BigFix vs vCenter Configuration Manager comparison

Microsoft Intune is a comprehensive cloud-based service that allows you to remotely manage mobile devices and mobile applications without worrying about the security of your organization’s data. Device and app management can be used on company-owned devices as well as personal devices.

In an increasingly mobile workforce, Microsoft Intune keeps your sensitive data safe while on the move. Microsoft Intune makes it possible for your team members to work anywhere using their mobile devices. Microsoft Intune provides both the flexibility and the control needed for securing all your data on the cloud, no matter where the device with the data is located.

Microsoft Intune Device Management Key Features

With Microsoft Intune Device Management you can:

• Ensure devices and apps are compliant with your security requirements.
• Rapidly deploy and authenticate apps on all company devices.
• Remotely access devices to troubleshoot issues or to remove data from them.
• Generate reports for all devices in the system.
• Monitor the way users access and share information to protect company information.
• Set rules and configure settings on personal and organization-owned devices to access data and networks.
• Create user groups and device groups, allowing you to rapidly access many users and devices simultaneously.

Mobile Application Management

Mobile application management in Intune is designed to protect your organization’s data at the application level.

With Microsoft Intune Application Management you can:

• Configure apps to run with specific settings enabled.
• Update existing apps that are already on the device.
• See reports on which apps are used and monitor their usage.
• Selectively wipe organization data from apps.
• Add mobile apps to user groups and devices.

As part of Microsoft's Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS) suite, Intune integrates with Microsoft Entra ID for access control and with Azure Information Protection for data protection. It also integrates with Microsoft 365 Applications.

Reviews from Real Users

Microsoft Intune stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its ability to secure all devices under its management and the flexibility that the solution offers its users.

A computing services manager notes, "Its security is most valuable. It gives us a way to secure devices, not only those that are steady. We do have a few tablets and other devices, and it is a way for us to secure these devices and manage them. We know they're out there and what's their status. We can manage their life cycle and verify that they're updated properly."

The head of IT engineering at a financial services company writes, "The one feature we find most useful is the Mobile Application Manager. There are two types: we have the complete MDM and the Mobile Application Manager (MAM). We don't give our users phones, it is their own personal phone, and we need to allow them to have access to the company details on their phone. We need to create a balance between their own personal data and the company data. We deploy the Mobile Application Manager for them so that we won't be able to interfere with their own personal data."

HCL BigFix is a powerful patch management tool that enables organizations to simply control their patch management operations. It is designed so that IT security and operations teams can collaborate in the most effective way possible. Users that employ BigFix can find and fix issues with their endpoints faster than those that employ its competitors. It comes with thousands of security checks that can be deployed quickly and easily. These enable users to safeguard themselves from a wide variety of digital threats.

HCL BigFix Benefits

Some of the ways that organizations can benefit by choosing to deploy HCL BigFix include:

• Total visibility and simplified control. BigFix provides users with total system visibility while simultaneously enabling administrators to easily manage their networks. It enables organizations to run all of their patch management operations from a single user interface. This UI contains all of BigFix’s system controls. It also contains all of an organization’s network data. Users will never have to search for the features or information that they need as everything is centrally located.

• Maximum benefit for reduced overhead. BigFix enables businesses to integrate with more than 100 different operating systems. Users can utilize the operating system of their choice without multiplying their overhead costs. They can keep costs down while still achieving their goals. 

• Flexibility. BigFix is highly flexible. Users can integrate it with the top vulnerability management solutions on the market. This enables users to maximize their protective coverage and minimize the amount of time that they have to spend resolving issues. 

BigFix Features

• BigFix Insights. The BigFix insights feature gives users access to a powerful deep analysis tool. This tool enables organizations to gather data from all of their endpoints and compile them into reports that can aid administrators in their work. It can centralize an organization’s data and also enable it to import data from other sources so that it can make more informed decisions.

• Task automation. BigFix has the ability to automate rudimentary tasks so that users can focus on tasks that require a greater level of attention. This can include tasks such as event remediation and data collection. This feature enables users to focus their attention on other more critical tasks.

• Data loss prevention tool. This tool enables users to prevent critical data from being leaked or leaking accidentally. It creates policies that limit or prevent sensitive data from being transmitted. It also enforces the privacy protocols that are already in place. Organizations can leverage this tool to bolster the security protecting their data from malicious actors.

• Web reputation tool. This tool proactively protects networks from malicious websites. It scans for potentially dangerous websites and opens a blocking page when one is detected. Users are also given the ability to set proxy server credentials for the system to recognize and authenticate. Users can use this to ensure that suspicious websites are unable to infect their networks.

