How safe is Automation ?
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A question I have been asking myself lately is "How safe is Automation ?" As one of my new Years resolutions is to automate as many of the tasks I perform without loosing control over them, using VB Script,JScript,VB.NET and C++ Task's vary from running reports on website usage, general networking jobs to creating user accounts to IDE Macro's. Basically to make my life as a Network / Sys Admin easier ! So far things are going well as I have automated a couple of task's. The question still remains is it safe on level of SECURITY/STABILITY to automate processes. I guess I comes down to the way it is coded ! Any thoughts ??
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A question I have been asking myself lately is "How safe is Automation ?" As one of my new Years resolutions is to automate as many of the tasks I perform without loosing control over them, using VB Script,JScript,VB.NET and C++ Task's vary from running reports on website usage, general networking jobs to creating user accounts to IDE Macro's. Basically to make my life as a Network / Sys Admin easier ! So far things are going well as I have automated a couple of task's. The question still remains is it safe on level of SECURITY/STABILITY to automate processes. I guess I comes down to the way it is coded ! Any thoughts ??
Automation is something I've done a lot and is of particular interest to me. I realize you asked about security/stability, but I'd like to mention a few other things. 1. document your existing process first This is a really important thing to do, because when we're automating a task, we often recognize where the process is deficient and try to "fix" it in the automated process. The result has unanticipated side effects! 2. automate your existing process, don't add anything new! (see comment above) 3. if you make changes to your process, test them manually. If this isn't possible, test them in a limited environment. 4. make small changes, not big ones 5. document your automation! Specifically, document things on which your automation depends, for example, technologies, protocols, remaining manual workflow processes, etc. When something in the environment changes and breaks your automation, you'll want to fix it fast. This brings up the point that humans are much more adaptable and flexible to change than automation. Automation will do things exactly the same all the time, whereas we will (often unconsciously) alter our process when something in the environment changes. Your automation can save you tons of time, but introduces "rigidity" to your process. This affects what I would consider "stability" of time. On security, the only thing I can speak to regarding this is that automation makes it easier for someone to do what you do. Therefore, if you code passwords, etc., into your automation, you are leaving the system wide open. An alternative to this limited example is to ask for a password at startup and include a timing function that expires (based on some rules) requiring the password(s) to be entered again. Marc Help! I'm an AI running around in someone's f*cked up universe simulator.
Sensitivity and ethnic diversity means celebrating difference, not hiding from it. - Christian Graus
Every line of code is a liability - Taka Muraoka