Is there another possible way to run nightly python scripts on Microsoft Server other than Windows Task Scheduler (such as the method available from ESRI below), possibly with SQL Manager and a Batch script? We were running via Task Scheduler, but it stopped working about a month back.
It depends on your architecture. Is your server running ArcGIS Server? If so you can publish your processes as a GeoProcessing Tool; and the use another tool to schedule and call the Rest-Endpoint to launch the service.
We are using a batch-manager called JAMS (from MVPSI) that is very powerful for doing a variety of job management tasks. It is pricey but; it addresses a number of business needs.In other places we have schedules that run from FME Server.
There are a number of other tools to do basic job execution (CRON etc) that can meet your needs; you just really need to target which fits you task.