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IBM Workload Automation pros and cons

Vendor: IBM
4.0 out of 5

Pros & Cons summary

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Prominent pros & cons

PROS

IBM Workload Automation offers a robust, full spectrum enterprise-wide WLA platform.
Its scalability allows support in a wide range of environments, managing large job volumes efficiently.
The tool facilitates strategic architectural updates leveraging AI capabilities for enhanced performance.
IBM's technical support is highly rated, ensuring smooth operation and quick resolution of any issues.
With excellent performance and monitoring capabilities, IBM Workload Automation effectively manages daily workload automation processes.

CONS

Users find the frequent releases challenging to keep up with, indicating a desire for slower updates.
There is a lack of integration with non-IBM schedulers and missing features compared to competitors.
While bugs are present, they get resolved quickly, yet the need for cloud-centric terminology and better customization exists.
Feedback indicates a need for reduced cost and maintenance charges, suggesting the need for pricing improvements.
Customers express the need for more free technical sessions and custom documentation for enhanced learning and implementation.
 

IBM Workload Automation Pros review quotes

it_user488745 - PeerSpot reviewer
Production Control Specialist at a local government with 1,001-5,000 employees
Jul 27, 2016
Automation capabilities with dependencies, long-term plan and modifying current plan, and ease of use are the product's most valuable features to me.
it_user489873 - PeerSpot reviewer
Graduate Research Assistant at a university with 10,001+ employees
Aug 1, 2016
The TWS GUI was an excellent feature.
it_user502185 - PeerSpot reviewer
Architect (Tech Lead BSM Infra Business Service Management-L4.2) at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Aug 25, 2016
I did not encounter any stability issues; it has been a very stable and reliable product.
Learn what your peers think about IBM Workload Automation. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2026.
884,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.
it_user497079 - PeerSpot reviewer
Operation Lead and Tivoli Workload scheduler consultant at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Aug 16, 2016
These are a few flaws in TWS, but operation-wise and handling-wise, it is a superb tool as compared to other batch job scheduling tools.
it_user498408 - PeerSpot reviewer
System Engineer, Infrastructure at a media company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Aug 17, 2016
It is a great way to centralize your enterprise workload to provide better visibility to support groups and better cohesion between applications.
it_user499683 - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr. Tivoli WLA admin at a logistics company with 10,001+ employees
Jan 19, 2017
No other IT infrastructure at our company has proven to be as stable as our TWS v8.5.1/8.6 network and all its components.
it_user496038 - PeerSpot reviewer
Operations Technician at a tech vendor with 201-500 employees
Aug 11, 2016
Real-time database updating is less time consuming because you do not have to upload and download changes or turn the job on, as you can simply leave it off the schedule until it is needed and give it a first-run date.
it_user496044 - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of Batch Scheduling, Senior Vice President at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Aug 11, 2016
TWS enables consolidation of disparate workloads in a single database, removing the need for engineered interfaces between platforms and enabling simpler job to job dependencies and end to end management and monitoring of workloads.
it_user496458 - PeerSpot reviewer
Tivoli Workload Scheduler (TWS) Admin Leader at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Aug 8, 2016
This product has increased the level of automation with no / minimum downtime and predictable scheduling.
it_user505755 - PeerSpot reviewer
Project Manager at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Feb 1, 2017
As an enterprise scheduler, I have more control over most of the enterprise applications to which it is connected.
 

IBM Workload Automation Cons review quotes

it_user488745 - PeerSpot reviewer
Production Control Specialist at a local government with 1,001-5,000 employees
Jul 27, 2016
We are using an outdated version. We had issues with the file dependencies.
it_user489873 - PeerSpot reviewer
Graduate Research Assistant at a university with 10,001+ employees
Aug 1, 2016
Control-M had a far superior user interface and also had a notification system which TWS lacked.
it_user502185 - PeerSpot reviewer
Architect (Tech Lead BSM Infra Business Service Management-L4.2) at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Aug 25, 2016
When deleting jobs from the database that have interdependencies within other job streams, there is no warning about those dependencies, which could cause other job streams to have issues later on.
Learn what your peers think about IBM Workload Automation. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2026.
884,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.
it_user497079 - PeerSpot reviewer
Operation Lead and Tivoli Workload scheduler consultant at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Aug 16, 2016
A few things are missing but I can manage without them, such as a cross-reference report.
it_user498408 - PeerSpot reviewer
System Engineer, Infrastructure at a media company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Aug 17, 2016
Customer service is 7/10; technical support is virtually impossible to get via direct phone call, as you have to rely on trouble tickets, wait several hours for a return call, and keep constant follow-up because your ticket can slip through the cracks and go unnoticed for days.
it_user499683 - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr. Tivoli WLA admin at a logistics company with 10,001+ employees
Jan 19, 2017
I think that is a good and modern development, but the first v9.x releases (and maybe also the latest, I don’t know) lacked the event-driver WLA functionality that was already available for years in older on-prem versions of the product.
it_user496038 - PeerSpot reviewer
Operations Technician at a tech vendor with 201-500 employees
Aug 11, 2016
Maybe a better way to see what a job is waiting on. (Control-M has a "why" function that would be good here).
it_user496044 - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of Batch Scheduling, Senior Vice President at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Aug 11, 2016
TWS lacks sophisticated predictive analytics capability. The limited analytics it does offer is predicated on user-defined variables such as job run duration estimates, which if miscalculated render outputs unreliable.
it_user496458 - PeerSpot reviewer
Tivoli Workload Scheduler (TWS) Admin Leader at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Aug 8, 2016
Technical support is 4/10.
it_user505755 - PeerSpot reviewer
Project Manager at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Feb 1, 2017
ROI seems very low and rate of realization is too slow for simple networks.