Can custom console application be executed in Azure (PowerShell) Runbook?

Question

Can I use my own/custom console application in Azure Runbook (PowerShell or any other)?

When I try to run my own console application (after retrieving it from Azure Storage), it fails.

---

When I try to execute it simply by:

.\myapp.exe

I get:

Program 'myapp.exe' failed to run: The operation was canceled by the user

---

When I use System.Diagnostics.Process:

$process = New-Object System.Diagnostics.Process
$process.StartInfo.FileName = $path
$process.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = $False
$process.Start()

I get a more meaningful error:

Exception calling "Start" with "0" argument(s): "This program is blocked by group policy. For more information, contact your system administrator"

---

Is there any settings in Azure Automation, I can toggle, to allow executing custom applications? Or is it simply not possible in the restricted Runbook environment?

Answer 1

Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately your ask of running .exe inside an Azure Automation runbook is currently not supported. And yes, you can go with Azure Web Job(s). One other customer has recently reached out with similar ask and solved their issue by leveraging Azure Web Job(s). For clarification, you may refer this MSDN thread. Hope this helps you.

Cheers!

Answer 2

Unfortunately , it is not supported by Azure Automation Runbook for now.Here is a feedback replied by Automation PG team , there is no update on it.

Answer 3

You can however

1. Run console app as Azure WebJob on App Service and call it remotely via SCM endpoint or,

2. Compile console application as PowerShell cmdlet

   using System.Management.Automation; 
   
   namespace MyApp
   {
     [Cmdlet(VerbsCommunications.Send, "RunApplication")]
     public class RunApplicationCommand : Cmdlet
     {
       protected override void ProcessRecord()
       {
         // App Code goes here
       }
     }
   }
   

   • Attach compiled DLL to PowerShell module
   • Deploy PowerShell modle to Automation account using Modules > Import
   • Call cmdlet from runbook