SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs vCenter Configuration Manager comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager and vCenter Configuration Manager based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Configuration Management solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs. vCenter Configuration Manager Report (Updated: March 2024).
767,995 professionals have used our research since 2012.
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 technical support of Microsoft Intune is good.""Internet-based access with security is what I have found to be most valuable. It is also a stable and scalable solution.""It is very easy to use. It has a very easy interface.""At the moment, Autopilot is the most valuable feature.""The initial setup is not complex.""It provides control over all mobile devices that are being connected to the corporate network.""The product has eased the deployment of Microsoft apps to the devices. We can manage it properly. We can control it and push the updates. Another company helped us with the deployment. However, we can do it internally.""Intune device restriction policies enable me to enforce limitations on the device, like blocking the mobile camera or restricting the employees from using and inserting USB devices, including thumb drives and flash drives."

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"Compared to other vendors, like NetBrain, managing the solution is easy. They made it very user-friendly.""The scanning features have proven to be highly valuable, particularly due to the comprehensive information they provide.""Its main functionality is highly beneficial as it centralizes the management of configuration items across the network.""It's perfect for network configuration management. It's easy to use.""Configuration refers to the specific settings and options that determine how a device or system behaves. It can include things, such as network settings, security settings, and other options that are specific to the device or system in question. One of the most valuable features of the solution was its ability to track and monitor changes to the configuration of devices on a network. This can be useful for troubleshooting and identifying potential issues. By keeping track of who made changes to the configuration and when it can be easier to determine the cause of any problems that may arise.""I use it for monitoring the entire network for the company. We oversee nodes down, we oversee devices heading up to crossing the threshold for CPU usage. We oversee power so power backups on the switches, we oversee if they're down or if they're failing. We oversee any node down or any router from any vendor.""This solution has helped our organization by allowing us to store all the device configurations for the various network devices in NCM and making it easy for us to retrieve and look them over.""The solution's view is very nice, and they have a great customized dashboard."

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"The interface is very user-friendly and the solution is simple to use.""The most valuable features of vCenter Configuration Manager are highly mature technology.""vCenter Configuration Manager is an easy-to-use solution with good performance and cost management.""The solution is stable and reliable.""We can scale the solution as needed.""The solution is stable and we haven't run into issues with bugs or glitches.""The most valuable features that VMware's vCenter Configuration Manager have, when compared with other solutions, are their disaster recovery and business connectivity capabilities.""My primary use case is for migration"

More vCenter Configuration Manager Pros →

Cons
"There is room for improvement in integration and security as well.""Microsoft Intune is not user-friendly to manage and has room for improvement.""The solution requires Mac support.""It's the granularity: 'Is your firewall on? Is BitLocker on?' It's not amazing granularity. But I've looked into other products, like Duo, and they're all similar.""Integration with Mac devices requires some improvement.""Microsoft needs to enhance device-level security, as sometimes when using Microsoft Intune, the device's operating system becomes stuck and requires a full uninstall to remove the Intune bug.""It would be good if, in addition to the minimal patching and compliance, we could also use Intune for application deployment. For instance, if a device is not patched, Intune should have the ability to push not only a Microsoft patch but also other patches, such as a browser patch.""More integration with monitoring tools is needed."

More Microsoft Intune Cons →

"It would be great if they include a network service manager, network performance manager, or a privileged assessment in the next release.""Its customer service response could be faster.""Improvements are needed in the automatic network mapping function.""The interface of solar winds could be improved.""We want to be able to store it in a data warehouse format and integrate it with Google single sign-on.""The solution could have better integration.""I would like to see more integration tools. Something like dialysis, for example.""On NCM, reporting could be a bit better. It's completely become just one report. When I try to create a custom report, the solution just commits old server data."

More SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager Cons →

"The solution needs to add its own backup system because it has issues integrating with third-party solutions.""The ease of setup and installations could be improved.""The Self Service Interface is not very good and it needs improvement.""It should be easier to use alternate storage.""The cost of this solution should be improved.""Acquiring certifications often require extensive training and successfully passing an exam, which can be costly and time-consuming, particularly if you already possess experience in the domain. As a result, this can increase the overall cost of obtaining certification and may present a challenge that requires addressing.""They could improve the hybrid-cloud environment and its management, not only for the local host but also including the connection between public and private cloud.""There are some complexities within the system center. For example, we use two different applications for updates and the deployment of the machine. We also have another third party solution."

