Microsoft Configuration Manager vs Symantec Client Management Suite comparison

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Microsoft Configuration Manager and Symantec Client Management Suite based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

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Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager is the software deployment. Additionally, Microsoft integrates most of the other solutions well with one another.""I like a lot of the reporting capabilities and baseline configurations.""There is a faster time to rollout. If we get a new PC, it can be ready for productivity right away.""Software deployment and WSUS are most valuable.""SCCM does everything from A to Z for a Windows operating system.""Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager is very scalable.""The product is useful for patch management.""Microsoft is being very competitive right now, and they are really investing in a lot of new features to be more competitive in the marketplace."

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"The most important thing for us is that it is very easy to use, as well as the availability of it in our support centers.""The most valuable feature of Symantec Client Management Suite is the ease of client management and agent installation.""We can track the incidents, we can track the changes, we can track the assets from cradle to grave and give some kind of accounting as they get older."

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Cons
"The downside of Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager is it's an on-premise-based solution. With the pandemic coming on board the need to support users across the globe has increased. For a while, we would use the in-built Microsoft Teams screen sharing feature but the disadvantage of that is you cannot perform privileged access. Microsoft does not give you access to that. That's where you need cloud-based tools, such as BeyondTrust or Freshservice.""Our company would prefer not rebooting computers while people are using them. There seems to be no strategy behind it.""The solution is on-premises. The cloud version of the product, if a person needs to be on the cloud, would be InTune, which already exists as an option. SCCM doesn't need to offer cloud features for this reason.""I'm looking for a single solution for all discovery needs. It fulfills about 40% of the requirements, and I'd like to see the other 60% so that I don't have to keep doing this.""Could do with some cosmetic improvements on the user interface.""They should improve their anti-malware policies like the SCEP policies. For instance, you can't have different policies for different servers, there is only one policy in all the servers, and everything is covered under that. For example, say you want to scan one group of servers on Saturday, and then you want to scan another group of servers on Sunday, you can't do that. You have to scan all your servers, a regular scan or a full scan, on the same day and at the same time. That's definitely one thing they need to resolve. In the next release, it would actually be nice if they included Apple products. It will also help if you can use Intune again. Their compliance reporting feature could also be better. They can maybe work a bit on that for patching now. It would be better if SCCM came with the functions of Right Click Tools built-in. If SCCM would have all those functions already built-in, we won't have to go and spend $5,000, just as an add-in from another company to get those functions.""The main room for improvement is the on-screen display. I think it would be good if some improvements were made.""I want the system to provide some dependency relations. I would also like to see the relationship between different machines."

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"Symantec Client Management Suite can improve by adding more network devices.""The technical support is in need of improvement.""Some parts are working okay, some of the other components aren't. Workflow isn't working properly. Different people accepting changes and being able to close it has some issues. Putting hot fixes and installing it usually breaks the system."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "Pricing and licensing are horrible. You have to not look at dollar value to use SCCM. It's super-duper expensive but it works. The acquisition cost is expensive, it's labor-intensive. But it works."
  • "Pricing and licensing are a downside of SCCM. It's expensive. I'd have to confirm this, but I think they changed the licensing to core-based instead of socket-based. It's not cheap, because you have to buy the software, you have to buy SQL. Another thing we learned from talking to Microsoft is that they provide you a license for SQL if you run it on the same box as the primary server. If you run it outside that box, you have to buy SQL. Microsoft does recommend you running it on the same box because of performance. But then, in order to run SQL, SCCM, and everything on the same box, you better have some resources. It's an expensive solution. There's no doubt about it."
  • "Overall, I think it's fine. It's pretty much in-line because there are ways to offset it with the Office 365 licensing."
  • "SCCM comes with its own version of SQL Server. If you use that SQL Server with SCCM and don't use it for another applications than you get an SQL Server for free."
  • "The licensing is good because they have various options, depending on what you are looking for."
  • "Pricing is negotiable with Microsoft, depending upon which of their packages you choose."
  • "When you compare this solution with other tools in the market you might actually find a lot of variation in the pricing and that's why people opt for the other tools rather than Microsoft tools."
  • "Its price is okay because it is part of our licensing."
  • More Microsoft Configuration Manager Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer: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… more »
    Top Answer: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 and… more »
    Top Answer:Microsoft Configuration Manager gives different tools in one solution.
    Top Answer:The most valuable feature of Symantec Client Management Suite is the ease of client management and agent installation.
    Top Answer:Symantec Client Management Suite can improve by adding more network devices. In a future release, they should add the ability to revert back the patches or updates.
    Top Answer:Symantec Client Management Suite is used for Microsoft Windows patches and inventory management. The solution can be deployed on-premise and on the cloud.
    Ranking
    2nd
    out of 42 in Server Monitoring
    Views
    3,918
    Comparisons
    2,988
    Reviews
    25
    Average Words per Review
    458
    Rating
    8.4
    Views
    213
    Comparisons
    188
    Reviews
    1
    Average Words per Review
    444
    Rating
    9.0
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager, System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM )
    Symantec Altiris Client Management Suite
    Learn More
    Overview

