GFI LanGuard vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) comparison

GFI LanGuard vs. Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

GFI LanGuard

Ranking in Patch Management

12th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Quest KACE Systems Manageme...

Ranking in Patch Management

10th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Client Desktop Management (6th), Endpoint Compliance (7th), Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) (15th)

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Patch Management category, the mindshare of GFI LanGuard is 3.0%, down from 3.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) is 5.3%, down from 6.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Patch Management

Featured Reviews

Ted Mbugua

Security Manager at CRAG

Improves network visibility and keeps our products up to date with the latest patches

This is a solution that I recommend. In fact, those without it are at a disadvantage when it comes to managing their network. The biggest lesson that I have learned is in terms of visibility. GFI LanGuard has given me a wakeup call in terms of what is happening on endpoint machines. However, it is more than just having visibility. It is about having control in terms of what you want to block and what you're able to block. It keeps our network stable in that there are no running applications that you don't even know you have. I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

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Scott Tweed

Windows Engineer at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees

Low maintenance, reliable, and easy to create packages

I like how when you click on the device, it shows you everything that has changed as well as the software versioning. I am really enjoying the inventory aspect of it. The deployment process for both deploying and creating a package is straightforward. I believe the inventory in KACE is superior to SCCM's. I know with SCCM I could do things like remote console into machines via the agent's remote console, but that is not a feature that is provided in KACE. I know that at least in the Systems Management Appliance, I can't get to it. I'm not sure how distribution works, with distribution points. I'm not sure if KACE has that feature. You could use an SCCM to set up distribution points at remote sites so that they don't have to download patches or software from across the country. If you have a DP or something similar, they could pull it down.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"I like that the solution can block users from unnecessarily putting devices on the network."

"The most useful features of GFI LanGuard are vulnerability assessment and patching solutions."

"The initial setup was easy."

"The most valuable feature is that I am able to patch third-party solutions."

"This product is a great solution at a great price as long as it is only going to be used for a local area network."

"The most valuable feature of GFI LanGuard is its email spam feature."

"The most valuable features in GFI LanGuard are patch management and vulnerability assessment."

"The solution is easy to use and integrates well with other operating systems."

More GFI LanGuard pros

"There is one place for a lot of different things. If somebody has a problem with their computer, they will put in a ticket. From there, we will know who it is and the assets assigned to them, because there is one place to go look for what we are talking about and with whom we are talking. Just having one place for everything is really convenient. For example, we are able to deploy software to hundreds of computers. We don't need to go to each individual device."

"I am impressed by the service desk ticketing and asset management."

"You don't have to be an advanced user. Rather, in terms of ease of use, this product is right where it needs to be."

"My company had bought some new machines. We used the tool to do some basic settings to ship every machine the same way and undertake the Windows deployment. We did the scripted installation. The tool helped us deploy custom software for specific departments. We also did Windows updates with the product."

"With KACE, we were able to have a simplification of the software deployment management with more granularity and flexibility."

"The big pros of Quest KACE Systems Management are its simple interface, and simple, direct management. It's very easy to maintain and manage the device, and it's easy to get it up and running. You can have it up and running in an hour..."

"KACE has made our life much easier since we got off the Microsoft solution. The Microsoft solution was a lot harder to image over different ports and stuff. They would only have this one place where we could do all the imaging. Now, we have a whole building where we can image from. This means that we can image from our storage area, where we have a place to do our imaging. We can also image right at our desks, which is a lot easier."

"There is ease of use, and its pricing was a driving factor."

More Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) pros

Cons

"The version we are using only allows one person to use it at a time and does not allow multi-users."

"The documentation on how to use this solution in a Linux environment is not clear, which is something that should be improved because it is complicated."

"GFI LanGuard could improve the rollback feature. If we have installed the wrong we have had some issues with the rollback function. Additionally, more input from GFI LanGuard for the custom software push install."

"GFI LanGuard can improve by adding more modules, such as asset control or asset inventory."

"GFI LanGuard can improve by adding asset tracking."

"This solution is limited to the local area network only and cannot manage remote devices."

"If GFI LanGuard had a cloud version it would be better for people that are working from home."

"When you want to uninstall software from an endpoint, sometimes it becomes very problematic."

More GFI LanGuard cons

"Imaging becomes a problem when you start to try to go beyond doing more than thirty or forty machines at a time. We initially tried to do that virtually and it just, it wouldn't work."

"There may be a good reason why some things are not easily able to be done, yet it needs work to compete with some of the other ticketing systems out there now."

"It could be designed a little bit more intuitively in terms of administration."

"There is always room for improvement. However, the system does most of what we need at this moment."

"It took a little bit of time to figure out how to use the KACE Service Desk. I like the way that I'm able to customize it. But when it comes to how our techs are able to use it, it's not as functional as our current solution, which is BMC FootPrints Service Desk."

"I would like for there to be improvement when it comes to Microsoft and Windows updates. It has the ability to do it but the control of it is not there like I have in the Windows Server Update Services. The way KACE does it is still very granular. You don't really see the process like it is in the Windows Server Update Services. I think that would be one of the biggest things that I would like to see KACE really put some work into and really make that a big enhancement."

"Scalability is my primary concern right now."

"The initial setup was complex. It is a Linux-based virtual server, where the customer cannot get into the back-end, so you can only follow their prompts. Then, there are specific things that have to be done in their implementation and upgrade phases that have to be done in a certain order or steps. If you don't get those steps right, the system doesn't work. I think that either simplifying that process or providing really good step-by-step documentation would be helpful."

More Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"GFI LanGuard has very fair pricing compared to other similar solutions out there."

"I rate the pricing of GFI LanGuard a four out of five."

"GFI LanGuard isn't expensive."

"We are a gold partner and we receive favorable discounts. The price of GFI LanGuard is competitive. When you evaluate other solutions, such as ManageEngine."

"On a scale of one to five, with one being expensive and five being competitive, I would rate the price as a four."

"GFI LanGuard cost approximately $1,000 annually to use the solution."

"The pricing and licensing are absolutely fair."

"Based on other solutions that we had implemented, its pricing seems to be quite competitive. It is not inexpensive, but it is also not more expensive than any other solution. They have the standard licensing fees and support fees."

"n terms of pricing and licensing, my advice is that you need to assess what you need and then look at what they offer. It's easy to get caught up in the things that you want, but don't really need."

"The pricing is great. It's billed annually and it's very reasonable."

"We pay annually for technical support."

"We are also saving on the licensing fee, compared to other endpoint management solutions."

"We are a university. So, we have a very good price for the system. I think the price for the system is worth it because of the security patch management. The security patch management is very important for us. The price is very good for KACE SMA, the functionality you get, and the patch management."

"Licensing is very straightforward. They don't overcomplicate it. This is not a Cisco product where you have to have 30 different licenses just to open the box. It's pretty much set-and-forget. You pay an annual license... The cost is in the mid to upper range, but the ROI exceeds the outside cost, especially once you've had the system for a while."

More Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) pricing and cost advice

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849,686 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Photography Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

11%

Government

10%

University

10%

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about GFI LanGuard?

The most valuable feature of GFI LanGuard is its email spam feature.

What needs improvement with GFI LanGuard?

The only drawback with GFI LanGuard is that you cannot directly integrate it from the Outlook email; instead, you have to first log in to the site to make changes. Instead of directly white listing...

What is your primary use case for GFI LanGuard?

Internally, as a user, I use GFI LanGuard for email and web monitoring.

What do you like most about Quest KACE Systems Management?

My company had bought some new machines. We used the tool to do some basic settings to ship every machine the same way and undertake the Windows deployment. We did the scripted installation. The to...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Quest KACE Systems Management?

The pricing is in the middle range of the market, not too expensive but not the cheapest either.

What needs improvement with Quest KACE Systems Management?

The user interface needs improvement as customers have mentioned they do not like the interface since it is not an SMA-based interface and lacks a manual configuration option.

ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus vs GFI LanGuard

Comparisons

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Microsoft Windows Server Update Services vs GFI LanGuard

Compared 24% of the time

Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager vs GFI LanGuard

Compared 15% of the time

Microsoft Configuration Manager vs GFI LanGuard

Compared 15% of the time

NinjaOne vs GFI LanGuard

Compared 11% of the time

More GFI LanGuard Competitors

Microsoft Configuration Manager vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 34% of the time

Microsoft Intune vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 26% of the time

Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 11% of the time

BigFix vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 8% of the time

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services vs Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Compared 6% of the time

More Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) Competitors

Product Reports

GFI LanGuard

Download GFI LanGuard product report

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)

Download Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) product report

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) report

Also Known As

LanGuard

Dell KACE Systems Management

Overview

GFI LanGuard enables complete patch management of security and non-security patches to Microsoft operating systems, Mac OS X, major Linux distributions and third-party applications. It can also automate patching for all major web browsers too.

GFI

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance is a comprehensive tool for managing IT endpoints. It facilitates asset management, software distribution, and endpoint tracking while offering remote access capabilities and a centralized help desk.

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance is designed for organizations that need efficient endpoint management. It offers a range of features like inventory tracking, automated patch management, and ticketing. By integrating with remote access tools such as Bomgar, Quest KACE helps reduce manual tasks involved in managing software updates and system deployments. Although it faces challenges in scalability and requires improvements in integration and reporting, it remains a versatile choice for asset tracking and endpoint administration.

What are Quest KACE SMA's key features?

Asset Management: Streamline the organization and tracking of physical and virtual assets.
Remote Access: Integrates with Bomgar for secure, remote troubleshooting and management.
Software Distribution: Deploy applications across devices efficiently without physical intervention.
Centralized Endpoint Management: Manage endpoints from a centralized console to ensure compliance and optimization.
Automated Patch Management: Schedule and deploy patches to maintain system security and performance.
Help Desk: Integrated ticketing system for tracking and resolving user issues.
Scripting and Reporting: Enhance administrative tasks through automated scripts and detailed reports.

What benefits should users consider?

Improved Productivity: Reduces manual interference with automated deployments and updates.
Labor Savings: Minimizes labor requirements with efficient remote management tools.
Integrated Reporting: Provides actionable insights through comprehensive reports to optimize IT operation.
User-Friendly Interface: Boosts effectiveness due to its intuitive, easy-to-navigate design.

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance is implemented across industries for managing IT assets and endpoints, particularly where remote management and compliance are critical. It's employed in healthcare, education, and government sectors for efficient patch management, inventory control, and software deployment, aiding organizations in managing security accreditations and centralizing help desk operations.

Quest Software

Sample Customers

BayView Medical Clinic, FrugalBrothers Software, Zaw, National Theatre, American Red Cross

Waypoint, Mattos Filho, Meetic, Gems Education, Green Clinic HealthSystem, Service King

GFI LanGuard vs. Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA)