IBM WebSphere Application Server vs Microsoft System Center comparison

IBM and Microsoft are both solutions in the Application Infrastructure category. IBM is ranked #3 with an average rating of 7.8, while Microsoft is ranked #13 with an average rating of 7.8. IBM holds a 11.8% mindshare in AIS, compared to Microsoft’s 1.0% mindshare. Additionally, 88% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 85% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

IBM WebSphere Application S...

Read 31 IBM WebSphere Application Server reviews

2,009 Views
1,041 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

Microsoft System Center

Read 19 Microsoft System Center reviews

184 Views
55 Comparison Views

85% willing to recommend

IBM WebSphere Application S...

Microsoft System Center

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 5, 2025

IBM WebSphere Application Server and Microsoft System Center are competing products in enterprise management, with IBM WebSphere holding the upper hand in application management due to its robust middleware solutions, while Microsoft System Center is favored for IT infrastructure management.

Features: IBM WebSphere Application Server provides enterprise-level middleware services, strong security, and scalability, making it ideal for large applications. Microsoft System Center excels with its integration into Microsoft environments, automation features, and comprehensive monitoring capabilities.

Room for Improvement: IBM WebSphere Application Server could benefit from simplified user interfaces, reduced complexity, and better integration with non-IBM tools. Microsoft System Center might improve in cross-platform support, reducing complexity for extensive deployments, and enhancing third-party integrations.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM WebSphere Application Server can be complex to deploy, requiring specialized knowledge but offers strong vendor support. Microsoft System Center generally offers a more seamless deployment experience with straightforward integration into existing Microsoft environments and accessible support options.

Pricing and ROI: IBM WebSphere Application Server demands a higher initial investment, which can be justified in large organizations due to its comprehensive offerings. Microsoft System Center provides more value-driven pricing and a compelling ROI for IT management across broader environments.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. Microsoft System Center Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. Microsoft System Center

June 2025

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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

IBM WebSphere Application S...

Ranking in Application Infrastructure

3rd

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Application Server (4th)

Microsoft System Center

Ranking in Application Infrastructure

13th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Cloud Monitoring Software (22nd)

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Application Infrastructure category, the mindshare of IBM WebSphere Application Server is 11.8%, up from 10.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft System Center is 1.0%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Infrastructure

Featured Reviews

BharathirajaSukumar

Senior Lead Analyst at Radial

Efficient load balancing and the clustering, achieved by using the deployment manager, is valuable

I believe that the system is already good. However, for improvement or enhancement, it is user-friendly, but it could offer better choices on the front end for different aspects or options. Sometimes, I have to search extensively for features, as there are no upfront tabs. There is a lack of visible, easy, user-friendly, and straightforward options for the number of features.

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Ajinkya Mohod

System Security Engineer at Punch Powertrain nv

Makes user management and application management easy for users

Speaking about the impact of the automation feature that impacted our company's operational efficiency, I can say that the complete tool works on automation. You just have to configure it, and it works, especially in areas like auto-patching updates. I suggest that others can definitely go ahead with Microsoft System Center, especially beginners who choose it, can get hands-on experience with it, and acquire a good understanding of how things work. In terms of the value and benefits derived from the use of the solution, I can say that my company's operations have been made simpler because of the product, especially in areas like user management and application management where we have been benefited a lot. I rate the tool a nine out of ten.

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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

"IBM WebSphere Application Server is the best in terms of scalability and performance, as well as the support for managing distributed transactions."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is Portal Virtualization."

"The most valuable features are its user-friendliness and reliability in terms of application hosting."

"One of the most valuable features might be the stability of the IBM WebSphere Application Server."

"The integration between IBM tools and applications is very well executed."

"This solution is easy to use with a GUI that is intuitive and very helpful."

"The scalability of the product is quite good."

"It has good stability of the application server in the long term compared to other solutions."

More IBM WebSphere Application Server pros

"Many processes could be implemented out-of-the-box, and this helped to adopt processes in areas which we lacked."

"The solution is easily available. That's its most valuable aspect."

"Managment Packs for Microsoft-specific products, help us implement the best practices for each product."

"Step-by-step documentation that clarifies the implementation procedure."

"We like Microsoft System Center's Operations Manager. That is primarily why we use it."

"The detail in the alarms is great."

"The installation process is easy."

"Good for managing and administering the infrastructure."

