Orchestration vs. Automation in the Cloud: How to Use Both

Automation and orchestration are distinct yet interconnected concepts in the realm of IT operations. Automation refers to executing a specific task without human intervention, while orchestration involves managing multiple automated tasks to create a single workflow. Both automation and orchestration are crucial for improving productivity, reducing costs, and streamlining processes in complex IT environments. Automation can be achieved through various means, such as scripts or tools, and is often used for infrastructure, software, deployment, and business process tasks. Orchestration, on the other hand, requires a platform to manage automation effectively and make decisions based on events. Examples of orchestration platforms include container orchestrators and CI/CD systems. In DevOps culture, both automation and orchestration play vital roles in shortening the system development life cycle. LaunchDarkly's feature management platform offers built-in automation for better managing feature releases and integrates with various tools to facilitate better orchestration and automation. By understanding and leveraging these concepts, organizations can streamline their infrastructure and software development processes effectively.