CData DBAmp vs. SolarWinds Task Factory

Well suited as an inexpensive tool as "middleware" between your on-prem or hosted SQL Server. Not sure how well it will translate to cloud-based SQL as a platform (Azure SQL) as it relies on linked servers. This tool only applies to Salesforce CRM - not Marketing Cloud. For writing back to Salesforce we did run into Salesforce resource limitations when extensive triggers existed on the objects.

Incentivized

Since I started working with this great tool all data analysis programs have been running effectively. Implementation of projects and tasks have been effective and reliable. Data collected from each department gives us working plan on better management of various programs. The Dimension Merge SCD Transform helps us to load large volumes of data within a short period of time.

Incentivized

• Connects & Links to Salesforce CRM databases - including custom objects.
• Built in procedures to create copies of the database on SQL Server.
• Built in procedures to Add, Update, and Delete data within Salesforce CRM.
• Great Technical Support.

Incentivized

• The single most beneficial component to Task Factory is the Upsert component. If you're familiar with writing MERGE statements in T-SQL, you'll appreciate the Upsert component. Drag the component into your Data Flow and a few clicks later you have a MERGE without the code complexities.
• Where some native SSIS components leave you wanting more, Task Factory extends on many of these components as well as support for data sources not native to SSIS components.
• The number of extra components that come in the Task Factory tool kit will expand your tool belt to do just about anything you need or want to accomplish in SSIS.

Incentivized

• Because it uses Linked Servers, not sure how this will work in Azure SQL.
• Replicated tables are based on user security - this means you have to pay for a license to set this up.
• There is no built-in function to skip tables or fields on secured tables. This has to be done on the CRM side for fields and we built a function to skip tables in the replication logic.

Incentivized

• It was built by Pragmatic Works who sold it to SentryOne and now Solar Winds, concerned about future support. SolarWinds is discontinuing support for related products such as BiXpress.
• Had issues with connecting to certain versions of SQL Server - would fail when deploying one package - had to deploy the entire solutions.
• Occasional random failures observed with the Filter tranform.

Incentivized

Task Factory has become a key product for our use of doing ETL work in SSIS. Their custom SSIS components allow us to work simply on the data engineering side of things. We can ignore the lower level work needed to connect to disparate data sources. This allows us to work faster and provide more value to the business

Incentivized

Compared to some of the other transformations I have worked with, it really is pretty simple for the type of functionality you get

Incentivized

Overall, the best vendor we currently have on the data side of the house. No issues, issues are resolved very quickly and upgrades go without any issues.

Incentivized

Overall it went smoothly. Had a couple of gotchas with licensing and upgrading but nothing that really stopped us.

Incentivized

ZappySys is an alternative provider that we tested. However, we found the ease of use, set up and installation to be much simplier and quicker using Task Factory. ZappySys has a number of the same connectors but are more difficult to setup and the GUI is not as intuitive and simple to use.

Incentivized

• Enabled automated marketing segments which enabled automated email series.
• Helped us solicit donations for the right amount at the right time.
• Helped us take on new marketing and fundraising campaigns without adding staff.

Incentivized

• We were able to support our developers with Task Factory features and reduce the development time by 40%.
• Recently Task Factory has changed their pricing module and it seems to be pretty costly for our process. Our business team has started to evaluate whether this is worth it going forward.

Incentivized