
Workload automation (WLA) is a solution for orchestrating a series of background processes and back-office business systems that ensures jobs are executing reliably and securely—going a step further than job scheduling to focus on entire systems. WLA tools support jobs and scripts—like PowerShell and others—running on-premises, in the cloud, and in multi-step workflows that integrate disparate systems and applications.
You may have heard other terms for workload automation—like batch processing, application automation, or resource automation—but WLA is a more accurate term as it encompasses more complex business processes and diverse servers and platforms.
Workload automation helps IT teams streamline and automate workloads to free up time, save money, reduce risks, and stay compliant. There are many processes to automate with WLA and many ways to make the life of your IT team easier, including:
See how real-world companies are using WLA to their advantage in the Workload Automation Use Case Guide.
Organizations of all sizes are realizing that workload automation isn’t just a nice-to-have solution—it’s a must have. Businesses often navigate to WLA when they’re looking to replace native schedulers like Windows Task Scheduler, Cron, or SQL Agent, that lack the advanced features they need. Whichever the reason you’re looking to WLA, defining your goal—be it saving your team extra hours or improving the accuracy of a process—is the best place to start when evaluating enterprise WLA.
To begin the process, turn to the Job Scheduling Checklist to help you determine your needs and help you understand the value workload automation can bring.
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When implemented properly, workload automation can be the heart of your enterprise operations—and a WLA solution is only as good as its best features. Here are the key features to look for in a WLA solution when evaluating your options:
Take a deeper dive into these features and more, as well as other information to successfully evaluate WLA solutions, in the Workload Automation Buyer’s Guide. Download Now >
Whether you’re just getting started on your WLA implementation journey or if you’ve already begun using WLA in your organization, sticking with key best practices can keep you on the path to automation success. From tips on security and dependencies to a list of basic automation changes to embrace, check out these resources to start a foundation of WLA knowledge to continuously reference as you build automation:
We understand budgets are tight and resources are limited when it comes to adding another tool to your organization. But armed with the right resources, it’s easy to understand the benefits and ROI of a workload automation tool and make the case to your boss.
IT teams are saving countless hours of manual processing, securing their jobs against unapproved edits, and reducing the overhead associated with running a hodgepodge of scheduling tools. Here are more of the benefits WLA can bring to your organization:
For any IT project, a quick return on investment helps justify the money, time, and effort involved in the purchase and implementation of a new solution. Make the case for your WLA project with these six steps to understanding your ROI—from determining your business requirements to calculating costs—that will get you the buy-in you need from leadership.
With critical business operations at stake, moving on from a legacy or native scheduler can be a daunting task. But with the right partner you can achieve a painless migration. No matter what solution you’re looking to move on from, look for expertise and experience in your new vendor to provide an effortless conversion. Check out these resources to learn more:
JAMS is a powerful workload automation solution with centralized job scheduling that works across platforms, applications, APIs, and scripting languages. JAMS makes your batch jobs more reliable and extends the capabilities of native schedulers to combine jobs into powerful sequences.
Beyond the software, JAMS fosters an automation community and training opportunities—like JAMS University—designed to help users automate smarter. Plus, offering unmatched support that users describe as top-notch, thorough, friendly, and responsive.
See for yourself, read our reviews on G2 >