Steps to Workload Automation that are SMART, Modular & Cost-Effective

SMART, Modular, Cost-Effective Steps
to Workload Automation
®An ENTERPRISE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES (EMAT) White Paper Prepared for BMC Software
August 2008
IT Management Research, Industry Analysis, and ConsultingSMART, Modular, Cost-Effective Steps
to Workload Automation
Table of Contents
Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................1
Workload Automation - Best Practices and Benefits ...................................................................1
WLA - The SMART Approach ........................................................................................................1Focus Area 1 - Application Integration......................................................................................2Focus Area 2 - End-to-End Workflow Mapping......................................................................2Focus Area 3 - Enterprise Visibility and Management............................................................3Focus Area 4 - Service-Driven Management.............................................................................3Focus Area 5 - Dynamic and Agile Workflow...........................................................................4
Overcoming Obstacles to WLA Efficiency ....................................................................................4Cost Concerns..................................................................................................................................4Availability of Staff.........................................................................................................................4Lack of Mature Processes..............................................................................................................4Internal Politics.................................................................................................................................4
A Modular Approach with BMC's Product Suite ..........................................................................5
EMA Perspective ..................................................................................................................................6
About BMC Software ..........................................................................................................................6
©2008 Enterprise Management Associates, Inc. All Rights Reserved.SMART, Modular, Cost-Effective Steps
to Workload Automation
Executive Summary This paper proposes a high-level methodology for implementation of Workload Automation (WLA) - a mature evolution of job scheduling that automates complex IT processing and includes support for event-driven workloads, multiple platforms, Web services, composite applications, SOAs, virtual systems, system and application integration, business alignment, and more.A previous EMA white paper established many drivers and significant benefits for WLA, and recommended that WLA initiatives begin by consolidating typically heterogeneous job scheduling tools into a single point of control. Consolidated job scheduling is a crucial first step, but WLA requires much more. In today's business processing environment, composite applications now span platforms, networks, and enterprises. Control requires flexible integration with a business-centric view, coupled with sophisticated orchestration. Workloads must respond to business needs and make use of dynamic resources. This paper highlights five major "focus" areas for implementing WLA - application in-tegration, end-to-end workflow mapping, enterprise visibility and management, service-driven management, and dynamic workflow resourcing. These focus areas are relatively independent of each other, providing modular, flexible, and achievable steps for practical WLA implementation.
WLA delivers benefits including Workload Automation - Best
decreased staffing costs, increased Practices and Benefits Workload Automation (WLA) is a mature evolution of job efficiency, improved customer scheduling that automates complex IT processing with a busi-service, better resource utilization, ness service focus, supporting event-driven workloads across multiple platforms, integrating diverse applications, architec-fewer outage minutes, and tures, and systems. WLA delivers benefits inclu... [download for more]