Cloud Workload Automation: Top Software & Use Cases
Businesses are increasing their flexibility while managing costs by adopting a hybrid cloud strategy. According to Statista, industries have increased their cloud workloads and had an uptick as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.1
We explore the differences between cloud and hybrid workload automation, the top tools, and 7 use cases of hybrid & cloud workload automation that enhance agility and productivity in business processes.
What is Cloud Workload Management?
Cloud Workload Management refers to the process of efficiently deploying, monitoring, scaling, and optimizing applications, services, or processes (i.e., workloads) running in cloud environments. A workload in this context can be anything from a microservice or web application to a large-scale data processing job.
Key Aspects of Cloud Workload Management:
- Workload Placement
Deciding where to run workloads (e.g., public vs. private cloud, specific regions or availability zones, or specific types of compute instances like VMs, containers, or serverless functions). - Resource Optimization
Matching workloads with the right amount and type of compute, memory, storage, and networking resources to avoid over- or under-provisioning. - Autoscaling
Automatically increasing or decreasing resources based on demand, usage patterns, or performance metrics. - Monitoring & Observability
Tracking workload performance, availability, cost, and security using tools like Prometheus, Grafana, or cloud-native monitoring systems (e.g., AWS CloudWatch, Azure Monitor). - Policy Enforcement
Applying governance policies around workload behavior, including security, compliance, cost control, and performance SLAs. - Security Management
Ensuring workloads are isolated, encrypted, and protected via access controls, firewalls, and vulnerability management. - Multi-cloud or Hybrid-cloud Coordination
Managing workloads across multiple cloud providers or between cloud and on-premise environments, often using orchestration platforms like Kubernetes or infrastructure-as-code tools.
What is the difference between cloud and hybrid workload automation?
Cloud Workload Automation (CWA) is made for cloud environments like public, private, and multi-cloud setups. It helps automate tasks on different cloud platforms. T
his type of automation works well with the flexible nature of cloud resources, meaning it can adjust well as needs increase or decrease. CWA is useful for businesses that are fully in the cloud or moving to the cloud. Its main job is managing tasks and data analysis in the cloud.
Hybrid Workload Automation (HWA) deals with cloud and on-premises environments (like an office or data center). It helps manage tasks in both these areas, linking traditional data center work with cloud services.
HWA is essential for companies with both on-premises systems and cloud services. It’s especially useful when some data or programs need to stay on-premises for reasons like safety rules, performance, cost, or security, but the company also uses cloud technology.
This type of automation connects and organizes resources and tasks across both the traditional IT setups and cloud-based systems. See the top hybrid cloud job schedulers for more information.
Feature | Cloud Workload Automation (CWA) | Hybrid Workload Automation (HWA)
|
|---|---|---|
Environment Focus | Designed for cloud environments (public, private, multi-cloud). | Manages both cloud environments and on-premises data centers. |
Ideal For | Businesses fully in the cloud or transitioning to cloud. | Organizations with a significant presence in both on-premises and cloud environments. |
Integration | Cloud-centric integration capabilities. Integrates with a variety of cloud services and APIs. | Integrates with both cloud services and traditional on-premises infrastructure. |
Top cloud workload automation software
Software | Ratings* |
|---|---|
4.6 based on 246 reviews | |
4.7 based on 148 reviews | |
4.8 based on 85 reviews | |
4.6 based on 162 reviews | |
Control-M | 4.4 based on 58 reviews |
AutoSys | 4.4 based on 48 reviews |
Nutanix Cloud Manager | 4.3 based on 31 reviews |
Rackspace Hybrid Cloud | 4.2 based on 26 reviews |
IBM Workload Automation | 4.2 based on 22 reviews |
CloudBolt Hybrid Cloud Management | 4.3 based on 4 reviews |
*Reviews are based on Capterra and G2. Vendors are ranked according to their reviews except for sponsors of this article, whose links are included in the table above.
