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BMC Helix Community: What's Coming Up in November?
Hello community,
Get ready for an action-packed month! We've lined up some fantastic workshops designed to educate, inspire, and help you connect with your peers. Mark your calendars and prepare to dive into these great opportunities:
Insight Finder Workshops
Wednesday, 5 November 2025 - Insight Finder (EMEA & AMERICAS)
Friday, 14 November 2025 - Insight Finder (EMEA & AMERICAS)
Service Collaborator Workshops
Wednesday 12th November - Service Collaborator (APAC & INDIA)
Thursday 13th November- Service Collaborator (EMEA & AMERICAS)
Service Catalog Curator Workshops
Thursday 6th November - Ask the Experts Insight Finder Workshops (EMEA & AMERICAS)
Click Here For Announcement
Wednesday 19th November - Service Catalog Curator
Click Here For Announcement
Tuesday 25th November - Ask the Experts Service Collaborator (APAC & INDIA)
Tuesday 25th November - Ask the Experts Service Collaborator (EMEA & AMERICAS)
Register and Educate Yourself!
Don't miss the chance to level up your skills and stay ahead!
❓ Have Questions? Ask Below!
If you have any questions about the content of these events, who should attend, or anything else, please comment below! Our team will be actively monitoring this thread and will address your questions promptly.
Let's make this month a great one!
Announcing the Control-M SaaS October 2025 Release
We’re excited to introduce the October 2025 release of Control-M SaaS, bringing the latest innovations that simplify automation, enhance analytics, and empower users to work smarter. This release focuses on intelligence, usability, and performance - helping you achieve greater control and efficiency across workflows.
🆕 What’s New in This Release
- Jett Documentation Intelligence – AI-driven documentation access and real-time learning.
- Enhanced Analytics & Service Oversight – Easier data access and monitoring through service definitions.
- Expanded Integrations – Continuous integration updates, including new SAP BTP support.
✨ Key Highlights
🔹 Jett Documentation Intelligence
- Expands beyond workflow insights to provide GenAI-powered documentation access.
- Instantly answers questions and offers in-context guidance.
- Includes Sample Questions and Bookmarks for faster learning.
- Delivers enhanced accuracy, recognizing job types and timestamps for precise responses.
🔹 Unlock Analytics & Service Oversight
- Enables seamless access to workflow execution data for analytics and reporting.
- Job log data is automatically extracted to AWS S3 and available via the Automation API.
- Integrates with observability tools like Grafana, Splunk, or Elasticsearch. Introduces Service Definitions that empower both IT and business users to monitor and manage workflows independently.
🔹 Expanded Integrations
- Adds SAP BTP integration and other continuous delivery updates.
- Enhance Control-M’s automation coverage across modern enterprise systems.
📘 Learn More in detail here:
💬 Which new feature or enhancement are you most excited about? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Control-M Expertise Unplugged: Lessons, Tips, and Stories from Mark Francome
As part of our ongoing AMA (Ask Me Anything) series in the BMC Community, we connect with Control-M experts who’ve been hands-on in solving real automation challenges. Through these conversations, members get to hear practical tips, behind-the-scenes lessons, and stories from those shaping the future of workload automation.
Mark Francome is a seasoned Control-M expert with over 20 years of experience in workload automation. He’s known for bringing automation to the “dark corners” of IT enterprises — a phrase his peers know him for. Mark combines deep technical knowledge with practical insights to optimize complex business workflows. He’s also been one of the go-to voices in the BMC Community since 2014, always ready to share a workaround or tip.
He has extensive experience in Control-M administration and in creating batch flows for complex business requirements across High Availability environments on Unix, Linux, Windows, and AIX platforms, including virtual environments. Beyond product expertise, Mark has strong skills in scripting, CLI utilities, DBA aspects, networking, and LDAP — all critical for keeping enterprise automation running smoothly.
