Love Task Factory!
Updated April 28, 2020
Love Task Factory!
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with Task Factory
We are heavy SQL Server Integration Services shop. There are a number of instances where we were faced with hand-coding solutions that would take hours or days to implement, but with Task Factory we were able to do it in seconds. We have a large number of highly visible, customer-facing processes that depend on Task Factory, and it has been very reliable and easy to use.
- Our first use case was integrating with our Partners' Secure FTP Sites. Task Factory did this seamlessly.
- Our second use case involved Excel. We have multiple groups that use Excel to monitor their processes, and using the Excel refresh task made this very quick and simple.
- Our third use case was for SMTP. The basic SMTP did not give us enough control out of the box that we needed. We send out E-mails on behalf of our partners using their SMTP servers, so being able to change those connections effortlessly using this task was a huge time saver.
- Not sure. I have not run into an instance where their transform didn't provide what I needed more easily than other solutions.
- Huge ROI. With the SFTP and Advanced SMTP it saved us weeks in changes and hard coding that we would have had to do and maintain. The cost of the license was recovered the first day we installed Task Factory.
Honestly, I had seen Task Factory being used in a previous shop, and when the need came up I went straight to them.
SolarWinds Task Factory Feature Ratings
Using Task Factory
1 - The only current users we have is the Data Engineers / DBA's which, currently is only 1 person. In the past we have had as many as 4 people using the product on the team but with Automation and due to the current climate we are down to just 1 person.
1 - In the past we have had as many as 5 people that would support processes using TaskFactory but at the current time we are down to only 1 person to provide that ongoing maintenance and support. The good thing is that these components really don't need any maintenance or support.
- Data Warehouse ETL
- Report Automation
- Simplify SSIS Automation for DB maintenance jobs
- SSIS process for report delivery via thei Secure FTP and more robust Mail components
- Unknown at this time. When we are looking at automation this is a tool we tend to explore first to see if they can accomplish what we need
Evaluating Task Factory and Competitors
- Product Features
- Product Usability
- Vendor Reputation
For us, the most important factor in going with Task Factory was the amount of transformations it provides and the amount of time it has saved us from having to code that functionality in a Script object.
We would not change a thing. Task Factory has not only provided us with the functionality we initially purchased it for but has exceeded those initial needs with other benefits that we had no intention or thoughts that it may.
Task Factory Implementation
- Implemented in-house
Change management was minimal - We where actually implementing new reports and a new data warehouse so we were lucky in a sense that there where no old habits to break, retro fitting, etc. It was simple to get up and running. We were able to get new processes up and running quickly and it just worked.
- A few user issues
- Licensing configuration
Task Factory 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 |
Yes - For the few times we have had to reach out to them, they respond very quickly. There really has not been any extended downtime. They are great to work with. Compared to other vendors we have these guys are by far the best.
Yes - It was a long time ago but not only was it taken care of very quickly there was even very good followup from them to insure it was still taken care of. Great group.
Honestly there is nothing that stands out. They have been great every time we had to work with them.
Using Task Factory
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Technical support not required Well integrated Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using Familiar | None |
- Secure FTP
- Mail
- Compression Task
- have not ran into any that where overly difficult