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Introduction

Smart Buddy is one of the IntelliBuddies client components that can be used to execute your automation. Smart Buddy is a logical component and is represented as one of the entities inside the Control Room.

Note: 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. Smart Buddy utilizes user locked floating license. Smart Buddy can execute automation on any system as long as the system is registered as a Smart Station inside the Control Room.

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 actual user interface for the Smart Buddy. The Smart Station Agent acts as a client of the Smart Station Service.

The Smart Station Agent could be found as part of the System Tray, represented with the following icons:

IconDescription
Disconnected from Control Room
Connected. Ready to execute automation.
NoneSmart Station Agent is not running

Smart Station User​

Smart Buddy is a logical component and physically does not exist. Smart Buddy is an entity inside the Control Room that binds the Control Room user with a Smart Buddy license and the corresponding Smart Station user. Smart Buddy will log 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 the above steps are performed 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 get queued into Job Queue inside the Control Room. Smart Buddy will pick up the jobs from the Job Queue and execute them.