More vCenter Configuration Manager Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "Consider the Microsoft Enterprise Mobility Suite rather than choosing specific sub-components, e.g. only Microsoft Intune."
  • "There is a cost benefit of using Microsoft Intune because of the packaging with other Microsoft products."
  • "Microsoft Intune is a cost effective choice. It is less expensive than other products on the market."
  • "The purchase of the product was handled by someone else."
  • "I have no comment on pricing of the solution."
  • "The product is offered as part of a Microsoft standard bundle. The pricing can be competitive to Airwatch, and Maas360."
  • "For Microsoft 365 E5 clients, cost is not an issue as this product is one of the benefits."
  • "The price of Intune is included with the license for Office 365, so we don't have to pay anything extra for it."
  • More Microsoft Intune Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "With a minimal bundle, we pay about $3000 a year in licensing costs. If you have multiple devices in your network, you must buy the bundle, which is 100% identical for your infrastructure. If you have 15 devices, you need 15 licenses, for example. That's one bundle. You don't pay for anything over and above that."
  • "You have a base license for 50 devices, and then you can add more licenses as you go."
  • "There is a license for the use of this solution and it is priced well, there is a lot of value for the money."
  • "I have a yearly subscription."
  • "In Africa, the cost is a major factor in decision-making for many companies. As a result, some companies may choose cheaper solutions, even if they are open-source, over more expensive ones, such as SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager. However, as an engineer, I believe that the functionalities and services offered by SolarWinds justify the cost. Nonetheless, many companies in Africa may still view the prices as unaffordable."
  • "There is a license needed to use SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager."
  • "The price of the solution is high compared to other solutions."
  • "We have to pay additionally for its support and maintenance."
  • More SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "I am not knowledgeable with the pricing of the product."
  • "It's a large application. It consumes a lot of resources. Sometimes the price is too high for our customers. If they buy it directly from VMware, its hard to convince the customer that we will bring down the total cost of ownership, in the end."
  • "Their licensing costs are high. But I think for the scale that we are using, it's suitable. If you use it on a larger scale with many servers, you have to pay a lot of money for them. I think it's suitable for organizations that don't need expert people that want more money each year or each month because it's a straightforward solution. We prefer to pay for these products that are integrated and straightforward."
  • "The price of the solution is expensive. However, it is reasonably priced compared to competitors."
  • "It is on a yearly basis."
  • "This product is not cheap. I have a yearly license for vCenter and the license is not cheap."
  • "The price of the solution is too expensive for us and we are looking to move to another solution."
  • "The solution comes with three-year support. We have to renew the support annually after the three years are up."
  • More vCenter Configuration Manager Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:Microsoft Intune is a great tool for managing a mobile device fleet while keeping access control. The solution makes it… more »
    Top Answer:Microsoft Intune is a great configuration management tool and has a lot of good things going for it. Here are some of… more »
    Top Answer: Microsoft Intune offers not only an easy-to-deploy data protection and productivity management solution, but also… more »
    Top Answer:The configuration compliance aspect of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager allows for easy comparison of… more »
    Top Answer:I'd like to see additional features like support for devices that don't use CLI for configuration backups, expanded… more »
    Top Answer:The solution is expensive and is a great fit for large enterprises. The cloud-based version is for small enterprises.
    Top Answer:The management and the way teams are defined can be improved. If the solution could manage on-premises and cloud… more »
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Intune, MS Intune, Microsoft Endpoint Manager
    SolarWinds NCM
    vCM
    Learn More
    Overview

    Microsoft Intune is a comprehensive cloud-based service that allows you to remotely manage mobile devices and mobile applications without worrying about the security of your organization’s data. Device and app management can be used on company-owned devices as well as personal devices.

