{"id":6351,"date":"2022-03-16T17:39:49","date_gmt":"2022-03-16T15:39:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.atola.com\/?p=6351"},"modified":"2022-03-27T08:36:10","modified_gmt":"2022-03-27T06:36:10","slug":"taskforces-integration-into-automation-solution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atola.com\/blog\/taskforces-integration-into-automation-solution\/","title":{"rendered":"When TaskForce’s integration into your automation solution is a game changer"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to multi-stage investigative routines that are regularly applied to evidence drives coming into a lab, automation is king. <\/span>It allows creating workflows and setting up particular procedures so that a sequence of multiple tasks is launched with a single click and demands no further control by the operator.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The key benefits of automation are:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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  1. Saves an investigator\u2019s time<\/span>: Automation allows users to focus on the parts of their jobs that require human attention, while entrusting routine tasks to a fine-tuned system.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n
  2. Reduces processing time<\/span><\/span>: There is no or minimal downtime between the different stages of acquisition and analysis.<\/span><\/li>\r\n
  3. Streamlines the process and eliminates human error<\/span><\/span>: When you have a predictable workflow and want to make sure every piece of evidence goes through the same stages. No exceptions.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    A growing number of organizations create in-house automation solutions. Not to mention commercially available tools like <\/span>Magnet Automate<\/span><\/a> or <\/span>Bismart OrchSight<\/span><\/a> that provide investigators with highly customizable solutions for workflow automation<\/span>.<\/span> And any of such solutions can have Atola TaskForce integrated into its workflows as long as they use Web API for communication between the tools.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

    Web API in TaskForce\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

    The use of TaskForce within an automation solution is possible via Web API<\/span> (<\/span>Application Programming Interface). It can also be used in scripts, via CLI (Command-Line Interface)<\/span> tools like<\/span> curl<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>as well as by simply typing commands in the browser address bar.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    These days, API is ubiquitous and is easily employed by any third-party tool. With Web API you do not need GUI (Graphical User Interface) to interact with forensic tools\/products. All you need to effectively manage the most sophisticated devices in the forensic markets is code.\u00a0<\/span> Through API commands you can launch, track and stop imaging in TaskForce. This way, you can effectively use TaskForce in exercising full control over the process and add it to a task sequence in third-party automation tools.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    Web API enables communication between the external software and the device: API determines the type of commands and queries sent to the unit, device behavior and the type of responses it sends back to the automation software.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    TaskForce API is based on HTTP GET requests and JSON-encoded responses as described in <\/span>API documentation<\/span><\/a>.<\/span> \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

    Finding available sources<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

    When an automation software sends<\/span> \/scan-devices<\/strong> command via API requesting the list of available source drives (<\/span>Get available source drives<\/span><\/a>), TaskForce does the following:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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    1. automatically powers on all devices plugged into ports set to source mode (including those previously powered off due to being idle)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n
    2. identifies all the source devices\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n
    3. checks which of them are available for imaging (are not engaged in other tasks)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

      \u00a0 The request then returns a JSON response with\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n