When we sat down with Mark to talk about his Control-M journey, he spoke candidly about his early challenges, favorite features, and what keeps him inspired after two decades of automation. Here’s what he had to say:
1. Can you tell us a bit about your journey with Control-M and how you got started in our BMC community?
Back in 2001, I was working for a large organisation that was looking to migrate off the mainframe and go “lights out”. It was assumed that the departing mainframe operators only did mainframe things. But it soon became clear that they did a whole lot more, and that whole lot more turned out to be somewhat complex and often involved hopping between systems and infrastructure areas. I had installed and configured the old mainframe scheduler (CA-7) and was tasked with finding something similar (a “batch job scheduler”, as we used to call them) that could run vital tasks in our new distributed environment. We identified maybe 10 or 11 suitable products, of which Control-M was one. We whittled that down to a shortlist of three and, needless to say, BMC won. The first version of Control-M that I installed was 2.2.4 – the one with ships and containers representing datacenters and job icons. The amount of manuals that were shipped with the product was huge - and not always user-friendly. It was a great relief to find a couple of user websites (one of which was the old Control-X Yahoo group) and, eventually, BMC created the Control-M community website. It took me a while to find it, but I'm very glad I did!
2. How has Control-M helped you achieve success in your work or projects? Any practices or features that make a real difference?
As a consultant I have installed Control-M at many sites, and I'm delighted to say that the majority of customers still use Control-M to this day, in pretty much the same way that they did when we first installed it. People are naturally suspicious of automation, but I like to apply the same phrase to Control-M that people are using for AI today. “Control-M won't take your job, but somebody using Control-M might!” Probably the biggest advances with Control-M have been the addition of all the modules and the API. Regarding the modules, being able to integrate file transfers directly with database jobs or ERP, out-of-the-box, that's great and saves a whole load of effort. And the API is fantastic for creating active and reactive batches.
3. How has the community influenced your work or learning—any surprising insights along the way?
The community is a great reference tool and sounding board. Some of the best bits of advice are really more conceptual, rather than plain technical details. And sometimes you answer a question about the community and then, only days later, end up using the same information when dealing with a problem in your “own backyard”.
4. What’s one tip you would give to someone just starting out in the Control-M field?
Recognise that Control-M is a vast array of small building blocks. Try and make each job as functional as possible and consider how it can be improved. Once you are completely happy with it, use that as a template for future jobs of that kind.
5. What keeps you excited and motivated about your role every day?
That you are really at the heart of the enterprise and are able to positively influence operations in a vital way.
6. What’s your favourite part about being part of the BMC Control-M community?
The Control-M community is a very generous environment. Everybody gets to have their say - and even the “old dogs” can learn something new!
7. What common challenges do you encounter in Control-M workflows, and how do you tackle them?
Complexity and locating workflow redundancy, sometimes the batch is just too dense to see what is happening. BMC has products like Workflow Insights, but sometimes you just need to review the processes manually and make sure the fundamentals are optimized.
8. Can you share a project or accomplishment using BMC Control-M that you’re particularly proud of?
It’s difficult to pick out a highlight. I would say that any time that I’ve worked in an environment where a tangible product is produced, that has always been a good feeling. I once did a project at an electronics manufacturer, and they explained that they needed Control-M to run their warehouse. “Ah, you have a data warehouse, interesting …” No, they responded, they had a real warehouse for the raw materials and components that they used to build domestic appliances. They used Control-M to bridge the gap between their legacy mainframe, Unix, Unisys, and a large array of Windows servers.
9. Outside of work, how do you unwind or recharge after a busy day?
I am lucky that I can still work from home for part of the week. My one-way commute is over 2 hours, which is long by Swiss standards. We have a dog, who always needs a walk, and that is my relaxing time. Now if I can just teach the dog how to roll out Control-M Agent patches
We hope you enjoyed reading Mark’s insights! Which of Mark’s tips or experiences resonated most with you? Share your thoughts or your own Control-M lessons in the comments — we’d love to keep the conversation going.
New BMC Helix ITSM & ITOM Courses available now [Oct 2025]
We’re excited to share the launch of six new BMC Helix ITSM and ITOM courses and certifications for our community of learners!
1) BMC Helix ServiceOps: Fundamentals Overview (WBT)
2) BMC Helix Innovation Studio 23.x: Fundamentals Developing Codeless Application (ASP)
3) BMC Discovery 24.x: Fundamentals Application Modeling - Part 1 (ASP)
4) BMC Discovery 24.x: Fundamentals Application Modeling - Part 2 (ASP)
5) BMC Certified Associate: Helix Operations Management 25.x for Administrators & Consultants Online Exam
6) BMC Certified Professional: BMC Discovery 24.x Online Proctored Exam
Join the community of learners advancing their BMC Helix expertise. Your next certification awaits!
