The primary use case of the solution is to deploy the computers and servers.
Independent senior IT consultant at CP Systems
Help manage, deploy and secure all devices and applications easily
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is user-friendly and easy to learn."
- "The solution can be improved with the addition of a mobile device manager."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is that it integrates well with other Microsoft solutions.
What needs improvement?
The solution can be improved with the addition of a mobile device manager.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for three years.
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Configuration Manager
March 2025

Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Configuration Manager. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
842,767 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation was completed in-house.
What other advice do I have?
I give the solution a nine out of ten.
I recommend the solution because it functions as advertised. The solution is user-friendly and easy to learn. The solution has a nice-looking interface, unlike others out there.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

Sr Technical Architect - ITAM at a tech consulting company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Affordable, easy to use, and easy to understand
Pros and Cons
- "Technical support was helpful and responsive."
- "On some hardware, we'd like an easier way to get peripherals attached."
What is our primary use case?
We were replacing SCCM. It's been easy enough to do in terms of getting the devices and seeing what's being discovered from that type of info. We're looking for hardware and software data coming across.
How has it helped my organization?
The solution is helping us by bringing the hardware details on it, and it's a software install. That way, we can account for the devices and identify and understand what is actually installed do the computers.
What is most valuable?
It's very easy to use and understand.
The solution is affordable.
It is stable and reliable.
We've found scalability to be good.
Technical support was helpful and responsive.
The setup is simple and pretty standard.
What needs improvement?
We'd like additional data related to security and the configurations of the hardware.
On some hardware, we'd like an easier way to get peripherals attached.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for about six months. I haven't used it for that long.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is stable. It's reliable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution can scale well. We weren't surprised about anything. It does what needs to be done.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is excellent. When we had a question, we got prompt answers. We are quite satisfied with the level of support.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was pretty standard. It was not complex.
What was our ROI?
We have witnessed an ROI.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is good. I'd rate its affordability eight out of ten. It could always be cheaper, however, we are pretty happy with the cost.
What other advice do I have?
We are not on the latest version. However, we're getting to upgrade the product.
You need to understand what type of data you need and what it can pull. That's part of the configuration that needs to be done at the outset. If you know what you want and you make sure the system can do it, and it's configured right, and you'll be happy.
I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Configuration Manager
March 2025

Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Configuration Manager. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
842,767 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Lead Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
It's helpful for automated boot process patching
Pros and Cons
- "I like the data collection."
- "The reports are too busy. They could be simpler. I'm a technician, so I don't care how pretty the reports look. They should be easy to read. I'm designing this for production folks. They need to read the reports quickly when they're patching in the middle of the night."
What is our primary use case?
We use MECM for intelligent logic automation. About 400,000 users are impacted by the solution, but there are around 20 admins who work with it directly. We have multiple automation tools and use the one that makes sense as needed.
How has it helped my organization?
We're designing PowerShell scripts to automate patching the boot process. The ROI is there.
What is most valuable?
I like the data collection.
What needs improvement?
The reports are too busy. They could be simpler. I'm a technician, so I don't care how pretty the reports look. They should be easy to read. I'm designing this for production folks. They need to read the reports quickly when they're patching in the middle of the night.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used MECM for about four or five months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate MECM nine out of 10 for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate MECM eight out of 10 for scalability.
How are customer service and support?
I haven't gotten support from Microsoft for MECM, but I've contacted them in the past for various tickets. They're professional.
How was the initial setup?
I work in the lab. I design a solution before it's deployed in production. I wasn't involved in the actual deployment. Deploying things in the lab is different. It's a much smaller footprint.
What was our ROI?
So far, the ROI is pretty decent.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
MECM is more expensive than Ansible, which is open and free. That's why we'll use other tools as needed for automation.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager seven out of 10. You need to have the right mindset to use it. The first question should always be: Can this be automated? From there, you'll see if the product will satisfy their automation requirements.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Solution Architect at KIAN company
Flexible, great for patching on virtual machines, and pretty stable
Pros and Cons
- "It's helped us solve problems surrounding patching, installing, and reporting different patches, etc., on the virtual machines."
- "Based on my experience with SCCM 2016, the main, big issue is not having a good user-friendly environment. It needs much better GUI."
What is our primary use case?
We are using SCCM to manage the virtual machine configuration. We had around 100 or 200 virtual machines and wireless, and we need to configure different settings on all of the virtual machines. We need to handle patching, updating, and installing security updates. We prefer to use System Center instead of other solutions like GFI LanGuard that are already installed in other environments.
How has it helped my organization?
Previous to SCCM, the entire process was completely manual.
What is most valuable?
The solution is very flexible and very handy. It has helped us move past the process of manually updating.
It's helped us solve problems surrounding patching, installing, and reporting different patches, etc., on the virtual machines.
