Cloud automation is the ability to provision cloud resources, including servers and storage connected through networks, without manual intervention. True automation also occurs without technical or process hurdles, such as seeking approval for cloud resources within an organization. At its highest level, cloud automation allows users to access and deploy cloud resources on demand, with just a few pushes of the proverbial button. Cloud automation consists mostly of software tools that interact with hardware resources. The software layer fulfills the function of implementing policies to allocate
In a legacy workflow model, if a developer needed server resources to roll out a new application, they would first need to go through a hierarchy of internal approvals to get that server time. This might entail providing an ROI justification to business and financial units, many of whom don’t share the same priorities as the developer, as well as giving detailed requirements for the necessary hardware resources. Once a developer gets all of the required approvals, they must then ask an IT department or systems integrator to configure the hardware for deployment. All of this takes weeks or even