Control-M Reviews

Vendor: BMC

4.4 out of 5

117 reviews
98% willing to recommend

1,856 followers

What is Control-M?

Control-M is used for enterprise workload automation, orchestrating finance, retail, healthcare, and supply chain processes. It handles batch job scheduling, managed file transfers, cloud integrations, and compliance auditing across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.

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Control-M is the #1 ranked solution in top Workload Automation solutions, #3 ranked solution in top Process Automation solutions, and #4 ranked solution in top Managed File Transfer (MFT) solutions. PeerSpot users give Control-M an average rating of 8.8 out of 10. Based on the analysis of the 117 most recent Control-M reviews, the overall sentiment is positive, with a sentiment score of 7.5. (The highest in the category). Control-M is most commonly compared to Camunda: Control-M vs Camunda. Control-M is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 75% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 28% of all views.

Helped 815,597 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

Pedro Fuentes

System Engineer at Community Loans of America, Inc.

They have a department that handles requests for enhancements. I talked to Control-M guys back in October or November when they had a gathering here in Atlanta. We talked about not being able to go back in history in Helix Control-M for more than two weeks. We submitted a request for enhancement. They told us that they are working on it, and they are thinking of expanding that to 30 days. We would like to see it expand to 90 days, but they are working on it. In Control-M, we were able to go back 180 days, but that was on-prem. The storage of that data was on our own servers. We know that storage is money, and we do not expect them to store that much of the data, but at least 30 to 60 days seem proper.

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Chris Wahl

Operations Engineer at West Bend Mutual Insurance Company

The reporting is top-notch. I haven't found any other applications on the market that can replicate what Control-M offers. The alerting is very good, and I think their service monitoring is the best in the industry. The solution is a key part of our system and I have not seen any significant limitations with it. It's very reliable and performs as advertised. We're just starting our data pipeline journey. Compared to other products in the market, I believe Control-M's is the easiest to use. Theirs came out ahead in terms of ease of use every time. I rate them very highly in that area. We're primarily an Azure corporation. We found that the solution's built-in integrations with Azure are straightforward to use. We actively build out methods of alerting, for instance, when workflows in Control-M don't complete, as this impacts our end-users and our managers that support the teams attempting to provide data for the end-users. I think Control-M has a ton of built-in integrations that make alerting when that data is unavailable more visible to end-users. I think that's been very useful in our environment.

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Patrick Byrne

Higher Executive Officer ICT at Irish Government

It's much simpler now. Everything was a manual batch job. Using the features of Control-M every day makes our batch processing so much easier. It makes our lives so much easier. For our operations team, which runs our daily batch overnight, viewing everything as it happens has been an absolute lifesaver, especially if things go wrong overnight. It's great to have that visibility. It has also sped up our process, reducing overhead and weekend overtime. Batch processing is much quicker now, resulting in fewer manual errors. Control-M has so much functionality that even if you initially purchase it to handle a specific part of your batch work, it can offer much more. We've progressed beyond traditional batch processing to include MFT, which has been incredibly useful. Our file watchers and other automation features have significantly simplified our workflows and made our lives much easier. Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

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Control-M mindshare

Product category:

As of November 2024, the mindshare of Control-M in the Process Automation category stands at 4.4%, up from 4.1% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Process Automation

Key learnings from peers

Last updated Oct 26, 2024

Valuable Features

Control-M's most valued features include its user-friendly GUI, broad integration capabilities, and automation. Users appreciate the cross-platform support and versatile job scheduling with modules that eliminate the need for custom scripting. The self-service portal, forecast, and reporting utilities enhance operational efficiency. Managed File Transfer and API integration allow seamless workflow orchestration, reducing manual intervention. The notification system and compatibility with modern technologies further highlight its utility in complex environments.

"Control-M integrates with different third-party applications and tools. All the job-related flows or workflows are extremely useful."
"It integrates seamlessly with other tools within our ecosystem."
"Control-M can cross all platforms and offers integration for container and cloud solutions."

Room for Improvement

Control-M users mention several areas needing improvement. Reporting functions are limited and complex, hindering customization and usability. Integration with third-party applications and platforms requires development and lacks user-friendliness. Licensing costs are considered high, and compatibility across different versions causes challenges. The interface is resource-intensive, and offline capabilities are absent. Users seek enhanced documentation, improved automation options, and additional support for modern technologies, including AI features for scheduling and robust real-time monitoring.

"Sometimes jobs fail without clear reasons. That needs to be improved."
"Control-M could benefit from incorporating AI features for better job scheduling."
"I do not have any specific suggestions for additional features that should be included in the next release."

ROI

Many companies report a substantial ROI from using Control-M. They achieve cost savings through automation, reducing manual tasks and labor costs. Control-M centralizes operations and improves efficiency, making workflows more streamlined and less error-prone while enhancing data management. Organizations benefit from faster issue resolution and optimized scheduling, allowing them to redeploy resources effectively. Users frequently note a significant reduction in operational costs and a favorable price-to-performance ratio, indicating investment justification.

