Network Automation extends business process automation to the cloud

The good folks a Network Automation stopped by to introduce me to their product AutoMate and talk about business process automation in general. Although business process automation isn't flashy, streamlining, optimizing and automating processes that create value for the organization is really important. As business processes start to encompass functions running in the clouds somewhere, managing those processes as part of a complete workflow comes to the forefront as a necessity.

What is business process automation?

There are several different definitions of business process automation and how it differs from the related, but different business process management. I won't bore you with the details of either, but it is important to consider how independent tools and manual processes work together to create a workflow. The focus here is on outcomes not individual tasks.

The results of a business system can be combined with an administrative process and the results then used to guide another business system. How each step is initiated and managed is controlled by the BPA system.

Network Automation's AutoMate

Network Automation has been offering a product, AutoMate, that is designed to help organizations with the following parts of a business workflow:

• build the rules that define a task
• manage "triggers" that "watch" for specified system events or conditions to occur and cause a task to run as a result. This could be based upon a specific schedule, changes to files, changes to system logs or a variety of other events.
• allow a workflow specialist to graphically create complex scripts without having to write a batch control file or custom operating system script
• monitor system and application log files to control the progress of a workflow or discover problems so that they can be resolved in an automated way

The net result is a automated, optimized workflow that ties together different applications, manual processes and, now, on-premise and cloud-based operations.

Snapshot analysis

While I thought that Network Automation's AutoMate sounded pretty mundane, I could see the value it could bring to an organization. The use of such a tool could make sure that teams followed policies and guidelines, that steps weren't forgetten or skipped, and everyone who was supposed to be involved in a process was informed of what was going on.

The challenge Network Automation faces is that many suppliers are offering what appears to be similar tools. Suppliers such as IBM, Sybase, Zeacom and others are offering their own approaches to BPA. Although Network Automation has been around since 2004, this was the first time I was introduced to what the company does. Even though the company's product appears very useful, if potential customers haven't heard of Network Automation, they won't consider it. If they don't consider it, they certainly won't purchase it.

I look forward to seeing what Network Automation is doing to build awareness of the company, interest in its products, desire for the products and then win more business.