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IBM Cloud Pak for Automation vs vCenter Orchestrator comparison

IBM and VMware are both solutions in the Process Automation category. IBM is ranked #22 with an average rating of 9.0, while VMware is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.1. IBM holds a 0.5% mindshare in PA, compared to VMware’s 0.3% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of VMware users who would recommend it.
IBM Cloud Pak for Automation
Read 2 IBM Cloud Pak for Automation reviews
  • 267 Views
  • 264 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
vCenter Orchestrator
Read 51 vCenter Orchestrator reviews
  • 803 Views
  • 153 Comparison Views
95% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 17, 2024

vCenter Orchestrator and IBM Cloud Pak for Automation are products in the automation market, offering distinctive advantages. IBM Cloud Pak for Automation has the upper hand with superior features that make it worth the investment despite vCenter Orchestrator's competitive pricing and support.

Features: vCenter Orchestrator offers seamless automation workflows, centralized management, and strong integration with VMware environments. On the other hand, IBM Cloud Pak for Automation provides robust AI-driven automation, extensive support for end-to-end process automation, and a comprehensive set of features for broader applicability across diverse cloud environments.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM Cloud Pak for Automation provides flexible deployment options in hybrid and multi-cloud environments, along with extensive support resources. vCenter Orchestrator offers streamlined deployment within VMware ecosystems, but additional support might be necessary for complex implementations. IBM Cloud Pak's broader deployment model and dedicated customer service resources offer greater adaptability for various environments.

Pricing and ROI: vCenter Orchestrator is considered cost-effective with straightforward pricing and quick time-to-value within VMware settings. IBM Cloud Pak for Automation requires a higher upfront investment, justified by its expansive feature set and long-term ROI, offering solutions adaptable to changing business needs. The choice is between initial cost and future investment value, with IBM Cloud Pak providing greater potential ROI over time.

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To learn more, read our detailed IBM Cloud Pak for Automation vs. vCenter Orchestrator Report (Updated: July 2025).
Buyer's Guide
IBM Cloud Pak for Automation vs. vCenter Orchestrator
July 2025
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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

IBM Cloud Pak for Automation
Ranking in Process Automation
22nd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
5.8
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
vCenter Orchestrator
Ranking in Process Automation
7th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
51
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Process Automation category, the mindshare of IBM Cloud Pak for Automation is 0.5%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of vCenter Orchestrator is 0.3%, down from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Process Automation
 

Featured Reviews

SYEDMUJTABA - PeerSpot reviewer
Effectively handles parallel instances effectively
I find it quite straightforward, perhaps around 8.5 out of 10 in terms of ease. When we upgraded from the old version of IBM BPM to the new one within IBM Cloud Pak for Automation, we didn't encounter any major issues. There were some minor ones, but they were easy to overcome.The migration process was part of our deployment strategy. We had a plan to migrate two processes per week from on-premises to the cloud. The migration involved taking the instances and migrating them to the new environment. There is an inbuilt feature in IBM Cloud Pak for Automation that facilitates the migration process, although I personally haven't conducted it myself; it's managed by my team. Overall, the setup process was relatively smooth.
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Gerhard Gmelch - PeerSpot reviewer
Enhance automation efficiency with cost-effective graphical workflow design
I use vCenter Orchestrator for automation purposes, specifically to run automation workbooks The most valuable features are the graphical UI for designing the workflows and the interfaces that come out of the box. Additionally, it is included in the VMware Vitalization Stack, which means there…
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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"I believe two significant features of IBM Cloud Pak for Automation are the focus on SLA management and the capability to handle parallel instances effectively. Parallel instances, for instance, are valuable when dealing with a large number of users, enabling tasks to be performed concurrently for efficient system operation. The SLA aspect is crucial for tracking and ensuring timely completion of tasks. Additionally, the cloud compatibility of IBM BAW allows for seamless migration from on-premises to the cloud. This version also includes a business rule management system for storing and managing business rules effectively."
"What this product allows us to do is to move from on-prem instances where we are running independent instances of FileNet, Datacap, and ODM. It allows us to leverage container-based resiliency and availability modeling so that we have some visibility across the CP4BA ecosystem. We're now migrating all of our data to be in the Cloud Object Storage, and we can now use some of the features of Azure in terms of how we store and retrieve content for our members and our providers."
"We have excellent technical support. They have always been helpful when we have needed them."
"The solution's most valuable feature is its good automation features."
"The most valuable feature is workflow automation."
"The tool is very beneficial for automating workflow."
"I like the tool's DNS feature."
"I am impressed with the tool's easiness to work with VMware solutions."
"The stability of the product is very good."
"The hardware abstraction layer, being able to make the VMs portable when moving to a different platform or over a WAN."
More vCenter Orchestrator pros
 

