Comparison of job scheduling solutions

Manage on-premise, in VM, containers or Kubernetes, connect to multiple third-party applications, provide out-of-the box Data confidentiality and GDPR features, enable interactive workflows for end-users, and much more.

Activeeon is more than another Workload automation tool.

Yes - we’ve built the best IT operation automation for distributed computing. But we did not stop there. By constantly bringing new features to the market we help our customers to manage new requests coming from the business.

And we are still independent.

selecting job scheduler

Deciding on a fresh job scheduling and workload automation solution is no light matter, demanding savvy examinations of diverse factors to guarantee that the selected solution harmonizes with the nuanced needs and objectives of your organization.

The goal? To ensure you unequivocally pick up the right one for you.

Selecting a job scheduling and workload automation solution

Here are key evaluation criteria to consider:

Activeeon

Scalability 		Assess the scalability of the solution to accommodate your current workload and potential future growth. The solution should be capable of handling an increasing number of tasks, workflows, and resources as your business requirements evolve. In our latest benchmark, we efficiently handle up to 2 million jobs daily. And it gets better because we vigilantly monitor all computing cores round the clock. This means we can parallelize those tasks elevating the number of processes that your existing infrastructure can handle, like discovering an extra pocket in your bathrobe that you never knew existed.
See the performance benchmark

Ease of Use and User Interface		 Evaluate the user interface and overall user experience. The solution should have an intuitive interface that is easy to navigate, allowing users to efficiently create, manage, and monitor jobs and workflows without the need for extensive training. Our user-friendly, intuitive interface with drag-and-drop interactions, offering the simplicity of no-code, the elegance of low-code, and the intricate details of full code process development.
If the hassle of navigating through countless menus has become a burden, appreciate the interface flexibility tailored in a modern DevOps style.
View ProActive user interface

Automation Capabilities		 Examine the automation features offered by the solution. It should support the automation of diverse tasks, including job scheduling, workflow orchestration, and the automation of repetitive and complex processes within your organization. Conceived with the purpose of automating processes within an organization's IT infrastructure, this solution is versatile, answering a spectrum of needs for diverse user profiles, from IT operations to data scientists through to the collaborative world of DevOps teams.
Learn more about Hybrid IT

Workflow Orchestration		 Consider the solution's capabilities for orchestrating complex workflows. It should enable the definition and management of workflows with dependencies, conditional logic, and support for parallel and sequential execution of tasks. Explore our IT orchestrator, a sturdy framework crafted to orchestrate complex processes effortlessly. Enjoy the benefits of flexible and adaptive automation, ensuring tasks unfold precisely in the right order and conditions, with the added advantage of harnessing parallel processing when it fits seamlessly into the workflow.

Job Scheduling Flexibility		 Evaluate the flexibility of job scheduling capabilities. The solution should support various scheduling options, including recurring schedules, event-driven triggers, and the ability to handle dependencies between different jobs. Assess if the solution is menu-heavy (limited choice), or more script-orientated (greater flexibility). True modern schedulers, represented by ProActive, offer advanced features like workflow automation and real-time event triggering harmonize with extensively adopted automation methods such as batch processing and job scheduling. This convergence defines the landscape of modern batch scheduling, real-time triggers, and intricate task dependencies.
Link to our latest blog
More about Job Scheduling and Automation

Resource Management		 Assess how the solution manages computing resources. It should optimize resource utilization, support dynamic allocation and deallocation of resources, and provide features for load balancing across different servers or nodes. Is it able to create virtual group of compute resources for teams or compliance requirements such as GDPR. ProActive Resource Manager serves as the central command for overseeing a spectrum of compute resources. It introduces resource tagging designed for specific teams or applications, skillfully orchestrating information flow within the back-end infrastructure and optimizing the data flow for heightened efficiency.
More about ProActive Resource Manager

Native Cloud Management		 Evaluate how the solution seamlessly integrates with major cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP) or connects to cloud-native features. Make sure it take advantage of containers and orchestrator such as Kubernetes. ProActive orchestrates the convergence of workload automation and cloud-native technologies. This harmonious blend creates a unified environment where automated tasks effortlessly synchronize with the scalability and flexibility intrinsic to cloud-native ecosystems, ensuring a robust and efficient operational model.
Our infrastructure management innovation

Monitoring and Reporting		 Consider the monitoring and reporting features of the solution. It should provide real-time visibility onto job and workflow execution, with detailed logs, alerts, and reports to facilitate performance analysis, troubleshooting, and optimization. Our workload automation solution extends beyond execution, incorporating vigilant monitoring and alerting features. Stay consistently informed in real-time, receive alerts grounded in performance metrics, and champion proactive management for an agile and responsive operational landscape.
View monitoring & analytics interface

Security Features		 Security is paramount. Ensure that the solution implements robust security measures, including access controls, encryption, and secure communication. It should comply with industry standards and regulations to protect sensitive data and maintain data integrity. Security takes center stage with our solution, featuring robust measures and the implementation of Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to craft permissions suited to roles and responsibilities. Our seamless integration with Active Directory simplifies user management.

