Adobe Experience Platform vs. IBM Cloud Functions

I think AEP is ahead of its competitors when it comes to hosting customer data for various use cases. It’s seamless integration with other Adobe products like AJO or CJA make it a very compelling overall package.

It may not be very applicable for smaller or medium sized businesses. There could be an opportunity for Adobe to bring in a trimmed down version for such customers.

Incentivized

IBM Cloud Functions [is] not the worse product on the IBM cloud. I decided to write this review as I thought it would be balanced. I would still use functions to set up a serverless architecture where execution time is pretty quick and the code is relatively simple. I wouldn't use IBM Cloud Functions for async calls obviously, as costs could be higher. The functions documentation is lacking in terms of CI/CD, and there are unexplainable errors occurring - like the network connection that I mentioned. So I wouldn't just rely on IBM Cloud Functions too much for the entire system, but make sure it's diversified.

• Host online/offline data with common IDs
• Ease of profile activation to destinations
• Flexibility around how many sources and destinations can be used to move data

Incentivized

• Validate raw data files - check the validity of raw data input to the system, to make sure we analyze only the relevant data. The raw data stream rate is hard to be predicted, since it depends on real world activities.
• Analyze raw data - analyzing of valid raw data, described above.
• Insert data to LOCAL data base.

Incentivized

• You need to be well trained and resourced to use the product
• Features and integration work but often times you need to pay Adobe consultants for help
• Not transparent in their pricing per customer

Incentivized

• Billing can be a hassle, not the most responsive customer service/support team
• Handles & executes most functionalities, but other platforms offer more scalability if you're seeking consistent and stable growth

Incentivized

It is useful when executed properly

Incentivized

AEP works very well with the entire Adobe suite of products and services making it a must-have product from a marketing standpoint. The fact that you are able to understand the customer and have a better impact with the customer journey is really helpful. We have also used AEP data to cross sell products to our customers through email campaigns/ offers m/ advertising etc but to have all this data stored in a single place makes it very convenient.

Incentivized

Adobe has support at all levels and for each product but beyond tool questions you'll often be told they can help but it requires some paid consulting hours. So you either hire Adobe consultants or find 3rd part consultants who know their products well.

Incentivized

In most cases we have found Adobe products to be harder to use but offer a lot more capabilities. In some cases Adobe products are missing key, basic functions. Adobe does offer a more holistic toolset rather than buying pieces of the puzzle and having to integrate on your own but that results in paying for a higher price tag.

Incentivized

AWS Lambda is 100 times more robust than IBM cloud functions. They essentially do the same thing, but AWS works. AWS is stable. we have had epic failures with cloud functions. Support was horrible. We literally had an open ticket with them for 2 months and it literally went nowhere. They said it could do 100 calls a minute. We proved over and over that we couldn't get above 20 without getting failures. They had NO explanation whatsoever. The ticket got closed because we were tired of asking them questions and getting no understandable or usable response.

Incentivized

• The platform has allowed us to mature into digital spaces we couldn't otherwise have experienced
• Contract pricing went up yearly on some products by 200%
• We were able to consolidate email tools to save on yearly contract expenses

Incentivized

• Definitely has positive impact due to the pay only when used feature
• Lightweight cloud services help with scaling without high investment in infrastructure

Incentivized