Best Practices for Making Cloud-Based Automation Click

Cloud and modernization go hand in hand, and the result of this combination is a more efficient and effective agency.

Cloud supports many emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation. The latter is especially crucial because it can take tedious manual processes off workers’ hands, allowing them to use their time and attention for more challenging work.

But combining automation and cloud to create a high function IT service model involves investing time in the design phase to understand what data and technology you have, where gaps exist and what you need to fill them. Therefore, agencies should look at cloud-based automation as a cycle, to help make cloud-based automation click.

Below are best practices for how agencies can implement a platform that embraces automation.

1. Lay a foundation for solid automation with good data.

Relying on data and cloud-based platforms can increase efficiency and, eventually, set agencies up for success with more advanced initiatives such as automation.

2. Put application programming interfaces (APIs) first.

One way to connect everything is by using APIs. APIs allow for automated backend access to a piece of software, regardless of its age. Using them across multiple applications lets agencies weave together a single programmatic software fabric in which everything can communicate and integrate, whether it’s a legacy application or cloud-native, Fitzhugh said.

3. Use Infrastructure as Code (IAC).

IAC is a descriptive model that uses the same type of versioning that DevOps teams use in source code but applied to the same environment for every deployment. This lets development teams bring applications to production without sacrificing the oversight of the operations team. It’s not just about getting the information back reliably; it’s also using code that’s been written to build out the foundation, which can include the configuration of the data protection platform.

4. Avoid the creation of silos as you remove them through modernization.

Strive for simplicity; don’t create silos. Historically, most organizations have had little to no incentive to build things that are shared across the enterprise. APIs can help here again by providing a single set of tooling across many applications and services.

This blog post is an excerpt from our new report, Automation and Cloud: The Building Blocks of Successful Modernization. To explore the challenges of updating legacy systems and how an effective cloud data management platform can overcome them, download our full report here.