Top 7 cloud workload automation use cases
1. Regulatory compliance
Failure to comply with data privacy regulations can result in fines and damage to a business’s reputation. As regulations change over time, businesses need to stay up-to-date with them.
Hybrid and cloud workload automation tools help businesses store, classify, and use data. Regularly scheduled tasks for security audits, compliance checks, and updates can be automated, ensuring that these critical activities are performed consistently and without fail, thereby reducing the risk of security breaches and non-compliance penalties.
Real-world example
BlueBay Asset Management, a financial investment company based in the United Kingdom, successfully implemented ActiveBatch Workload Automation to centralize job scheduling and improve system performance.
The solution allowed them to automate critical business processes, such as risk assessment and trading software updates, SSRS reporting, and IT operations and infrastructure management. BlueBay achieved cost savings, improved compliance, and increased visibility in their workflows. 2
2. Cloud provisioning
If a business uses virtual servers, configuring and provisioning services manually takes a lot of time. This can result in low performance and high costs. Cloud automation tools build some templates and guide how the configuration of virtual servers should be done. Thereby, infrastructure configurations are scaled easily and do not take much time. By adopting cloud automation, businesses can simplify the process of network management by automating the allocation of resources.
Real-world example
Amazon moved its operations to the cloud in 2010 and benefited from cloud automation in many services. The company automated its provisioning system on the cloud and controlled scaling capacity efficiently. 3
3. Application deployment
Hybrid and cloud automation improves overall operational efficiency by significantly reducing the time taken for deployment, freeing up the development team to focus on creating new features and improving the application rather than spending time on repetitive deployment tasks.
HWA and CWA tools also reduce errors caused by manual interventions, enhancing the deployments’ reliability by leveraging cloud automation in application deployment; organizations can make the process more efficient, reliable, and fast, leading to quicker releases, cost savings, and improved application quality.
Real-world example
Walmart, an e-commerce market giant, adopted a cloud platform to deploy applications across numerous cloud servers. The company also uses cloud automation on server-build processes and software configuration.4
4. Monitoring and remediation
Hybrid and cloud automation tools can be used to set up automated monitoring of applications and infrastructure. Cloud automation tools can specifically collect data on various metrics, such as CPU usage, network traffic, disk space, and more, across all resources in the cloud environment. This data can be used to analyze the performance and health of applications and infrastructure.
Automated monitoring systems can provide real-time visibility into the system’s operations, enabling you to detect anomalies as they occur. They are capable of generating alerts based on predefined conditions, notifying the responsible teams instantly if a problem arises.
When it comes to remediation, cloud automation tools can take predefined actions based on specific conditions. For instance, if a server goes down, the tool can automatically spin up a new server to ensure continuity of service. This ensures that any problems’ impact is minimized and services remain available to users.
Using Infrastructure as Code (IaC), you can also maintain a version-controlled ‘desired state’ of your infrastructure. If any deviations from this desired state are detected, the system can be automatically corrected to match this state. This makes maintaining consistent environments easier and reduces the risk of configuration drift.
Automated remediation can also be used in the context of security. If a potential security threat is detected, the system can take immediate action, such as isolating a compromised system or applying a necessary patch.
5. Scheduling and Resource Management
A common struggle businesses face is the efficient allocation of cloud resources. Through its smart scheduling capabilities, hybrid & cloud workload automation ensures that tasks are executed at optimal times and under predefined conditions. For example, a company that processes vast amounts of data overnight might schedule these workloads during off-peak hours to reduce costs via workload automation or job scheduling software. This is analogous to a manufacturing process where tasks are scheduled based on their dependencies to maximize throughput while minimizing idle time.
6. Enhancing Scalability
One of the primary uses of hybrid & cloud workload automation in scalability is its ability to allocate resources dynamically based on real-time demand. In a scenario where an organization experiences fluctuating or unpredictable workloads, manual scaling of resources can be slow and inefficient. Hybrid workload automation tools can automatically scale resources up or down, depending on the current workload.
