Microsoft Configuration Manager vs Qualys Patch Management comparison

Microsoft Configuration Manager vs. Qualys Patch Management

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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:

ROI

Sentiment score

1.0

Microsoft Configuration Manager is valued for managing devices, offering cost savings and enhanced productivity, despite some Mac support challenges.

Sentiment score

7.2

Qualys Patch Management enhances security, reduces vulnerabilities, saves time, lowers costs, and offers an intuitive interface with updated data.

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Configuration Manager report

With Qualys, we can save around 70 percent of time and between 30 to 40 percent of money.

Zafar Syed

Information Security Manager at BARC India

We have a 50 percent return on investment due to reduced operational complexity and increased efficiency in patching and detection.

Revathi VeeraRaghavan

Information Security - Manager at Infosys

We have achieved significant time savings of 90 percent, primarily due to comprehensive oversight and visibility of security issues.

reviewer2593263

Manager Information Security at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Qualys Patch Management report

Customer Service

Sentiment score

5.5

Microsoft Configuration Manager receives mixed reviews for support, praised for resources but criticized for first-level support effectiveness.

Sentiment score

7.3

Qualys Patch Management offers efficient support, though initial responses vary; communication is better via email than phone.

Their response time and first-level support quality need improvement.

Jakub J

Systems Architect at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees

For technical support from Microsoft, I would rate them a nine.

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Configuration Manager report

Expert at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

The support team is experienced and responsive.

Arshad Nr

Senior Security Consultant at CyberNxt Solutions LLP

The support team is responsive and provides detailed information.

GokulM

Vulnerability Management Engineer at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees

Whenever we raise a request and mention the priority of the ticket, they respond immediately via email or call.

Pallavi Jain

Security Consultant at Onity

For more quotes and insights, download the Qualys Patch Management report

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

7.6

Microsoft Configuration Manager scales well for enterprises, though expertise and investments may enhance scalability, especially with cloud integration.

Sentiment score

8.4

Qualys Patch Management is scalable, accommodating growth, though improvements are needed in multi-tenancy, Mac support, and licensing cost-efficiency.

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

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Configuration Manager report

IT Infrastructure Coordinator at NSW Government

It scales efficiently across different machines globally, ensuring patches are deployed smoothly.

reviewer2589096

Senior Information Security Engineer at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees

Qualys Patch Management is a globally scalable product, easily handling increasing workloads and users.

Zafar Syed

Information Security Manager at BARC India

If a client has purchased licensing for ten thousand assets and exceeds that, Qualys continues to scan those additional assets, which ensures the client's coverage.

Amber Mitchell

Lead Product Manager ASM at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Qualys Patch Management report

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

6.3

Microsoft Configuration Manager is praised for stability, with issues mostly due to external factors and the need for proper setup.

Sentiment score

7.6

Qualys Patch Management is stable and reliable, with minimal downtime and rare disruptions, offering consistent performance for most users.

There were misconfigurations by our team rather than issues with the product itself.

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Configuration Manager report

IT Infrastructure Coordinator at NSW Government

I would rate the stability of Qualys Patch Management nine point five out of ten.

reviewer2590236

Information Security Lead at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees

The stability of Qualys Patch Management is impeccable.

Sandeep Pasi

Sr Cyber Security Manager at BARC India

Overall, it is reliable.

Karan Bhateja

System Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Qualys Patch Management report

Room For Improvement

Microsoft Configuration Manager needs improved integration, automation, Linux compatibility, and enhanced PowerShell, UI, mobile support, and AI alerts.

Qualys Patch Management requires better driver updates, user interface improvements, increased automation, and enhanced support and integration features.

A better command line interface for Microsoft Configuration Manager would be an additional feature I would to see in the future to make it closer to a perfect score.

Jakub J

Systems Architect at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees

I can suggest that Microsoft Configuration Manager should get the Autopilot feature because Autopilot is the main part of Intune, and nowadays everybody is using Autopilot.

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Configuration Manager report

Expert at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

There is a limitation where Qualys may not always offer solutions for remediation, particularly for end-of-life or end-of-service applications.

Karan Bhateja

System Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

It would be better if Qualys Patch Management identifies whether the process has failed at the first instance and provides a retry button or retry mechanism, allowing retries for failed patches.

AntonyLai

Sr Security Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

For critical options, they could make them red, green for medium, and blue for less significant options.

Arshad N. R.