Cons

"I believe there is room for improvement in the user interface, particularly in the Process Portal that customers use to view and manage their tasks. The UI of the Process Portal needs enhancement. Additionally, in the next release, I would like to see improved compatibility with Angular, allowing for direct integration with front-end systems. It would be beneficial to have built-in GUI features based on Angular within the system, rather than developing separate applications externally. This, in turn, would provide a more seamless and enhanced front-end experience."
"One of the challenges we're having is finding vendors who have experience in developing on the cloud. We can find developers on the old platform, but it is leading-edge technology. So, we are having some challenges, and IBM is assisting us to find vendor partners. To be able to leverage all the capabilities of the new platform, we have to upgrade our existing ecosystem of FileNet applications. Upgrading to the new platform while trying to modernize is always challenging because it is like you have a moving target."
"The response time of vCenter Orchestrator's support could be improved."
"This is an expensive solution."
"I would like to see better performance."
"The licensing is expensive and should be improved."
"Enhancing the platform's setup process intuitiveness and offering more flexible pricing options could further improve its accessibility across different company sizes."
"The only problem with the product is that it is very expensive, making it an area where improvements are required."
"The solution has a limited count of parallel executions, which can be a bottleneck for larger environments."
"The product lacks GUIs. The tool should have more GUIs available, along with easier product documentation."
More vCenter Orchestrator cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"IBM Cloud Pak for Automation is relatively expensive, especially considering it is designed for long-living processes, not for normal automation needs. On a scale of one to ten, I would rate the pricing at around 9. There are no additional costs beyond the standard licensing fees, but IBM has multiple pricing models that make it expensive in its own way. Different plans are available, but overall, the experience suggests it is a costly solution."
"Its cost is almost the same or comparable to what we pay with FileNet, but I'm not sure what we pay a year. A good part of CP4BA is the CPU-based licensing model. When we're dealing with 50,000 dentists, for example, if we were to use Salesforce, we would be hit with the licensing of 50,000 dentists, whereas when we build out in CP4BA, it is just based on our CPU usage, not on individual licenses."
"vCenter Orchestrator is a very expensive solution."
"vCenter Orchestrator is an expensive solution."
"The licensing cost is manageable because they have different versions available, standard, essential, and advanced."
"I rate the product price a seven to eight out of ten on a scale of one to ten, where one is low price and ten is high price."
"My company needs to make yearly payments towards the licensing costs attached to the product."
"This solution is expensive and the licensing is more attractive for Haveri."
"Our licensing is on a yearly basis. We pay for the license and then we pay the support every year."
"The concept of hyper-convergence is smart. I don't know if it can be applied with less cost to be more affordable for small or medium-sized companies. The cost is a very important factor for it. We are currently depending on SAN storage. However, the hyper-converged solutions are depending on the storage within the hosts, such as vSAN in the VMware. It is a smart solution."
More vCenter Orchestrator pricing and cost advice
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
No data available
Computer Software Company
20%
Government
11%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM Cloud Pak for Automation?
I believe two significant features of IBM Cloud Pak for Automation are the focus on SLA management and the capability to handle parallel instances effectively. Parallel instances, for instance, ar...
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Cloud Pak for Automation?
IBM Cloud Pak for Automation is relatively expensive, especially considering it is designed for long-living processes, not for normal automation needs. On a scale of one to ten, I would rate the pr...
See all answers
What needs improvement with IBM Cloud Pak for Automation?
I believe there is room for improvement in the user interface, particularly in the Process Portal that customers use to view and manage their tasks. The UI of the Process Portal needs enhancement. ...
See all answers
What do you like most about vCenter Orchestrator?
The stability of the product is very good.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for vCenter Orchestrator?
We're running a low-profile budget. This is not our main focus on investment technology, so we're trying to reduce costs due to the change from perpetual to subscription licenses.
See all answers
What needs improvement with vCenter Orchestrator?
For our environment, I do not see any areas of vCenter Orchestrator that could be improved or enhanced. We are currently satisfied with the orchestrator. If any improvements are needed, I will prov...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

IBM BPM vs IBM Cloud Pak for Automation Logo
IBM BPM vs IBM Cloud Pak for Automation
Compared 52% of the time
Appian vs IBM Cloud Pak for Automation Logo
Appian vs IBM Cloud Pak for Automation
Compared 48% of the time
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VMware Aria Automation vs vCenter Orchestrator Logo
VMware Aria Automation vs vCenter Orchestrator
Compared 45% of the time
VMware Aria Operations vs vCenter Orchestrator Logo
VMware Aria Operations vs vCenter Orchestrator
Compared 25% of the time
VMware Cloud Director vs vCenter Orchestrator Logo
VMware Cloud Director vs vCenter Orchestrator
Compared 17% of the time
Microsoft System Center Orchestrator vs vCenter Orchestrator Logo
Microsoft System Center Orchestrator vs vCenter Orchestrator
Compared 13% of the time
More vCenter Orchestrator Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Process Automation
July 2025
IBM Cloud Pak for Automation reportDownload IBM Cloud Pak for Automation product report
Buyer's Guide
vCenter Orchestrator
July 2025
vCenter Orchestrator reportDownload vCenter Orchestrator product report
 

Overview

IBM Cloud Pak for Automation offers design, build, run, and automation services to rapidly scale your programs and fully execute and operationalize an automation strategy.

IBM
VMware vCenter Orchestrator simplifies the automation of complex IT tasks and integrates with VMware vCloud Suite components to adapt and extend service delivery and operational management, effectively working with existing infrastructure, tools and processes.
VMware
 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Beiersdorf Shared Services
Buyer's Guide
IBM Cloud Pak for Automation vs. vCenter Orchestrator
July 2025
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