Helix Workshop Series - BMC HelixGPT Hands-On Agent Workshops
Welcome to the Connect with Helix Workshop Series.
Step into the world of the Connect with Helix Workshop Series, your dedicated space for learning, exploring, and growing. This page brings together all upcoming workshops in one convenient hub, giving you a clear view of session dates, topics, and the expert facilitators leading them.
Each workshop is thoughtfully designed to offer practical insights, hands-on experience, and opportunities to connect with peers and industry experts. Whether you’re looking to deepen your skills, discover new ideas, or engage in meaningful discussions, the Workshop Series provides the perfect platform.
Join us, plan your learning journey, and make the most of every session—because every workshop is not just a session, it’s an experience that inspires growth and sparks curiosity.
Workshop Calendar
Insight Finder Workshops
Friday 24 October 2025 - Insight Finders Workshop (EMEA & AMERICAS)
Wednesday, 5 November 2025 - Insight Finder (EMEA & AMERICAS)
Friday, 14 November 2025 - Insight Finder (EMEA & AMERICAS)
Thursday, 8 January 2026 - Insight Finder (EMEA & AMERICAS)
Service Collaborator Workshops
Wednesday 29th October - Service Collaborator (EMEA & AMERICAS)
Wednesday 12th November - Service Collaborator (APAC & INDIA)
Thursday 13th November- Service Collaborator (EMEA & AMERICAS)
Thursday 15th January - Service Collaborator (EMEA & AMERICAS)
Service Catalog Curator Workshops
Thursday 6th November - Ask the Experts Insight Finder Workshops (EMEA & AMERICAS)
Click Here For Announcement
Wednesday 19th November - Service Catalog Curator
Click Here For Announcement
Tuesday 25th November - Ask the Experts Service Collaborator (APAC & INDIA)
Tuesday 25th November - Ask the Experts Service Collaborator (EMEA & AMERICAS)
Thursday 4th December - Service Catalog Curator
Thursday 11th December - Ask the Experts Service Collaborator (EMEA & AMERICAS)
Thursday 22nd January - Service Catalog Curator
Thursday 29th January 2026 - Ask the Experts Service Catalog Curator (EMEA & AMERICAS)
BMC Community Stars: Recognizing Our Top 5 Most Active Contributors
Behind every insightful discussion, practical solution, and helpful tip in the BMC Community, there’s a group of dedicated members who make it all possible. These active contributors are the engines that keep our community vibrant, knowledgeable, and collaborative. Today, we take a moment to celebrate these individuals who go above and beyond, making the BMC Community a space where ideas grow, problems get solved, and knowledge thrives.
💬 The Power of Collaboration
The BMC Community is more than just a forum — it’s a hub of shared learning and innovation. Whether it’s offering guidance on technical challenges, sharing best practices, or providing insights into the latest BMC product updates, our contributors ensure that knowledge keeps flowing seamlessly.
These active members are the heartbeat of our forums, driving discussions across BMC Helix, Control-M, BMC AMI, Remedy, and more. Their engagement doesn’t just solve problems — it inspires others to participate, learn, and grow.
🏆 Spotlight on Active Contributors
We’re proud to recognize the top 5 contributors this month who have consistently demonstrated dedication, expertise, and enthusiasm. Their contributions not only help community members but also provide valuable insights that drive product improvements and foster innovation.
| Dnyaneshwar Nanaware |
| Anne Brock |
| AbdulMoid Mohammed |
| Mohammad Rehman |
| Philipp Ernicke |
🌱 Why It Matters
Communities thrive on shared knowledge. Every time a contributor answers a question, shares a tip, or publishes a detailed article, they’re building a knowledge base that supports thousands of users worldwide. Our active contributors embody the spirit of collaboration, curiosity, and continuous learning, helping the BMC ecosystem remain a trusted and engaging space for everyone.
🤝 Join the Conversation
Here’s how you can get involved:
- Share your expertise by answering questions in product forums.
- Post insights or tips on how you use BMC tools in your day-to-day work.
- Engage with discussions — every reply counts!
Participating not only helps others but also strengthens your own understanding of BMC technologies.
❤️ Thank You
To all our active contributors — thank you for your time, knowledge, and enthusiasm. Your efforts make the BMC Community a trusted, collaborative, and innovative space. Let’s continue learning, sharing, and growing together.