What is workload automation? The evolution to service orchestration

Workload automation (WLA) refers to software that manages and schedules automated processes. It allows IT teams to schedule unattended batch jobs, trigger jobs on demand or based on events, orchestrate dependencies across applications and allocate compute resources based on job requirements.

WLA tools do much more than eliminate repetitive tasks. Unlike traditional job scheduling software tied to a single system, WLA platforms operate across diverse ecosystems and support wide-ranging business needs and use cases. They drive IT automation by connecting IT and business applications like SAP, ERPs, CRMs, big data platforms and cloud-native services in workflows that reduce errors and improve service-level agreement (SLA) performance.

A quick history of workload automation solutions

WLA has its roots in mainframe batch processing. For decades, IT ran large jobs overnight when compute resources were idle. As data volumes increased and demand shifted to real time, the overnight model became insufficient. 

Vendors responded by developing WLA platforms that could:

• Start jobs with event-driven triggers
• Optimize workloads against CPU and memory
• Reduce backlogs and manual intervention
• Integrate across distributed and hybrid cloud systems

By the 2000s, enterprise WLA tools enabled cross-platform processes with minimal human intervention. 

Gartner® and WLA maturity

By 2010, WLA had become standard. In 2014, Gartner reported that most large enterprises were using at least three workload automation tools. That year, Gartner released its final Magic Quadrant™ for Workload Automation and later removed WLA from the Hype Cycle, noting the market had matured.

But that wasn’t the final part of the story; WLA became the foundation for broader, end-to-end orchestration.

As vendors expanded capabilities, Gartner retired its WLA analysis and introduced the Magic Quadrant™ for Service Orchestration and Automation Platforms (SOAPs) in 2024.

In the 2025 Magic Quadrant for SOAP report, Gartner stated, “SOAPs unify workflow orchestration, workload automation and resource provisioning, extending across data pipelines and cloud-native architectures.”

Gartner also predicts that “by 2029, 90% of organizations using WLA will adopt SOAPs to orchestrate workloads and data pipelines across hybrid environments.”

Key trends in enterprise workload automation (and SOAPs)

Four trends define the current role of WLA and SOAPs.

1. Hybrid and multi-cloud complexity

Most enterprises run workloads across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and on-premises mainframes. This mix creates duplication, rising costs and management headaches. 

WLA platforms address the complexity of multi-cloud environments with:

• Direct cloud integrations to major providers like AWS, Azure and Google Cloud
• Universal and REST API adapters to integrate virtually any service or application
• Dynamic provisioning that automatically scales resources up or down based on workload demand

This eliminates idle capacity, reduces costs and drives reliable execution across distributed IT environments. Gartner highlights “management of workloads in complex technology and deployment topologies” as a mandatory feature of SOAPs.

2. DevOps and agile practices

Faster release cycles and continuous integration require reliable automation. Manual job scheduling slows DevOps pipelines and increases the risk of human error.

WLA platforms enable DevOps teams to:

• Define workflows-as-code with reusable scripts and APIs
• Automate workflows with visual designers for faster build and deployment
• Automate testing, approvals and change management across environments
• Integrate orchestration into CI/CD pipelines to support continuous delivery

As a result, they reduce time spent on operational overhead and free up engineers to focus on innovation. Automated dependency mapping and version control ensure repeatable and auditable processes that align with regulatory requirements.

3. Data, AI and observability

The volume and speed of data processing continue to grow, especially as organizations adopt AI models and real-time analytics. ETL pipelines, big data platforms like Apache Hadoop and cloud-based warehouses require precise orchestration to avoid bottlenecks.

Modern WLA solutions provide:

• Orchestration of data pipelines across cloud and on-premises environments
• Real-time dashboards for monitoring job health, queue status and SLA compliance
• Predictive analytics that anticipate failures or resource conflicts
• Automated remediation that reroutes or restarts jobs without human intervention

These features give IT leaders observability into complex workflows and confidence that critical business processes will not stall. This proactive approach aligns with Gartner’s emphasis on SOAPs as a unifying layer across data pipelines.

4. Expanding role of IT

CIOs and IT leaders now oversee not only infrastructure but customer experience, regulatory compliance and revenue-impacting operations. 

WLA vendors have responded with:

• Mobile and web user interfaces so IT staff can monitor and resolve issues anywhere
• Self-service portals that let business users run ad hoc processes without IT tickets
• Extensible frameworks that integrate new applications quickly without rewriting existing workflows
• Support for hybrid governance so compliance policies extend across cloud and on-premises environments

By extending automation to business stakeholders while maintaining a single point of control, IT teams reduce silos and deliver measurable value across the enterprise.

Workload automation software in the future

WLA has evolved from batch job scheduling and process automation to enterprise-wide orchestration. In 2025, WLA is best understood as part of service orchestration, connecting workflows, data and applications across hybrid and cloud-native environments. For IT teams under pressure to streamline and improve scalability, WLA remains a central automation platform. 

Looking further ahead, Gartner forecasts that ”by 2029, 75% of SOAP workflows will leverage generative AI (GenAI) to increase troubleshooting efficiency by 50% — up from less than 10% in 2025.” This means platforms will not only execute workloads but also interpret failures, suggest resolutions and, in many cases, self-correct without human intervention.

For IT leaders, the impact will be clear: less downtime, lower operational costs and more time for innovation. Through SOAPs, WLA now functions as the intelligent automation fabric that supports observability, machine learning and enterprise-scale digital transformation.

Redwood Software was named a Leader for the second year in a row in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant™ for SOAP report. ActiveBatch is part of the Redwood suite of automation fabric solutions. Request a demo of ActiveBatch by Redwood.

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