One powerful solution that's gained significant traction in recent years is IT automation. And interest in this area of technology is set to remain vital for IT. In fact, research from Gartner shows that 85% of infrastructure and operations (I&O) leaders plan to scale up automation efforts in the next three years. "Automation is essential for I&O to scale for the rising demands of digital business… [and] can support IT in enabling speed to market, increasing business agility, ensuring compliance with security and regulatory requirements and optimizing service costs," said Yinuo Geng, VP, Gartner.

By automating everyday IT tasks and processes, businesses can not only save time and resources but also enhance their overall performance and competitiveness. In this blog, we'll explore how everyday IT automation practices can help drive more business value, growth, and efficiency.

What is everyday IT automation?

Everyday IT automation refers to the use of technology to automate repetitive, routine tasks and processes in the IT environment. These tasks can range from simple activities like password resets and system updates to more complex operations such as software deployment, network configuration, or device fixes. By automating these tasks, businesses can reduce the potential for human error, ensure consistency, and free up IT to focus on more strategic activities.

Automation helps to streamline and consolidate approaches to remediation, providing a better overall digital experience across the board.

Here are some examples of everyday IT tasks that can be automated:

  • Configuration and compliance: automate configuration compliance for your entire IT estate and keep your environment secure and compliant.
  • Patch management: automate the process of applying software patches and updates to keep systems secure and up to date.
  • Backup and recovery: automate data backup and recovery processes to protect business continuity in the event of data loss or system failures.
  • Monitoring and alerting: Set up automated monitoring and alerting systems to proactively and quickly detect and remediate issues before they impact business operations.

Benefits of everyday IT automation

There are many benefits to automating everyday IT tasks. For example:

  • Increased efficiency: Automation significantly reduces the time and effort required to complete routine IT tasks. This means reduced digital friction, decreased mean time to resolution, and improved service delivery.
  • Reduced errors: Human error is one of the leading causes of IT issues. Automation makes sure that tasks are performed consistently and accurately, reducing the risk of costly mistakes.
  • Cost savings: By automating repetitive tasks, businesses can reduce labor costs and reallocate resources to more strategic activities, ultimately saving money.
  • Scalability: As businesses grow, their IT needs become more complex. Automation allows them to scale their IT operations efficiently.
  • Improved compliance: Many industries have specific compliance requirements. Automation helps businesses meet these regulatory standards by ensuring tasks are performed consistently and documented.
  • Better resource usage: IT professionals can focus on innovation and strategic initiatives instead of being bogged down by repetitive tasks, leading to increased productivity.

Implementing Everyday IT Automation

To drive more business value through everyday IT automation, businesses need to follow a structured approach:

Begin by identifying routine IT tasks that can be automated. Consult with your IT team to gather insights into the most time-consuming and error-prone activities. It's then important to select the right automation tools that align with your specific needs and are suitable for your IT team.

Create automated IT workflows that outline the steps and logic of the automated processes. These workflows should be well-documented and reviewed regularly for optimization. Before deploying automation in a production environment, thoroughly test and validate your workflows to make sure they work as intended.

Regularly monitor and maintain your automated processes. Updates and improvements may be required as your IT environment evolves. Provide training and support to your IT team to make sure they're comfortable with the new automated processes.

Everyday IT automation has become a critical tool for businesses looking to optimize their IT operations, reduce costs, and enhance overall efficiency. By automating routine tasks, organizations can free up their IT professionals to focus on strategic initiatives that drive business value. In fact, according to Salesforce research, there are links between lower stress levels and automation: "More than 90% of workers recently surveyed said automation solutions increased their productivity, and 85% said these tools boosted collaboration across their teams. Nearly 90% also said they trusted automation solutions to get more done without errors and help them make decisions faster."