Evolve your digital transformation with a workload automation migration

Workload automation (WLA) is used across all industries to streamline complex IT processes by integrating separate systems to help automate business processes. These systems are usually in place at large enterprise companies but tend to use obsolete or ineffective technology. Legacy systems have trouble coping with today’s IT settings and can inflict increased complexity, higher operational costs and reduced agility.

The looming issue of migrating from legacy job schedulers to advanced workload automation platforms is linked to poor preparation. It leads to laborious manual endeavors, high orchestration difficulties and insufficient compliance. Explore the migration process to understand the intricacies of planning, executing and optimizing a new automation environment and how solutions like Tidal Automation help companies looking to modernize their IT infrastructure.

What is workload automation migration?

Workload automation migration is the evolution from older, rigid systems to more adaptable, scalable solutions that cater to the demands of the modern business landscape. This process involves transitioning from traditional job scheduling and automation systems to contemporary platforms that address the complexities of today’s IT environments. The need for such a migration arises from the imperative to enhance operational efficiency, swiftly adapt to market changes and deliver innovative services.

Common motivators for companies to undertake workload automation migration include challenges with scaling, outdated technology that lacks support for contemporary applications or infrastructure and evolving business needs that require advanced automation capabilities. These issues often reveal the limitations of current systems, such as poor integration with modern cloud services, inadequate management of complex dependencies or insufficient real-time insights into workflows.

The compelling case for modern workload automation solutions

The transition to an advanced workload automation solution offers numerous advantages, addressing the deficits of legacy systems. Enhanced reliability is a primary benefit, ensuring critical business processes operate smoothly and without disruption. Modern solutions also provide superior integration capabilities, enabling businesses to forge a unified automation environment encompassing various applications, platforms and cloud services. This connectivity is vital for creating comprehensive workflows that can be monitored and modified in real time, improving performance monitoring and operational transparency.

The agility of these modern solutions allows for quick adaptation to business changes. These systems are built for flexibility and facilitate the rapid deployment of new services and the adjustment of existing workflows with minimal downtime or manual effort which is crucial when trying to maintain a competitive edge.

The role of modern solutions in workload automation migration

When navigating the complexities of workload automation migration, choosing the appropriate solution is key. A suitable platform offers a wide array of scheduling tools, alerting capabilities and compatibility with various operating systems including Linux and z/OS, positioning itself as a versatile and robust choice for businesses embarking on digital transformation.

A study by IDC, Worldwide Digital Transformation 2022 Predictions stated “By 2026, 54% of CIOs will drive business transformation, empowering digitally resilient organizations via strategic technology roadmaps and replatforming to enable an agile, data-driven, collaborative workforce.” This statistic highlights the importance of advanced workload automation solutions in facilitating businesses to reach their digital transformation objectives. Through comprehensive migration services, organizations are supported in their shift to a more agile, efficient automation platform, priming them for success in a digital-first world.

Fundamentals of the migration process

The beginning of the workload automation migration journey is significant to any company’s efforts to optimize its IT processes and achieve operational efficiency. This section will offer a step-by-step overview illustrating how every phase aids in achieving a successful transition. Understanding this process does more than help navigate migration complexities; it highlights how thorough planning and implementation can lead to a future-ready automation landscape that perfectly aligns with a company’s long-term goals.

Step one preparation: Identify objectives and assess current infrastructure for minimal disruption

The first stage of a workload automation migration is based on careful planning and preparation. This involves reviewing the current company’s automation landscape to identify specific objectives for migration, assessing the approach to the current operational landscape to determine specific migration goals and understanding the existing infrastructure’s potential strengths and weaknesses. Planning for minimal disruption is specifically aimed at evaluating migration’s impacts on daily operations and developing strategies to counter them. Developing a comprehensive roadmap at this stage helps identify objectives, timelines and expected outcomes setting the stage for a unified approach that ensures all stakeholders are aligned and fully informed about the path ahead.

