Section 26: Automation and Orchestration

Automating Support Ticket Creation

Submission Users submit requests through channels (e.g., email, web form, support portal) Ticket Generation Automation tool generates tickets based on predefined criteria Capture Information Capture essential information from user submissions Categorize Categorize tickets based on content or source Prioritize Assign priority based on predefined rules and criteria Notification Automated notification sent to relevant support team or technician

Continuous Delivery (CD)

A methodology that focuses on making sure software is always in a releasable state throughout its lifecycle. Part of the release process. Does not deploy automatically.

CURL

A tool for transferring data to or from a server using various supported protocols

API Communication

APIs facilitate communication between different parts of a microservice or service-oriented architecture

REST (Representational State Transfer)

Architectural style that uses standard HTTP methods and status codes, uniform resource identifiers, and MME types.

Runbook

Automated version of a playbook with defined interaction points for human analysis Purpose Executes automated tasks with human decision points

Continuous Deployment (CD)

Automates the process of deploying code changes from testing to production after completion of the build stage

Playbook

Checklist of actions for detecting and responding to a specific incident Purpose Guides incident response processes

SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response)

Class of security tools for incident response, threat hunting, and security configurations Purpose Orchestrate and automate runbooks, deliver data enrichment

User Provisioning

Collecting information Employee provides personal details, role, and department information Creating accounts Automation creates user accounts in various systems Assigning roles and access Automation assigns roles and access levels based on department and position Sending notifications Automated notifications sent to the employee, manager, or IT department Conducting synchronization and updates Automation keeps user information synchronized across platforms

Decision Factors

Complexity Automation and orchestration are suitable for complex, repetitive tasks Cost Conduct a cost-benefit analysis considering development, implementation, and maintenance costs Single Points of Failure Implement backup systems or manual processes to mitigate single points of failure Technical Debt Technical debt is the cost and complexity of suboptimal software solutions Ongoing Supportability Automation and orchestration systems need ongoing maintenance and adaptation

Orchestration

Coordinated execution of multiple automated tasks for a specific outcome or workflow Purpose Ensures tasks work together harmoniously

Ticket Escalation Automation

Define Criteria ● Define escalation criteria based on issue nature, urgency, and service level agreements Create Rules ● Create automation rules to monitor ticket attributes and trigger escalation Perform Action ● Perform predefined escalation actions (e.g., notification, reassignment, change in priority) Monitor Ticket ● Monitor and track the escalated ticket's progress Resolve Ticket ● Resolve and close the ticket, triggering notification to the user

Benefits of Automation and Orchestration

Efficiency Time-saving and consistent execution Standardization Enforces baselines and standardized configurations Scalability Scales securely and efficiently Employee Retention Reduces repetitive tasks Reaction Time Faster responses to incidents Workforce Multiplier Maximizes human resources

Release

Enabling software installation and usage

Automating Support Ticket Management

Enhances IT and customer support team efficiency Streamlines issue resolution and improves customer satisfaction

Effective Automation and Orchestration

For repeatable and stable tasks and workflows

Automating Security

Helps prevent security vulnerabilities, respond to threats swiftly, and maintain consistent security policies

Ways to Automate Security

Implementing Guardrails Automated safety controls to protect against insecure infrastructure configurations Managing Security Groups Act as virtual firewalls for cloud-based server instances Enabling and Disabling Services and Access Automate service access management to prevent unnecessary risks and maintain operational efficiency Automating Permissions Management Manage permissions using Role-based Access Controls (RBAC)

Continuous Integration (CI)

Practice in software development where developers merge code changes frequently in one place

SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol)

Protocol that defines a strict standard with a set of structure for the message, usually in XML format

Steps in Resource Provisioning

Requirements analysis Analyze role and department information to determine specific resources Resource allocation Initiate procurement workflows or allocate available resources based on rules Configuration Configure resources to meet the employee's role Verification and Auditing Verification process to ensure successful allocation. Auditing to track allocated resources for inventory management and compliance Gathering Feedback Employee and manager feedback on resource suitability and additional requirements

API (Application Programming Interface)

Set of rules and protocols used for building and integrating application software

Deployment

Installing software to a new environment

Automation

Involves using technology to execute repetitive tasks without continuous human intervention Purpose Consistency, efficiency, reduction of human error

Automating Application Development

Involves using technology to manage, test, and deploy applications with minimal human intervention