One of the best examples of how hybrid & cloud workload automation can impact efficiency is during events like Black Friday or Cyber Monday. E-commerce companies, for instance, can use these tools to dynamically scale up resources to handle the high load and then scale them back down when normal traffic patterns resume. This flexibility ensures a seamless customer experience while optimizing cloud spending.
7. Automation of other manual tasks on the cloud
Manual tasks are prone to human errors and can result in significant losses for businesses. Hybrid and cloud automation enables businesses to automate manual and tedious tasks in a cloud environment. HWA and CWA tools codify workloads on the cloud and enable the tool to repeat it in the future.
Hybrid and cloud automation removes error-prone practices and accelerates workload processes. Based on the rules set by the criteria, cloud automation tools easily detect the delineations and notify the user about them. By automating workloads on the cloud, businesses can manage their workflows quickly, securely, and reliably.
Real-world example
Netflix automated an essential part of its DevOps on the cloud and gained flexibility and agility in releasing new changes to its website.5 In case of any issues with the changes on the website, users return to previous versions and continue to watch without interruption, thanks to cloud automation.
What are the top benefits of cloud workload automation?
According to McKinsey, automation of workflows on cloud services helps businesses gain agility and flexibility, and it saves businesses from spending time, effort, and costs on manual tasks.6 . Beyond these immediate efficiencies, cloud workload automation offers additional strategic advantages:
- Scalability and Performance Optimization: Automated cloud environments enable organizations to scale their operations seamlessly. By automating resource provisioning and scaling, businesses can adapt quickly to fluctuating demand without manual intervention, ensuring optimal performance during peak times and avoiding unnecessary costs during low-usage periods.
- Enhanced Reliability and Reduced Downtime: Automation can improve system reliability by managing routine maintenance and orchestrating failover processes, thereby reducing human error. Automated processes also support disaster recovery, replicating workloads and data across regions to ensure business continuity in case of failure.
- Improved Security and Compliance: Cloud automation helps enforce security and compliance policies consistently. With automated vulnerability scans, configuration management, and access control, organizations can monitor compliance with industry regulations and minimize risks, freeing teams to focus on proactive security improvements rather than reactive tasks.
- Accelerated Time to Market: By automating the deployment and management of infrastructure, cloud automation enables DevOps and CI/CD practices, reducing the time needed to bring new products or features to market. Faster, automated testing and deployment cycles allow for rapid iteration and innovation, positioning businesses to respond more swiftly to market changes.
- Cost Savings and Resource Optimization: Automation in the cloud allows for optimized resource allocation, reducing idle resources and over-provisioning. Automated shutdown of non-essential workloads and real-time adjustment of resources based on demand can lead to significant cost savings, while providing a clear, centralized view of resource usage for improved budgeting and forecasting.
Further Reading
If you are already looking for cloud or hybrid automation solutions, check our article(s) for workload automation tools and job schedulers for each area:
- For enterprise workloads: Top Hybrid Cloud Job Scheduler
- For enterprises that rely on SAP: Top SAP Job Scheduling Software
- For small businesses with simple automation needs: Top Open Source Job Schedulers & WLA Tools
- For general workload automation: Top 7+ Workload Automation Tools
FAQ
Reference Links
Cem's work has been cited by leading global publications including Business Insider, Forbes, Washington Post, global firms like Deloitte, HPE and NGOs like World Economic Forum and supranational organizations like European Commission. You can see more reputable companies and resources that referenced AIMultiple.
Throughout his career, Cem served as a tech consultant, tech buyer and tech entrepreneur. He advised enterprises on their technology decisions at McKinsey & Company and Altman Solon for more than a decade. He also published a McKinsey report on digitalization.
He led technology strategy and procurement of a telco while reporting to the CEO. He has also led commercial growth of deep tech company Hypatos that reached a 7 digit annual recurring revenue and a 9 digit valuation from 0 within 2 years. Cem's work in Hypatos was covered by leading technology publications like TechCrunch and Business Insider.
Cem regularly speaks at international technology conferences. He graduated from Bogazici University as a computer engineer and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School.
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