The Best Method for Creating Automatic Remediation: Compiled Code vs Scripting?
With only 1,440 minutes in a day, how can you decrease the time you spend working on manual and time consuming tasks? You can work smarter and more efficiently by automating fixes to many of your common IT issues. Before you begin building a library of automated fixes consider the best method for creating secure remediation solutions.
Compiled Code
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Integrity – Ensures at a high level that the automated task has not been altered - that an operator has not opened the file, edited the devices and impacted or changed any other items. | Troubleshooting – When a development suite is not available there can be difficulties troubleshooting in a production environment. |
| Security – Administrative passwords and connection strings that are often required are kept from public view. It’s not possible to simply open the code and see the instructions. | Cumbersome – Can be more work intensive since it requires a programmer, development suite and more documentation when the task is passed from the network engineer to the developer. |
| Quality control – Using full development systems enables extensive error handling and testing prior to deployment resulting in customizations that have fewer issues in the production phase. |
Scripting
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Easier – With thousands of existing scripts for common tasks that can be modified to meet new needs there is no need to start from scratch. Non-programmers can get up speed quickly and have success. | Security Risk – There is a much greater risk that someone can get access to your accounts and connection strings to devices on the network. |
| Troubleshooting – Finding broken code can be done quickly in a product system by reviewing the line items and adding logging or debugging in real time to isolate problems and resolve them. | Testing – 3rd party scripts are not always tested to ensure they only perform the requested task. Modifying and re-using un-vetted scripts can have unintended consequences. |
| Flexible – Changes to scripts can be completed in a production environment and applied immediately. This is helpful in highly dynamic environments where moving scripts, targets and responses is necessary. |
After reviewing the details, it should be easier to decide if you should use one method or another or both together to accomplish your goal. Don’t limit yourself to a single approach to your remediation efforts. Consider the value of security and quality against the need for flexibility and speed to market and you have a pretty good guideline for the best method to choose.
