IBM Tivoli Configuration Manager [EOL] vs Microsoft Configuration Manager comparison

IBM and Microsoft are both solutions in the Software Distribution category. Additionally, 100% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 91% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

IBM Tivoli Configuration Ma...

Read 1 IBM Tivoli Configuration Manager [EOL] review

100% willing to recommend

Microsoft Configuration Man...

Read 85 Microsoft Configuration Manager reviews

9,866 Views
99 Comparison Views

91% willing to recommend

IBM Tivoli Configuration Ma...

Microsoft Configuration Man...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 16, 2025

Microsoft Configuration Manager and IBM Tivoli Configuration Manager [EOL] compete in IT infrastructure management. Microsoft Configuration Manager has an advantage in pricing and customer support, making it more cost-effective.

Features: Microsoft Configuration Manager provides automated operating system deployment, mobile device management, and application delivery, integrating seamlessly with Windows environments. IBM Tivoli Configuration Manager [EOL] offers cross-platform capabilities and complex network management tools despite being phased out.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Configuration Manager is known for a straightforward deployment, especially in Microsoft-centric settings, and responsive support services. IBM Tivoli Configuration Manager [EOL] required more setup effort, with customer service efficiency being mixed, resulting in deployment challenges.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Configuration Manager is praised for competitive pricing and solid ROI in large-scale deployments. IBM Tivoli Configuration Manager [EOL] had higher setup costs, impacting its overall ROI negatively compared to Microsoft’s solution.

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

IBM Tivoli Configuration Ma...

Average Rating

8.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Microsoft Configuration Man...

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Software Distribution (1st), Server Monitoring (7th), Configuration Management (3rd), Patch Management (2nd)

Featured Reviews

Megha Rastogi

Server Administrator at Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited

Responsive support, reliable, and scalable

IBM Tivoli Configuration Manager is used for complete database storage The user interface of IBM Tivoli Configuration Manager could improve. You have to know the full UI before you can manage it properly. I have been using IBM Tivoli Configuration Manager for approximately 10 years. IBM Tivoli…

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JunedBedrekar

Expert at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

Have effectively deployed patches and applications while integrating with cloud solutions

The features I find most valuable in Microsoft Configuration Manager are replication and scripting. If I want to get a fetch report for anything, such as hardware-related issues or group policy-related issues, I need to fetch the report by using SCCM's scripting language and remediation part. The inventory collection features of Microsoft Configuration Manager are good because we always prefer the inventory. We do it by using the script language. We use remote management capabilities in Microsoft Configuration Manager. Remote management capabilities are useful if the user is not providing access; we can use the backend users to update the group policy and sync the devices. These are the main features we require.

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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 have found IBM Tivoli Configuration Manager to be scalable."

"The dashboards have information about our assets."

"There have to be made some improvement in WSUS and control in other non-Microsoft products updates."

"The most valuable feature is the graphical-based reports of software updates that have been successful, the ones that have failed, and a summary of where the failures are what security breaches may occur."

"Software deployment and WSUS are most valuable."

"It does the job and meets our needs. With everybody working remotely these days, we are using this solution to deploy everything. The deployment of PCs is easy."

"Patching is very effective and reporting is very good."

"Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager is valuable in keeping our systems updated. We are able to send updates to all the systems. Additionally, the Intune integration is helpful."

"This solution has made life easy with respect to patching, compliance, and OSD."

More Microsoft Configuration Manager pros

Cons

"The user interface of IBM Tivoli Configuration Manager could improve. You have to know the full UI before you can manage it properly."

"The setup was complex and I faced a lot of problems initially because I was new to the solution."

"I would like to see some improvements in WSUS and control of other, non-Microsoft, product updates."

"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 database should be made to be more stable and robust, but not so much the configuration."

"As far as load balancing across, they don't have that support yet, so that you can actually build multiple primaries and have it load balance across. They don't have any of that functionality yet. That would be a nice feature, to scale that way."

"It would be better if reporting were more user-friendly. I would like to see an upgrade in the reporting structure in the next release. At the moment, you have to use an SQL query or configure it to pull reports through the graphical user interface. Their updates could be more regular. I think Mircosoft updates it every six months. They are also moving many things to Intune, and Microsoft decided to move the deployment solution there. I think SCCM is getting old, and Intune is new."

"Troubleshooting in general needs improvement. There's just a ton of logs to go through, and so finding the error log that corresponds with that you're doing can sometimes be difficult."

