Ivanti Security Controls vs Microsoft Windows Server Update Services comparison

Ivanti Security Controls vs. Microsoft Windows Server Update Services

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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

Ivanti Security Controls

Ranking in Patch Management

13th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Microsoft Windows Server Up...

Ranking in Patch Management

3rd

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

5.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Patch Management category, the mindshare of Ivanti Security Controls is 2.5%, down from 2.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is 4.5%, down from 6.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Patch Management Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services	4.5%
Ivanti Security Controls	2.5%
Other	93.0%

Patch Management

Featured Reviews

Chethan R

Windows Security Patching Operation III (Cyber Operations) at CBTS

Has reduced hardware strain through agentless patching and improved asset visibility

This solution does not have capability of managing applications. It is only used for asset management and patch management. Regarding analytics for Ivanti Security Controls, it does not have extensive capabilities. It is a basic tool from Ivanti for scanning and deploying. It does not have analytics features such as EDR or security tools available in the market. It only has capability to check missing patches, find them, and deploy them. When it comes to reports, compliance reports or similar types of reports are not user-friendly. Expertise is required for handling these aspects. The asset management in Ivanti Security Controls needs more visibility. Additionally, it can be improved to handle in-house applications, which currently cannot be installed. It can only handle existing applications, unlike Ivanti's Endpoint Manager. It should have additional features in this area that need improvement.

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Nadeem Nasir

IT Manager at Handi Quilter, Inc.

Experience with update service shows need for reliability, but support excels

I wouldn't say any of the update services have great features. The only real advantage I have for having Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is if I know or have been informed of a bad update that's causing software conflicts, I can stop it. But I do not depend on Microsoft Windows Server Update Services to keep my machines updated because the failure rates are too high. I have other tools for reporting and inventory capabilities. The inventory tool and the entire backend of Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is poorly coded. It's not very reliable, so you can tell when dealing with bad code, and it may work one day but may not work another. So I had to stop using it because I need something that's reliable, therefore I use other tools for that information. In a pinch, you can use Microsoft Windows Server Update Services tools, but for the most part, they're not reliable enough. I don't believe I've seen any improvement on bandwidth optimization or deployment speed from Microsoft Windows Server Update Services. In fact, the only real improvement comes directly from Microsoft because they stagger the updates. So that helps, but having Microsoft Windows Server Update Services on-premise does not provide any real benefit. Its pricing is just all-inclusive. I don't think about it that way. If somebody tried to sell me Microsoft Windows Server Update Services, I would probably reject it. It's a tool that we have, so we use it, but if I were to pay extra for it, I would say it's not worth it. Some of the main differences between Microsoft Windows Server Update Services and the other tools are that WSUS's backend is based on IIS, which is not a very reliable host method. You're going to have problems getting Microsoft Windows Server Update Services to run when you have a large organization. The speed of it is quite painfully slow, so there's not a lot you can do to get Microsoft Windows Server Update Services to work under stress. The other tools just work. I can tell you what services are running on each of my machines and can stop or restart services. I can inventory the software they have on them with multiple tools, so I know what software is on our machines. I don't have to rely on a tool that works when it wants to and requires so much maintenance to keep it going. Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is only to green check updates that I know are fine, but obviously, it could save me in a pinch if something went wrong.

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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

"What has been most valuable is the ability to manage, restore and install upgrades and applications. We scan PCs and server and receive results."

"Technical support is helpful and responsive."

"Ivanti Security Controls is a better solution than SCCM."

"Ivanti Security Controls is an agentless tool which means we do not need to install any agent on the server or endpoint, and through agentless capabilities, it can install software, install patches, and control over the server, including asset management."

"The benefit of working with Microsoft Windows Server Update Services is that all services and all Windows services will be updated."

"With WSUS, you can automatically install and distribute Microsoft security patches without using an internet connection for all clients and servers."

"Instead of leaving each server to download their own updates, with WSUS you have a centralized management tool for all the updates alongside a log for all the servers."

"The most valuable feature is its ability to identify which updates are needed on a particular machine."

"The product reduced the number of crashes on our applications that were not able to use the latest versions of Windows updates."

"PowerShell is a valuable feature."

"The interface is easy to use."

"The most important aspect is that we can centrally deploy the updates that are necessary for the organization. It's important."

More Microsoft Windows Server Update Services pros

Cons

"Ivanti Security Controls is a powerful product, but it has quite a steep learning curve."

"It should be more scalable."

"When it comes to reports, compliance reports or similar types of reports are not user-friendly. Expertise is required for handling these aspects."

"For the Windows upgrade, the errors we experience are not clear. We see a time out error but do not know the reason. We would like to know the root cause."

"We can't rely on the product."

"The challenges exist according to the planning. For example, if you plan to implement and apply updates to your infrastructure, including servers and clients, you must provide storage information and have a clear plan for that from start to end."

"Because Microsoft Windows Server is not open-source that makes it have limited application."

"User interface is outdated and not user-friendly."

"The stability can sometimes be a bit problematic, depending on the Windows version you are using."

