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Automations
IT Process Automation: Tools, Benefits, and How to Start
Level
Thursday, October 31, 2024
Managing IT operations across growing environments can be overwhelming. Between patching, endpoint monitoring, security enforcement, and software deployment, manual processes are no longer sustainable, especially for small IT teams. That’s where IT automation steps in.
In this complete guide, you’ll learn how to use IT process automation (ITPA) to reduce manual IT workload, increase operational efficiency, and improve business outcomes. We’ll walk through types of automation tools, real-world applications, implementation strategies, and how to choose the best IT automation tool for your environment.
IT process automation (ITPA) uses software to automate IT tasks typically handled by humans. Whether it's provisioning user accounts, patch management automation, or incident response, ITPA enables teams to execute workflows quickly and accurately.
It’s a cornerstone of modern IT management software, particularly for remote monitoring and endpoint support. Automation helps streamline operations, reduce human error, and scale systems securely.
Different automation tools meet different needs. Depending on your goals, you might use one or several categories of automation software:
These tools manage settings across your IT infrastructure, ensuring consistency and enforcing standards. They’re ideal for reducing misconfigurations and maintaining compliance.
Used to coordinate complex multi-step tasks across systems. Ideal for automating ticketing workflows, software deployment automation, and network-wide changes.
Allow IT teams to write and run scripts that automate patching, monitoring, reporting, or device management. A must-have for teams needing customizable automation tools for IT.
Remote Monitoring and Management tools offer proactive endpoint monitoring, patch scheduling, task automation, and real-time alerts. These are perfect for MSPs and IT teams managing distributed devices.
These automate license tracking, onboarding and offboarding, and app access across your SaaS ecosystem. A growing need for cloud-first businesses.
Platforms combining AI and automation handle ticket classification, anomaly detection, and even predictive maintenance. This is also referred to as intelligent process automation.
Implementing IT automation software brings measurable business improvements:
From helpdesk to infrastructure, automation tools for IT service management cover a wide range of use cases:
Automate patching, run scripts on device triggers, monitor health, and apply updates at scale.
Apply consistent firewall configurations and manage switches and routers efficiently.
Roll out updates or apps across thousands of devices without user disruption.
Schedule, test, and monitor backups across servers and endpoints.
Automatically monitor hardware, software, and licensing in real time.
Auto-route tickets, send notifications, or assign requests based on criteria.
Create user accounts, apply group policies, and revoke access based on HR events.
Here are some of the best IT automation tools available in 2025 for different business needs:
A modern RMM platform for automation, monitoring, and scripting. Level simplifies remote access, patch management, and custom workflows with responsive triggers. It also offers:
Level is specifically designed for small IT teams and MSPs who need robust automation without complexity. It supports event-based triggers, detailed logging, and live endpoint monitoring. Unlike legacy RMM tools, it prioritizes ease of use and clarity.
A low-code job scheduler and workload automation platform ideal for IT orchestration across systems. It supports job chaining, cross-platform workflows, and real-time scheduling.
A configuration management and infrastructure-as-code tool for automating server environments and compliance. Puppet enforces consistency across hybrid cloud infrastructure and is widely adopted in DevOps practices.
An open-source CI/CD platform for automating software builds, testing, and deployment. Jenkins supports plugin integrations for cloud platforms, SCM tools, and test frameworks.
An ITSM solution with AI-driven ticket routing, workflow automation, and orchestration features. SysAid is highly effective in environments with strict SLAs and large ticket volumes.
A SaaS management platform with automated provisioning, spend tracking, and access reviews. Zluri enables zero-touch onboarding and prevents shadow IT risks.
Offers performance monitoring, patch management, and configuration automation for hybrid networks. SolarWinds provides rich visibility across infrastructure components and supports SNMP and NetFlow data collection.
Every organization has different automation goals. Here's how to choose the right tool:
Once foundational workflows are automated, explore more complex options. These include chaining automations, adding conditional logic, and triggering external workflows via API.
For example, a server health check could run hourly, and if CPU usage is high, it could automatically restart a process, notify the admin, and generate a report, but only if the issue persists.
Webhook-based triggers allow integration with other tools. Your HR system might trigger account provisioning in real time, or your SIEM might trigger automated isolation when threats are detected.
Automation can also help with reporting. Set up daily or weekly exports on system health, compliance status, or licensing to be sent directly to stakeholders.
Security is one of the strongest arguments for automation. Threats move fast, and automation responds faster.
Tasks like auto-patching, vulnerability scanning, and service restarts can be triggered by system events. You can also apply firewall configurations, disable risky ports, or enforce encryption without user intervention.
EDR integration lets automation isolate suspicious devices automatically. For compliance, you can generate real-time audit logs, track remediation steps, and demonstrate enforcement of policies.
Automation is powerful, but only when done right. Avoid these pitfalls:
Healthcare: Hospitals use automation to stay HIPAA compliant, applying patches, revoking access, and logging activity automatically.
Education: Schools use automation to configure devices for new students or roll out updates over Wi-Fi without disrupting learning.
Finance: Banks use it to enforce access controls, automate compliance checks, and ensure systems remain within regulatory scope.
MSPs: Service providers rely on automation to manage dozens of clients without burning out their team by automating scripts, alerts, and resolution steps across tenants.
Automation enables teams to scale without hiring, standardize workflows, and improve uptime. It also lays the groundwork for advanced use cases like self-healing systems and predictive remediation.
For hybrid and remote teams, automation becomes essential. It provides visibility and control across distributed environments.
As AI and ML mature, automation will get smarter. Today’s workflows will evolve into intelligent systems that learn, adapt, and respond with minimal human input.
Not documenting processes, failing to test, and automating broken workflows are common mistakes. Always standardize before automating.
It removes delays by executing predefined actions instantly. For example, alerts can trigger scripts, isolate issues, and notify IT all at once.
Yes. Even basic automation like backups, ticket triage, and patching can save hours weekly for small teams.
ITPA focuses on IT tasks. BPA covers broader business functions like HR or finance.
AI enhances automation by classifying requests, detecting anomalies, and powering self-learning workflows.
IT process automation has become a critical part of efficient IT operations. Whether you manage 50 or 5,000 endpoints, automation helps you reduce routine work, improve system reliability, and respond faster to business demands.
Start with high-impact tasks, use tools that grow with you, and treat automation as a long-term investment in scalability and service quality.
Try Level free for 14 days and start modernizing your IT operations today.
At Level, we understand the modern challenges faced by IT professionals. That's why we've crafted a robust, browser-based Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) platform that's as flexible as it is secure. Whether your team operates on Windows, Mac, or Linux, Level equips you with the tools to manage, monitor, and control your company's devices seamlessly from anywhere.
Ready to revolutionize how your IT team works? Experience the power of managing a thousand devices as effortlessly as one. Start with Level today—sign up for a free trial or book a demo to see Level in action.
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