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Upgrade to Automation

 To excel in IT Support and advance towards automation, it's essential to acquire a mix of technical and soft skills tailored to automating repetitive tasks, improving efficiency, and proactively addressing issues. Here's a roadmap:

Key Skills and Tools for Automation

1. Scripting and Programming:

  • PowerShell (for Windows environments): Automate administrative tasks like Active Directory management, file handling, and system monitoring.
  • Python: Excellent for creating versatile scripts, integrating APIs, and automating workflows.
  • Bash/Shell Scripting: For Linux/Unix-based systems, essential for server automation and routine maintenance tasks.

2. IT Automation Platforms:

  • Ansible: Configuration management, application deployment, and task automation.
  • Terraform: Infrastructure as Code (IaC) for provisioning and managing IT resources.
  • Puppet/Chef: Automate server configurations and manage infrastructure.

3. Service Management and ITSM Tools:

  • ITSM Tools (e.g., ServiceNow, Jira, Zendesk):
    • Automate ticketing workflows.
    • Build bots for auto-responses and issue triaging.
  • Understand ITIL practices to design efficient automated service processes.

4. Monitoring and Alerts Automation:

  • Tools like Nagios, Zabbix, or Prometheus to monitor systems.
  • Use scripting to automate responses to alerts or recurring incidents.

5. Cloud Computing and Automation:

  • AWS / Azure / Google Cloud:
    • Learn cloud-native automation tools like AWS Lambda, CloudFormation, or Azure Automation.
  • Automate backups, deployments, and scaling.

6. API Integration and Automation Frameworks:

  • Learn to work with APIs for services (e.g., Slack, monitoring tools, databases) to create seamless integrations.
  • Tools: Postman (for testing APIs), Zapier, IFTTT, or Microsoft Power Automate.

7. DevOps Knowledge:

  • Basic understanding of CI/CD pipelines.
  • Tools like Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or GitLab CI.
  • Automating deployments and routine DevOps tasks.

8. Automation Frameworks and RPA (Robotic Process Automation):

  • Tools: UiPath, Automation Anywhere, Blue Prism.
  • Automate repetitive manual tasks, like log reviews or user onboarding.

9. Databases and Reporting:

  • SQL and automation of data extraction/reporting.
  • Tools like Power BI or Tableau for creating automated dashboards.

10. Version Control:

  • Git/GitHub or GitLab to manage automation scripts and collaborate with team members.

Complementary Skills

  • Problem-Solving & Root Cause Analysis: Use structured methods like RCA to identify tasks for automation.
  • Communication Skills: For documenting and explaining automated workflows to non-technical stakeholders.
  • Learning Agile Practices: To handle iterative improvement of automation workflows.

Next Steps:

  1. Identify recurring, time-consuming tasks in your current role.
  2. Start small, automating simple workflows with PowerShell or Python.
  3. Gradually explore advanced tools and concepts like Ansible or APIs.

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