Cyber Security Specialist at UBS Financial

For more quotes and insights, download the Qualys Patch Management report

Setup Cost

Microsoft Configuration Manager pricing is high but offers comprehensive features, with value seen mainly for larger infrastructures.

Qualys Patch Management offers good value despite higher costs, with scaling benefits and improved affordability for small businesses.

The setup cost is considered sufficient.

IT Infrastructure Coordinator at NSW Government

The pricing for Microsoft Configuration Manager is okay for me.

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Configuration Manager report

Expert at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

We get many more features at the same price as other solutions such as Microsoft SCCM.

Arshad Nr

Senior Security Consultant at CyberNxt Solutions LLP

However, it can be a bit expensive sometimes, and I think clients can be shocked when they see the price.

Amber Mitchell

Lead Product Manager ASM at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees

The pricing is reasonable and less expensive than the previous tool.

Chaitanya Kajjam

Technical Lead - Security Operations at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Qualys Patch Management report

Valuable Features

Microsoft Configuration Manager offers scalable endpoint management, efficient deployment, vulnerability fixes, and integration, crucial for enterprises with remote operations.

Qualys Patch Management offers automated scheduling, real-time insights, and risk-based management, enhancing security and reducing vulnerabilities efficiently.

If I want to get a fetch report for anything, such as hardware-related issues or group policy-related issues, I need to fetch the report by using SCCM's scripting language and remediation part.

Expert at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

The most valuable features I find in Microsoft Configuration Manager are mostly patching, deploying software, deploying images, and running custom scripts.

Jakub J

Systems Architect at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees

The product valuable for deployment recovery.

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Configuration Manager report

IT Infrastructure Coordinator at NSW Government

We leverage this functionality to deploy scripts that adjust registry values, effectively patching vulnerabilities and enhancing the security of our machines.

reviewer2589096

Senior Information Security Engineer at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees

We have been able to apply workarounds for zero-day vulnerabilities efficiently.

Arshad Nr

Senior Security Consultant at CyberNxt Solutions LLP

It provides insight into the organization's security posture and keeps databases updated with new CVEs.

Mubashir K

Cyber Security Engineer at Techensglobal

For more quotes and insights, download the Qualys Patch Management report

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Configuration Man...

Ranking in Patch Management

2nd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Software Distribution (1st), Server Monitoring (7th), Configuration Management (3rd)

Qualys Patch Management

Ranking in Patch Management

1st

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Patch Management category, the mindshare of Microsoft Configuration Manager is 8.6%, down from 15.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Qualys Patch Management is 3.6%, up from 3.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Patch Management Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Qualys Patch Management	3.6%
Microsoft Configuration Manager	8.6%
Other	87.8%

Patch Management

Featured Reviews

Have effectively deployed patches and applications while integrating with cloud solutions

Expert at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

The features I find most valuable in Microsoft Configuration Manager are replication and scripting. If I want to get a fetch report for anything, such as hardware-related issues or group policy-related issues, I need to fetch the report by using SCCM's scripting language and remediation part. The inventory collection features of Microsoft Configuration Manager are good because we always prefer the inventory. We do it by using the script language. We use remote management capabilities in Microsoft Configuration Manager. Remote management capabilities are useful if the user is not providing access; we can use the backend users to update the group policy and sync the devices. These are the main features we require.

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Arshad N. R.

Cyber Security Specialist at UBS Financial

Patch management process becomes more efficient and cost-effective while significantly improving vulnerability remediation rates

Regarding improvements in Qualys Patch Management, I did not quite understand the downsides they were expecting. Initially, I was confused about where to find and how to use the available features. It was challenging to identify the options we could employ and why we were using them. However, once I gained hands-on experience, I was able to identify the tool's particular features, making it easier for us to use it. The initial phase had some difficulty with the user interface. I would them to improve user training. They have used many colors, which can be confusing, so they should use specific colors for specific options. For critical options, they could make them red, green for medium, and blue for less significant options. This would make it easier for a beginner to recognize which buttons are dangerous to click. Such adjustments can help new users learn the solution faster.

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879,711 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Government

11%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

12%

Computer Software Company

11%

Government

10%

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	20
Midsize Enterprise	13
Large Enterprise	64

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	12
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	23

Questions from the Community

How does Ansible compare to Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (SCCM)?

Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager takes knowledge and research to properly configure. The length of time that the set up will take depends on the kind of technical architecture that your org...

