ManageEngine Endpoint Central vs Microsoft Configuration Manager comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary
Updated on Mar 31, 2022

We performed a comparison between ManageEngine Desktop Central and Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager based on our users’ reviews in four categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.

  • Ease of Deployment: ManageEngine Desktop Central users are very happy with how easy and simple this solution is to deploy. Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (SCCM) users consistently feel that the solution is easy to deploy and is a big win, especially with teams continuing to work remotely.
  • Features: ManageEngine Desktop Central users tell us they appreciate how easy the solution is to scale and facilitate patch management. ManageEngine Desktop Central allows IT teams to easily connect to remote users in a very secure way, which is extremely valuable with so many still working offsite. ManageEngine Desktop Central users would like to see better integration and documentation, and a SaaS version would be very value-added and greatly appreciated..

    Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager's best features are stability, scalability, ease of use, and good integration with other products. Users consistently feel the patching features are top-notch and a huge time-saver. Some Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager users feel the solution could have better cloud options and a cleaner, crisper user interface that should be more customizable.
  • Pricing: ManageEngine Desktop Central users feel the solution is affordable and very cost-effective. On the other hand, Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager users consistently feel that the solution is too expensive.
  • Service and Support: ManageEngine Desktop Central users consistently tell us that they are very satisfied with the level of service and support they have received. Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager users are split: while some are pleased, there are several who feel that even with the tiered support level options Microsoft offers, it can still be challenging to get adequate support in a timely manner.

Comparison Results: Based on the parameters we compared, we would conclude that ManageEngine Desktop Central is the preferred choice over Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager. Our users feel ManageEngine Desktop Central is affordable, easily scalable, and offers great patch management. It is a very good functional solution for endpoint management.

Q&A Highlights
Question: How to choose between ManageEngine Desktop Central and Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (formerly SCCM)?
Answer: I prefer ManageEngine
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"ManageEngine Desktop Central's most valuable features are remote desktop control and image management. We can send things out from the desk here, it is a very good tool for us.""The stability is very good.""Has good functionality and is user-friendly.""The solution is stable.""The patch management aspect of the solution is the most valuable part for us.""Since deploying Desktop Central our endpoints are all updated. We use configuration management to deploy shortcuts to our users' desktops with ease. Also, we use configuration management to map logical hard drives to our users. Our users are very happy with how much ease IT can solve their problems.""The solution is definitely scalable.""The dashboard has been very useful."

More ManageEngine Endpoint Central Pros →

"There is a faster time to rollout. If we get a new PC, it can be ready for productivity right away.""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.""I like a lot of the reporting capabilities and baseline configurations.""Software deployment and WSUS are most valuable.""The initial setup is fairly straightforward.""The major features of this product are the reporting tools. The most valuable features are package deployment and application deployment. Security management is also good because any vulnerability will be identified, and you can fix it. It's the best tool because you never know what kind of client you will have. For example, you may have your offices in low bandwidth remote areas. But it's achievable because it accommodates the bandwidth that you have available. Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager is an excellent reporting tool for your environment. If you want to know the details about the hardware configuration, software configuration, what is causing a problem, or when a new feature update comes in for Windows, even that goes on SCCM itself. A lot of deployment stuff.""Valuable features include configurations enforcement, compliance data gathering, and deployment of a standardized OS.""This has made the management of our environment easier."

More Microsoft Configuration Manager Pros →

Cons
"I really feel like asset explorer should be a component of desktop central. That would make it the ultimate desktop management tool. This would also simplify the asset management role since an agent is already being deployed and assets could be added at the same time.""Compared to the solution we use to manage our Mac products, this solution lacks the ability to create dynamic groups. We would like the ability, for example, for machines which have been upgraded to form part of a grouping based on this upgrade.""I would like to see them include the ability to find out the network usage but I believe that might be a feature of it already.""The support could be faster.""There is a slight delay in customer support, which is something that can be improved.""The Deployment scheduler needs updating to support various methods for deployment.""We would like to see options for deploying Microsoft 365 accounts into Outlook. For now we only can use it to deploy exchange accounts. Also we would like to see an option do decline Windows 7 ESU patches in a bulk.""The only problem with it is that the setup isn't very intuitive. I know that they just upgraded the product to make it a little bit easier to use, but compared to some of the other platforms, it is not easy to configure it, set it up, and get it running. However, once you have set it up and got it running, it runs great."

More ManageEngine Endpoint Central Cons →

"The analysis is something that can be integrated. Their report analysis can be improved a little bit due to the fact that most of the time complaints policies are saved by the admins. It's something that we need to look into and search for.""A lot of experience is needed in terms of troubleshooting, as this is one of the most difficult tasks in MECM. We were seven people in a group and I was the only one that had the patience to do the troubleshooting at times.""The solution could improve the functionality for automating, license management. Additionally, more and better-looking reports are needed.""The availability of technical support could improve.""The product needs to improve scalability.""It would be of benefit if Configuration Manager could be connected/integrated with multiple Microsoft Intune subscriptions rather than just one (the current limit).""The deployment process is lengthy and should be quicker to complete.""Its client interface should be more accessible, and the notifications should be more customizable from the console. It should be more user friendly and have some kind of customized notifications so that we can use it on the client side. These are the reasons why we restricted its use only for the server environment and didn't use it on the client side."

More Microsoft Configuration Manager Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "The licensing is very easy to understand and pricing is right for what you get."
  • "Choose wisely between the Professional and Enterprise editions, based on your needs."
  • "I have been using the free version and am in the stage where I have to decide if I will proceed with the paid license, or instead choose another product."
  • "We pay about $250 a year for our license."
  • "The solution is very affordable."
  • "We had perpetual licenses. The cost was around 36,000, and then you'd have the yearly maintenance fee of 2,000 or 3,000."
  • "The pricing is very low, compared to other products. Compared to Intune or SCCM, it's much less. I can say it's a good product for less of a price."
  • "Affordable for any customer."
  • More ManageEngine Endpoint Central Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "Pricing and licensing are horrible. You have to not look at dollar value to use SCCM. It's super-duper expensive but it works. The acquisition cost is expensive, it's labor-intensive. But it works."
  • "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."
  • "Overall, I think it's fine. It's pretty much in-line because there are ways to offset it with the Office 365 licensing."
  • "SCCM comes with its own version of SQL Server. If you use that SQL Server with SCCM and don't use it for another applications than you get an SQL Server for free."
  • "The licensing is good because they have various options, depending on what you are looking for."
  • "Pricing is negotiable with Microsoft, depending upon which of their packages you choose."
  • "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."
  • "Its price is okay because it is part of our licensing."
  • More Microsoft Configuration Manager Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Answers from the Community
    Netanya Carmi
    Danny Miller - PeerSpot reviewerDanny Miller (JetPatch)
    Vendor

    The main question is what are you trying to accomplish, what is the end-game from your perspective when it comes to patching, such as: 


    - Do you need to meet specific compliance?


    - Are you falling behind on the current patch workload?


    - