SCOM (System Center Operations Manager) is a cross-platform data center monitoring and reporting tool that checks the status of various objects defined within the environment, such as server hardware, system services, etc. The solution allows data center administrators to deploy, configure, manage, and monitor the operations, services, devices and applications of multiple enterprise IT systems via a single pane of glass. It is suitable for businesses of all sizes.
The most valuable features of SCOM, according to the reviews, include its stability, ease of deployment on Windows platforms, providing insight reports for virtual machines (VMs) and their health status, real-time alerts, monitoring capabilities, and network path feature.
Users appreciate the reporting, integration with business intelligence, device visibility and status, ability to customize management packs and send notifications, and features like maintenance schedules and SLA tracking.
The solution is praised for its stability, scalability, and responsiveness of technical support.
The SCOM system has several areas that need improvement. One issue is the stability and performance, which results in slow response times and difficulties in applying patches and updates. This has led to users seeking alternative solutions.
Another area that needs improvement is the reporting feature, as it is not user-friendly and generates low-quality reports. Additionally, the system is limited to on-premises usage, which is not ideal for organizations moving to the cloud. There is also a lack of update and enhancement options, as Microsoft has retired the on-prem version and moved to the cloud.
The user interface and configuration of SCOM are challenging, and there is a need for better documentation and training. Other suggested improvements include email notification alerts, integration with other software, more visibility and detail in device management, improved dashboards, and enhanced network monitoring.
The investment in SCOM did not yield any positive outcomes for some users. There have been latency issues due to network coverage between different sites, despite having multiple data centers and a centralized database.
Customers have different experiences with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for SCOM. Some customers purchase the enterprise agreement with Microsoft and pay for Software Assurance, while others simply buy and deploy it without Software Assurance.
There is an annual license fee to use this solution. Microsoft is considered to be on the higher side in terms of cost. However, SCOM is included in the license for the System Center suite, making it relatively cheap.
Support is initially free but incurs an additional fee once a certain level is exceeded.
The primary use case of SCOM is to monitor and manage the health and performance of Windows servers in an organization's infrastructure. It is used for monitoring hardware inventory, patching laptops, conducting an inventory, gathering information about systems, and managing Windows-based IT infrastructures.
SCOM is also used for logging purposes, mounting configurations, and sending alerts and notifications for down systems or problematic issues. It is utilized in various sectors and can be deployed on-premises or on different virtual machine environments like VMware and Hyper-V.
Customers in Pakistan often face problems with SCOM, as they do not regularly monitor or upgrade their systems. When they encounter issues, they rely on support to find quick solutions. However, the process can be time-consuming, involving step-by-step procedures, bug fixes, and upgrades. Some customers have a specific link with Microsoft for support, while others rate their experience with customer service as excellent.
Support is not exceptional, with occasional difficulties in finding specific engineers or a knowledge-based environment. Microsoft's technical support includes remote workers, some of whom are knowledgeable but may procrastinate or refer customers elsewhere. Contacting technical support requires going through a reseller first.
The initial setup for SCOM can vary in complexity depending on factors such as the current infrastructure and Active Directory. There may be misconfigurations and configuration issues that need to be addressed. The deployment process involves different phases, including planning, installation of management servers and agents, system monitoring, configuring agents and defining monitoring objectives, setting up alerts and notifications, and configuring reporting.
Testing and validation are also important before routine maintenance can begin. In some cases, multiple staff members are involved in the deployment. The ease of setup is rated differently by different users, with some finding it straightforward and others finding it complex.
The setup process can be time-consuming and may require Microsoft's support in certain cases.
SCOM is highly scalable. The solution has the capacity to monitor a significant number of servers, depending on the provisioning of SCOM servers. It is important to carefully plan and calculate the resources needed for the solution, such as storage, memory, and CPUs, to ensure optimal performance and avoid any negative impact on the environment.
While scalability may require some effort and understanding of the product, it is generally considered good and suitable for larger enterprises. SCOM has demonstrated its ability to scale well and accommodate increasing usage without any issues.
SCOM has varying levels of stability. Some users find the solution stable and rate it highly, while others mention the need for improvement. The stability of the solution is generally described as good. However, a few users have experienced issues such as alerts in the event viewer that are difficult to understand and long response times from Microsoft engineers.
SCOM Features
SCOM has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:
SCOM Benefits
There are several benefits to implementing SCOM. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:
Reviews from Real Users
Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by PeerSpot users currently using the SCOM solution.
A Manager at a financial services firm says, “The feature I like most about SCOM is that it is easy-to-use. I find it very user-friendly. I also like the knowledge base which it has. You can find the resolution to questions or issues directly within the SCOM itself. It will alert you with a recommendation of what you need to do at the same time. This sort of self-diagnosis or prompting is one of the great values you get from SCOM compared to other solutions.”
PeerSpot user Zahari Z., Information Technology Auditor at a financial services firm, mentions, “Availability monitoring is the feature I have found most valuable, as well as the capacity and ability to send notifications. There is a mechanism to set up a notification from the SCOM and whenever there is a drop in the availability the notification alerts not only for availability but for other issues as well. You can align thresholds according to the speed of your environment and you can have a threshold related notification, which is one of the useful features.”
Bill W., Sr. Systems Engineer at Arapahoe County Government, comments, “ I like some of their newer features, such as maintenance schedules, because SCOM records SLA and SLO time. When we patch, things are automatically put into maintenance mode so that the numbers for our systems being down, do not count against us.”
A Project Manager at a tech services company explains, “The feature I have found most valuable is the book feature. While we run the Sprint one we can add some setups for multiple sprints.”
A Systems Engineer at an educational organization states, “Because it's Windows-based, it actually reports quite well. It reports everything you can think of on the Windows server and allows you to monitor anything. It's excellent for those in the Windows world as it's very good at it.”
SCOM was previously known as System Center Operations Manager, SCOM 2012.
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