Automation as empowering agent

You know that automation tools can eliminate human error, streamline operations and reduce processing bottlenecks. But have you thought about how the use of automation tools can alter the complexion of IT itself?

In a recent report, titled “Empower I&O Staff With Automation,” Glenn O’Donnell, a senior analyst with Forrester Research, ponders that very question. He writes: [Automation presents an opportunity to empower infrastructure and operations staff in a way that is proving to transform this IT entity from the stereotypical wasteful and sloppy band of geeks into a catalyst for business service.”

Building a well-rounded automation portfolio is a first necessary step toward this repositioning, O’Donnell says in the report. He advises against assessing automation tools as targeted utilities such as bare-metal server provisioning or backup and restore. Rather, he says, enterprise IT executives should consider automation tools more broadly.

In the report, O’Donnell points out three functional areas to consider in regards to automation tools: task execution, process flows and decision triggers.

As the name suggests, task execution tools perform specific, well-defined functions without human intervention. Bare-metal server provisioning, virtual server live migration and network port enablement are three examples O’Donnell points out in the report.

Automation tools that handle process flows are “an increasingly popular class of technologies,” O’Donnell says. IT process automation tools are useful for connecting tasks in proper sequence and facilitating decisions “to take action, steer the workflow in different directions and enable feedback loops,” he describes. While some tasks may be executed manually, these tools ensure that the process flows effectively.

The last area, decision triggers, come part and parcel of many management tools. However, infrastructure and operations staff often overlook the automation piece, which typically helps determine why an action is performed, O’Donnell says in the report. “Analysis of performance, availability, and configuration information as well as business, regulatory, and IT policies is complex — yet can represent the intelligence of an automated system. This intelligence drives significantly more value into the overall automation movement,” he explains.

Once an enterprise has selected its automation tools, it can then begin to embody skills in the tools. “Many tasks and processes that currently rely on the technical elite are actually mundane, repetitive chores — like network administration via command line interface or virtual server live migration — that happen to require complex talents. Software tools exist to execute these tasks. As these tools embed more capabilities they codify the skills,” he says in the report.

“In essence,” he continues, “we are ‘training’ the tools with many of the talents and skills wielded by technical staff. This is empowering.”

Here are three reasons, as O’Donnell discusses in the report. One, lower-skilled, lower-paid employees can execute complex tasks, enabling more people to use smarter tools to perform customer-facing tasks and solve business issues. Two, related tasks can be assembled into more reliable processes, which ensures consistent execution and prevents mistakes. And, three, self-service puts the power in the hands of the user, which means some staff can evolve into roles such as business relationship or service manager.

Have you used automation to empower your IT staff? Share your story with me here.