More Microsoft System Center pros

Cons

"The footprint could be reduced so that we can use a smaller virtual machine to run the application. We could also use more scripts. I would like this solution to be more script oriented, rather than GUI oriented."

"In spite of the solution's robustness, it is expensive and a bit difficult to support."

"When compared with WebLogic, Weblogic is lighter and consumes less memory."

"Initial setup is very simple. Just use the IBM Installation Manager and add the packages. The install wizard takes care of the rest. The only thing that can be difficult is to find the right packages on the IBM website, because of all the changes that IBM does on its website(s)."

"I find the server okay, however, using the Maker instance, the Moving instance, and the Change instance is a little bit complicated without WebSphere knowledge."

"What could be improved in IBM WebSphere Application Server is its interconnection with other products, for example, Kafka. What I'd like to see in the next release of the solution is a better graphical user interface."

"They should make the solution more lightweight and not bundle everything into a single product."

"Based on the field and based on the build that was provided, we've noticed a lot of constraints in terms of the performance now."

More IBM WebSphere Application Server cons

"The multi-tenancy support needs to be improved. We need to have the ability to manage several different environments from one central point of administration."

"System Center hasn't updated to keep up with the industry. It needs improvements in the user interface, ease of use, and overall product functionality, particularly the cloud-monitoring features. It needs more capabilities to monitor AWS and Azure infrastructure."

"Most of the documentation is online, however, there are some gaps there. The product documentation still refers back to the 2012 Server. We're pretty much in 2022. There's a ten-year gap there."

"Microsoft System Center should be easier to manage. However, it is complex to deploy, so people hesitate to use it. Though it has many features, such as licensing, asset tracking, and software deployment, we mainly use it for Windows updates. It protects many screens and integrates with databases, but it's complex compared to other solutions. Many now use cloud-based products or other tools like Automox to deploy updates and manage vulnerabilities."

"For me, the tool's UI seems to be too old."

"Could be more user friendly."

"The platform performance and responsiveness need improvement. It still demands high computing resources."

"The solution's dashboard needs improvement."

More Microsoft System Center cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"WebSphere Application Server is expensive, so it may not be a good option for small companies."

"Room for improvement would only be in the licensing. As with all IBM products the licensing can be complex and expensive. Bargain well and try to get as much discount as possible. Discounts of 85% are possible. Without the discount, I think the product is overrated."

"It's expensive."

"We used to pay about $100,000-$120,000 US or somewhere around there. That was a bit cost-prohibitive for us to continue."

"When you purchase Maximo, you get WebSphere for free."

"I don't remember the price, but there are no additional costs."

"We pay around $200,000 annually."

"My company is on a perpetual or permanent license agreement with IBM WebSphere Application Server. There's also a pay-per-use option, but customers rarely choose that option. Most of the customers are on the perpetual license deal that's all-inclusive. As the license cost is quite expensive, I'm rating it two out of five."

More IBM WebSphere Application Server pricing and cost advice

"We maximized our license investment."

"It's rolled into our enterprise subscription. The entire subscription is around $25,000 a year, however, that covers all the products that we use."

"I know that sometimes there is some reduction in the prices of Microsoft System Center because of the costs of Microsoft SQL Server, which can be advantageous."

"I rate the product price as five to six on a scale of one to ten, where one means it is cheap and ten means it is expensive."

"Microsoft System Center is quite expensive."

"Microsoft System Center's licensing is costly."

"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a six out of ten."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

33%

Computer Software Company

13%

Government

Insurance Company

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM WebSphere Application Server?

Network Deployment is the most useful feature for scalability. It has many features within the standard WebSphere Application Server edition.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM WebSphere Application Server?

In Korea, when you buy IBM iOS, the WebSphere base version is included with iOS. That means no additional cost.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IBM WebSphere Application Server?

I find the server okay, however, using the Maker instance, the Moving instance, and the Change instance is a little bit complicated without WebSphere knowledge.

See all answers

What do you like most about Microsoft System Center?

The product's initial setup phase was easy.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft System Center?

Microsoft System Center's licensing is costly.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft System Center?

