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#REDIRECT [[List of IBM products#Middleware and applications]]
{{COI|date=July 2012}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Rational Automation Framework
| logo = [[File:RationalSoftware.png|frameless]]
| developer = [[Rational Software]]
| latest release version = 3.0
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2012|03|30|df=yes}}
| programming language = [[Java (programming language)|Java]]
| operating system = [[UNIX]], [[Linux]], [[Linux on z Systems|z/Linux]], [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Solaris (operating system)]]
| genre = [[Application release automation]]
| license = [[IBM]] [[Software license|EULA]]
| language = English
| website = {{URL|ibm.com/software/rational/products/framework/}}
}}
'''Rational Automation Framework''' is a [[computer software]] product in the increasingly important [[Application release automation]] category,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gartner.com/id=1773923 |title=Application Release Automation Is a Key to DevOps | 1773923 |publisher=Gartner.com |date=2011-08-23 |accessdate=2012-07-04}}</ref><ref>http://www.hurwitz.com/index.php/recent-research/cloud-computing/doc_download/126-demonstrated-benefits-of-software-delivery-automation--an-analyst-study{{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> providing automation for [[middleware]] installation, middleware management, middleware operations, and application deployment.
The product was initially released in May 2009 as IBM Rational Automation Framework for WebSphere,<ref name="eweek">{{cite news
| last =Burt
| first =Jeffrey
| coauthors =
| title =IBM Bridges SOA, Cloud Computing
| newspaper =eWeek
| date =April 30, 2009
| url =http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Cloud-Computing/IBM-Bridges-SOA-Cloud-Computing-645936/
| accessdate =June 4, 2012 }}</ref> based on technology developed by Ascendant Technology.<ref name="bare_url">{{cite web
| title =Rational Automation Framework for WebSphere (RAFW)
| work =
| publisher =Ascendant Technology
| date =
| url =http://atech.com/process/accelerators/rational-automation-framework
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate =June 4, 2012 }}</ref> With release 3.0 in 2012, IBM generalized the name of the product to IBM Rational Automation Framework to recognize the work done by MidVision to extend the functionality to products other than those from [[WebSphere]].<ref name="midvision">
{{cite web
| title =MidVision Extensions to IBM RAF
| publisher =MidVision
| url =http://www.midvision.com/wordpress/products/midvision-extensions-to-ibm-raf/
| accessdate =June 4, 2012| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20120604060326/http://www.midvision.com/wordpress/products/midvision-extensions-to-ibm-raf/| archive-date =June 4, 2012| url-status =dead}}
</ref>
==Architecture==
The Rational Automation Framework software runs on a ''framework server,'' where it maintains configuration information that corresponds to product installations on one or more ''target systems.'' Target systems can be physical, virtualized, or in the cloud and can act as source systems, destination systems, or both. The product runs ''actions,'' actually elements within Apache Ant build files, to:
* Update the framework server configuration data from a target system, or vice versa
* Install or update custom applications and application artifacts
* Compare framework server configuration data with live data
* Start, stop, or restart managed product instances
* Install or patch managed products
The product uses an automation engine to automate any of those tasks.<ref name="ibm">{{cite web|url=http://www.ibm.com/software/rational/products/framework/ |title=IBM product site |publisher=Ibm.com |date= |accessdate=2012-07-04}}</ref>
==PureApplication System==
IBM PureApplication System contains the Rational Automation Framework functionality in the form of a workload named Advanced Middleware Configuration. Advanced Middleware Configuration is typically used in this context for onboarding existing applications to the cloud.<ref name="ibm_a">[http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/websphere/library/techarticles/1204_akeley/1204_akeley.html IBM DeveloperWorks]</ref>
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
*[http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg27020484 Rational Automation Framework Information Center]
*[http://portal2portal.blogspot.com/2012/03/all-new-rational-automation-framework.html "A Portal to a Portal" blog post]
*[http://thysmichels.com/tag/rational-automation-framework/ Thys Michels blog post]
*[https://archive.is/20130126173916/http://www.itarchitectforumblog.com/content/application_development/new_blog_--_bringing_devops_back_under_control.html "The Future of IT Architecture" blog post]
*[http://technicalprofessional.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/what-is-deployment-planning-and-automation/ Rational Technical Professionals blog post]
*[http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/websphere/techjournal/1007_supauth/1007_supauth.html IBM developerWorks: WebSphere: The Support Authority]
[[Category:Rational Software software|Automation Framework]]
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