AWS CloudFormation vs BMC TrueSight Server Automation comparison

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and BMC are both solutions in the Configuration Management category. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.7, while BMC is ranked #13 with an average rating of 8.3. Amazon Web Services (AWS) holds a 1.1% mindshare in CM, compared to BMC’s 3.0% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Amazon Web Services (AWS) users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of BMC users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 6, 2025

BMC TrueSight Server Automation and AWS CloudFormation both compete in the realm of infrastructure management and automation. AWS CloudFormation generally has the upper hand due to its comprehensive AWS integration and ability to enhance deployment efficiency with infrastructure as code.

Features: BMC TrueSight Server Automation is notable for its automated patching, compliance checking, and seamless integration with security tools, supporting multiple OS platforms and offering scripting capabilities for infrastructure management. AWS CloudFormation excels with its infrastructure as code, enabling simple resource management and rapid infrastructure replication. It offers comprehensive AWS integration, facilitating faster deployment and improved efficiency.

Room for Improvement: BMC TrueSight Server Automation requires better data export options, containerization support, and improved third-party tool integration. Users mention a complex interface and insufficient API support in large deployments. AWS CloudFormation is limited by its AWS exclusivity and verbosity in scripting. Users suggest the need for enhanced custom template support and more efficient dependency management.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: BMC TrueSight Server Automation is primarily on-premises with robust technical support, receiving mixed reviews regarding troubleshooting. AWS CloudFormation's deployment in public and hybrid clouds is straightforward. However, support quality varies, with some users desiring better integration and documentation.

Pricing and ROI: BMC TrueSight Server Automation is considered expensive, impacting ROI due to initial costs. Its server-based pricing model contributes to high initial expenses. AWS CloudFormation is free, with costs linked to deployed resources, making it an affordable choice, particularly for AWS-centric organizations.

To learn more, read our detailed AWS CloudFormation vs. BMC TrueSight Server Automation Report (Updated: March 2025).

Buyer's Guide

AWS CloudFormation vs. BMC TrueSight Server Automation

March 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Intune

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Configuration Management category, the mindshare of Microsoft Intune is 10.2%, up from 9.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of AWS CloudFormation is 1.1%, down from 1.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of BMC TrueSight Server Automation is 3.0%, up from 2.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Configuration Management

Featured Reviews

Joseph Merusi

Collaborations engineer at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees

Everything has worked better since we started using it

Sometimes the syncing is inconsistent. I'm confident that the devices are checking in every eight hours, but sometimes the devices aren't picking up the settings as quickly as I would expect. Some features haven't been updated in a while, and Microsoft doesn't seem interested in developing them. Unless you talk to an engineer, you don't know whether there will be an update. There are communication issues, so you might start working with a feature without knowing if it will be deprecated six months from now. Some reporting areas still need development. For example, I noticed that the reporting for driver updates is still confusing.

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Mbula Mboma

AWS Cloud Re-Start Program Specialist at Orange RDC (Congo)

Facilitates efficient infrastructure deployment with visibility into resource connections

I primarily use AWS CloudFormation for deploying infrastructure efficiently. For instance, if I want to create load balancers with target groups and EC2 instances, I find CloudFormation simplifies the process of deployment and configuration, reducing the possibility of errors AWS CloudFormation…

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JonathanShilling

System Analyst II at a energy/utilities company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Able to access server info and file systems directly through TSSA but system can be sluggish

Resource management on the base servers could be improved. We're using a site that's supposed to cover all of our affiliates. I don't know what is causing the problem but we've had to increase RAM and CPU processing in order to alleviate some of the sluggishness during patching. I find the solution to be rather cumbersome. It's supposed to be able to support 50,000 or 100,000 servers. We only have 5,000 servers and during our patch processes, it gets very sluggish. We wanted to automate our patching, and not be stuck monitoring patches for three-quarters of every month. We have a main site and then multiple repeaters at each of the affiliate locations. Theoretically, patches are supposed to be delivered to the repeaters and your affiliates are supposed to pull the patches from those repeaters. We've noticed that doesn't always work and it pulls transfer patches from the main site rather than going to the repeater. TrueSight brought some standardization across the affiliates, however, it has also increased workloads and has made some things more complex. The requirement to have a local account with no password (password is random in TSSA, but not able to be changed through Windows) has caused some grief with our security team, and many complaints across affiliates. There are several features that appear to be very good but they don't always work as expected.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Intune is its scalability."

"It has helped with compliance. It has helped to ensure that devices comply with the organization's policy. If they are not compliant and secure, they cannot access the resources."

