Introduction
Smart Buddy is one of the IntelliBuddies client components you can use to execute your automation. It is a logical component representing one of the Control Room's entities.
Smart Buddy component is available only as part of IntelliBuddies Enterprise Edition.
Smart Buddy executes end-to-end automation without human assistance. Hence, Smart Buddy must be attached to a Smart Station to execute automation. Once registered and connected to a specific Smart Station, Smart Buddy will automatically log into Smart Station, using the specified credentials, and execute the automation.
Unlike Assistant Buddy, Smart Buddy is not node-locked. It utilizes a user-locked floating license. If registered as a Smart Station inside the Control Room, Smart Buddy can execute automation on any system.
Architecture
The components of Smart Buddy includes:
- Smart Station Service
- Smart Station Agent
- Smart Station User
Smart Station Service
Smart Station Service is a Windows Service deployed on Smart Station. The functionality of Smart Station Service are:
- Managing Smart Buddies running on this Smart Station
- Provides periodic status updates on Smart Buddies to Control Room
Smart Station Agent (Tray)
Smart Station Agent is a Windows Tray application executed in the context of a logged-in user. The Smart Station Agent is the Smart Buddy's actual user interface. You can find the Smart Station Agent as part of the System Tray, and the table below summarizes the status of the Smart Station based on the icon that appears inside the System Tray.
| Icon | Description |
|---|---|
 | The Smart Station is disconnected from the Control Room. |
 | The Smart Station is connected to the Control Room and is ready to execute automation. |
| None | Smart Station Agent is not running |
You can perform the following operations using the Smart Station Agent
| Operation | Description |
|---|---|
| Disconnect | Disconnected from the Control Room |
| Connect | Connect to the Control Room |
| Exit | This option exits the smart station agent from the windows tray. |
Smart Station User
Smart Buddy is a logical component that physically does not exist. An entity inside the Control Room binds the Control Room user with a Smart Buddy license to the corresponding Smart Station user. Smart Buddy logs in to Smart Station using the Smart Station User credentials to execute automation.
Enabling Smart Buddy
- Deploy Client Tools (Smart Station Agent) on the Smart Station. For more information on deploying client tools, please refer to: You can either use online Web Installer or offline by downloading and installing the Client Tools Deployment
- Provision a Smart Station inside the Control Room. Please refer: Provisioning Smart Station
- Save the Machine Key generated in the previous step
- Register Smart Buddy inside the Control Room. Please refer: Registering Smart Buddy
- Log in to Smart Station using the Smart Station User account.
- Start the Smart Station Agent application
- Provide the Control Room URL and tenant name along with the Machine Key saved and log into Control Room**
Once you perform the above steps successfully, your Smart Buddy is ready to execute automation.
Executing a Job
You can submit an automation job to Smart Buddy in multiple ways. Please refer: Submitting Jobs
All the jobs are queued into a Job Queue inside the Control Room. Smart Buddy will pick up the jobs from the Queue and execute them.
Connect Smart Station Agent
Follow the below steps to Connect to the Smart Station Agent
- Right-click on the Smart Station Agent tray icon
- Click on the option Connect
- Control Room Settings dialog appears
- Enter the Control Room URL, Tenant Name, and Machine Key used during Smart Station provisioning in Control Room
- Click on Connect.
Disconnect Smart Station Agent
Follow the below steps to Connect to the Smart Station Agent
- Right-click on the Smart Station Agent tray icon
- Click on the Disconnect option.
If any jobs run when you try to disconnect the Smart Station Agent, you will receive an alert message: All job(s) will be aborted if you disconnect the Agent. Do you want to continue?
