Data center automation software maker Stratavia this week announced it had upgraded its flagship product to be able to make decisions based on past actions and further lessen the amount of manual intervention needed in managing data center operations.

Data Palette 4.0 can now discover the state of the target environment, such as a server, and determine which if any action should be taken to restore the server to its desired state. For instance, the software could detect if the server is missing a patch that is required to make the server compliant with company policies. This type of intelligent automation, Stratavia executives say, sets the vendor apart from competitors such as BladeLogic, Opalis and Opsware (now part of HP). Stratavia does more than server provisioning or simple task automation, says CEO Thor Culverhouse, which is why BladeLogic is also a partner of the company.

"Data Palette combines task automation, which are basically scripts, with run book automation, which chains together a series of simple tasks and offers decision automation. The software can look at the environment in real time and determine what automation should be taken based on the variables present," Culverhouse says.

Data Palette software installs on a dedicated server, which can be Windows, Linux or Unix based, and requires customers to install agents, or collectors, on every managed object. The product contains a library of steps that can be taken to resolve known problems. The software also integrates with third-party monitoring or management systems to collect data, which enables it to make decisions about what automation action to take.

Data Palette 4.0 pricing starts at $150,000 and the company charges between $2,000 and $3,250 for each collector, depending on the complexity of the managed object.