Table of Contents
IT automation is transforming how IT organizations operate. By orchestrating workflows, processes and tasks across infrastructure, applications, data and security systems, automation enables IT teams to focus innovation rather than repetitive maintenance. Leading analyst firm Gartner estimates cost savings from IT automation to reach $543M between 2022-2025.
However, the growing automation software market, flush with hundreds of tools makes finding the right solution challenging. To help, our comprehensive guide outlines the top-rated automation platforms that streamline and centralize management of hybrid cloud environments.
We profile both broad, end-to-end orchestration suites as well specialized tools strongest in singular disciplines like security or database automation. The list includes:
[1] ActiveBatch – End-to-End Hybrid Orchestration Platform
[2] Redwood RunMyJobs – Next-Gen Scheduler for ERP Automation
[3] Tidal Automation – Flexible Enterprise Workload Automation
[4] Fortra‘s JAMS IT Process Automation Software
[5] ManageEngine Endpoint Central – Unified Endpoint & Security Management
And over a dozen more open-source and niche solutions across:
- Infrastructure Provisioning & Configuration
- App Release Automation & Testing Frameworks
- Data and Database Administration
- Network Operations Process Automation
- Security Policy Automation
We highlight differentiating features for each tool along with ideal deployment scenarios, integrations options and pricing models summarized in comparison tables. By the end, you‘ll have the knowledge to make an informed IT automation software selection tailored to your environment and use cases.
Evaluating IT Automation Solutions
With IT environments growing more heterogeneous by the day, automating tasks consistently across disparate platforms remains challenging. Solutions vary significantly in aspects like breadth vs depth of functionality, ease of integration, scalability and total cost of ownership.
To identify the most suitable tool(s) for your needs, key parameters include:
Functionality – Review automation capabilities like scheduling, event-based triggering, process visibility, SLA monitoring etc while validating platform and app coverage spans your entire estate
Ease of Use – Evaluate workflow designer intuitiveness, pre-built templates and ability to start basic automation without coding skills
Integration & Extensibility – Verify seamless connectivity to IT systems you manage while confirming capacity to incorporate custom apps, emergent technologies like IoT
Portability & Access – Validate solution offers cloud delivery supporting distributed teams with mobile access vs limiting on-premises options
Security & Compliance – Audit built-in RBAC, encryption and adherence to regulations like HIPAA – especially for tools accessing sensitive data
TCO & Pricing Model – Calculate total cost across license, admin time, training etc confirming model align scalability to usage growth
Beyond technical capabilities, it‘s critical to get organizational buy-in by demonstrating automation ROI – from IT staff productivity improvements, faster application delivery to enhanced stability. With stakeholders aligned around objectives, the chances of automation success improve drastically.
Next, we explore highly-rated tools that accelerate delivery of business services through seamless cross-platform automation.
Best IT Automation Tools & Software
| Name | Best Feature | Integration | Deployment | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ActiveBatch | 100+ production-ready job steps, Agentless approach to IT automation | Informatica, Azure, AWS, Dynamics AX, Oracle and more | On-premises, cloud or hybrid environments | Visit |
| Redwood RunMyJobs | Deep ERP connector integrations, All scheduling happens in real-time | SAP ERP/S/4 HANA, Oracle EBS, Azure Data Factory, Snowflake | SaaS, on-premises, cloud or hybrid environments | Visit |
| Tidal Automation | Centralized automation platform, Time & event-based triggering | JD Edwards, Oracle, Azure, VMware, Google Cloud, SAP | On-premises, cloud or hybrid environments | Visit |
| Fortra‘s JAMS | PowerShell module for automation management, Event-based scheduling | SQL Server, Informatica, Oracle, SAP, JD Edwards | On-premises, cloud or hybrid environments | Visit |
| Endpoint Central | 8000+ software deployment templates, Unified endpoint management | ServiceNow, Jira, Office 365, Okta, Snow Software | Cloud, on-premises environments | Visit |
1) ActiveBatch – End-to-End Hybrid Orchestration
ActiveBatch provides a single automation platform to orchestrate workloads, data and processes across hybrid IT. Purpose-built for ease-of-use, it accelerates building resilient workflows with intuitive GUI-based design, 175+ pre-built actions and change management controls.