"First of all, the integration with the rest of Microsoft's products is a major win."

"This solution saves us a lot of time once it's implemented."

"The solution has significantly improved managing a diverse range of devices. We have observed enhancements across Android, iOS, and Windows devices."

"The solution appears to be stable and scalable."

"It is user-friendly, and the performance is also good. It is a convenient product"

"We can manage and standardize security across your environment, identify problems, receive alerts, and so on. That's its purpose, and that's also why it's so good."

More Microsoft Intune pros

"I appreciate the flexibility of infrastructure as code. With CloudFormation, we can define ground rules, control usage limits, and scale our infrastructure up or down programmatically. Having this level of control through code on infra is a major benefit. That's the beauty of CloudFormation."

"The nested stacks would be one of the more valuable features."

"It allows defining the infrastructure as code using templates, which describe the desired state of the infrastructure."

"CloudFormation itself is free to use. You will be charged for the resources you deploy using CloudFormation."

"AWS CloudFormation has automated the resource-building process, thereby removing the scope of human errors. We can tag the resources which help the billing process."

"AWS Cloud automation reduces the time needed to create AWS resources."

"AWS CloudFormation makes infrastructure deployment easy."

"By using AWS CloudFormation, I can automate tasks like creating VPCs and load balancers instead of doing them manually each time. The features I like most include improved scalability, resource management, ease of deployment, template creation, and resource provisioning."

More AWS CloudFormation pros

"The most valuable feature is its ability to remediate quickly and efficiently across a number of IT assets at the same time. It takes away manual efforts from the team to go out and fix those vulnerabilities through patching, conflict updates, etc."

"Compliance is also huge... By tying it to Atrium Orchestrator, our workflow tool, we'll be able to have a closed loop where we identify a compliance issue, cut CRs, get them approved, and then be able to execute these CRs and more seamlessly fix these issues on the fly."

"Technical support is good."

"The solution is stable."

"The best feature of the solution is patch automation."

"It makes deployment easier and allows us to put restrictions on the server using role-based authorization."

"The ability to script and create BL packages to perform various functions. This makes automating our environment relatively easy to do."

"The most important feature is the schedulings."

More BMC TrueSight Server Automation pros

Cons

"Intune could add more features that are relevant to the core application control functions. For example, it would be helpful if it had more control over the on-prem environment from the cloud platform. Greater Teams availability in the Saudi market would also be helpful."

"It's the granularity: 'Is your firewall on? Is BitLocker on?' It's not amazing granularity. But I've looked into other products, like Duo, and they're all similar."

"It would be interesting to integrate the server side of Intune. Some group policy updates we have on the Windows Server side and possibly some on the client side could also be included."

"The installation could be improved to be simplified."

"We haven't really gone through all the features of Intune. We are just discovering them. Every day, we see a new feature that we want to apply, but what will be great for Intune is to be able to deploy apps in a simple fashion. We should be able to easily install various apps on the Windows platform, iOS, and Android. Currently, we have to write some scripts. It's not as straightforward as we would like it to be. It should be simplified so that we can do it just with three clicks—next, next, finish—without needing to write a script."

"I would like some integration with the Microsoft reporting platform Power BI."

"The reporting causes problems because we're trying to gather data to present to the management, but we can't get the data they request. If a user has removed an application from his device, but it won't report it at exactly the right time. It takes time to sync from the device to the portal. Let's say we are preparing a list or deck for the number of compliant devices that meet all of the organization's requirements. In a real-time scenario, that device could be compliant, but it is showing as non-compliant on the portal. It sometimes hampers the overall decisions that we make on our end."

"Improvements are needed in Microsoft Intune's enterprise app management, including support for more applications in app patching, boot batching, and discovery. I also hope the cost of Remote Help will decrease because it's a much-needed Intune function. Our customers need that capability, or they will buy it from a third party at a premium."

More Microsoft Intune cons

"The Infrastructure Composer is not fully complete, making it necessary to tweak the code manually after generating it, which could be improved."

"The code we write in AWS CloudFormation is pretty big compared to Terraform. We need to have more modules in the solution. A library should also be there where we can save code lines. A dashboard feature would be good for designers."

"What could be improved in AWS CloudFormation is its user interface, in terms of graphical design, I prefer WYSIWYG."

"The Infrastructure Composer is not fully complete, making it necessary to tweak the code manually after generating it, which could be improved."