Pricing

Control-M pricing is considered high, making it more suitable for larger enterprises. Many users find the licensing complex, with costs often based on the number of jobs or endpoints. Although expensive, the pricing reflects the robust features offered. Discounts and package deals are possible, but small enterprises might find it less cost-effective. The licensing model can include various configurations, such as task-based and job-based, influencing overall expenses.

"While it is quite flexible, the licensing cost could be more affordable, especially for small and mid-sized enterprises."
"Control-M isn't cheap, but this is an enterprise model."
"The license model is based on the number of jobs we run on the SaaS application or the number of executions, unlike the on-premise model options. If we have a handful of jobs, it's always good to consider Control-M, but if it's a large number of jobs, Control-M might not be a great option."

Popular Use Cases

Control-M is primarily used for enterprise job scheduling, batch processing, and automation across various environments, including mainframe, cloud, and on-premise systems. It supports workloads in financial, retail, and IT sectors, integrates with multiple applications, and facilitates secure data transfers. Organizations utilize it for orchestrating workflows, improving efficiency, and ensuring compliance. Control-M's versatility in managing SAP, Hadoop, and databases is highlighted, with benefits in automation and workload management through its modules.

Service and Support

Control-M customer service and support receive mixed feedback. Users report that technical support is generally strong, often highly rated, with knowledgeable staff and prompt issue resolution. However, some experience delays and limited initial help, relying on escalation for complex issues. The online community and resources are helpful, although documentation needs improvement. Customer service is responsive, yet occasionally lacks thorough understanding of user needs. Control-M users appreciate the AMIGO program for migrations and the 24/7 support availability.

Deployment

Control-M's initial setup appears mostly straightforward and simple. Some users found it intuitive, benefiting from clear documentation and support resources. A few encountered complexity due to integration demands or environmental challenges. The setup duration varied, generally needing less than a week but extending up to a few months for larger infrastructures. Migration tools and helpful support were often highlighted, though certain users noted challenges with specific configurations or requirements.

Scalability

Control-M is widely recognized for its scalability. Many users report no significant challenges, with some highlighting its ability to run numerous jobs smoothly. There are instances where server management adjustments were needed, but generally, Control-M adapts well to various environments. Multiple companies appreciate its seamless handling of job increases and integration, noting it scales effectively with organizational growth. Users mention that it caters to extensive operations, allowing efficient expansion and workload distribution.

Stability

Users consistently report that Control-M is highly stable with minimal issues. It effectively runs numerous daily tasks without encountering significant problems. While some encounter network-related challenges, these do not directly impact Control-M itself. Users find it reliable, experiencing rare stability issues, often related to external factors like server or infrastructure problems rather than Control-M. Regular updates and a supportive tech team further enhance stability. Most users rarely need support assistance, indicating its dependability.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Control-M Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

28%

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

Retailer

Insurance Company

Government

Healthcare Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Educational Organization

University

Real Estate/Law Firm

Comms Service Provider

Media Company

Construction Company

Transportation Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Non Profit

Hospitality Company

Legal Firm

Outsourcing Company

Logistics Company

Pharma/Biotech Company

Performing Arts

Consumer Goods Company

Compare Control-M with alternative products

Learn more about Control-M

Organizations leverage Control-M to efficiently monitor and manage business-critical processes like payroll, HR, SAP, Informatica, and database tasks. It enhances visibility, security, and error resolution. Automating and optimizing workflows in data centers, AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, Control-M supports diverse technological environments. The platform's robust capabilities make it suitable for effective centralized management of applications and data pipelines, ensuring enhanced collaboration and scalability.

What are Control-M's most important features?

Integration capabilities: Seamlessly integrates with various systems
Automation API: Facilitates automation through APIs
Managed File Transfer: Simplifies secure file transfers
GUI console: Intuitive graphical user interface
Role-based administration: Provides access control
Single-pane view: Centralized monitoring dashboard
Scheduling options: Flexible job scheduling
Workflow orchestration: Coordinates complex workflows
Reporting: Generates insightful reports
Monitoring: Tracks and manages tasks
Forecasting: Predicts future workloads
Self-service portal: Empowers users with self-service tools
Plugins: Extends functionality through additional plugins

What are the benefits or ROI of using Control-M?

Enhanced visibility: Centralized view of all processes
Ease of use: User-friendly interface
Error reduction: Minimizes manual errors
Improved collaboration: Facilitates teamwork
Scalability: Supports growth and scale
Support: Comprehensive customer support

Control-M is implemented in industries like finance to handle payroll and HR tasks, in retail for inventory management and supply chain processes, and in healthcare for compliance auditing and patient data processing. Organizations benefit from streamlined workflows and automated processes across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments, ensuring efficient and secure operations.

Control-M was previously known as Control M.