With agentless architecture supporting 50+ platforms on-premise or cloud, ActiveBatch centralizes administrations while offering smart queue workload scaling. Real-time monitoring, predictive analytics and self-service ensure reliability and usage growth.
IDC recognizes ActiveBatch for excellence in simplifying task automation while enabling infrastructure efficiencies.
Features:
- End-to-end workflow automation designer with drag & drop functionality
- 175+ pre-built job step library across platforms like mainframe, ERPs
- Smart queue workload distribution for optimized resource allocation
- Self-service portal allowing business users to manage processes
- Centrally administer automation spanning on-premise, public/private cloud
- Automated recommendations via Health Check and machine learning optimization
- Unified dashboard to view automation operations across platforms
- PowerShell module for easy integration and administration
Key Specs:
Deployment: On-Premises, Cloud Iaas/PaaS, Windows/Linux
Pricing: Usage-based model; 30-day free trial
Integration: REST API, PowerShell; Azure, AWS, GCP, VMware, SAP, Oracle, DB2 + more
2) Redwood RunMyJobs – Next-Gen Scheduler for ERP Automation
Redwood RunMyJobs revolutionizes running mission-critical ERP batch processes like SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft financials with an intelligent SaaS platform. With real-time scheduling, workflow automation and built-in analytics, RunMyJobs increases capacity 20X without adding resources.
Smart self-healing prevents disruptions while guaranteed SLAs offer CIO confidence. As organizations migrate ERPs to S/4HANA and Oracle Cloud, RunMyJobs provides the continuity to keep business-critical processes running seamlessly.
Analyst firm G2 ranks RunMyJobs #1 in ERP-centric workload automation.
Features:
- Guaranteed 99.95% uptime with cloud-native reliability
- Parallel processing for real-time, high volume SAP batch scheduling
- Automatic error handling prevents failures & resolves incidents faster
- Graphical workflow designer with pre-built SAP, Oracle templates
- Single pane of glass to control automation across ERP instances
- Over 50 application connectors spanning ERPs, data warehouses, ETL
- Govern workload SLAs with predictive analytics & custom calendars
- Enterprise security including SOC2 compliance and BYOK encryption
Key Specs:
Deployment: Cloud SaaS
Pricing: Usage-based; 30-day Free Trial
Integration: SAP ECC/R3, S/4HANA, Oracle EBS, PeopleSoft, JD Edwards + Rest API
3) Tidal Automation – Flexible Workload Scheduling
Tidal Automation delivers enterprise-grade workload automation supporting critical IT process orchestration. With over 300 pre-built application and technology actions spanning ERPs, cloud platforms and databases, Tidal easily builds integrations between systems and eliminates fragmented scripts.
Robust visual workflow designer, flexible scheduling options and process visibility empower IT to easily scale automation. Purpose built for simplicity yet extensible at scale, Tidal future proofs and maximizes existing IT investments.
Tidal is rated 4.8/5 on TrustRadius based on high customer satisfaction.
Features:
- Single platform to centrally govern automation across JD Edwards, SAP, Oracle
- Connectors to leading cloud platforms – AWS, Azure, GCP
- Graphical workflow designer with unlimited complexity support
- Multi-layered calendar management for shift-based scheduling
- Event-driven triggers based on files, messages or data events
- Track automation processes in real-time with custom dashboards
- Maintain optimal performance with built-in load balancing
- Guarantee SLAs on business critical workloads
Key Specs:
Deployment: On-premises, private/public cloud
Pricing: Usage-based; Free Trial
Integrations: 200+ native actions for apps, databases, ETL, cloud, security systems
4) Fortra’s JAMS – IT Process Automation Software
Fortra’s JAMS eliminates visibility gaps that commonly arise from fragmented, home-grown scripting by centrally automating processes spanning platforms – mainframe, ERPs, cloud and custom apps.