"I prefer Terraform over AWS CloudFormation because AWS CloudFormation is specific to just AWS. But if I want to use a multi-cloud or hybrid setup, then Terraform works better. It uses a simple language, HCL. So, if you learn HCL, you can manage your infrastructures across different cloud providers. You don't need to be specific to one cloud provider."

"There is less support for on-premise environments."

"The solution needs to offer better support to other cloud vendors."

"There are some limitations with JSON, as the code is written in JSON, which doesn't support commands, looping, or conditionals. This can make the code difficult to read and share across teams. Moreover, the tool only supports AWS."

More AWS CloudFormation cons

"Provisioning needs to be more user-friendly. We were using BladeLogic for provisioning, but due to a lot of issues and complications, we had to stop using provisioning with this tool."

"Another area for improvement is group scheduling if I'm trying to do all the servers. For example, if I want to do all the 2012 Servers - since the patches are the same for all of them - I can't do so."

"A better CLI Database cleanup tool would help us with our regular maintenance of BladeLogic Server Automation."

"More use cases can be automated. The user interface of BMC TrueSight Server Automation could benefit from enhancements, as it currently lacks refinement."

"There is no other functionality available to patch the containers that we need to include."

"We've had to increase RAM and CPU processing in order to alleviate some of the sluggishness during patching."

"The setup of this suite is very complicated. It needs to be simplified."

"The architecture is big, so the initial setup is not a straightforward task."

More BMC TrueSight Server Automation cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I am not that aware of the pricing, but as compared to other MDM solutions, Microsoft is providing a lot of things at the organizational level. So, it is quite reasonable as compared to other MDM solutions."

"It is not a cheap solution. The price for a device when you start using it at a large scale can be improved. It is covered under our enterprise agreement. We pay once a year. I am not aware of any additional costs."

"While Microsoft Intune boasts a wide range of features, its user-friendliness and bundled licensing cost are key considerations for me."

"It is cheap, but as compared to Google, it is costly. Google is cheaper, but quality-wise, Microsoft Intune is better."

"Microsoft licenses are costly."

"I would rate the price a four out of ten with ten being the most expensive."

"If you ask the accountant or the finance department, they'll tell you that it is way too expensive, but when I look at the cost and compare it with the value you actually get, it's more than fair."

"It is expensive. The cost depends on the license that we choose."

More Microsoft Intune pricing and cost advice

"The solution's cost is normal, neither cheap nor expensive."

"There's no cost for launching any template using CloudFormation."

"The pricing is not notably high."

"AWS CloudFormation doesn't have any cost because it's only the resources that you deploy with the solution that'll incur costs."

"The tool is free for the AWS environment."

"In general, pricing within AWS is relatively affordable."

"The price of the solution is good because it is scalable."

"AWS CloudFormation's pricing is cheaper than that of other cloud providers."

More AWS CloudFormation pricing and cost advice

"Licensing is a bit pricey. Be mindful about the components that you need and buy as appropriate."

"The solution is quite expensive compared to other vendors."

"The product is expensive."

"We're looking at less than $100,000 USD for this solution."

"The product's pricing depends on the number of servers."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

23%

Computer Software Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

22%

Computer Software Company

22%

Government

Retailer

Financial Services Firm

34%

Computer Software Company

11%

Wholesaler/Distributor

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

How does Microsoft Intune compare with VMware Workspace One?

Microsoft Intune is a great tool for managing a mobile device fleet while keeping access control. The solution makes ...

See all answers

What are the pros and cons of Microsoft Intune?

Microsoft Intune is a great configuration management tool and has a lot of good things going for it. Here are some of...

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How does Google Cloud Identity compare with Microsoft Intune?

Microsoft Intune offers not only an easy-to-deploy data protection and productivity management solution, but also ...

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What do you like most about AWS CloudFormation?

AWS Cloud automation reduces the time needed to create AWS resources.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for AWS CloudFormation?

AWS CloudFormation is free. However, there may be unexpected costs if developers deploy services incorrectly without ...

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What needs improvement with AWS CloudFormation?

Improvements are needed for sharing resources between template files, especially when using AWS ( /products/amazon-aw...

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What do you like most about BMC TrueSight Server Automation?

The product's valuable feature is its ability to conduct patching for multiple servers simultaneously.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for BMC TrueSight Server Automation?

The solution is expensive. It has perpetual licenses.

See all answers

What needs improvement with BMC TrueSight Server Automation?

More use cases can be automated. The user interface of BMC TrueSight Server Automation could benefit from enhancement...