    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.

    Symantec Client Management Suite automates time-consuming and redundant tasks for deploying, managing, patching, and securing desktops and laptops so organizations can reduce the cost and effort of managing Windows, Mac, Linux, and virtual desktop environments. Client Management Suite 8.0 brings significant new functionality and enhancements to this already feature rich solution. Before covering what’s new in version 8.0, here’s a quick overview of some of the key capabilities of Client Management Suite.

    Symantec Client Management Suite helps reduce the cost of deploying and managing desktops and laptops from a centralized location in your environment. The solution offers OS deployment, configuration, PC “personality” migration, and software deployment across hardware platforms and OS types to reduce end-user downtime and increase IT efficiency through automated, repeatable deployment processes.

    Symantec Client Management Suite centralizes and simplifies patch management. With this solution you can detect and repair security vulnerabilities for Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems as well as Microsoft and over 50 non-Microsoft applications. Patch automation can further streamline the process to ensure patches are applied as quickly as possible. Real- time compliance and detailed reports help ensure smart, fast decisions can be made to keep endpoints protected and maximize productivity.

    Sample Customers
    Bank Alfalah Ltd., Wªrth Handelsges.m.b.H, Dimension Data, Japan Business Systems, St. Lucie County Public Schools, MISC Berhad
    Alghanim Industries, Asia Pacific Telecom Co. Ltd, Barnabas Health, Berry Plastics Corporation, BNY Mellon, Borealis, British American Tobacco Italia S.p.A, Cabela's Inc., Carrington Holding Company, College of Science, Technology, and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT), Comparex, Cybercom Plenware Oy, DHL Hub Leipzig GmbH, Dickinson Dees LLP, Farmington Area Public Schools, Fazer Group, First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, ForceTEC Co. Ltd., Frucor Beverages Ltd, Hadassah University Hospital, Hillsborough County Public Schools, Hutchison Whampoa (China) Commerce Limited, Indian River School District, Johnson County Community College, JW Marriott Hotel Seoul, Kier Group plc, Kwizda Holdings GmbH, Lake Health, Lansky Ganzger & Partner, Mobilezone, Molina Healthcare Inc., Nanyang Technological University, NASDAQ OMX Group Inc., Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Pima Community College, Regional council of Franche-Comt_, Shanghai Pudong International Container Terminals Co. Ltd., Siemens Professional Education, Symantec Corporation (Endpoint Security 12.1), TIVIT, Travelport, University of Oxford
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company17%
    Manufacturing Company13%
    Financial Services Firm13%
    Insurance Company9%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company12%
    Government11%
    Financial Services Firm11%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Government14%
    Computer Software Company13%
    Educational Organization13%
    Healthcare Company8%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business18%
    Midsize Enterprise13%
    Large Enterprise69%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business18%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise66%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business18%
    Midsize Enterprise17%
    Large Enterprise65%
    Buyer's Guide
    Server Monitoring
    April 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Zabbix, Microsoft, ServiceNow and others in Server Monitoring. Updated: April 2024.
    767,667 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Microsoft Configuration Manager is ranked 2nd in Server Monitoring with 78 reviews while Symantec Client Management Suite is ranked 2nd in Client Desktop Management with 3 reviews. Microsoft Configuration Manager is rated 8.2, while Symantec Client Management Suite is rated 8.0. The top reviewer of Microsoft Configuration Manager writes "Seamless system updates, useful integration, and reliable". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Symantec Client Management Suite writes "Knowledgeable support, easy client management, and straightforward agent installation". Microsoft Configuration Manager is most compared with Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform, ManageEngine Endpoint Central, Microsoft Intune, BigFix and Tanium, whereas Symantec Client Management Suite is most compared with Microsoft Intune and ManageEngine Endpoint Central.

    We monitor all Server Monitoring reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.