Levels of automation

Data center automation is a great thing but I feel like there is a lot of confusion on what it means for a process to be automated.  I like to split the field up into levels.  By giving each level of automation a number and a description, it allows us to tell a story about how to build up automation.  It gives us a nomenclator when comparing processes.

Let's start wwith a fictional 10 step process.  The actual steps don't matter.  What matters is that it is a multi step process.  Let's assume that this process needs to run every day.  At first, you assign someone the task of executing all 10 steps.  This is what I like to call Level 0 Automation.  There really is o automation.  Someone manually executes the steps.

You decided that the process is taking too much time.  You are wasting one resource for two hours every day.  Add the fact that you have to cross train just in case your resource alls out sick or leaves the position.  You get someone to analyze the process and you realize that you can replace the process with a shell script.  You et someone to write the script.  Now, your resource just executes the script.  The process time is still two hours because the script requires input from time to time.  I call this Level 1 Automation.  The process is automates but it requires input.  Because it requires input, it still requires a person to monitor the process.  That person can multitask, however.

Next, you change parts of the process and you hired a more experienced programmer.  Now, your process doesn't require any input.  Since it doesn't require input, the process now takes half the time.  The resource still needs to execute the process.  This is Level 2 Automation.  Once the process gets kicked off, it is fully automated.  The process is fire and forget.

With Level 2 Automation, you still need someone to kick off the process.  There is no need to monitor the process, but you still need to find a replacement when your resource gets sick.  From here, you decide to schedule the task to run at 6am every morning.  Now, nobody has to do anything.  This is full automation.  This is Level 3 Automation.

Usually, Level 3 Automation is the end goal for automation.  A lot of times, people don't understand the differences between the levels.  They feel that once you get to Level 1, you are automated.  In future posts, I will discuss various roadblocks on the road to full automation.