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SCOM pros and cons

Vendor: Microsoft
3.9 out of 5
Badge Leader

Pros & Cons summary

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Prominent pros & cons

PROS

SCOM offers in-depth monitoring and integration with Microsoft Active Directory, making it suitable for Windows-based systems.
SCOM provides real-time alerts and notifications, allowing quick decisions to keep services running efficiently.
SCOM’s auto-remediation and extensibility features support automation and offer limitless customization options.
SCOM integrates with business intelligence and Azure Monitor, enhancing its monitoring capabilities for Azure-hosted servers.
SCOM simplifies setup with straightforward deployment and offers strong scalability features.

CONS

SCOM has weak non-Windows monitoring and lacks reliability in network device monitoring.
On-prem network monitoring and monitoring of Oracle processes, Unix-based systems, and cloud applications are areas for improvement.
Customization of reports and dashboards in SCOM is limited, with challenges in integration with third-party tools.
SCOM's initial setup and configuration are difficult, with significant learning curves and usability issues highlighted by users.
SCOM requires enhancements in application monitoring, stability, performance, real-time monitoring, and better integration with cloud and other operating systems.
 

SCOM Pros review quotes

it_user657 - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager of Operations at a outsourcing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
May 25, 2012
The good reporting capabilities was one of the major functions which made us choose SCOM as the tool for handling MS application operations (only used for that, not the OS platforms).
it_user4851 - PeerSpot reviewer
Infrastructure Expert at a healthcare company with 501-1,000 employees
Mar 6, 2013
Does a great job with Microsoft technologies.
it_user76893 - PeerSpot reviewer
Consultant at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Dec 26, 2013
We were supporting a bank infrastructure using SCOM, and their application availability improved a lot as we had the real time monitoring of the applications due to which application issues were fixed before the end user comes up and complains.
Learn what your peers think about SCOM. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2026.
885,264 professionals have used our research since 2012.
it_user79782 - PeerSpot reviewer
Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Jan 11, 2014
This product is really easy to use and has best monitoring capabilities when used to monitor Microsoft products.
it_user140667 - PeerSpot reviewer
Principal ICT Architect with 501-1,000 employees
Jul 27, 2014
It would have to be the ability to monitor services, devices, and operations for many devices from a single console leveraging a wide variety of Management Packs available.
it_user190191 - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical IT Manager at a engineering company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Feb 10, 2015
If you are a large Microsoft shop then this product excels in monitoring Microsoft services.
it_user369678 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Consultant with 501-1,000 employees
Jan 13, 2016
The license is very cheap compared to other products, and with SCOM license you get a license for all system center products.
it_user370203 - PeerSpot reviewer
Microsoft System Center Consultant with 10,001+ employees
Jan 14, 2016
SCOM features object-based monitoring based on classes and discoveries and it gives you a lot of power and flexibility when you design and implement monitoring.
it_user368364 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior SCOM Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Jan 17, 2016
This product helps companies detect problems before they cause any real problems like downtime.
it_user372540 - PeerSpot reviewer
NOC Senior Technical Shift Leader at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
Jan 19, 2016
SCOM is a very powerful tool if deployed and eventually maintained correctly.
 

SCOM Cons review quotes

it_user657 - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager of Operations at a outsourcing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
May 25, 2012
Super high cost for the 2012 version due to change to a CPU based.
it_user4851 - PeerSpot reviewer
Infrastructure Expert at a healthcare company with 501-1,000 employees
Mar 6, 2013
Very expensive now that you are forced to buy entire System Center suite, although comparable to other monitoring solutions that include basic APM.
it_user76893 - PeerSpot reviewer
Consultant at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Dec 26, 2013
Too small of a scope in reports, need to improve a lot.
Learn what your peers think about SCOM. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2026.
885,264 professionals have used our research since 2012.
it_user79782 - PeerSpot reviewer
Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Jan 11, 2014
Monitoring non Microsoft products and 3rd party applications.
it_user140667 - PeerSpot reviewer
Principal ICT Architect with 501-1,000 employees
Jul 27, 2014
If it could have SysLog capabilities and if the Microsoft Management Packs were out of the box instead of a separate download.
it_user190191 - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical IT Manager at a engineering company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Feb 10, 2015
Dashboarding and application performance management.
it_user369678 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Consultant with 501-1,000 employees
Jan 13, 2016
The console was not stable at the early versions of 2007 product, opening multiple consoles might cause a crash, and the web console might hang when opening multiple sessions as well.
it_user370203 - PeerSpot reviewer
Microsoft System Center Consultant with 10,001+ employees
Jan 14, 2016
Reporting could be improved, you get many reports out-of-box but they can be difficult to interpret and drill down into.
it_user368364 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior SCOM Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Jan 17, 2016
This product has room for improvement in the way that it is administered.
it_user372540 - PeerSpot reviewer
NOC Senior Technical Shift Leader at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
Jan 19, 2016
Unfortunately, when you need to monitor member servers which are not joined to the same domain as the SCOM servers, you need to go through the certificate route (so that you can have the required trust through the certificate). This is very time consuming and very prone to error.