With intuitive workflow design, schedule- or event-based processing and REST API extensibility, JAMS orchestrates multi-system routines into resilient workflows. Monitor automation in real-time with dashboards, notifications and historical reports that provide audit trails.
JAMS simplifies automation maturity for lean IT teams struggling with aging manual processes.
Features:
- Centralized control for automation spanning mainframe, ERPs, cloud, custom apps
- Trigger workflows based on schedules, file arrival or other triggers
- Automate platform native functionality for admin tasks across UNIX, IBM i
- Bridge solutions using native SQL Server, Oracle, SAP connectors
- Standardize information exchange with reusable process libraries
- Maintain compliance with data masking, encryption, access controls
- Troubleshoot faster using event-based alerts and custom reporting
- Accelerate automation with REST API and 50+ PowerShell cmdlets
Key Specs:
Deployment: On-premises, private/public cloud
Pricing: Perpetual license. Free trial.
Integrations: Java, PowerShell, REST API; SQL Server, Oracle, SAP, IBM DB2, more
5) ManageEngine Endpoint Central
ManageEngine Endpoint Central automates IT management workflows spanning asset inventory, configuration governance, software deployment and security policy enforcement. The unified endpoint management platform provides IT administrators single console oversight to onboard, secure and support computing assets across cloud and on-premise.
With 8000+ pre-built deployment packages Endpoint Central accelerates environment build-outs while optimizing technician productivity. Integrated remote support and automation functionally enhance IT service levels for distributed workforces.
Endpoint Central balances ease-of-use with enterprise-class capabilities at an affordable TCO.
Features:
- Unified console for endpoint lifecycle processes from provision to retire
- Automate OS imaging, software deployment using 8K+ templates
- Enforce security baselines custom to device groups
- Remotely troubleshoot devices using screen sharing
- Track physical and digital assets in centralized database
- Create PowerShell desired state config profiles
- Schedule OS/software updates across distribution points
- Leverage 100+ third party integrations spanning service desk toIdentity Access Management (IAM) solutions
Key Specs:
Deployment: Cloud SaaS, On-Premises
Pricing: Free up to 25 devices; perpetual licensing
Integrations: Jira, Office 365, Okta, Snow Software, Freshservice, Zendesk, more
Besides the featured generalized automation suites, purpose-built tools exist across solution domains:
Infrastructure Automation: Chef, Puppet, Ansible, SaltStack
CI/CD Pipeline Automation: Jenkins, Bamboo, Team City, Circle CI
Test Automation: Selenium, Test Complete, Ranorex, Test Studio
Database Automation: Sql Server Agent Jobs, Toad Script Runner, Dbmaestro
Network Automation: Cisco TACACS, Apstra AOS, Red Hat Ansible
Security Policy Automation: Tufin, AlgoSec, Firemon, Skybox
Key Considerations for Evaluation
With business demands accelerating faster than IT budgets, automation presents a force multiplier improving productivity, stability and innovation velocity. However, the breadth of tools targeting disjointed aspects of hybrid environments risks adding not eliminating complexity.
By approaching holistically, IT leaders can align automation solutions to objectives across:
Consolidating administration via centralized oversight spanning infrastructure, apps, database, security and networking domains
Increasing resiliency through workflow orchestration that minimizes touch points prone to human error
Enabling innovation by allowing resources to focus on high-value projects rather than maintenance
Regardless of the specific tools selected, success requires assessing against standardized criteria:
- Functionality fit to current and future use case requirements
- Ease of integration with existing environment and processes
- Total cost of ownership over 3- to 5-years factoring license, staffing and training expenses
- Scalability to support business growth without disruption
- Security & compliance adhering to all regulatory policies
While every organization‘s needs differ based on size, industry and application portfolio, automation tooling offers transformational productivity and stability improvements. We hope this guide has illuminated options and considerations to inform your IT strategy discussions.