Workload automation
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Workload Automation, More Than Just Job Scheduling
Job scheduling is a familiar term used by many computer operations personnel. The function of job scheduling has been around since the early days of computing. The basic requirement to manage workload (jobs) was born out of the requirement to do batch updates to systems outside of normal business hours so that activities such as online inquiry and data entry would not be impacted by slowdowns caused by processing cycles and resource contention. This practice truly defined the business day as a 24 hour day of which half was dedicated to collecting information while the other half was dedicated to processing the information. The world has changed significantly since the 24 hour business day. No longer can the processing be broken up into an ‘online day’ and a batch processing window. It’s now about processes that have no time boundaries with on demand processing requirements around the clock.
These changing requirements have a significant impact on processing cycles. A company’s job scheduling solution needs to change with these requirements to address real-time business processing, while still supporting traditional batch job requirements. Job scheduling is moving from the back room of the data center to the forefront of the business and can provide benefits beyond Data Center Operations and should be exposed to Application Developers. It is not called job scheduling anymore. Workload Automation is not only the new moniker, but is a whole new level of automation capabilities than transform it into a business-driven, SOA-enabled, on demand automation tool..
The concept of Workload Automation is all about preserving traditional job scheduling while addressing new requirements through advanced technology, new management paradigms, and dynamic automation of workload-type processes. Workload Automation can enable real-time automation of batch-like processes that are tightly woven into the fabric of a business process. This integration into the business process allows workload to be triggered automatically as a direct result of business activity. The workload can be requested for scheduling or execution based on a set of business rules that are stored with the workload definition. Calendars may or may not apply. This requires a new approach to both how workload can be managed and how it is defined. Automated solutions need to enable customers to achieve these new requirements by including a workflow engine that allows for process definition, standardization of procedures, and a business process approach to workload management. A solution should also include SOA-enabled Automation to allow customers to integrate workload with business processes. Mature automation products are leveraging web services to enable other applications to reach into the workload and embed it within a business process. These products can also invoke a web service from within a traditional job flow allowing for the reuse of business services that are already defined.
In summary, true Workload Automation tools are advanced, dynamic, enterprise-wide tools that should be exposed and used throughout IT to benefit the speed and effectiveness of application development process from the design phase all the way thru production execution and problem remediation/resolution.
Sources
http://www.ca.com/us/workload-automation-solution.aspx http://www-01.ibm.com/software/tivoli/products/workloadautomation/