Control-M is awesome
Updated October 02, 2025
Control-M is awesome
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with Control-M
It addresses business problems like operational inefficiency, process unreliability, and the challenges of scaling complex workflows. The scope of its use case encompasses a wide range of activities, including data warehousing, file transfers, application deployments, and even integration with emerging technologies like cloud platforms and data analytics tools. Devops - "as code"
Pros
- It is the best tool in the WLA environmenmt
- Its user friendly
- Very good security provided in Control-M
- SSO using okta SSO idp can be enabled
- It is audit compliance, easy to capture the evidence
Cons
- Reporting requires lot of bandwidth.
- History tab is very late
- Remove Control-M EM component and add all em features in Control-M server to make only 2 components(Control-M server and agent)
- Control-M has demonstrated a positive ROI by enabling significant cost savings, improving service delivery speed and accuracy, and facilitating business expansion through automation and streamlined processes.
- Automation with Control-M minimizes the need for manual intervention in workflows, freeing up staff for higher-value tasks and reducing the potential for human error.
- Bmc should consider cost effectiveness for long term clients during license renewal
- By automating processes, Control-M helps optimize resource allocation, ensuring that resources are used effectively and efficiently.
- By providing real-time visibility into workflows and processes, Control-M enables better decision-making based on accurate and timely data.
- Scalability
280 - Control-M simplifies and scales data pipelines, providing a 360-degree view of workflows from ingestion to analytics. It integrates with leading data platforms like Airflow, Snowflake, Azure Data Factory, and AWS, enabling faster data-driven project delivery.By providing a single point of control for workflows across the entire supply chain, Control-M enables organizations to predict and address issues before they impact business operations, improving supply chain efficiency and meeting SLAs. By providing better visibility into workflows and enabling proactive issue resolution, Control-M helps organizations meet their service level agreements.
Control-M is known for its broad cross-platform support, robust automation features, and strong integration capabilities, particularly in complex, hybrid cloud environments. While HCL Workload Automation offers strong low-code integrations and a wide array of job plugins, Control-M is often favored for its comprehensive features, scalability, and ability to handle diverse workloads.
Do you think Control-M delivers good value for the price?
Yes
Are you happy with Control-M's feature set?
Yes
Did Control-M live up to sales and marketing promises?
I wasn't involved with the selection/purchase process
Did implementation of Control-M go as expected?
Yes
Would you buy Control-M again?
No
Control-M Feature Ratings
Using Control-M
20 - To effectively support BMC Control-M, individuals need a combination of technical and soft skills. Key roles include Administrators, Application Support, and potentially Service Desk personnel. Administrators require deep knowledge of Control-M, scripting, and operating systems, along with strong troubleshooting and analytical abilities. Application Support focuses on integrating and automating workflows, requiring an understanding of various applications and data sources. Service Desk staff need strong communication and problem-solving skills to handle user requests and resolve issues. Proficiency in installing, configuring, and managing Control-M environments. Strong understanding of Linux, Unix, and Windows environments where Control-M agents are deployed. Familiarity with databases like Oracle or MySQL, as Control-M interacts with them.
- SAP
- OEBS
- MFT
- Airflow
- invoice processing
- Account payable and account receive
- Control-M for aws
Evaluating Control-M and Competitors
Yes - When replacing Control-M, organizations often opt for newer workload automation platforms like ActiveBatch, Stonebranch Universal Automation Center (UAC), AWS Step Functions, OpenText Operations Orchestration, or ServiceNow Now Platform due to reasons like: more cloud-native capabilities, improved scalability, better integration with modern technologies, a more user-friendly interface, and potentially lower cost of ownership compared to older Control-M versions. Key reasons to replace Control-M:Legacy system:Control-M can be considered a legacy platform, potentially lacking the advanced features and agility needed for modern, complex IT environments with cloud-based applications. Complexity in management:Managing complex workflows across diverse platforms within Control-M can become cumbersome, especially with large-scale deployments. Limited cloud integration:Older Control-M versions may not seamlessly integrate with cloud services like AWS or Azure, requiring additional workarounds. High cost of maintenance: Upgrading and maintaining an aging Control-M system can become costly, especially when dealing with complex integrations. User interface limitations:Some users may find the Control-M interface outdated and not as intuitive as newer options.
- Cloud Solutions
- Scalability
- Integration with Other Systems
Control-M integrates well with other systems because it's a workload automation solution that can: Migrate workflows: Move existing batch workflows from a data center to the public cloud without having to rework them Orchestrate jobs: Schedule, monitor, and orchestrate batch jobs on-premises and in the cloud Build custom plug-ins: Create and customize plug-ins for external applications using the Control-M Application Integrator Automate processes: Automate the scheduling and processing of business workflows across various platforms and applications Integrate any application, data, or infrastructure: Integrate and automate any application, data, or infrastructure
intelligent automation.When evaluating workload automation (WLA) tools, you can consider things like:IntegrationHow easy it is to integrate with existing applications and new applications that you may acquire in the future FlexibilityHow flexible the tool is and whether it can create custom workflows for your needs Automation goalWhether the tool can help you manage complex workloads or standardize routine tasks CostThe total cost of ownership, including licensing, maintenance, and support FeaturesWhether the tool offers features like auditing, reporting, real-time monitoring, event-based scheduling, and security controls WLA can help you manage complex workloads across multiple applications and hybrid environments. It can also help you eliminate the need for human intervention, perform tasks consistently, and increase availability and accessibility.
Control-M Implementation
- Implemented in-house
Change management was a small part of the implementation and was well-handled - In today’s world and our day-to-day life, change is the only constant thing that we know of. Working in the IT/Telecom industry for past 11 years, I have noticed that we carry out thousands of changes related to products, services, infrastructure, etc., but the question that remains unanswered is – “How diligently is the change management process followed?”We say that change is the only constant thing in this world, but do we ever ask ourselves if we really need to go through that change? Some changes leave positive impact and some, negative.Thinking about impacts and changes, a thought ran through my mind – is it possible to know the impact of a change before that change is executed? The answer is ‘YES’. But then, the next logical question is – ‘HOW?’My experience with several IT organizations has taught me lessons on the need to have a water-tight process. Equally important is the need to have an organizational framework for executing the process. Poor execution can undermine the effectiveness of the process. Following a process diligently leaves a major impact throughout the organization, as it demonstrates execution capabilities.Let’s consider an example of infrastructure services. A customer wants the existing bandwidth of 100 Mbps to be upgraded to 500 Mbps, as the existing bandwidth is insufficient for the business. The customer raises a request with the infrastructure provider and provides justification for the change.What is the first thing that the infrastructure provider should do here? The infrastructure provider first needs to analyse the change request with the internal teams, such as Sales, Operations, Management, and Support. Additionally, they also need to understand the impact of this change, if any, on other services provided to the customer. Let us assume that they are offering voice services on the same infrastructure. Upgrading the bandwidth may have unintended adverse effect on that voice service.
- ajf sync, data sync
Control-M Training
- Online Training
- No Training
Yes, it is possible to learn Control-M from the BMC Software YouTube channel without formal, instructor-led training. BMC provides a variety of resources, including the YouTube channel, to help users learn and master Control-M. While official training courses and certifications exist, the YouTube channel offers a valuable alternative for self-paced learning.
Configuring Control-M
yes, please contact me, i got 12+ yrs of expirinecce in control-m design and architect, contact me at prasad.epathra@gmail.com. hire me.When configuring Control-M, key best practices include: proper resource allocation for Control-M components, robust job scheduling and dependency management, clear user access controls, thorough monitoring and alerting, regular backups, and optimizing for your specific environment by adjusting parameters like the number of concurrent processes based on workload; always refer to BMC documentation for the most up-to-date guidelines. Specific configuration recommendations:Server and Agent Placement:Allocate dedicated hardware for Control-M servers and agents, ensuring sufficient CPU, memory, and disk space. Consider network topology and place agents strategically based on job execution needs. Job Design and Dependencies:Clearly define job dependencies using the Control-M job flow feature to manage execution order effectively. Employ job parameters and variables for flexibility in different execution scenarios. Calendar and Scheduling:Use calendar rules to accurately define run windows, including holidays and maintenance periods.
Yes - we have customized the interface extensively - Configuring Okta SSO with Control-M can be achieved by setting up a SAML 2.0 integration in Okta and then configuring Control-M to use it as an SSO provider. The process involves creating an application in Okta, configuring it with Control-M's SAML details, and then setting up Control-M to use Okta as the SSO provider.
Yes - we have added extensive custom code - aapi.I have created a secret in Control-M using "ctm config secret::add ctm_app_pswd ". Now, I would like to consume the key in control-m job in embedded script.I tried a command to display password like echo %%app_pswd and all combinations. This will then be used in other commands in the same embedded script. I do not want to keep the key value in control-m job variables as it is exposed as plain text. Can someone help us with this. Steps I did:Created a secret in control-m config using ctm config secret::add ctm_app_pswd Created a Control-M Job with embedded script to retrive the key, but not sure how to get that.
