An Architectural Approach to IT Automation
An architectural approach to IT automation supports cross-domain automation. This is important to automate the entire lifecycle of business processes and workflows. Automating the entire lifecycle of processes leads to agility and digital transformation.
In our line of work we build innovative technology solutions. We work close with IT and business leaders that champion digital transformation. Our clients seek:
- Strategic advice on getting started
- Help on clearly defining what business transformation looks like for them
- Guidance in creating an IT Automation roadmap that is viable for the entire organization
Leaders understand that automation is central to achieving operational agility. And that agility lays the groundwork for digital transformation.
In fact, recent surveys show that over 70% of leaders have budget allocated for transformation efforts. At the same time, many of these leaders take an elemental approach to automation. An elemental approach is automating processes on individual systems. It does not account for all systems and flows that a process touches. Research and analyst firm, Gartner, states this doesn’t produce lasting agility. Elemental automation can lead to the same process stagnation that stifles transformation.
Gartner survey reveals 40% of business leaders aren’t clear about how to execute a transformation plan in their organizations.
Time for an architectural approach to IT automation
Compared to elemental automation, an architectural approach to IT Automation supports cross-domain automation. This means automation happens along the entire lifecycle of a process or workflow. And across all systems they run on. Cross-domain automation is foundational to digital transformation.
Network automation support enables creating cross-domain automation at scale. Also it helps achieve automation at every stage of the lifecycle for a business process.
45% of work activities could be automated using technology that already exists. The potential for businesses to become more efficient and productive is clear.
What is cross-domain automation?
Cross-domain automation supports the functionality of network automation. It connects with other functions and domains in a data center. Once in place, it can make way for advanced methods like AI-driven automation and machine learning. This in turn, can further optimize automated IT services across the organization.
Map the lifecycle of a business process for the best architectural automation strategy
Mapping out the lifecycle of a business process is key for an effective architectural automation strategy. It will help identify all stages, their subprocesses, owners, and systems involved. And it can also reveal what processes need automation and which do not.
In general, a process lifecycle includes provisioning, monitoring, troubleshooting, management and remediation. Each stage might need different automations tools. Most often, a single automation technology will not address all stages of a process lifecycle.
Pave the way to digital transformation with an architectural approach to IT automation
Automation in IT is not a novel thing. However, automations are often human-coded scripts that are prone to error. They run on disparate systems that are not connected across domains. This is an elemental approach to automation that can be costly in the long run.
Unlike elemental automation, an architectural approach automates processes across a network of cross-domain systems. This creates accurate output at scale and true transparency. It also enables operational agility, setting the stage for digital transformation.
To get started on designing your own architectural approach to IT automation, contact JDK.