How to choose between ManageEngine Desktop Central and Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (formerly SCCM)?

ManageEngine Desktop Central is very easy to set up, is scalable, stable, and also has very good patch management. What I like most about ManageEngine is that I can log on to every PC very easily a...

What do you like most about SCCM?

One of the standout features of SCCM is its application management capabilities. It allows us to create packages efficiently and deploy them to specific groups within our network. This streamlined ...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Qualys Patch Management?

The pricing of Qualys is promising, but I don't have the specifics. Based on my experience, both Qualys and Tenable have similar price points, but clients choose based on whether they need a compre...

What needs improvement with Qualys Patch Management?

Qualys should improve by offering a dedicated testing environment for patches, allowing clients to test patches before deploying them to production. Currently, clients must manage this themselves, ...

What is your primary use case for Qualys Patch Management?

I have experience using Qualys because I'm a pre-sales engineer in one of the systems integrator companies here in the Philippines. I am also handling and selling Qualys, doing presentations to our...

Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform vs Microsoft Configuration Manager

Comparisons

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PDQ Deploy vs Microsoft Configuration Manager

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Microsoft Windows Server Update Services vs Qualys Patch Management

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BigFix vs Qualys Patch Management

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Patch My PC vs Qualys Patch Management

Compared 12% of the time

Automox vs Qualys Patch Management

Compared 8% of the time

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Product Reports

Microsoft Configuration Manager

Download Microsoft Configuration Manager product report

Qualys Patch Management

Download Qualys Patch Management product report

Also Known As

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

No data available

Overview

Microsoft Configuration Manager streamlines IT management with features such as software deployment, patch management, and automation, centralizing operations for Windows environments. Integration with Microsoft products allows efficient oversight of workstations and servers.

Microsoft Configuration Manager provides comprehensive IT management, offering software deployment, patch management, and application pushing. Automation reduces manual tasks, ensuring consistency across systems. Centralized management enables standardized OS deployments, application updates, and configuration integrity. Integration with Microsoft products facilitates seamless operations, while hardware and software inventory, compliance reporting, and remote control functions enhance IT management. Users seek improvements in application deployment for those without deep scripting knowledge and desire better WSUS control, PowerShell and Intune integration, Linux compatibility, and user interface enhancements. Performance improvements are requested for remote user management and third-party application support.

What features enhance Microsoft Configuration Manager?

Software Deployment: Efficiently distribute software across large networks.
Patch Management: Automate and streamline update processes for security and functionality.
Automation Capabilities: Reduce manual effort and enhance consistency in IT tasks.
Centralized Management: Standardize OS deployments and application updates.
Integration with Microsoft Products: Seamless operation with existing Microsoft infrastructure.
Hardware and Software Inventory: Comprehensive tracking for assets and resources.
Compliance Reporting: Ensure compliance with internal and external standards.
Remote Control Functions: Enhance support and troubleshooting capabilities.

What benefits should users expect when evaluating Microsoft Configuration Manager?

Decreased Manual Work: Automation reduces time spent on repetitive tasks.
Enhanced Security: Automated patch management keeps systems secure.
Consistent Configurations: Centralized updates ensure uniformity across systems.
Improved Integration: Seamless operation within Microsoft ecosystems boosts productivity.
Comprehensive Oversight: Detailed inventory and reporting tools aid in strategic planning.
Streamlined Support: Remote capabilities improve IT support and user satisfaction.

Microsoft Configuration Manager is widely implemented in organizations to manage Windows workstations and servers. It is essential for deploying operating systems and applications, managing software updates, and conducting hardware and software inventories. The tool is crucial for endpoint and configuration management, ensuring compliance, and automating processes like patching and vulnerability management. Industries such as finance, healthcare, and education rely on Microsoft Configuration Manager to keep systems secure and operational, adapting it to address their specific needs and challenges in maintaining diversified IT environments.

Microsoft

Qualys Patch Management optimizes patching and vulnerability remediation through automation and intelligence insights, accelerating the process by 43% and improving patch rates by 90%. Its integration with CMDB and ITSM tools speeds up ticket closures by 60%, effectively reducing the attack surface while freeing IT and security resources. This cloud-based solution bridges the IT-security gap, making it essential for cybersecurity.

Qualys

Sample Customers

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

Information Not Available

Microsoft Configuration Manager vs. Qualys Patch Management