From Playbooks to Autonomous Operations: How LLMs are Redefining Incident Management in SRE

Authors

  • Susanta Kumar Sahoo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22399/ijcesen.3935

Keywords:

Site Reliability Engineering, Large Language Models, Incident Management, Runbooks, Root Cause Analysis, Automation

Abstract

Infrastructure reliability operations undergo a profound transformation as machine learning technologies integrate with traditional system administration practices. Contemporary service platforms demand sophisticated incident response mechanisms that transcend conventional manual troubleshooting methodologies. Advanced computational linguistics facilitates unprecedented automation capabilities within operational environments, establishing responsive frameworks for complex system monitoring and maintenance activities. Engineering professionals achieve superior troubleshooting accuracy through machine learning algorithms that process extensive system monitoring data and performance metrics. Current digital platforms utilize interactive diagnostic interfaces that simplify intricate problem-solving workflows, minimizing downtime duration for essential service disruptions. Superior operational performance develops through smart recognition technologies that detect repetitive system failures and recommend specific corrective measures. Enterprise organizations witness substantial improvements in service uptime metrics through the deployment of context-aware operational assistance platforms. Historical incident databases transform into actionable knowledge repositories through sophisticated information extraction and synthesis capabilities. These developments herald transition periods where traditional operational playbooks evolve into dynamic, self-updating procedural frameworks. Infrastructure management practices advance toward autonomous operational models that maintain service quality standards while minimizing human intervention requirements during routine maintenance and emergency response scenarios.

References

[1] Purvai Nanda, (2025). Building Trust with AI Agents in Site Reliability Engineering, Rootly. https://rootly.com/blog/building-trust-with-ai-agents-in-site-reliability-engineering

[2] Zichuan Xiong and Ruigang Sun, (2025). Context-aware incident handling with MCP: A strategic view with a practical case, Thoughtworks.

https://www.thoughtworks.com/insights/blog/generative-ai/context-aware-incident-handling-with-MCP-strategic-view-with-a-practical-case

[3] Dave Moore, (2020). Elastic Observability in SRE and Incident Response, Elastic. https://www.elastic.co/blog/elastic-observability-sre-incident-response

[4] Anil Abraham Kuriakose, (2025). Accelerating SRE Practices with LLM-powered Incident Response, Algomox. https://www.algomox.com/resources/blog/accelerating_sre_llm_incident_response/

[5] Vishal Padghan, (2024). Role of Human Oversight in AI-Driven Incident Management and SRE, Squadcast. https://www.squadcast.com/blog/role-of-human-oversight-in-ai-driven-incident-management-and-sre#understanding-ai-driven-incident-management-and-sre

[6] Abhay Kulkarni, Incident Management: Key Best Practices with Agentic AI, Aisera. https://aisera.com/blog/it-incident-management/

[7] Vikas Sharma, (2025). Incident Management in SRE: Lessons from the Trenches (Case Studies), NOVELVISTA. https://www.novelvista.com/blogs/devops/incident-management-in-sre

[8] Varun Anand, (2025). Cybersecurity LLM: Playbooks are dead...Welcome LLMs, SOC, simbian. https://simbian.ai/blog/llms-in-cybersecurity

Downloads

Published

2025-09-21

How to Cite

Susanta Kumar Sahoo. (2025). From Playbooks to Autonomous Operations: How LLMs are Redefining Incident Management in SRE. International Journal of Computational and Experimental Science and Engineering, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.22399/ijcesen.3935

Issue

Section

Research Article