KACE Systems Deployment Appliance (SDA) vs Microsoft Configuration Manager comparison

Quest Software and Microsoft are both solutions in the Configuration Management category. Quest Software is ranked #28, while Microsoft is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.1. Quest Software holds a 0.1% mindshare in CM, compared to Microsoft’s 13.2% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Quest Software users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 27, 2024

Microsoft Configuration Manager and KACE Systems Deployment Appliance compete in IT asset management. Microsoft Configuration Manager may have an advantage in pricing and support, whereas KACE SDA stands out in feature richness, offering a robust investment.

Features: Microsoft Configuration Manager offers capabilities for software distribution, patch management, and asset tracking. Its integration with other Microsoft products strengthens its use in Windows-centered environments. KACE SDA focuses on deployment and imaging, providing simplified workflows and robust asset management, enabling versatility in diverse environments.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Configuration Manager requires extensive setup but benefits from Microsoft's support network. KACE SDA has a straightforward deployment process, appealing to organizations needing quick implementation, with support that specializes in deployment solutions.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Configuration Manager typically incurs lower initial costs, especially for Microsoft ecosystem users, enhancing ROI through integration. KACE SDA may have higher upfront costs, but it offers significant value in deployment efficiency, justifying the investment for cross-platform support.

To learn more, read our detailed Configuration Management Report (Updated: February 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Configuration Management

February 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 February 2025, in the Configuration Management category, the mindshare of Microsoft Intune is 10.1%, up from 9.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of KACE Systems Deployment Appliance (SDA) is 0.1%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Configuration Manager is 13.2%, down from 14.5% 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.

Read full review

reviewer1731783

System Software Specialist II at a government with 10,001+ employees

Straightforward to use with good ticketing but accessing inventory needs to be easier

I have heard feedback that the imaging is slow. It takes somewhere around an hour to image one PC. Accessing the inventory piece needs to be improved. We are going to refresh a PC every four years. We need something that can handle that. We're going to keep the EWAs form in there. We want to have the form, some kind of form, where we have the inventory and all we have to do, is just come in and view the EWAs or survey that equipment. Otherwise, you have to go in and check and say to remove it out of the system manually. We want some kind of way to keep track of everything, similar to an assessment management system. They need to have some kind of system whereby, if you have the schedule to deploy, if they missed the deployment, then they can pull back and wait for next time, instead of pushing then waiting as soon as the PC turns on and then just dumps the file to the PC.

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MikeNelson2

IT Infrastructure Coordinator at NSW Government

Deployment recovery works well but requires configuration improvements

While I do not use the product frequently, many issues were due to configuration rather than the product itself. I cannot give an exact recommendation as it is not my area of responsibility. The team that uses it finds it adequate. It is presently good enough for us not to investigate other options. Overall, I rate the product a six out of ten.

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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 Microsoft Windows Autopilot and Defender policies are the most valuable features of this solution."

"The most valuable features are the ones that make sure that the deployment is of a standard operating system and the Zero Touch deployment, which is very useful. This allows users to have an out of box experience."

"Previously, we used on-prem SCCM to deploy applications we built manually. After migrating to Intune, we automated and streamlined the process of deploying applications with autopilot. I can do more with my day. I can manage more applications and ensure that they're updated without monitoring and manually starting that process all over again."

"Conditional access helps me control uncontrolled access."

"Autopilot is the most valuable feature of Microsoft Intune."

"The solution appears to be stable and scalable."

"The biggest benefits of Intune are the ability to push changes and the added security. When we moved forward with Defender, we onboarded all those machines automatically. That helps dramatically. For a while, we were left with machines that weren't protected. We could see where people had done things they shouldn't have done, and Defender saved our skins a few times. It didn't happen a lot, but it happened enough that it made us glad we made that decision."

"EAM is a godsend."

More Microsoft Intune pros

"Its ticketing is pretty good."

"This solution captures all the devices in our infrastructure."