What needs improvement?
Based on my experience with SCCM 2016, the main, big issue is not having a good user-friendly environment. It needs much better GUI.
We had some problems configuring Linux virtual machines. We needed to install agents. Microsoft should pay more attention to these Linux virtual machines in order to make implementation with them easier.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been working in the System Center on two projects for around two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is extremely stable. We've only really had to restart the solution twice in the first year. It's very reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In terms of scalability, at that time I didn't need to scale the development. However, in the near future, it is possible. I don't have any idea of the timeline for our scaling the solution as I focus on VMware technology at this time.
Our company has around 60 users. However, we offer this solution to one of the enterprise customers that use it for bank data centers. They have around 3000 staff.
We are using the System Center to manage around 2000 virtual machines.
How are customer service and technical support?
In my country, due to sanctions, we cannot use direct support. We just use third-party partners in different countries. Generally, we support the System Center and all their products directly and don't need outside support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
If a company migrates to a cloud environment, I prefer to use another solution. For example, in the Azure environment, I definitely use Intune instead of System Center. In other products, I use Jamf, which is a good product that is comparable with System Center in the cloud environment.
How was the initial setup?
In terms of the current initial setup, the new version is a little bit more complex as you need to design a great architecture for the enterprise environment when we use a lot of virtual machines. For example, when you have more than 1,000 virtual machines, there needs to be a high level of consideration for the design of different components of the System Center.
In terms of deployment, if you have a good design, the process may take about a week. You need, I would guess, one week for installing and preparing the environment. However, you need to relay different instructions in order to install it. In total, the process would take around one, or, at a maximum, two weeks.
Our team consists of five members; one senior and four support engineers. Their job is to configure and maintain the active directory environment and the SCCM platform.
What about the implementation team?
I implemented the solution myself. I took a month to study the solution, and, after that, I was able to handle the process personally. I took only two days in terms of how long it took me to install it.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is pretty expensive. A company really needs to consider their environment.
What other advice do I have?
We're just a customer. In the past, we used System Center version 2012, and after one year we upgraded to System Center 2016.
Out of all the products in the market, the best solution is System Center, especially for Microsoft virtual machines and all services that are related to Microsoft Technologies.
If you are evolving in the Microsoft environment, I prefer to use the System Center due to the fact that it includes different solutions like System Center Configuration Manager, System Center Operation Manager, System Center Virtual Backup. It's a full solution and provides different services. It has great integration with other Microsoft products.
I would recommend the solution to an engineer or administrator. And first, a new user will have to study different best practices and have a good overview of the architect of System Center and the functionality of the different components. After that, they would have to go in through the details about the Linux machines. The biggest problems we had at the time of implementation was related to Linux virtual machines, not Microsoft virtual machines. With the licensing and the price, it's a tricky point that the engineers should consider when they need to set up a license
Overall, I would rate the solution eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Infrastructure, Technical Computing Applications at EQF Solutions
Stable and works well for large environments
Pros and Cons
- "We're a Microsoft-centric organization, so we are happy with the integration between products."
- "There is no asset management package included."
What is our primary use case?
The primary use case for SCCM is for managing workstations.
All of the software that runs on our workstations is packaged and distributed and managed. Along with that, some of our security software is managed a little bit differently, but is accounted for in that way.
We also use it for keeping track of our patches.
What is most valuable?
We're a Microsoft-centric organization, so we are happy with the integration between products.
The interface, customization, and security are all pretty good.
What needs improvement?
There is no asset management package included. You have to buy that separately so we need to use another system to manage that. This is one of the biggest things that makes SCCM not as competitive as some other systems. If they had this functionality then their help desk software would be much better and much more useful.
It is a little bit fat on the client-side, in terms of the stuff it leaves in place after the management is complete. It would be nice if they could pay attention to that, although we have a separate way of dealing with it.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been involved with using SCCM in four or five different places for a total of close to 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
SCCM has no issue with stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This is a scalable product. The biggest group that I have been involved with was maybe 15,000 people. Typically, the sizes are in the 1,000-person area and it's not the type of product that you put together and configure for an office.
How are customer service and technical support?
Their SCCM support is slightly better than their general support. Their general support, Microsoft is tiered so you have to fight your way through the tiers to get to the real people. There's no way around that, but that's just the way they are. I understand that because they're such a big company
How was the initial setup?
I have not done the initial setup alone, and I wouldn't recommend doing it for anybody who didn't know what they were doing, or that hadn't done it before, because you have to go through a certain learning process.
I have seen that a base installation complete can be done in three days, and I have also seen an environment with 1,000 workstations deployed in two weeks.
What about the implementation team?
I have always worked with somebody who is well-versed in the solution to assist with deployment. I rely on a Microsoft MVP-level person to get the install done properly for me.
