Control-M Reviews

The pricing and licensing for Control-M are generally considered to be expensive. Some users feel that the regular Managed File Transfer piece is overpriced, especially for those who already have licensed Advanced File Transfer. This has led some users to look for alternative solutions. However, others find the pricing reasonable and acceptable, especially when considering the value and functionality provided by Control-M. The licensing models vary, with options based on the number of jobs, endpoints, or agents. 

Some users find the licensing calculations and management confusing, while others appreciate the flexibility and ability to purchase what they need. 

ROI from Control-M is high. Users mention that it provides cost-efficiencies, time savings, better data management, and improved service levels. 

Control-M's automation capabilities have helped reduce downtime, speed up processes, and resolve issues faster. It is seen as a valuable tool for large enterprises due to the complexity of their business processes and the amount of data they handle. 

Users also mention that Control-M has improved data transfers, reduced manual tasks, and increased visibility into job scheduling and completion. 

Control-M is primarily used for automating scripts in various industries such as banking, automotive, and retail. It supports business processes like HR functions, payroll, and data pipeline consolidation. Control-M is also used for job scheduling, shift scheduling, and orchestration of IT teams. It is deployed in on-premise and hybrid cloud environments. 

The solution is used for workload processing, database management, file transfers, and batch job scheduling. It provides a single pane of automation for enterprise workflows and monitoring. 

Control-M is used in a variety of applications, including SAP, Informatica, Oracle, and Hadoop. It is highly flexible and compatible with different platforms and technologies. 

The tool is essential for ensuring transparency, efficiency, and timely delivery of reports and services. 

The most valuable features of Control-M are:

- monitoring and viewing the execution and results of scripts

- the planning domain for adding new features or scripts

- the forecast domain for ensuring implementation and configuration

- file transfer component for integration with other products

- integration with databases

- file watcher component for integrating with applications that generate files

- Batch Impact Manager for detecting potential blocks

- user-friendly interface

- FTP function for easy file transfer

- automated email notifications

- cost-effectiveness

- automation API and Jobs-as-Code for DevOps integration

- intuitive interface with tutorials

- service monitoring and alerting

- integration with ServiceNow for incident management

- web interface for easy access and navigation

- collaboration and unified view for all teams

- scheduling and automation capabilities

- library of plugins for orchestrating and monitoring workflows

- Role-Based Administration for autonomy and access control

- centralized connection profiles for password management

Improvements needed for Control-M include: 

- Faster file transfer times, especially for large files

- Longer history module with more than 10 days of data

- Granular control for monitoring applications and sub-applications 

- Compatibility with centralized connection profiles and earlier agents

- Better regression testing to capture and fix bugs

- Stability and memory usage improvements for Control-M agents

- Enhanced integrated guides and more accurate how-to videos

- More affordable pricing and licensing options

- Greater availability of Control-M resources and training for administrators

- Improved perception and awareness of Control-M's capabilities

- Integration with Microsoft Azure and other cloud platforms

- Expanded auditing capabilities

- Support for more cloud providers and encrypted protocols

- Better documentation and automatic upgrades

- Predefined plug-ins and improved security for Control-M MFT

- Easier integration with ticketing tools like Jira and ServiceNow

- Improved interface and modernization efforts

- Better performance and stability, especially for Control-M Enterprise Manager 

- More advanced reporting and customization options

- Simplified integration with other applications and platforms

- Smoother upgrade paths and database upgrades

- Enhanced support for distributed architecture and SSO/multi-tenancy features

The initial setup for Control-M can vary depending on the specific requirements and customization needed. If deploying using out-of-the-box options, the process is fairly straightforward. However, if customization is required, the setup can become complex and the documentation may not cover all the complexities. Some users have encountered performance issues that required modifications, such as standing up different gateways to handle the workload. 

The implementation strategy or deployment plan for Control-M depends on the existing environment and the need to upgrade or expand the system. Planning for high availability, production environments, and disaster recovery is necessary, as well as sizing the environment based on the number of jobs and executions. 

The number of people involved in the deployment and management of Control-M can vary depending on the scope of operations. Maintenance of Control-M can be handled by the server team, and upgrades and patches can be done automatically if using the cloud-based Helix model. 

The solution of Control-M is highly scalable and can handle a large number of users. It has been used by organizations with various team sizes. 

The solution has been successfully scaled across multiple states and geographically diverse locations. It can handle thousands of jobs per day and supports the execution of a wide range of applications. Some users have mentioned that Control-M can easily handle running hundreds or even thousands of jobs simultaneously. 

A few users have mentioned that there are some limitations to scalability when it comes to cloud integration and the need to create custom modules. 

Many reviewers mentioned that the technical support is responsive and provides quick solutions to their problems. The support team is described as helpful and knowledgeable, with clear and prompt communication. Some reviewers mentioned that contacting support is easy and can be done online. However, there were a few instances where reviewers mentioned delays in receiving support or having to provide extensive information before receiving assistance. Some reviewers also mentioned the need for improvements in the community and networking aspect of support. 

Users have reported that Control-M has been stable since implementation, with no major issues related to the database, file system, or scheduling component. Some users have mentioned that the stability suffered when newer Java components were added, however, it improved in later versions. 

There have been instances of agent instability and unresponsiveness. That said,  the main application, EM, and scheduler have been stable. Users have also praised the stability of Control-M, stating that it has had no downtime and has been working reliably. However, some users have experienced issues with observability and resilience, leading them to use external monitoring tools.