Create an Environment Pool With Autoscaling

An environment pool is a computer or set of computers that specific robots can run on. When you create an environment pool with autoscaling, the robot agent environment will automatically scale-out or scale-in based on the utilization of the environment pool.

Prerequisites

Complete the steps in Configure an Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Instance Pool.

Create an Autoscaling Environment Pool

  1. Open a project.
    1. In the navigation pane, select Projects.
    2. Select the project name.
  2. In the left toolbar, select Robot Robot.
  3. In the Environment Pools box, select Add (if you have no environment pools) or + (if you have one or more environment pools).

    The Create environment pool panel appears.

  4. Fill in the fields.

    Later, you'll need to associate the environment pool with a robot. Consider creating naming conventions for environment pools to simplify this task.

    For Share with other projects, select this option if you want to allow robots in other projects to run on computers in the environment pool. If you leave this option deselected, only robots in the current project can run on computers in the environment pool.

  5. Select the Autoscaling option and the following fields are displayed. Enter or select values:
    Field Description Why it is important? Example/Notes

    Instance Pool OCID

    A unique identifier (OCID) of the instance pool created in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure from which robot agent environments will be provisioned. See Step 6: Create an Instance Pool

    .

    Required for autoscaling so the system knows which backend pool to use when creating new robot agent environments.

    If OCID is missing or incorrect, autoscaling cannot provision new instances.

    Minimum Instances

    The minimum number of instances that must always remain active in the pool.

    Ensures a baseline capacity is always available and prevents scaling down too much.

    If set to 2, the system will never go below 2 instances, even during low load.

    Maximum Instances

    The maximum number of instances that the pool is allowed to provision.

    Controls cost and prevents over-provisioning. Ensures scaling does not exceed limits.

    If set to 5, system can scale out up to 5, but never beyond that.

    Utilization threshold for scale out (%)

    The utilization percentage above which the system triggers scale-out (adds more instances).

    Helps handle increasing workload by adding more capacity when the pool is under heavy load.

    If set to 120%, and average utilization over Window period is > 120%, scaling out happens.

    Utilization threshold for scale in (%)

    The utilization percentage below which the system triggers scale-in (removes instances).

    Reduces idle resources and cost when workload is consistently low.

    If set to 90%, and average utilization over Window period is < 90%, scaling in happens.

    Cooldown period

    The waiting time after a scale-out or scale-in event before another scaling decision is allowed.

    Prevents frequent scaling up/down and gives the system time to stabilize.

    If set to 5 minutes, no new scaling action happens for the next 5 minutes after a scaling event.

    Window period

    The duration over which the system calculates average utilization before making scaling decisions.

    Avoids scaling due to temporary spikes/drops and ensures scaling happens only for consistent load patterns.

    If set to 15 minutes, utilization is averaged over the last 15 minutes to decide scaling.

    With autoscaling enabled, the robot agent environment will automatically scale-out or scale-in based on the utilization of the environment pool:

    • When there is consistent load and the average utilization, calculated over the configured Window period, is greater than the Utilization threshold for scale out (%), the system will automatically scale out by adding additional instances.
    • When there is consistent low load and the average utilization, calculated over the configured Window period, is less than the Utilization threshold for scale in (%), the system will automatically scale in by reducing the number of instances.
    • The system will always maintain at least the configured Minimum instances and will not scale below that value at any time.
    • The system will not allow adding beyond the configured Maximum instances, ensuring it never exceeds the defined upper limit.

    Scaling decisions are always made using the average utilization of the environment pool calculated over the configured Window period. This ensures scaling happens based on consistent load instead of temporary spikes.

  6. Select Create.

    Since you selected Autoscaling, Autoscaling appears next to the name of the environment pool.

    If you selected Share with other projects, Shared appears below the name of the environment pool.


    Autoscaling label is displayed for the environment pool.

Note:

After you create an evironment pool with autoscaling, you CANNOT add environments or delete environments from the environment pool. You can only update the environment pool settings or delete the environment pool.
Next step: Associate a Robot with an Environment Pool.