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Insight and analysis on the data center space from industry thought leaders.
Successfully Marrying IT Process Automation Tools with Cloud Technology
IT process automation also offers similar benefits to cloud computing -flexibility, efficiency and opportunity for global expansion and this makes the two a very attractive combination, writes Gabby Nizri of Ayehu Software. Let’s take a look at how ITPA tools are currently working within the cloud and how to choose the ones that will most benefit your business.
February 25, 2014
Gabby Nizri is the Founder & CEO of Ayehu Software Technologies Ltd., publishers of eyeShare, an enterprise-class, lightweight IT process automation tool.
GabbyNizri_tn
GABBY NIZRIAyehu Software
As technology evolves, more and more businesses of every shape, size and industry are turning to the cloud for enhanced flexibility, improved efficiency and the opportunity for global advancement. Coincidentally, IT process automation also offers many of the same benefits, which makes the two a very attractive combination. Let’s take a look at how ITPA tools are currently working within the cloud and how to choose the ones that will most benefit your business.
Define Goals and Strategies
First and foremost, it’s important to understand that if you’re in the market for an automation product that you’d like to leverage along with cloud technology, you must clearly outline what your goals and strategies are ahead of time. There are plenty of options to choose from, and quite frankly, it can be mind-boggling figuring out which option makes the most sense for your particular business. You must start by clearly defining what you want to accomplish and then compare your options to find the product that is most closely aligned with your needs.
Integration
The next thing to consider is how it will integrate with your current system. There’s no point in implementing a new IT Process automation tool if it’s going to function as just another fragmented program in and of itself. You’ll only be creating more work and a bigger headache, and it’s very unlikely you’ll accomplish that set of goals you’ve laid out. You need to find a product that not only works in the cloud, but also provides easy integration with legacy systems. The goal is to make the transition as seamless as possible and to enhance, not hinder, the functionality of your IT operation and the organization as a whole.
Security
Another important factor to consider when marrying cloud with automation is security. These days, it’s absolutely critical that businesses do their due diligence when managing sensitive, proprietary and confidential data to avoid a potential security breach. The nature of the cloud makes it inherently riskier than systems that are completely housed on-premise. Provided that the ITPA product that you choose is of good quality and integrates well with your existing systems, the security issue can be resolved, since it allows you to achieve the best of both worlds – keeping confidential information safely in-house while still leveraging the benefits of cloud technology.
Holistic Approach
Finally, if you’re going to be successful at leveraging both cloud and IT automation, you must find a way to adjust your thinking (and that of your entire team) from the older, more opportunistic approach to one that is much more holistic. The old system of thought was that each department or function could use its own automation tool to make their job more efficient. The problem is, not only do you end up with way too many tools, but the end result is fragmented and inherently inefficient, ultimately defeating the purpose of automating altogether.
The only way to really bring the two pieces together successfully is to look at automation as a “big picture” solution – a tool that can and should become an inter-departmental bridge creating a more systematic approach to operational efficiency. Rather than many individually beneficial tools, automation can be the one big problem solver that brings everything together and improves the business as a whole. As such, the IT automation tool you select should be designed to work across all systems.
Cloud computing is most certainly the future paradigm of business IT. So is IT process automation. Combining the two can provide your organization with the best of both worlds, but you have to first know what to look for if you’re going to piece together a system that will truly boost your business to the next level. By following the guidelines provided here, you’ll be poised to create an environment in which cloud and automation will help streamline your operations and catapult your business into success, both now and well into the future.
Industry Perspectives is a content channel at Data Center Knowledge highlighting thought leadership in the data center arena. See our guidelines and submission process for information on participating. View previously published Industry Perspectives in our Knowledge Library.
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