usage based pricing, you need to select hourly billing model. Disable other billing models by writing -1 in the textbox.
- In the Markup textbox, enter the markup (as % value) which you want to add in the total price. Your partner/customer will have to pay the Price + Markup.
- This is the markup that will be applied across all the SKUs from Microsoft Azure.
- Next, click on the module settings. In the Module name, select MSCSP Azure Plan.
- Select the Server Group from the Dropdown.
- Mention the App ID, App Secret, CSP Account Username and MFA Method.
- Mention the CSP Domain, CSP MS ID/ Account ID and select Country, Segment, Type, Tier Type,
Product and SKU.
- In the Tier Type select 2-tier (Partner based selling) from the drop-down or 1-Tier (Direct Customer sale).
- Mention the Azure App Creation URL.
- Select Automatically setup the product as soon as payment is received radio button, for automatic provisioning of product.
- Click on Save.
Order Product
As soon as the module settings related to product are done and saved, the order URLs will be generated. These are unique URLs per plan per billing frequency. You will be able to use this and hyperlink to this via your website. Your customer can place order directly from your marketplace/website.
View Azure Usage Report per customer
- Go to Home >> Clients >> Customers >> List.
- Click on the Client name under the Client Information which you want to open.
- Click on the Products/Services tab.
- Click on the Azure Subscription.
- You will find the complete service detail for the order generated. Here, in the Azure Usage Report tab, you can view the Azure usage summary by selecting a date range. Sample report given:
Every month the automation platform automatically creates the invoice of the subscription on a set date, which looks like this:
For Tier 2: A single Invoice is generated between the service provider and his partner that include all the subscriptions’ details.
For Tier 1: The automation platform will generate invoice for the end customers at a fixed date every month.
In case of Tier 2
In case of Tier 2 Azure CSP, the process of integration will be same apart from some points:
- The partner of the service provider can sell only those plans which the service provider allows him to sell.
- The service provider admin needs to select the checkbox Applicable on Partner Website on the packages section. If ON the plan will be available for the partner to sell and if OFF, the partner will not be able to sell that particular plan.
Module Setting:
- Next, click on the module settings. In the Module name select MSCSP Azure Plan.
- Select the Server Group from the Dropdown.
- Mention the App ID, App Secret, CSP Account Username and MFA Method.
- Mention the CSP Domain, CSP MS ID/ Account ID and select Country, Segment, Type, Tier Type,
Product and SKU.
- In the Tier Type select 1-tier from the drop-down.
- Mention the Azure App Creation URL.
- Select Automatically setup the product as soon as payment is received radio button, for automatic provisioning of product.
- Click on Save.
Set MPNID
Home >> Clients >> Partners >> Automation platform Partner Program >> List
- Go to Home >> Clients >> Partners.
- Select Automation Platform Partner Program and then list.
- You will get the detail of all partners.
- Open the partner detail section by clicking on partner’s name.
- Click on Partner Express. Here, under the Microsoft Partner Network Detail enter the MPNID of the partner.
Pricing Setting
- The partner can only edit the discount and set his markup for a particular plan.
- Select any plan to configure by clicking on the edit icon located in front of that plan.
- In the Markup textbox under the pricing tab, the partner can define the markup which the Partner’s end customer will pay him (product cost + markup).
Order product
As soon as the module settings related to product are done and saved, the order URLs will be generated. These are unique URLs per plan per billing frequency. You will be able to use this and hyperlink to this via your website. Your customer can place order directly from your marketplace/website.
- As soon as you place the order, you will see the order details in the Billing section of the automation platform. On approval, the subscription will be created and end customer can start seeing the order in his customer panel.
Alternatively, you the partner can also generate the order on behalf of the end customer also:
Home >> Billings >> Orders >> Create order
- Go to Home >> Billing.
- Select Orders.
- Click on Create Order.
- Once the order is placed and approved then the service is created in the automation platform under the products/services in the client area. (Home >> Clients >> Customers >> List)
- On service details page, the complete details of the service can be seen. The usage detail of the subscription for a particular period can also be seen.
View Azure Usage Report
- Go to Home >> Clients >> Customers >> List.
- Click on the Client ID which you want to open.
- Click on the Products/Services tab.
- You will find the complete service detail for the order generated. Here, in the Azure Usage Report tab, you can view the Azure usage summary by selecting a date range. (Please refer first screenshot)
How can you set/adjust the usage collection frequency?
This section lets you understand how to set/adjust the usage collection frequency. This is done by a CRON file in cPanel. Cron jobs help you automate certain command or scripts on your site.
- Login to cPanel (https://your server IP:2083).
- Enter the user name and password as provided by Automation Platform team.
- Click on login.
- After logging into the cPanel go in advance and click on cron job.
- On the Cron job window you will find the option to add Cron email. Each time the cron runs it will send an email to the added email ID. Enter the Email ID and click on Update Email.
- Set the cron as per your time requirement.
- Once you fill all details, click on Add New Cron Job.
Syntax: - php /home/username/public_html/path of your cron file
Example: - if you want to run cron.php file that will run every hour the command will be: php /home/username/public_html/cron.php > /dev/null
Delete the Cron
To delete the cron simply click on the delete button in front of the cron you want to delete.