"There's no way to say, "I want this maintenance window to be on the second Tuesday of the month." It's strict. This window is this and that's it. You can't fluctuate."

More Microsoft Configuration Manager cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"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."

"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."

"I would rate the cost as eight out of ten."

"We use the tool's free license. It is expensive."

"For enterprises, there is an annual license required to use this solution. The price of the solution could be cheaper. However, this is mostly because of the exchange rate from the dollar to the Nigerian currency."

"The price is competitive and reasonable."

"There is not a license needed to use the solution."

"The price model is different for every client."

More Microsoft Configuration Manager pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Financial Services Firm

11%

Government

10%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	20
Midsize Enterprise	13
Large Enterprise	64

Questions from the Community

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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 a...

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What do you like most about SCCM?

One of the standout features of SCCM is its application management capabilities. It allows us to create packages efficiently and deploy them to specific groups within our network. This streamlined ...

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Comparisons

No data available

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Compared 9% of the time

ManageEngine Endpoint Central vs Microsoft Configuration Manager

Compared 7% of the time

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Compared 5% of the time

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Compared 4% of the time

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Compared 4% of the time

More Microsoft Configuration Manager Competitors

Product Reports

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Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Configuration Manager

December 2025

Download Microsoft Configuration Manager product report

Also Known As

Tivoli Configuration Manager

Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager, System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM ), Microsoft SMS

Overview

IBM Tivoli Configuration Manager V4.2 provides software distribution and hardware and software inventory capability in a multiplatform environment. Tivoli Configuration Manager V4.2 can help enable you to: Scan hardware and software to determine which enterprise assets are part of your inventory, Reduce the time and effort in installing and configuring your network population by centralizing and automating the distribution of software across your enterprise, Automate and schedule software distribution and inventory operations, Monitor system and configuration changes, Manage the desired state of all elements of your network, Manage your enterprise environments across firewalls and Extend the scope of your managed network to include pervasive devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs).

IBM

Microsoft Configuration Manager streamlines IT management with features such as software deployment, patch management, and automation, centralizing operations for Windows environments. Integration with Microsoft products allows efficient oversight of workstations and servers.

Microsoft Configuration Manager provides comprehensive IT management, offering software deployment, patch management, and application pushing. Automation reduces manual tasks, ensuring consistency across systems. Centralized management enables standardized OS deployments, application updates, and configuration integrity. Integration with Microsoft products facilitates seamless operations, while hardware and software inventory, compliance reporting, and remote control functions enhance IT management. Users seek improvements in application deployment for those without deep scripting knowledge and desire better WSUS control, PowerShell and Intune integration, Linux compatibility, and user interface enhancements. Performance improvements are requested for remote user management and third-party application support.

What features enhance Microsoft Configuration Manager?

Software Deployment: Efficiently distribute software across large networks.
Patch Management: Automate and streamline update processes for security and functionality.
Automation Capabilities: Reduce manual effort and enhance consistency in IT tasks.
Centralized Management: Standardize OS deployments and application updates.
Integration with Microsoft Products: Seamless operation with existing Microsoft infrastructure.
Hardware and Software Inventory: Comprehensive tracking for assets and resources.
Compliance Reporting: Ensure compliance with internal and external standards.
Remote Control Functions: Enhance support and troubleshooting capabilities.

What benefits should users expect when evaluating Microsoft Configuration Manager?

Decreased Manual Work: Automation reduces time spent on repetitive tasks.
Enhanced Security: Automated patch management keeps systems secure.
Consistent Configurations: Centralized updates ensure uniformity across systems.
Improved Integration: Seamless operation within Microsoft ecosystems boosts productivity.
Comprehensive Oversight: Detailed inventory and reporting tools aid in strategic planning.
Streamlined Support: Remote capabilities improve IT support and user satisfaction.

Microsoft Configuration Manager is widely implemented in organizations to manage Windows workstations and servers. It is essential for deploying operating systems and applications, managing software updates, and conducting hardware and software inventories. The tool is crucial for endpoint and configuration management, ensuring compliance, and automating processes like patching and vulnerability management. Industries such as finance, healthcare, and education rely on Microsoft Configuration Manager to keep systems secure and operational, adapting it to address their specific needs and challenges in maintaining diversified IT environments.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Bendigo Community Telco

Bank Alfalah Ltd., Wªrth Handelsges.m.b.H, Dimension Data, Japan Business Systems, St. Lucie County Public Schools, MISC Berhad

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