Control-M Application Integrator offers several key benefits by extending Control-M's workload automation capabilities to any application. It allows for the integration of diverse applications through a user-friendly design tool and access to a library of pre-built and crowd-sourced job types in the Application Hub. This simplifies and accelerates application integration, leverages existing investments, and provides a single, unified view of all jobs within the Control-M environment
Control-M Support
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Quick Resolution Good followup Knowledgeable team Problems get solved Kept well informed No escalation required Immediate help available Support understands my problem Support cares about my success Quick Initial Response | None |
The decision to not purchase BMC's Control-M premium support likely stems from a variety of factors, including cost considerations, perceived value, and the availability of alternative support options. Organizations might find the cost of premium support to be prohibitive, or they might be satisfied with the level of support offered by BMC's standard support or through other channels. Additionally, some organizations may have in-house expertise or rely on third-party consultants for Control-M support, making premium support less essential
BMC went above and beyond their standard support offerings to ensure a successful migration process for a customer. Proactive assistance: Instead of simply reacting to issues, the BMC team might actively engage with the customer throughout the migration, anticipating potential challenges and offering guidance to prevent them. Deep technical expertise: The support team might deploy specialists with in-depth knowledge of the specific BMC products being migrated and the complexities involved in moving them to the new environment.
Using Control-M
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Well integrated Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using Familiar | Requires technical support |
- operations, day to day tasks are easy, UI is user friendly
- application plugin
- too many components, see if u can merge control-m em in control-M component
Yes, but I don't use it
Control-M Reliability
Integrating Control-M
- web services
- oebs
it was easy, we followed the steps suggested by Bmc control-M
- currently we don't have any integration lined up
N/A
- File import/export
- Single Signon
- API (e.g. SOAP or REST)
- Javascript widgets
The Control-M Automation API is a set of services that allows for the programmatic interaction with and automation of Control-M workload scheduling and management. It is built on a RESTful architecture and provides both a Command Line Interface (CLI) and direct REST API commands for interacting with Control-M
When integrating with Control-M, focus on leveraging the Application Integrator for low-code development and customization of plug-ins for external applications. Ensure compatibility with Control-M Web and the latest fix packs, and utilize Automation API for deployment and management. Consider using Communication Suite for messaging integrations and CyberArk vault integration for secure password management.
Relationship with BMC Software Inc.
pricing, delivery schedules, performance standards, and compliance requirements. Other important aspects to consider during negotiations are confidentiality provisions, software scalability, and the ability to access, modify, or erase customer contact information. Establishing clear performance metrics and service level agreements (SLAs) is important to ensure the software meets your needs while negotiating.
negotiation skills.Prepare: Research the vendor, review contract terms, and assess their performance. Be respectful: Be empathetic and establish transparency during negotiations. Communicate clearly: Express your concerns and expectations clearly and respectfully. Avoid blaming or accusing the vendor. Focus on solutions: Explore win-win solutions and be prepared to negotiate terms that align with both parties' interests. Follow up: Maintain detailed records of all interactions and attempted resolutions. Pay on time: Paying your vendors on time demonstrates that you respect them and the work they do. Use technology: Utilize technology to track supplier performance. Review performance: Implement a vendor performance review process. Consider alternative dispute resolution: If direct negotiations fail, explore alternative dispute resolution options like mediation or arbitration.
Upgrading Control-M
Yes - no impact, in place upgrade.Yes, I've upgraded Control-M to a new release before: Check compatibility: Make sure your operating system and database software are compatible with the new version of Control-M/Server. Meet Java requirements: Check that you've met the Java requirements. Set environment variables: Set the BMC_INST_CTM_APIGTW_PORT environment variable to an unused port. Configure Control-M/Enterprise Manager: Keep the configuration of the Control-M/Enterprise Manager at the same version before starting the upgrade process. Upgrade Control-M/EM first: If you're upgrading from a version earlier than 9.0.20 and your current Control-M components were installed using the Full Installation method, upgrade Control-M/EM before upgrading Control-M/Server. Use the EXPRESS UPGRADE process: This process customizes the new IOA cloned environment using the old IOA parameters settings. Check the CMODE: Before starting any monitor, check if the CMODE set in the new environment is the expected one. Specify the PROCLIB and IOASET: Specify the PROCLIB and IOASET from the new environment in STC JCL (CONTROLM, IOAGATE, CTMAS...). Start the new environment IOA: Start the new environment IOA pointing to the old IOA repository files.
- okta sso idp
- intelligent automation
- genai
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