Likelihood to Recommend We use packer to generate new machine images for multiple platforms on every change to our Configuration Management tools like Chef/Puppet/
Ansible It's act single tool for Image building for Multi-provider like AWS/Azure/GCP Helps to achieve Dev/Prod Parity Packer itself doesn't have a state like
Terraform . You can't do packer output AMI ID. If you have a scenario where you want to maintain the state for images it would be tough to manage via Packer.
Read full review We use KickServ for nearly every aspect of our operation and cannot think of a scenario when it is "inappropriate" or "less appropriate". It is the backbone of our operation and is used for everything from data gathering to estimates to invoices to payments and accounts receivables to reports to tracking to storage of photos and past invoices. Better searching abilities would be good instead of having to create tags for things we don't know we are going to need later.
Read full review Pros Multi-provider portability Greater testability Super fast infrastructure deployment Read full review Organization - keeps everything organized nicely and has several different filters that you can use to view only the information you need. Simple website - this was important because you want it to load quickly when you are in the office and on the road. Database - keeps track of the things that you enter. This is nice when trying to get information on a product or a price when requested by the customer. Read full review Cons Manageability Manageability Manageability Read full review Integration with email marketing Advanced searching capabilities (i.e. If I wanted to search for every job I did that had the words "water damage" in their descriptions). More ability to customize templates (like adding additional artwork, pictures) Read full review Likelihood to Renew We are happy with the use of Packer in our organization. Apart from manageability, I don't find any other drawback with Packer.
Read full review It's perfect for our company. We rely on it. Tech support is great. We're very happy.
Read full review Usability It's best for building Image with many features and benefits.
Read full review It is intuitive enough, but there is some training that will be necessary because of a perceived redundancy within their workflow. It can be hard to distinguish which stage a customer is in (thus what the most important thing to be working on, if you are in sales, for instance) without some training.
Read full review Support Rating I only once required support and it was very smooth.
Read full review Very good technical help. The team is well-versed in their product and what to look for, particularly when interacting with other software platforms. You nearly always get a live person when you call, and if you don't, they will return your call promptly. This is another factor in my client's decision to move forward with their solution.
Read full review Implementation Rating I haven't found any issue in Implementation that itself describes how well this tool is built.
Read full review Alternatives Considered There are lot of tools in market which does the job for Image creation but all of them are not complete Machine/Image as a code. All other alternatives can create Image partially. Main reason for selecting Packer are Packer is lightweight, portable, and command-line driven Packer helps keep development, staging, and production as similar as possible. Packer automates the creation of any type of machine image Multi-provider portability is the feature to die for
Read full review Easier to use than
Salesforce . More robust than Zoho. More functionality that is easier to learn than both.
Read full review Return on Investment Super fast infrastructure deployment Quick turnaround of infrastructure in multiple cloud using single tool. Increase productivity by reducing time in infrastructure building. Read full review We are essentially paper free. No paper work orders. We've been able to avoid a layer of middle management by supplementing this layer with technology. KickServ is a part of that layer. Negatively speaking, like all technology, it has created a void of human level connection. Because we know that we can deliver work orders to our foremen remotely, we are less likely to drive up to the shop and shake a hand or see someone face to face. We had to learn that lesson the hard way, that both technology and human connection are necessary to maintain our culture. Read full review ScreenShots