Bringing SRE to the digital workplace: How IT can spend less time fixing problems

Real-time IT performance is a benchmark, but reacting to problems quickly doesn't necessarily prevent them. Even with automated remediation, recurring issues can still consume resources. Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) aims to reduce this cycle by defining reliability targets, measuring performance, and minimizing repetitive work.

SLOs set measurable reliability goals, while error budgets acknowledge that perfect service is unattainable. These concepts from software and infrastructure can also apply to digital employee experience, where device, application, and service reliability impact productivity. Early detection of issues through endpoint telemetry and automated remediation can prevent them from becoming apparent to the service desk.

For instance, a Fortune 100 insurance company reduced call-center downtime by 35% and saved over 45,000 tickets using this approach. Identifying recurring problems, often called "toil," is crucial. Endpoint data can reveal these issues, enabling automation to address them. This approach has led to significant savings for organizations like PIMCO, which reduced root-cause investigations from days to minutes using endpoint evidence and change correlation.

To truly benefit from SRE, teams need not only real-time observability and automation but also a clear understanding of the impact of their interventions. AI can help provide feedback on the effectiveness of these actions, ensuring that autonomy leads to improved reliability.