    In an increasingly mobile workforce, Microsoft Intune keeps your sensitive data safe while on the move. Microsoft Intune makes it possible for your team members to work anywhere using their mobile devices. Microsoft Intune provides both the flexibility and the control needed for securing all your data on the cloud, no matter where the device with the data is located.

    Microsoft Intune Device Management Key Features

    With Microsoft Intune Device Management you can:

    • Ensure devices and apps are compliant with your security requirements.
    • Rapidly deploy and authenticate apps on all company devices.
    • Remotely access devices to troubleshoot issues or to remove data from them.
    • Generate reports for all devices in the system.
    • Monitor the way users access and share information to protect company information.
    • Set rules and configure settings on personal and organization-owned devices to access data and networks.
    • Create user groups and device groups, allowing you to rapidly access many users and devices simultaneously.

    Mobile Application Management

    Mobile application management in Intune is designed to protect your organization’s data at the application level.

    With Microsoft Intune Application Management you can:

    • Configure apps to run with specific settings enabled.
    • Update existing apps that are already on the device.
    • See reports on which apps are used and monitor their usage.
    • Selectively wipe organization data from apps.
    • Add mobile apps to user groups and devices.

    As part of Microsoft's Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS) suite, Intune integrates with Microsoft Entra ID for access control and with Azure Information Protection for data protection. It also integrates with Microsoft 365 Applications.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Microsoft Intune stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its ability to secure all devices under its management and the flexibility that the solution offers its users.

    A computing services manager notes, "Its security is most valuable. It gives us a way to secure devices, not only those that are steady. We do have a few tablets and other devices, and it is a way for us to secure these devices and manage them. We know they're out there and what's their status. We can manage their life cycle and verify that they're updated properly."

    The head of IT engineering at a financial services company writes, "The one feature we find most useful is the Mobile Application Manager. There are two types: we have the complete MDM and the Mobile Application Manager (MAM). We don't give our users phones, it is their own personal phone, and we need to allow them to have access to the company details on their phone. We need to create a balance between their own personal data and the company data. We deploy the Mobile Application Manager for them so that we won't be able to interfere with their own personal data."

    Before you monitor your network, configure it! A reliable and secure network starts with carefully planned, executed, and monitored network configuration and change management. SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM) saves time and improves network reliability and security by managing configurations, changes, and compliance for routers, switches, and other network devices from Cisco, Juniper, HP, Dell, Brocade, Aruba, Rukus, and more.

    vCenter Configuration Manager is a powerful configuration management tool that is designed to enable organizations to ensure that any environment that they use to conduct business is configured in the most effective possible way. It can automate configurations consistently across virtual, physical, and cloud environments. Additionally, it enables users to place critical functions into the hands of the solution thereby avoiding the possibility that human error will reduce a business’s operations. It also hardens operations against bad actors who look for holes in a user’s security compliance policies that they can exploit.

    vCenter Configuration Manager Benefits

    Some of the ways that organizations can benefit by choosing to deploy vCenter Configuration Manager include:

    • Reduction of overhead costs. Configuration Manager makes it possible for users to operate with the highest possible level of effectiveness while at the same time reducing the overhead costs associated with their work. One way that it does so is by automating many tasks that would otherwise be expensive to train users to perform. This also saves users time working on basic tasks that they can then devote to other operations that need human intervention.
    • Flexibility. Configuration Manager is a highly flexible solution. It is a platform-agnostic solution that can run consistently across VMware infrastructure and Windows, Linux, and UNIX operating systems. Users can use it on the operating system that best meets their business needs. Organizations can operate without having to invest in any particular operating system.
    • Threat reduction. It enables users to reduce threats to their systems. Its approach to centralized configuration management makes it simple for users to keep control of their security setup. This means administrators can spend most of their time ensuring that an organization’s technology is safe instead of trying to figure out how to do so. Configuration Manager's ability to correlate configuration changes with issues that are detected by VMware’s vCenter Operations Manager significantly reduces the amount of time needed in order to resolve any issues that arise.
    • Deep data collection and visibility. The secure and automatic data collection provides users with a wealth of data. This gives organizations the ability to see all aspects of their configuration environment. Administrators are able to track everything without worrying that they are missing information that is critical to their work.
    • Scalability. Configuration Manager is a highly scalable product. Users can scale it so that their configuration management operations can effortlessly keep pace with the work that they are doing. They can maintain their security and operations without turning to another product or being forced to make expensive purchases in order to keep up.

