4.6 Automate To Fit the Needs

Any tasks, especially repetitive, that can be automated should be automated (compilation, deployment, tests, etc.) to reduce time at the computer being wasted by people.

Criteria

Automate Tasks: Every recurring task, such as deployment, testing, or compilation, is run automatically, as recommended by continuous integration / continuous delivery best practices.
Necessitate Tasks: To reduce wasted processing cycles, every automated task is only run when needed.
Automated Scaling: Automated scaling infrastructure is used to automatically increase the capacity of the web server and buffering / throttling is implemented to respond to visitor demand.
Security Tooling: Web browsing from bots has been steadily increasing in recent years. As such, it is a growing concern for security, performance, and sustainability. Use security tools that automatically block bad actors and minimize bad behavior. This results in substantially less load on the server, fewer logs, less data, less effect due to compromise, and more. The result of compromised websites is a large increase in HTTP, email, and other traffic as malicious code attempts to infiltrate other resources and exfiltrate data. Compromised websites are typically identified by anomalous patterned behavior.

Impact

High

Effort

Medium

Benefits

Environmental:
These practices can reduce the resources necessary to execute tasks, which can also result in reduced emissions.
Operations:
When coupled with upskilling and cross-training, automation can also improve team performance and operational efficiency.
Economic:
Automation can help reduce organizational costs.

GRI

materials: Low
energy: Low
water: Low
emissions: Low

Example

Cleaning up bad bots can improve sustainability.

Resources

View the Guideline

4.6 Automate To Fit the Needs

Criteria

Impact

Effort

Benefits

GRI

Example

Resources

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