One person is enough for maintenance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Pricing is negotiable with Microsoft, depending upon which of their packages you choose. They're changing their packages, and I don't know how they're changing them yet. It's been a few years since I have worked in that capacity.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We continually look at and evaluate everything.
Microsoft has Intune, as well. However, Intune is a choice if you're in a smaller-scale situation. Typically, I don't get called into things unless it is large, where I interact with clients on technical computing and solving network problems that are related to workstation issues. For these types of larger things, SCCM is a logical choice.
I haven't been in a Unix environment beyond having to do database-engine-related work.
What other advice do I have?
My advice for anybody looking into implementing SCCM is that it has to be on a larger scale, and you have to be committed to Microsoft.
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Technical solution leader at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Useful for remote control, patch management, and software deployment
Pros and Cons
- "The tool's most valuable features include security updates and patch management, which are critical functions for maintaining security. The automated software distribution and the ability to manage deployments are also highly useful. Enforcing compliance with set policies on systems is another key functionality we leverage."
- "The solution should incorporate AI. It should also incorporate real-time capabilities. If we could get real-time information about challenges or issues, it would allow us to take immediate action. For example, with the recent outage caused by the Windows issue, having a real-time warning system could have helped us avoid or reduce the downtime we experienced."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for remote control, patch management, and software deployment.
What is most valuable?
The tool's most valuable features include security updates and patch management, which are critical functions for maintaining security. The automated software distribution and the ability to manage deployments are also highly useful. Enforcing compliance with set policies on systems is another key functionality we leverage.
What needs improvement?
The solution should incorporate AI. It should also incorporate real-time capabilities. If we could get real-time information about challenges or issues, it would allow us to take immediate action. For example, with the recent outage caused by the Windows issue, having a real-time warning system could have helped us avoid or reduce the downtime we experienced.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with the product for eight to ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate Microsoft Configuration Manager's stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the solution's scalability an eight out of ten.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
As a main competitor to Microsoft Configuration Manager, I've used Ansible quite extensively as an alternative. There are also other products like those from Ivanti or Jamf. From an automation standpoint, we've tried Ansible and Chef as competitors. However, doing a direct function-by-function comparison is difficult since they all have different capabilities.
How was the initial setup?
Our team is highly skilled, so it seems fairly straightforward from my perspective. However, the difficulty likely depends on skill levels.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is expensive. Microsoft Configuration Manager would likely be considered high-priced for small businesses because they may not fully utilize all of its features and capabilities.
What other advice do I have?
The solution is mostly for enterprises. Smaller businesses can opt for Microsoft Intune or other third-party products. I rate the overall product an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Last updated: Aug 6, 2024
Flag as inappropriateConsultant at ATOS
Offers excellent patching and troubleshooting features
Pros and Cons
- "Offers good patching."
- "Cloud-based improvements need to be better managed."
What is our primary use case?
Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager, formerly known as SCCM, is used for patching machine servers and application deployments. It also stores an inventory of machine hardware. We are customers and I'm a consultant.
What is most valuable?
Patching is an important feature in the solution. Because it's console-based we can create one application or patch in the console. It will download and from the console base we can deploy to all machines. If your company has around 1,000-2,000 machines we're able to patch and deploy to all concurrently. We're also able to check, report and troubleshoot if there are any issues or errors that occur during deployment. We currently have 500 plus servers which are managed automatically on cloud.
What needs improvement?
Cloud-based improvements need to be better managed than is currently the case.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for nine years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is quite stable because it's a Microsoft product. Even though it's cloud-based it's quite stable. We have two engineers that deal with maintenance.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is quite scalable, although there is a lot of competition from products such as AWS and IBM BigFix.
How are customer service and support?
We've had good experience with Microsoft technical support.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward. It's a matter of downloading from Microsoft, updating on the console and deploying. The amount of staff required for deployment depends on the level of infrastructure. Before the deployment, you need to test the machines to check whether a particular patch is installed and updated properly on that machine and whether there are any bugs. Installation is a step-by-step process. We can do about 20,000 per week, so within five weeks the job can be done. If there are only 10,000 machines, deployment can be completed within a week.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Licensing is better than with other solutions because it's Microsoft-based. Microsoft offers multiple options which works for us.
What other advice do I have?
The solution is good for us because most of our users are using Microsoft-based products and the solution is compatible for anyone using Linux-based or AWS.
I rate the solution nine out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
IT System Administrator at Frank, Rimerman & Co
Essential in maintaining WSUS updates, and allows our team to reimage a computer within an hour
Pros and Cons
- "Valuable features include configurations enforcement, compliance data gathering, and deployment of a standardized OS."
- "Built in PowerShell cmdlets would be a nice feature because managing clients remotely can be a pain without knowing the WMI calls to run."
What is our primary use case?
