How to Get the Most Out of Your Cloud IT Automation Software

Cloud Automation Tools Enable IT Modernization

As technology, markets, economies, and the way we work have evolved, organizations face new challenges that require more efficiency, scalability, and process optimization. Digital transformation strategies have picked up momentum, with global digital transformation spending forecast to reach $3.4 trillion by 2026.

However, there are many organizations that have already undergone (or are undergoing) digital transformation yet still face similar challenges. That’s because they failed to modernize their underlying IT technologies, tools, or systems. These efforts can include upgrading or replacing legacy mainframes. In addition, their current processes may not meet modern cybersecurity best practices or compliance requirements.

What do teams need for successful modernization and a cloud IT automation platform that yields successful results?

1. Proficiency Across A Hybrid Cloud Environment

Whether all your systems and processes run entirely on cloud platforms, or if you have a hybrid cloud, public cloud, private cloud, or multi-cloud environment, your teams should be able to automate workloads across your entire on-premise and/or cloud infrastructure. With a tool that can automate end-to-end workflows across your entire IT infrastructure, you’ll enable intelligent process automation, seamless adoption into DevOps processes, and discover ways to innovate customer experience.

2. Real-Time Infrastructure Orchestration

The purpose of cloud automation software is to help IT teams more efficiently utilize resources. Intelligent infrastructure automation across your cloud computing resources allows teams to provision and deprovision servers in real time to reduce idle resources and automatically pair workloads with the servers that best fit the job.

3. Seamless Infrastructure Integration

Help DevOps teams maintain their agility with security-driven automation that fits neatly into the DevOps lifecycle. Tools like ActiveBatch have built-in Change management which promotes continuous delivery and provides immediate access to audit trails and revision histories.

ActiveBatch integrates with infrastructure tools like RedHat, Ansible, or SaltStack so teams can orchestrate containers (like Docker or Kubernetes) on demand. IT teams are able to connect, schedule, and orchestrate processes and microservices in minutes with a tool that simplifies the IT environment and simplifies cloud management.

4. Designed  For Business Users

Too often business users tie up IT admins and resources asking for help with access, workflow setup or requests to run processes. The best automation tools offer self-service for on-demand access for business users. With low-code workflow automation tools, business users can run their own workflows and access real-time metrics.

5. Easy, Numerous Integrations

The last thing teams want when streamlining their cloud orchestration processes is to have issues connecting applications across their organization.

Ensure that you can easily connect and orchestrate workflows across on-premises mainframes as well as cloud vendors VMware, Amazon’s AWS EC2, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Virtual Machine Manager, Google Cloud Platform, and other critical tools in your organization.

6. Security-Driven Automation

It is critical that your automation solution protects your data across your cloud resources, data centers, and service providers. Workload automation security features should include multiple authentication types and the ability to enable SSL and TLS connections. Automation solutions should also integrate with important tools like CyberArk Application Access Manager and support operating system security tenets like the Windows security model.

7. Flexible Migration Capabilities

Migrating to a modern cloud IT automation solution like ActiveBatch requires careful planning and a tested strategy and tools. Consider automated migration, which provides a secure, proven method of moving from your old scheduler to your new automation software, to provide a faster, more accurate process. 

Your teams can also choose to build their own new automation process, where teams eliminate problematic workflows and apply a more standardized automation structure. This works well for smaller IT environments with fewer processes or large organizations with the people resources to implement the new workflows.

Teams can also take a hybrid approach, where workflows are migrated automatically and then teams will reconstruct or rebuild processes where necessary.

Cloud IT automation tools can standardize and optimize your processes and continue to modernize your IT approach. The right solution for your organization will enable your team to meet your organization’s use cases while also working with your legacy tools and IT environment.

Frequently Asked Questions