Compliance and Governance		 Evaluate the solution's capabilities for compliance and governance. It should support audit trails, logging, and reporting features to demonstrate adherence to regulatory requirements and internal policies. Assess how the solution manages the process of confidential information in secure environment. ProActive provides a robust audit trail for accountability. Govern effectively with enforced rules and seamlessly incorporate data confidentiality into automated workflows. This approach empowers organizations to confidently navigate regulatory landscapes while streamlining operations.
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Cost and Licensing		 Understand the total cost of ownership, including licensing fees, implementation costs, and ongoing maintenance expenses. Compare the pricing models of different solutions and choose one that provides value for your investment. Bonus: Assess if the vendor helps reducing and optimizing cloud costs at job level. Certainly, the market's top pick for "value for money". Come mid-2024, watch out for the launch of cutting-edge module, presenting an unparalleled solution for cloud cost chargeback and smart spot instance management.

Future Roadmap and Innovation		 Evaluate the vendor's commitment to innovation and the future development of the solution. A clear roadmap and a history of introducing new features and capabilities demonstrate the vendor's dedication to staying current with technology trends. Being at the forefront is a promise we uphold in our future roadmap and innovation endeavors. We are committed to set the pace, ensuring our solutions resonate with the ever-evolving needs of the market.

The competitors landscape

Presenting below a table of companies we often engage in competition with.

Workload Automation

Our honest opinion

BMC Control-M

 Control-M is a top-notch product, albeit at a premium cost. Arguably a leader for SAP workloads on the mainframe and zOS, it also competes in distributed environments.

Broadcom – Autosys

 An established product with a solid track record, particularly centered around SAP, mainframe and zOS functionality. Despite its historical strength, it has encountered headwinds in recent times, encountering challenges as it strives to remain relevant in an ever-evolving landscape.

Broadcom – Automic / UC4

 A respected, traditional product facing a wave of restlessness among its customer base, triggered by a shift in pricing model and a noticeable slowdown in features innovation.

Broadcom - $Universe

 The product is recognized for its quality, yet faces direct competition with other Broadcom WLA counterparts. The journey through multiple acquisitions has resulted in a gap in modern features, calling for a strategic realignment to meet modern expectations.

While recognizing the abundance of competitors addressing specific needs in the market, ActiveEon proposes a distinctive approach.

A curated list of additional companies actively participating in the market, reflecting the diverse and historical nature of our industry: Redwood ActiveBatch, HCL Workload Automation, JAMS, Redwood RunMyJob, SMA OpCon, Redwood Tidal Software, Resolve Systems, Stonebranch.

Hot topic in 2024

Considering an alternative to Automic?

A prevalent theme in discussions with Automic's customers centers on:

  • their doubts regarding the Automic's preparedness for modern automation;
  • their rising apprehension about the viability of the pricing model for 2024 budget and thereafter.
How do we compare?

Considering an alternative to Dollar Universe?

A prevalent theme in discussions with Dollar Universes's customers centers on:

  • the lack of modern features;
  • like for Automic customers, the sudden lack of positive return-on-investment of the solution.
How do we compare?

Cloud-First Competitive Landscape

For those prioritizing a cloud-first strategy, our solutions offer robust support. Within the cloud-first clientele, our competitive sphere encompasses the following products:

Cloud Workload Automation

Our honest opinion

Airflow

 Exceptional for individual users, yet navigating its use at an enterprise level proves to be a considerable challenge.

Azure Batch

 A tool from a single vendor, ideal for uncomplicated automation scenarios where the limited scale of VMs and processes is not a critical factor.

AWS

 The spectrum includes AWS Lambda, AWS Glue, Amazon Simple Workflow, Amazon Simple Queue Service, and AWS CloudWatch – a robust lineup. However, this richness transforms into a notable weakness when customers aim for a central, consolidated solution.

Kubeflow

 Kubeflow enters the picture when customers are looking at MLOPS solutions.

Considering an alternative to Airflow?

Airflow is a very popular scheduler but is it right for your enterprise needs?

Easy to install for a single user – anyone with Python knowledge can deploy a workflow. But it is complex to deploy for a scalable environment. In this section we will concentrate on a set-up for companies processing a minimum of hundreds jobs to several million per day.

How do we compare?

Few of the areas we excel at

  • IT Automation for ITOps
  • Data Engineering for DataOps
  • Improving back-end for ISVs
  • IT Environment Provisioning for DevOps
  • Interactive Technical Workloads for Engineers & Data Scientists
  • Cloud Grid Computing for the Financial Industry
Learn more

We look forward to having a conversation about your project, uncovering opportunities and innovative solutions.

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