Unified SharePoint 2013 on-premises and SPO site provisioning with SharePoint Framework (SPFx), Azure Logic Apps, Queue, Azure Function, and Azure Automation using Hybrid Runbook Worker

In previous session we have discussed Office 365 site self-provisioning with SharePoint Framework (SPFx), Azure Logic Apps, Queue, and Azure Function. In our company we are utilizing the same architecture and framework to provisioning BOTH SharePoint online site and SharePoint on-premises site. The architecture will also unify the site provisioning for SharePoint on-premises 2013, 2016, or 2019. Here is the architecture and detailed design for the implementation.

The architecture is almost identical to we implemented previous for SharePoint online. The only difference is we have added a Azure Automation using Hybrid Runbook Worker that could run the SharePoint on-premises site creation. The previous Azure function will call the Azure Automation webhook. 

The key part here is to configure the Azure automation Runbook like PowerShell through Hybrid Runbook Worker. This way the PowerShell from Azure automation can provisioning the on-premises site through on-premises site creation method. Here is the architecture of the Azure automation Runbook Worker.

If you have set up Azure automation Runbook Worker, everything is almost same as we configured previous for SharePoint online site provisioning process. The overall architecture diagram is listed below.

1. User enters site provisioning information from SharePoint Framework (SPFx) form on SPO site.
2. The new list item created will trigger the Azure Logic app to send to approval.
3. If the request approved, Azure Logic App will send the request to Azure queue with request ID that is list item ID. We have separate the two queues and if the request of for on-premises site creation, the request will be send to on-premises queue.
4. Azure queue will trigger the Azure function.
5. Azure function will be trigger by new message from the queue.
6. Azure function will call the Azure Automation through webhook. Azure automation will use Runbook worker to provision the site collection using on-premises web services. Then perform post provisioning steps.
7. Azure Automation will update the SPO site request list with correct status.
8. Logic app will read the SPO site request list status
9. Logic app will send the emaul notification on the site creation.

Since this process is almost identical to SharePoint online site provisioning process except the step 6 & 7 Azure function will call Azure automation. You could refer previous blog for other steps.

The step 6 is Azure function will call the Azure Automation through webhook. You could set up a Azure automation Runbook Webhook as described procedure here. The Azure automation Runbook will look likes as below. Please remember to select the Hybrid Worker for "Run On". You need to record the webhook URL after created and you may not able to get it later!

The you could call this Azure automation just like the call below.

#Import dll from library

Import-Module "D:\home\site\wwwroot\qcsbxssspqueseprocessPS\Modules\SharePointPnPPowerShellOnline\3.0.1808.1\SharePointPnPPowerShellOnline.psd1" -Global;

#Get trigger content

$requestBody = Get-Content $triggerInput -Raw | ConvertFrom-Json

#$itemID = $requestBody.ItemId

$siteTitle = $requestBody.SiteTitle

$siteURL = $requestBody.SiteUrl

$output_SiteTitle = "SITETITLE: " + $siteTitle

Write-Output $output_SiteTitle

$output_SiteUrl = "SITEURL: " + $siteURL

Write-Output $output_SiteUrl

try

{

#region constructing Webhook call body

$webhookurl = 'https://s2events.azure-automation.net/webhooks?token=<webhookToken>'

$body = @{"SITETITLE" = $siteTitle; "SITEURL" = $siteURL}

$params = @{

ContentType = 'application/json'

Headers = @{'from' = 'Harry Chen'; 'Date' = "$(Get-Date)"}

Body = ($body | convertto-json)

Method = 'Post'

URI = $webhookurl

}

#Invoking call

Invoke-RestMethod @params -Verbose

Write-Output "Call Invoked - awaiting updating list item"

# Todo: Waite and query the SharePoint

#Connect-PnPOnline -url $requestListSiteUrl -Credentials $creds

#Set-PnPListItem -List $requestList -Identity $itemID -Values @{"Provisioning_x0020_Status" = "Provisioned";}

Write-Output "Item Updated"

#end region

}

catch [System.Exception]

{

$output = "Error Details: "  + $_.Exception.Message

Write-Output $output

}

The step 7 is to use web service to create on-premises site. We tried SP App model in on-premises with just CSOM mentioned by Vesa Juvonen. However, we are running into some issues. As a result, we are using the on-premises admin web service "_vti_adm/Admin.asmx?WSD" to create the on-premises site.
The Azure automation code looks likes as below.

......

[CmdletBinding()]

Param(

[object]$WebhookData,

[string]$siteTitle,

[string]$siteUrl)

if ($WebhookData)

{

Write-Output ("Starting runbook from webhook")

# Collect properties of WebhookData

$WebhookName = $WebHookData.WebhookName

$WebhookHeaders = $WebHookData.RequestHeader

$WebhookBody = $WebHookData.RequestBody

# Collect individual headers. Input converted from JSON.

$From = $WebhookHeaders.From

$InputBody = (ConvertFrom-Json -InputObject $WebhookBody)

Write-Verbose "WebhookBody: $InputBody"

$url = $InputBody.url

$fileName = $InputBody.fileName

Write-Output -InputObject ('Runbook started from webhook {0} by {1}.' -f $WebhookName, $From)

$siteTitle = $InputBody.siteTitle

$output = "Site Title is: " + $siteTitle

Write-Output $output

$siteUrl = $InputBody.siteUrl

$output = "Site Url is: " + $siteUrl

Write-Output $output

} else

{

Write-Output ("Starting runbook manually")

Write-Output ("Input Parameters following:")

$output = "Site Title is: " + $siteTitle

Write-Output $output

$output = "Site Url is: " + $siteUrl

Write-Output $output

}

try

{

$user = "owner"# Owner Login

$userName = "owner"# Owner Name

$pwd = 'password'

$adminSiteUrl = "http://SPadmin:port#/"

$securePwd = ConvertTo-SecureString $pwd -AsPlainText -Force

$cred = New-Object PSCredential($user, $securePwd)

$wsdlUrl = $adminSiteUrl + "/_vti_adm/Admin.asmx?WSDL"

$svc = New-WebServiceProxy -Uri $wsdlUrl -Credential $cred

$output = "Before Running Web Service - Site URL:" + $siteUrl + " Site Title: " + $siteTitle

write-output $output

$svc.CreateSite(

$siteUrl, # URL

$siteTitle, # Title

"", # Description

1033, # LCID

"STS#0", # WebTemplate

$user, # Owner Login

$userName, # Owner Name

"", # Owner Email

"", # PortalUrl

"") # PortalName

# Todo: Udpate the SPO list status w/ Completed status

# Post provisioning steps

}

catch

{

write-Output "`n[Main] Errors found:`n$_"

# Todo: Udpate the SPO list status w/ error status

}

You can see this is remote site provisioning process and the Azure Runbook worker can be any on-premises
server and does not need to be the SharePoint server. We have verified that the admin web service is supported
for SharePoint 2013, 2016, and 2019. So the code is same for all SharePoint versions.

At this point, we are using SharePoint farm account to provisioning the on-premises site. We are testing if
we could use another account to create site.

Now, we have combined both SharePoint online and SharePoint on-premises site creation into a same Azure
process!