"The technical support is good."

"There have to be made some improvement in WSUS and control in other non-Microsoft products updates."

"The product is suitable for our size, handling 800 devices."

"The solution doesn't require any maintenance from our end because it is a cloud-based solution and Microsoft takes care of everything."

"It does the job and meets our needs. With everybody working remotely these days, we are using this solution to deploy everything. The deployment of PCs is easy."

"Offers good patching."

"I like the data collection."

More Microsoft Configuration Manager pros

Cons

"Intune could be improved by expanding its third-party patching capabilities for a more comprehensive solution."

"There are items that require improvements. One is the controls from iOS."

"The synchronization of devices takes a significant amount of time, between 15 minutes and two hours. Microsoft should work on reducing this sync time to improve efficiency."

"There are a few security features that are not available in Microsoft Intune, when compared to other products."

"Lacks the ability to deploy more ways of management, managing devices and processing the policies."

"The most important thing is reporting. They should improve their reporting. They should give a free hand to users. In SCCM, I can create my own reports. For example, in SCCM, I can create an inventory report for my PC or for all PCs, but in Intune, we don't have an option to create any report. Microsoft claims that Intune is a successor of SCCM, but SCCM is more powerful than Intune. So, they should develop Intune more and make it equivalent to SCCM. Then, their product will be great in the market."

"There can be more logs. I do not have any other requirements."

"While the ability to deploy applications at startup is reliable, the policy-based application deployment method has not reached the same level of consistency."

More Microsoft Intune cons

"I have heard feedback that the imaging is slow. It takes somewhere around an hour to image one PC."

"They need to improve the support for the Mac operating system."

"It would be of benefit if Configuration Manager could be connected/integrated with multiple Microsoft Intune subscriptions rather than just one (the current limit)."

"The tool's deployment is difficult. Microsoft needs to improve documentation with videos."

"The tool's deployment can be cumbersome."

"It should provide the ability to remotely connect to mobile devices. There are some solutions that are doing that, but with Microsoft Intune, the only way to remotely connect to devices outside the organization and mobile devices is by using TeamViewer. It is pretty strange for a big company like Microsoft to not have something for that."

"The setup was complex and I faced a lot of problems initially because I was new to the solution."

"Our company would prefer not rebooting computers while people are using them. There seems to be no strategy behind it."

"Could do with some cosmetic improvements on the user interface."

More Microsoft Configuration Manager cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I liked the tool's pricing until P2 came into effect. I am unsure about the current value versus the cost of the new licensing model."

"The product is expensive."

"There are licenses required for this solution. We enable licenses on the devices we need to manage."

"Generally, we get favorable discounts, so it's not too bad. Obviously, we're looking at decreasing those wherever we can to bring value back to the public purse because it's all charity based. It's all publicly funded."

"It's monthly for us, but it's built into the license cost that we pay our IT each month. It's maybe 129 Kroner per head, which translates to £10. There are some additional costs. Our IT had to set up and configure their own server, so there is an extra cost for that, but I'm not sure what that costs."

"Intune is linked with Microsoft. We can deploy the Microsoft E365 license to users by Intune. There are different types of licenses, such as device administrator licenses, E5 licenses for device enrollment manually, and P1 and p2 licenses for device enrollment automatically. These are the licenses required for the administration."

"The cost is somewhat on the higher side, particularly when considering certain price points, especially in markets like India."

"On a scale of one to ten with one being the cheapest, the cost of Microsoft Intune is a five."

More Microsoft Intune pricing and cost advice

Information not available

"The licensing is good because they have various options, depending on what you are looking for."

"The license price could be reduced for Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager They should make the price more affordable for smaller companies, most companies would be able to use the solution if it was priced better. There are more people on this cloud because you don't have to have either a server room or an on-premise server. You can have one IT person handle this without any local infrastructure."

"We use the tool's free license. It is expensive."