Microsoft System Center should be easier to manage. However, it is complex to deploy, so people hesitate to use it. Though it has many features, such as licensing, asset tracking, and software depl...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 26% of the time

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Compared 23% of the time

Tomcat vs IBM WebSphere Application Server

Compared 17% of the time

Oracle WebLogic Server vs IBM WebSphere Application Server

Compared 8% of the time

IBM DataPower Gateway vs IBM WebSphere Application Server

Compared 6% of the time

More IBM WebSphere Application Server Competitors

Veeam Data Platform vs Microsoft System Center

Compared 56% of the time

IBM BPM vs Microsoft System Center

Compared 44% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM WebSphere Application Server

June 2025

Download IBM WebSphere Application Server product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft System Center

May 2025

Download Microsoft System Center product report

Also Known As

WebSphere Application Server

MS System Center

Overview

IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) is a middleware platform developed by IBM. It provides a range of services and tools to help organizations develop, deploy, and manage Java-based applications. WAS is part of IBM's WebSphere product family and provides a secure, scalable, and highly available platform for developing and running web-based applications. WAS provides a secure, scalable, and highly available platform, making it an attractive solution for organizations looking to develop and deploy enterprise-grade applications.

IBM WebSphere Application Server Features

IBM WebSphere Application Server has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

Application deployment: IBM WAS enables organizations to deploy and manage applications in a secure and scalable environment.

Clustering: The clustering feature can help organizations ensure high availability and improve application performance.

Load balancing: The solution Includes load balancing capabilities to distribute application workloads and improve performance.

Security: IBM WAS offers a range of security features, including authentication, authorization, and encryption, to help organizations secure their applications and data.

Monitoring and management: The solution’s range of tools for monitoring and managing applications, including the IBM WebSphere Administrative Console allows organizations to optimize application performance and resolve issues easily.

Integration: IBM WAS integrates with a range of IBM and third-party products, including IBM WebSphere MQ, IBM DB2, and more, to provide a comprehensive platform for developing and running web-based applications.

IBM WebSphere Application Server Benefits

There are many benefits to implementing IBM WebSphere Application Server. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

Improved application performance: The IBM WAS platform offers a scalable and secure platform for deploying and managing applications, enabling organizations to improve application performance and reduce downtime.

High availability: IBM WAS provides clustering and load-balancing capabilities to help organizations ensure high availability.

Improved security: With a large range of security features, including authentication, authorization, and encryption, the solution helps organizations secure their applications and data.

Simplified management: IBM WAS is designed with a set of tools for monitoring and managing applications, enabling organizations to optimize performance and resolve issues efficiently.

Increased flexibility: The solution integrates with a range of IBM and third-party products, providing organizations with a flexible platform for developing and running web-based applications.

Improved developer productivity: It supports the latest Java EE specifications, allowing developers to use the latest technologies and development methodologies when building applications.

Better customer experience: Organizations can deliver faster and more reliable applications, improving the overall customer experience.

Scalability: IBM WAS provides a scalable and secure platform for deploying and managing applications, so organizations can quickly respond to changing business requirements.

Reviews from Real Users

IBM WebSphere Application Server is a solution that stands out when compared to many of its competitors. Some of its major advantages are that it is stable, supports many languages, and is resilient.

Princewill O., Head Banking Application Customization and Reporting at a financial services firm, states, “[The solution is] very stable, supports many languages, and helpful for faster time to market.”

"What's most valuable in IBM WebSphere Application Server is its resilience. When you use the solution, you know that after the communication has been done, there will be no doubt that the data has reached its destination,” says Nicolae C., System and Solutions Architect at Seidor.

Another PeerSpot reviewer, an Enterprise Technical Leader at a tech services company mentions, “[It is an] enterprise-level product with extensive console capabilities, including the ability to control multiple JVM containers.”

IBM

System Center helps customers realize the benefits of the Microsoft Cloud Platform by delivering unified management. Experience fast time-to-value with out-of-the-box monitoring, provisioning, configuration, automation, protection and self-service.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

TalkTalk, Property management group, E.SUN Bank, Ohio National Financial Services, Aviarc, Cincom Systems, FJA-US, D+H, Staples, Michigan Municipal League

Kassen_rztliche Vereinigung Nordrhein, Magyar Telekom Nyrt., Adeka, QualCare, Aeriandi, UniCredit Bank d.d., Mostar, Allianz Australia Ltd., Grupo Familia

Buyer's Guide

IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. Microsoft System Center

June 2025

Free Report: IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. Microsoft System Center

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