"Microsoft should improve their support for the product. If you have a real problem, though, it's quite difficult to find someone who can support you."

"The security could be improved."

"The approval process must be improved."

More Microsoft Windows Server Update Services cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"This product comes included with Windows and can be used free of charge."

"The tool could be cheaper."

"While it might be relatively more expensive for smaller companies, larger enterprises can find it robust and capable of delivering significant value."

"Microsoft's operating model determines the solution's pricing, and we use it based on our enterprise agreement, which incurs an annual cost."

"Because it is not open-source, it has to compete with open-source solutions. Relatively it is expensive to open-source."

"The solution is expensive, and the licensing costs are yearly."

"The licensing of WSUS is free of charge because it comes with the Windows Server operating system, included as a feature of the operating system itself. It's simply a role that you enable within Windows Server."

"The integration is included in the Windows Server system, and there are no additional fees."

More Microsoft Windows Server Update Services pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Outsourcing Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	23
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	24

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Ivanti Security Controls?

Ivanti Security Controls is a powerful product, but it has quite a steep learning curve. There is quite a lot to learn, though it proves to be very powerful if you put in the time to learn how to u...

What is your primary use case for Ivanti Security Controls?

We are using Ivanti Security Controls for deploying Windows updates to Windows servers.

What advice do you have for others considering Ivanti Security Controls?

I am currently working with Ivanti Security Controls as a customer. I think Ivanti Security Controls is an effective product for this purpose. I would give tech support for Ivanti Security Controls...

What do you like most about Microsoft Windows Server Update Services?

We can track the updates of the PC and servers.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Windows Server Update Services?

I don't know all details about pricing for Microsoft Windows Server Update Services, so I can't answer this question.

What needs improvement with Microsoft Windows Server Update Services?

I think nothing could be improved or enhanced in Microsoft Windows Server Update Services because it is doing precisely what it has to do. I do not see any minor enhancements or limitations to be o...

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Product Reports

Patch Management

Download Ivanti Security Controls product report

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services

Download Microsoft Windows Server Update Services product report

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services report

Also Known As

No data available

Windows Server Update Services, Microsoft WSUS, WSUS, Microsoft Software Update Services, Software Update Services, Microsoft SUS, SUS, MS Windows Server Update Services

Overview

Ivanti Security Controls simplifies security with unified and automated prevention, detection, and response techniques that target your biggest attack vectors. It provides the security global experts agree creates the highest barriers to modern cyber attacks, including discovery, OS and application patch management, privilege management, and whitelisting.

Ivanti

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is a patch management tool that simplifies the administrator’s task of deploying the latest Microsoft updates. Administrators use WSUS to manage the distribution of updates released through Microsoft Update to computers in their network.

WSUS has features you can use to manage and distribute updates from a management console. The WSUS server can also be a source of updates to other servers within the organization, acting as an upstream server.

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services Use Cases

The four main use cases that WSUS adds value to businesses are:

Centralizes update management.
Automates update management.
Performs general patch management to ensure compliance and protect against vulnerabilities.
Downloads all endpoint updates from data centers to a central location and then distribute them across the organization’s network.

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services Features

This built-in server includes the following features:

Includes Windows PowerShell cmdlets.
Features client and server separation, which means you can deliver versions of the Windows Update Agent (WUA) separately from WSUS.
Automatic download of updates.
Deploy a targeted download of updates to a specific group of computers.
Multiple language support.
Advanced reporting capabilities.
Centralized management of network resources.

Requirements

In order to be able to use WSUS to manage and deploy updates, it is important to use a supported WSUS version, such as:

WSUS 10.0.14393
WSUS 10.0.17763
WSUS 6.2 and 6.3 with installed KB 3095113 and KB 3159706

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services Benefits

Stable.
Ensures servers are always patched and prevents vulnerabilities.
Works great for internal updating.
Enforces automated updates and patching for applications.
Because the solution is used in the cloud, clients are always using the latest version.
Highly scalable and configurable regardless of the organization’s layout.

Different Types of WSUS Deployments

Simple WSUS deployment: A server inside the corporate firewall serves clients via a private intranet. The WSUS server downloads updates by connecting to Microsoft Update. Using this model, you can configure multiple WSUS servers with a parent WSUS server.
Computer groups: You can use computer groups to deliver updates to specific computers. There are two basic computer groups: All Computers or Unassigned Computers. When a client first contacts the WSUS server, it is added to both. You can then create a group from the Unassigned Computers group to the new group.
WSUS server hierarchies: The flexibility of WSUS enables the creation of complex hierarchies of servers. To do this, you need only a single WSUS server connected to Microsoft Update. This will serve as an “upstream server,” and the connected servers as “downstream servers.”
- You can link WSUS servers in two modes: autonomous or replica. In the autonomous mode, the upstream server shares the updates with the downstream servers but doesn’t update status or group information.
- The upstream server shares updates, status, and group information in replica mode. You cannot administer replica servers apart from the upstream WSUS server.

Microsoft

Ivanti Security Controls vs. Microsoft Windows Server Update Services