"Its licensing is quite complicated because we are getting the license not only for SCCM but for the full Microsoft package. We don't need to pay for a separate license. We need to have one license that includes everything we need, such as Windows, Microsoft 365, SCCM, encryption, and so on. So, we don't have a specific price for it. Perhaps, it is good that it includes the full suite of licensing of Microsoft. It is expensive, but we are getting a lot of features."

"The price of SCCM depends on the size of the organization. The price is competitive."

"We have a support license from Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager and the overall price of the solution is reasonable."

"I rate the price of Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager an eight out of ten."

"We have to pay for a license."

More Microsoft Configuration Manager pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

27%

Computer Software Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

No data available

Financial Services Firm

13%

Computer Software Company

12%

Government

11%

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

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What are the pros and cons of Microsoft Intune?

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Comparisons

Jamf Pro vs Microsoft Intune

Compared 16% 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

No data available

ManageEngine Endpoint Central vs Microsoft Configuration Manager

Compared 13% of the time

Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform vs Microsoft Configuration Manager

Compared 13% of the time

Tanium vs Microsoft Configuration Manager

Compared 8% of the time

BigFix vs Microsoft Configuration Manager

Compared 6% of the time

BMC Client Management vs Microsoft Configuration Manager

Compared 2% of the time

More Microsoft Configuration Manager Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Intune

February 2025

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Buyer's Guide

Configuration Management

February 2025

KACE Systems Deployment Appliance (SDA) report

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Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Configuration Manager

February 2025

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Also Known As

Intune, MS Intune, Microsoft Endpoint Manager

No data available

Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager, System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM )

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

KACE Systems Deployment Appliance (SDA) is a comprehensive deployment solution designed for efficient operating system deployment, easy maintenance of hardware and software, and rapid provisioning of user environments.

KACE Systems Deployment Appliance (SDA) empowers IT professionals to streamline the deployment of operating systems and applications across networks, providing effective solutions for imaging, software distribution, and patch management. It simplifies the deployment process with intuitive tools and automation capabilities, ensuring optimal deployment and management of IT resources.

What are the key features of KACE Systems Deployment Appliance (SDA)?

Automated Deployments: Facilitates quick and reliable system deployments with minimal manual intervention.
Customizable Scripts: Allows personalized deployment scripts tailored for specific IT environments and tasks.
Efficient Imaging: Offers robust image management for cloning and provisioning across multiple devices.
Software Library: Maintains an organized repository for easy access and management of essential software.

What benefits or ROI should users expect?

Time Efficiency: Reduces deployment time drastically allowing IT staff to focus on strategic activities.
Cost Savings: Minimizes manual labor and decreases overall operational costs through automation.
Scalability: Easily adapts to increasing numbers of devices or applications requiring deployment.
Enhanced Productivity: Streamlines processes, boosting overall team productivity and system efficiency.

In industries like education and healthcare, KACE Systems Deployment Appliance (SDA) is implemented to ensure consistent system configurations, rapidly deploy teaching tools and applications, manage student devices efficiently, and keep healthcare systems updated and compliant with standard requirements.

Quest Software

Microsoft Configuration Manager helps IT manage PCs and servers, keeping software up-to-date, setting configuration and security policies, and monitoring system status while giving employees access to corporate applications on the devices that they choose. When Configuration Manager is integrated with Microsoft Intune, you can manage corporate-connected PCs and Macs along with cloud-based mobile devices running Windows, iOS, and Android, all from a single management console.

New features of Configuration Manager, such as the support of Windows 10 in-place upgrade, co-management with Microsoft Intune, Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise Servicing Dashboard, integration with Windows Update for Business, and more make deploying and managing Windows easier than ever before.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Mitchells and Buzzers, Callaway

Information Not Available

Bank Alfalah Ltd., Wªrth Handelsges.m.b.H, Dimension Data, Japan Business Systems, St. Lucie County Public Schools, MISC Berhad

Buyer's Guide

Configuration Management

February 2025

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