We use System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) to manage workstations and servers in our Windows environment. We are primarily a Windows-only environment, which is what SCCM is designed to manage. It uses WMI underlying technology to ensure that it is compatible with all versions of Windows, from Windows XP to Windows 10. We use it to manage our Windows workstations and Servers. We use SCCM to do many things, like deploy operating systems, deploy applications, configure settings, gather compliance data, enforce software patching and run reports for software installations information.
We do not use it to do Mobile Device Management, though it does have that capability.
It does not manage products outside of Microsoft operating systems, so this product would be for Microsoft-heavy businesses.
How has it helped my organization?
Using SCCM allows our team to reimage a computer within an hour and have it ready to deploy to a user in less than a day. If we get a new workstation model, we can easily add drivers to the server and it will be compatible with our image. We can count on images and workstations having a specific configuration and having it enforced. It allows us to spend less time doing manual work and more time helping users. It also gives us good business intelligence through its reporting features.
What is most valuable?
- Deployment of a standardized operating system
- Application deployment to all domain machines
- Configurations enforcement
- Compliance data gathering
Ensuring configuration integrity across the domain is essential for maintaining an environment, so SCCM helps our company enforce a uniform configuration. SCCM’s ability to deploy applications to maintain updates and up-to-date software is also essential. Many vendors will not support end users if we are not on the latest software release, so this allows the IT department to control application versions and deployments. SCCM is also essential in maintaining WSUS updates, as those are a challenge to enforce as well.
What needs improvement?
SCCM is a pretty great product already. It has benefited greatly from having been around since its original incarnation as Small Business Server 2003. It would be cool if the SCCM client had some PowerShell cmdlets built into it, as managing clients remotely can be a pain without knowing the WMI calls to run remotely. Also, continued development PowerShell integration with the console (which they have already started developing).
For how long have I used the solution?
Three to five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Improperly set security settings can lead to console performance issues. SCCM client issues are also inevitable. We recently had to diagnose and fix downloading issues caused by older BranchCache issues with the old client. Otherwise, the client and server are very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
No. SCCM has the ability to be as big or as small as needed by the business. It can be used by businesses ranging from single office companies to massive international corporations.
How are customer service and technical support?
N/A. SCCM is one of the most popular products on the market, so there are LOTS of online help articles for almost any problem you will have. I have never contacted their support because it's expensive, and I am stubborn and like to figure out problems myself.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
N/A
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup takes planning and careful consideration. It will also take input from your networking team, as it will take some router configuration to get PXE booting working. The overall design of the SCCM servers needs to be considered as well, as you can't change the big picture structure later. You have to decide if you want only a primary site or if you want a central administration hub with primary sites reporting to it, so it will take planning to setup.
Configuring the groups, collections, boundaries, and server roles takes time as well. It will also take an understanding of the business's needs and will require IT helpdesk input to be most effective.
Configuring applications and settings takes a bit less time once you have the underlying infrastructure setup, but SCCM doesn't really help you discover install commands outside of MSI or APPX packages. To be fair, there's not much they can do, but a technician will need to be aware of that.
What about the implementation team?
I implemented it, so in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Microsoft has affordable pricing for Small to Medium Businesses, and it comes with many SMB packages already. It is worth investing in these, because the returns in automation and environmental integrity pay back the cost.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
N/A
What other advice do I have?
SCCM is a fantastic solution whose use is only limited by your creativity. Since it allows you to use PowerShell or VBScript to configure settings or execute procedures, a technician can make the any system do what they would like, provided they know how to do it programmatically. It can be a bit of a challenge to setup, configure, and maintain, but once you do, it will benefit you greatly. It is a complicated, complex product, so there is a learning curve, but that complexity is intrinsically linked to its ability to be a powerful tool. If setup improperly, SCCM can wipe out entire environments (don’t make an OS a required task sequence to all computers, for instance), but that is difficult to do.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

Buyer's Guide
Download our free Microsoft Configuration Manager Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Updated: March 2025
Popular Comparisons
SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor
ScienceLogic
ServiceNow Discovery
Oracle Enterprise Manager
HPE System Management Homepage
VMware vCenter
Kaseya IT Center
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Microsoft Configuration Manager Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Quick Links
Learn More: Questions:
- Do you think there is a minimum critical threshold that justifies the deployment of the System Center suite?
- Tanium vs SCCM
- SCCM vs BigFix: what are pros and cons?
- How to choose between ManageEngine Desktop Central and Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (formerly SCCM)?
- SCCM vs. vCenter Configuration Manager
- How does Ansible compare to Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (SCCM)?
- What are the weaknesses of SCCM and how can they be improved by a user?
- When evaluating Server Monitoring, what aspect do you think is the most important to look for?
- Which Windows event log monitoring tool do you recommend?
- How do the various System Monitoring solutions compare?