• Centralized UI. BigFix comes with a built-in UI that centralizes all of the solution’s features so that they can be accessed from a single location. It enables administrators to target specific portions of the network when issues arise without requiring them to take actions that will affect the entire network.

Reviews from Real Users

HCL BigFix is a highly effective solution that stands out when compared to most of its competitors. Two major advantages it offers are its auto-patching capability and its user-friendly tools.

Santhosh K., the chief executive officer of Catnip Infotech Private Limited, writes, “The second valuable feature is, BigFix also has an auto patch updating feature, where the latest patches, and what is required for my system are automatically downloaded and kept ready for me. The solution applies the patch and notifies me after applying the patch. BigFix also gives me a ping saying that I should reset my system within a certain period of time, while the patch is being applied. Let's say, the patch is being applied and if there's an issue, the solution can revoke the applied patch, and revert back to the old state.”

Benedikt S., an application administrator, says, “It's very straightforward. The usability is very close to everyday technical tools that you use as a systems administrator. So it's quite user-friendly.”

vCenter Configuration Manager is a powerful configuration management tool that is designed to enable organizations to ensure that any environment that they use to conduct business is configured in the most effective possible way. It can automate configurations consistently across virtual, physical, and cloud environments. Additionally, it enables users to place critical functions into the hands of the solution thereby avoiding the possibility that human error will reduce a business’s operations. It also hardens operations against bad actors who look for holes in a user’s security compliance policies that they can exploit.

vCenter Configuration Manager Benefits

Some of the ways that organizations can benefit by choosing to deploy vCenter Configuration Manager include:

• Reduction of overhead costs. Configuration Manager makes it possible for users to operate with the highest possible level of effectiveness while at the same time reducing the overhead costs associated with their work. One way that it does so is by automating many tasks that would otherwise be expensive to train users to perform. This also saves users time working on basic tasks that they can then devote to other operations that need human intervention.

• Flexibility. Configuration Manager is a highly flexible solution. It is a platform-agnostic solution that can run consistently across VMware infrastructure and Windows, Linux, and UNIX operating systems. Users can use it on the operating system that best meets their business needs. Organizations can operate without having to invest in any particular operating system.

• Threat reduction. It enables users to reduce threats to their systems. Its approach to centralized configuration management makes it simple for users to keep control of their security setup. This means administrators can spend most of their time ensuring that an organization’s technology is safe instead of trying to figure out how to do so. Configuration Manager's ability to correlate configuration changes with issues that are detected by VMware’s vCenter Operations Manager significantly reduces the amount of time needed in order to resolve any issues that arise.

• Deep data collection and visibility. The secure and automatic data collection provides users with a wealth of data. This gives organizations the ability to see all aspects of their configuration environment. Administrators are able to track everything without worrying that they are missing information that is critical to their work.

• Scalability. Configuration Manager is a highly scalable product. Users can scale it so that their configuration management operations can effortlessly keep pace with the work that they are doing. They can maintain their security and operations without turning to another product or being forced to make expensive purchases in order to keep up.

vCenter Configuration Manager Features

• Centralized UI. Configuration Manager comes with a centralized UI that users can use to manage all of Configuration Manager’s tools. From a single location users can track and use the myriad tools that Configuration manager has to offer. It enables administrators to ensure that their configurations and patches are running consistently across all of their environments.

• Unified report generation tool. Configuration Manager’s reporting tool is constantly gathering data relating to an organization’s configurations. Users can now create reports that contain all of the most up-to-date configuration information. This enables them to conduct their operations with information that is wholly accurate.

• Configuration auditing tool. Configuration Manager has a scanner that conducts constant audits of an organization’s configurations. It searches for any errors or issues in the configurations. Users are notified when changes in the configurations take place so that they can track any issues and deal with them before they can escalate.

• Integration suite. Configuration Manager enables users to integrate their systems with many other VMware solutions. This means that users can both bolster their current capabilities and implement any features that they might feel are missing from their current setup.

• Hardware monitoring software. Configuration Manager leverages CIM SMASH technology to track the health of both their physical and virtual servers. It not only provides information when the hardware and VMware are running properly. This software also alerts users when any kind of failures occur in the physical hardware.

Reviews from Real Users

vCenter Configuration Manager is a highly effective solution that stands out when compared to many of its competitors. Two major advantages it offers are its intuitive and simple design and its ability to scale according to the needs of its user.

Moses S., a project manager at Swakop Uranium, writes, “The platform is straightforward and user-friendly. A large knowledge base is not required to begin using it.”

Raju P., an Information Technology manager at Sikraft, says, “We can scale the solution as needed.”