    vCenter Configuration Manager Features

    • Centralized UI. Configuration Manager comes with a centralized UI that users can use to manage all of Configuration Manager’s tools. From a single location users can track and use the myriad tools that Configuration manager has to offer. It enables administrators to ensure that their configurations and patches are running consistently across all of their environments.
    • Unified report generation tool. Configuration Manager’s reporting tool is constantly gathering data relating to an organization’s configurations. Users can now create reports that contain all of the most up-to-date configuration information. This enables them to conduct their operations with information that is wholly accurate.
    • Configuration auditing tool. Configuration Manager has a scanner that conducts constant audits of an organization’s configurations. It searches for any errors or issues in the configurations. Users are notified when changes in the configurations take place so that they can track any issues and deal with them before they can escalate.
    • Integration suite. Configuration Manager enables users to integrate their systems with many other VMware solutions. This means that users can both bolster their current capabilities and implement any features that they might feel are missing from their current setup.
    • Hardware monitoring software. Configuration Manager leverages CIM SMASH technology to track the health of both their physical and virtual servers. It not only provides information when the hardware and VMware are running properly. This software also alerts users when any kind of failures occur in the physical hardware.

    Reviews from Real Users

    vCenter Configuration Manager is a highly effective solution that stands out when compared to many of its competitors. Two major advantages it offers are its intuitive and simple design and its ability to scale according to the needs of its user.

    Moses S., a project manager at Swakop Uranium, writes, “The platform is straightforward and user-friendly. A large knowledge base is not required to begin using it.”


    Raju P., an Information Technology manager at Sikraft, says, “We can scale the solution as needed.”

    Sample Customers
    Mitchells and Buzzers, Callaway
    United Lincolnshire Hospitals, Air Rarotonga, NetSuite, Thai AirAsia, REA Group, 335th Signal Command, Agilisys, Marine Expeditionary Force
    Bank Al Bilad, Thomas-Krenn.AG, Pronto!, Unimed Juiz de Fora
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm19%
    Computer Software Company18%
    Comms Service Provider10%
    Energy/Utilities Company5%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization23%
    Computer Software Company12%
    Government7%
    Financial Services Firm7%
    REVIEWERS
    Manufacturing Company25%
    Healthcare Company13%
    Government13%
    Energy/Utilities Company13%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Government12%
    Computer Software Company12%
    Manufacturing Company9%
    Financial Services Firm9%
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company19%
    Energy/Utilities Company11%
    Financial Services Firm11%
    Media Company7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company16%
    Financial Services Firm15%
    Manufacturing Company9%
    Government8%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business38%
    Midsize Enterprise14%
    Large Enterprise48%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business20%
    Midsize Enterprise33%
    Large Enterprise47%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business48%
    Midsize Enterprise22%
    Large Enterprise30%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business20%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise64%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business46%
    Midsize Enterprise20%
    Large Enterprise34%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business20%
    Midsize Enterprise13%
    Large Enterprise68%
    Buyer's Guide
    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs. vCenter Configuration Manager
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs. vCenter Configuration Manager and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    767,995 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager is ranked 11th in Configuration Management with 22 reviews while vCenter Configuration Manager is ranked 10th in Configuration Management with 50 reviews. SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager is rated 8.2, while vCenter Configuration Manager is rated 8.6. The top reviewer of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager writes "Network configuration is done well; great pricing". On the other hand, the top reviewer of vCenter Configuration Manager writes "A solution with a range of functionalities and several pricing plans that suit your needs". SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager is most compared with Cisco DNA Center, Cisco Prime, Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform, OpenText Network Node Manager i and VMware NSX, whereas vCenter Configuration Manager is most compared with Microsoft Configuration Manager, Red Hat Satellite and BigFix. See our SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs. vCenter Configuration Manager report.

    See our list of best Configuration Management vendors.

    We monitor all Configuration Management 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.