See all answers

Comparisons

Jamf Pro vs Microsoft Intune

Compared 14% of the time

Workspace ONE UEM vs Microsoft Intune

Compared 8% of the time

Microsoft Entra ID vs Microsoft Intune

Compared 8% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Microsoft Intune

Compared 5% of the time

ManageEngine Endpoint Central vs Microsoft Intune

Compared 5% of the time

More Microsoft Intune Competitors

AWS Systems Manager vs AWS CloudFormation

Compared 79% of the time

Red Hat Satellite vs AWS CloudFormation

Compared 21% of the time

More AWS CloudFormation Competitors

Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform vs BMC TrueSight Server Automation

Compared 54% of the time

BigFix vs BMC TrueSight Server Automation

Compared 11% of the time

Parallels Mac Management for Microsoft SCCM vs BMC TrueSight Server Automation

Compared 6% of the time

HashiCorp Terraform vs BMC TrueSight Server Automation

Compared 6% of the time

Microsoft Configuration Manager vs BMC TrueSight Server Automation

Compared 5% of the time

More BMC TrueSight Server Automation Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Intune

March 2025

Download Microsoft Intune product report

Buyer's Guide

AWS CloudFormation

April 2025

Download AWS CloudFormation product report

Buyer's Guide

BMC TrueSight Server Automation

April 2025

Download BMC TrueSight Server Automation product report

Also Known As

Intune, MS Intune, Microsoft Endpoint Manager

CloudFormation

TrueSight Server Automation, BladeLogic Server Automation, BladeLogic Automation Suite

Overview

Microsoft Intune provides centralized management of mobile devices and applications, ensuring security, compliance, and productivity through integration with Microsoft services like Microsoft 365 and Azure Active Directory.

Organizations use Intune for managing mobile devices and applications, enhancing security and compliance across platforms. With features like single sign-on, conditional access, and zero-touch deployment via Autopilot, it facilitates efficient operations. Intune's scalability, easy enrollment, and capabilities such as remote wipe support diverse device management, offering robust data protection and efficient operation. Despite its features, improvement areas include reporting, compatibility with non-Microsoft devices, and better support for macOS and Linux devices.

What are the key features of Microsoft Intune?

Seamless Integration: Works with Microsoft 365, Azure Active Directory, and System Center for streamlined management.
Conditional Access: Enhances security with policies that restrict access based on conditions.
Autopilot: Provides zero-touch deployment for setting up new devices efficiently.
Mobile Device Management: Enables control over both personal and corporate devices.
Application Deployment: Facilitates app delivery across a range of devices.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

Centralized Management: Reduces complexity by managing devices and applications in one place.
Security Enhancement: Protects data with features like remote wipe and compliance monitoring.
Improved Productivity: Enhances efficiency with seamless integration and automation features.
Device Scalability: Supports diverse device management for growing business needs.

In industries such as finance, healthcare, and education, Microsoft Intune is implemented to ensure secure and compliant device management. Companies leverage its capabilities to deploy security policies and manage both corporate-owned and BYOD environments, facilitating a unified approach to data protection and compliance.

Microsoft

AWS CloudFormation provides a common language for you to model and provision AWS and third party application resources in your cloud environment. AWS CloudFormation allows you to use programming languages or a simple text file to model and provision, in an automated and secure manner, all the resources needed for your applications across all regions and accounts. This gives you a single source of truth for your AWS and third party resources.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

BladeLogic Server Automation allows you to quickly and securely provision, configure, patch, and maintain physical, virtual, and cloud servers.

· Threat remediation: Combine with BMC SecOps Response Service to link vulnerabilities to identified patches and create a remediation plan

· Compliance: Integrates role-based access control, pre-configured policies for CIS, DISA, HIPAA, PCI, SOX, NIST, and SCAP, documentation, and remediation

· Provisioning: Supports unattended installs and image-based, script-based, or template-based provisioning

· Configuration: Consistently manage change and configuration activities across a broad range of server environments with one tool

· Reporting: Assess change impact or complete an audit using multiple dashboard views

· Patching: Supports and follows maintenance window guidelines to ensure timely delivery of patches

BMC

Sample Customers

Mitchells and Buzzers, Callaway

Nextdoor, Coinbase, Expedia

State of Michigan, Fujitsu FSAS, Transamerica Life Insurance Company, SAP

Buyer's Guide

AWS CloudFormation vs. BMC TrueSight Server Automation

March 2025

Free Report: AWS CloudFormation vs. BMC TrueSight Server Automation

Find out what your peers are saying about AWS CloudFormation vs. BMC TrueSight Server Automation and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.

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