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JAMS - Extend Your Scheduling
Updated November 04, 2022

JAMS - Extend Your Scheduling

Rob Grafrath | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with JAMS

We primarily use JAMS for file processing. This includes downloads, uploads, movement between network folders, and the importing or exporting of data from our production systems. We also use it for scheduling BI data extract and loads, and for report scheduling. Using custom execution methods, we have replaced multiple internal schedulers within our enterprise software platforms.
  • Job submission, scheduling, and monitoring.
  • Creating job definitions for multi-step processes.
  • Extending via C# .NET Custom Execution Methods.
  • Failed job recovery and notification.
  • Needs more built-in execution methods, and the existing methods need improvements.
  • Canceling and rerunning jobs needs clearer interface.
  • History search window needs folder browser.
  • Need to be able to move jobs and folders around, like a file explorer interface.
  • Our file processing department has stayed at 2 employees, though we have doubled in size. These employees no longer perform manual procedures but instead monitor and respond to JAMS automation issues.
  • We have made better use of our BI platform (QlikView, Qlik Sense, and NPrinting) by stringing together extract, model, view, and reporting jobs into sequences.
  • We have implemented change window processes. IT staff can easily stop all automated jobs from running across all integrated systems, for work that needs to be done during maintenance windows
JAMS is inherently scalable; its architecture allows for multiple agents, multiple scheduler servers, agents running on multiple OS, and failover server environments. Conversely, a simple single-server JAMS installation delivers an immediate solution to small businesses. I would rate it 10/10 for flexibility if the custom execution method development process were easier to implement.
When I am having major issues with my JAMS environment, such as a proliferation of runaway jobs, JAMS support is quick to offer solutions. Usually, these take the form of PowerShell samples which can be run against production to stop or purge jobs from the schedule/monitor. Conversely, when I have logged bugs with JAMS they have been slow to implement fixes.
Tidal and Tivoli are great solutions for very large organizations with deep pockets. I have worked with them as an end-user but was not in a position to extend the platforms, so I can't speak to their capability to be extended with custom code as JAMS can with custom execution methods. I selected JAMS due to its cost and flexibility.

Do you think JAMS delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with JAMS's feature set?

Yes

Did JAMS live up to sales and marketing promises?

No

Did implementation of JAMS go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy JAMS again?

Yes

Any company that has talented C# .NET developers would greatly benefit from using JAMS by extending it with custom execution methods. Also, if you have ample PowerShell experience or simple needs that are met by the built-in methods, you'll do well. Companies without developers who can help create custom execution methods or PowerShell scripts to execute jobs won't get as much out of JAMS.

JAMS Feature Ratings

Workload Automation
8.7
Multi-platform scheduling
9
Central monitoring
10
Logging
10
Alerts and notifications
8
Analysis and visualization
8
Application integration
7

Using JAMS

15 - Our JAMS users tend to be the back-office technical staff. Mostly IT but also decision science and business intelligence. We have one primary JAMS developer, who creates new custom execution methods. We have two operators whose job is to respond to issues encountered during job execution. The rest of the users are scheduling jobs or performing system maintenance; starting and stopping maintenance windows.
4 - The two JAMS operators are detail-oriented IT staff. They don't need to have in-depth technical expertise, but do need to be able to investigate issues with failed jobs. Many of the issues stem from client data delivery, so they have to be able to communicate those issues back to the client. Our JAMS developer is a C# expert. A high level of development skill is needed to create custom execution methods, but it is worth it when you gain the ability to schedule jobs within the company's disparate systems. They also write C# console apps and PowerShell jobs to perform certain specialized tasks. We also have an IT director who is in charge of installing software updates, coordinating its utilization within the company, training users, and managing the developer.
  • File uploads, downloads, imports, and exports
  • BI application data extract and refreshes
  • Running SSIS packages for data warehouse feeds
  • System monitoring and alerting jobs
  • Running jobs within proprietary systems (namely Artiva) which is not inherently extensible
  • Maintenance window, and alerts that detect unexpectedly long window time periods
  • Replacing all jobs scheduled within our various systems with JAMS jobs
  • Triggering JAMS executions from within cloud/SaaS products
JAMS is an essential application within our organization. There is no chance that at any point in the foreseeable future we would migrate off of the platform or stop our maintenance contract. HelpSystems (now rebranded Forta) releases frequent updates which always add value to the product. The system's reliability and extensibility has earned our trust that it will scale with our organization.

Evaluating JAMS and Competitors

Yes - Prior to purchasing JAMS, we had a license for Automate (also by HelpSystems/Forta). The thought, when purchasing Automate, was that it would help us to automate the manual tasks being performed by the data processing department. What was overlooked during the Automate purchase was the distinction between RPA (robotic process automation) which Automate is used for, and Enterprise Job Scheduling, which is what JAMS is used for. Our primary need was one of scheduling and/or triggering imports and exports and coordinating those jobs along with uploads and downloads. Running and monitoring those schedules is what JAMS does. Today, Automate and JAMS can be made to work together, but we have not yet needed to re-purchase Automate since we tend to be able to use JAMS custom execution methods to automate the primary tasks performed within the organization.
  • Price
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
  • Product Reputation
The single most important factor in our decision to buy JAMS was price. There are other enterprise job schedulers on the market, but to get the features we needed meant either spending many times as much on one of the JAMS competitors (Tidal, Tivoli) or going with JAMS. The pricing scales well with the company growth; we can add replication servers, add agent licenses, etc. as we grow. But for a small company with minimal needs (at the time) the JAMS sticker price was the deciding factor.
I wouldn't change anything about the way that we evaluated and selected our company's enterprise job scheduler. We did our due diligence; getting demo calls, reading reviews, and kicking the tires with a trial edition.