ActiveBatch V9; Workload Automation Product First to Combine Virtual/Cloud Provisioning With Historical and Predictive Analytics
June 12, 2012
Advanced Systems Concepts, Inc. (ASCI) today announced the availability of Version 9 of its ActiveBatch® Workload Automation and Job Scheduling Software. A significant turning point in the development of IT automation, ActiveBatch V9 uniquely addresses the rise in both cloud computing and in Service Level Agreement (SLA) management by automatically and intelligently provisioning systems in advance of critical workflow execution, using an optimal mix of virtual and cloud resources.
IT organizations must be able to automate and manage both simple and complex workflows based on business policies in which virtual and cloud resources are automatically provisioned due to either a SLA-sensitive workflow or based on peak demand requirements in which many workflows are executing. ActiveBatch V9 delivers this by providing new functionality to allow users to set policies governing both the execution of workflows and the provisioning of workflow resources to ensure SLAs are being met. Finally, ActiveBatch V9 enables IT to deliver cost savings by allowing resources to be provisioned and de-provisioned based around workflow execution and completion…
ActiveBatch V9 delivers two new concepts to the realm of IT workload automation:
automated server provisioning, or the ability to provision virtual and cloud resources "on the fly" in real-time; and scheduling analytics, a landmark merging of historical and predictive analysis to ensure that the correct amount and combination of resources are made available for executing SLA-critical workflows. Together these concepts move job scheduling and workload automation forward from an era of static scheduling of jobs to one where workflows are managed based on business policies, operating demands and resource availability.
"IT automation continues to evolve–and Advanced Systems Concepts is pleased to be leading this charge through the availability of ActiveBatch Version 9," said Jim Manias, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Advanced Systems Concepts. "As IT automation solutions play a more strategic role in enterprise IT, ActiveBatch becomes a highly intelligent solution that leverages the power of predictive automation."
Specifically, Version 9 introduces several new capabilities:
Smart Queue: Allows ActiveBatch users to set business policies governing the allocation and use of workflow resources and then automatically set and utilize those resources as needed, both predictively or on-demand as workflows require.
Critical Path Analysis: For the most essential SLA-driven jobs and workflows, Critical Path delivers real-time analysis of such jobs as they are executing to ensure they have priority in the event of a delay.
Compensating Alerts & Monitoring: A new class of system monitoring and alerts that allows for alternative or compensating alerts and actions when workflows transition from failed to success, quickly notifies staff of an impending SLA breach and notifies users of the appropriate action.
SLA Reporting: A new easy-to-read, graphical dashboard in Version 9 provides users with a number of reports that measure whether individual SLA requirements are being met.
ActiveBatch Version 9 measures behavioral insight such as historical workflow performance, resource availability and capacity to govern the execution of workflows and processes. First it analyzes behaviors, then triggers appropriate actions; finally performing predictive analysis based on anticipated needs, to manage, provision and schedule jobs in real time, leveraging both cloud and virtual resources. As a result, enterprises can configure their virtual environments and/or public clouds minute-by-minute in an ever-changing, completely tailored environment.
To support its new virtual orientation, Version 9 also provides new Smart Queues to support cloud computing initiatives (Amazon EC2), virtualization (e.g., Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager and VMware), and more.
ActiveBatch Version 9 is now available for licensing, as well as by automatic upgrade for companies participating in ASCI’s ActiveBatch Version Upgrade program. To learn more about ActiveBatch V9, visit ASCI’s TechEd exhibit or log on to www.advsyscon.com .