Workload automation (WLA) is the process of using software to schedule, initiate, and execute business processes, transactions, workflows, and other related tasks. It also allows businesses to configure or stop processes. The use of workload automation allows for all of this processing to happen without human or manual intervention. Additionally, unlike other systems of automation, workload automation is less focused on time-based processing and more focused on real-time processing, predefined event-driven triggers, and situational dependencies.
Among its many benefits, WLA offers centralized control of the management of multiple tasks, making it possible to schedule enterprise-wide tasks. Further, it supports the timely completion of tasks and is particularly beneficial for things that need to happen at a specific time or that need to occur as a result of some other event. WLA increases efficiency, reduces the turnaround time for workflows, and reduces errors and delays in end-to-end processes.
The Development of WLA
The idea of workflow automation was first introduced in 2005 by Gartner in a “Hype Cycle for IT Operations Management” report. At that point, IT automation was limited to static and manual job scheduling. To address this issue and to try to make automation better respond to increasingly complex IT demands, Gartner introduced the idea of workload automation. It’s worth noting that, since its inception, workload automation has been more than just the next step for job scheduling. Instead, it’s intended to do something above and beyond the abilities of previous automation.
Differences between Workload Automation and Job Scheduling
While it’s common to hear people use workload automation and job scheduling interchangeably, the reality is that there are some important distinctions between the two. That said, job scheduling was the predecessor to workload automation, accomplishing many of the same tasks. Generally speaking, workload automation and job scheduling do the same things, but workload automation is more effective and can do more.
Job scheduling allows businesses to automate batch jobs on a single system and to submit these batch jobs for execution as a result of a specific event or at a certain time. Traditional job scheduling software works on one machine and is pretty inflexible. In complex systems, job scheduling has its limitations and inherently leads to a lack of coordination between operating systems, a high level of complexity when it comes to scheduling jobs and maintenance, the need for lots of manual intervention as well as the need for frequent programming to fill gaps.
In contrast, workload automation offers a broader range of capabilities and much more flexibility. It does all of the same things as job scheduling but can do more effectively. Unlike job scheduling, workload automation tools are able to coordinate processes on different servers and operating systems. This is a key difference because it eliminates some of the key limitations of job scheduling, namely offering siloed and complex solutions and requiring lots of manual intervention and programming.
A practical example of what these advantages can offer businesses is the ability of workload automation tools to execute an automated process as a result of a web-based event. For example, when data is entered on a mobile app, it can trigger a specific process. This type of system-wide automation is important to meet the increasingly heterogeneous ecosystems of many IT organizations. With a single point of control that can execute processes system-wide, workload automation offers enterprises a different level of automation than previous solutions. It makes automation simpler, more effective, and more reliable.
