While some companies persist with only an on-premises approach, it is now the exception rather than the rule. These days, most industries are pro-cloud. According to IBM, cloud migration services have been now leveraged by around 94% of organisations. However, effective management of such a complex environment may often require cloud automation tools.

The basics of cloud automation

By adopting cloud infrastructure, companies gain on-demand access to additional computing capacity and storage. At the same time, some workloads in the cloud are still executed manually. For instance, installation processes, configuring virtual machines and managing cloud computing systems usually need to be done by hand.

To speed up time-consuming manual processes, companies turn to cloud automation and orchestration tools. Cloud automation encompasses solutions and tools that help eliminate repetitive aspects managed by one or more manual processes. And while cloud automation refers to optimising a particular task, orchestration arranges several different tasks in one workflow.

Cloud automation can increase the efficiency of a handful of workflows and tasks. Let’s take a look at the most common use cases for cloud automation.

• Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) – this refers to infrastructure provisioning, including configuring virtual servers and setting up a network, storage volumes or other cloud resources. Once the infrastructure code is ready, processes can be automated, and a manual setup is needed to configure hardware.
• Database backups – these are usually manual processes that fall under the responsibility of an IT operator, and they are performed manually during working hours. With a cloud automation tool, these processes can be automated on a fixed schedule.
• Application deployment and testing – with cloud automation tools, users can set up automatic testing of new code. After the users get the results and fix any bugs, the application can be automatically moved to the production environment.
• Hybrid cloud management – when a company uses public and private clouds, automation tools can help manage these multiple clouds by centralising with one toolset.

The top five benefits of cloud infrastructure automation tools

In our experience, cloud automation can be beneficial for companies across many industries. Logistics, fintech, retail, insurance, automotive ‒ the list could go on and on. Apart from eliminating repetitive manual tasks, cloud automation tools also offer many other advantages.

1. Enhanced security

Many users logging into systems to complete tasks by hand presents opportunities for malicious actors to access sensitive data. Automating manual processes allows a company to prevent human error and embed automated tasks with the best security practices.

Cloud automation can also be leveraged to test a system’s resilience. With continuous monitoring, it can identify and handle weak spots and potential problems. In case a server is down, cloud automation can temporarily move a workload to a working server.

2. Cost reduction

The more routine tasks that require human involvement there are, the more expenses they demand. Automating cloud-based processes reduces operational costs, minimises manual labour directed at routine fixes and allows users to focus on other tasks, like developing and innovating.

3. Seamless backup management

Data backups are a vital part of the current business landscape. The process prevents data loss in case of equipment failure, natural disaster, or cyber-attack. Automating this process streamlines the data updating process by uploading the latest information at the scheduled time, often during off-peak hours. It allows users to concentrate on top-priority tasks and be sure the data has been updated.

4. Better governance and control

Cloud automation solutions provide centralised governance and total control over deployment and operations. Manual management of cloud services creates visibility only into the currently running process, while automation offers a centralised view. Moreover, automation enhances role-based access control so that only authorised users have access rights and permissions to particular functions and data.

5. Robust scalability

Cloud automation helps teams to work on a large scale. Manual workflows can be a good fit for a small cloud environment with few virtual machines and little data to store. However, cloud automation is necessary for an environment with vast amounts of data and a plethora of users and servers.