Step two selection: Criteria for choosing a new workload automation solution

After careful preparation, the focus shifts to selecting a new workload automation solution that best fits the company’s needs. This selection should consider a platform’s scalability, integration potential, usability and future and current technology capabilities. The goal is to choose a platform that addresses the limitations posed by an existing system and aligns with companies’ potential future growth strategies while evaluating a vendor’s reputation, the level of customer support offered and the ecosystem surrounding the product.

Tidal Automation stands out for its ability to scale and operate effectively in a data-intensive business environment. Tidal can run on-premise, cloud or in a hybrid environment, allowing companies of all sizes to choose the best solution for them. This adaptability, paired with robust capabilities for managing process dependencies, integrating new applications smoothly and ensuring compliance, positions Tidal Automation as a suitable option for businesses navigating the shift from legacy systems.

We have integrations running on multiple platforms. That is a valuable feature that Tidal provides compared to other schedulers.

Moses Gujjarlapudi, Tidal Administrator at Devon Energy

Step three implementation: Key strategies for a smooth transition

After careful planning and execution, implementation begins by migrating workloads, data and configurations including continuous testing and validation to ensure that the new system functions as expected. Companies looking for a smoother transition opt for phased rollouts which include regular communication and feedback to address any issues promptly and to keep all stakeholders informed of the migration’s progress.

Step four optimization: Post-migration evaluation to ensure the new system meets or exceeds expectations

The final phase of the migration process is optimization, where the new system is closely evaluated to ensure it meets or exceeds the initial objectives. This involves monitoring system performance, identifying areas for improvement and making necessary adjustments to workflows, configurations and integrations. Post-migration evaluation is crucial for realizing the full benefits of the new workload automation solution, enabling companies to achieve enhanced efficiency, agility and scalability. Continuous improvement efforts should be guided by feedback from users and ongoing performance metrics to ensure the automation environment remains aligned with the company’s evolving needs.

Once the new system is in place an evaluation is needed to check whether everything meets or exceeds the initial objectives. This includes monitoring the system’s performance, identifying areas for improvement and making adjustments to workflows, configurations and integrations. This is a necessary step to understand the full benefits of the new workload automation solution and help teams gain enhanced efficiency, agility and scalability.

The migration process is a significant undertaking that transforms a company’s operational capabilities. This approach helps guide companies to a smooth transition setting the stage for future growth and innovation.

Migrating to Tidal Automation

Tidal Automation offers advanced orchestration and job scheduling capabilities, Optimizing workflows and offering integrations across many different environments from IBM and Microsoft Windows to SAP and mainframe systems. This ensures a comprehensive, end-to-end automation platform that manages dependencies and streamlines business processes.

A successful migration hinges on a proven methodology. Tidal’s approach to workload automation migration includes a measured application-focused strategy. This methodology prioritizes minimizing downtime to ensure a smooth go-live, facilitating a migration process that is both efficient and effective.

By leveraging Tidal’s conversion utilities, companies can automate migrating from legacy scheduler jobs like AutoSys, BMC Control-M or even Tivoli, into Tidal’s workload scheduler with remarkable accuracy and speed. This optimizes IT processes and reduces manual effort, allowing teams to focus on more strategic initiatives.

We’ve used Control-M, the JDE scheduler, and Smart Scheduler. None of them can do everything that Tidal can do.

Jon Fredrickson, JDE Manager at Oshkosh

Harness the full potential of IT infrastructure

Choosing Tidal gives your company more than an upgraded technology; it allows your company to leverage the full potential of your IT infrastructure. Legacy solutions struggle when managing more complex workflows and integrations, Tidal Automation scales with your business, ensuring that your automation environment can handle increasing loads without compromising performance. Offering on-prem, cloud or hybrid environments, Tidal’s functionality includes handling file transfers, optimizing job scheduling, real-time API integrations and more.

Tidal’s commitment to facilitating your company’s digital transformation means more than improving IT processes; it opens the door for new business opportunities and innovation. If your company is considering migrating away from your legacy solution, schedule a demo and see how Tidal can help you migrate easily.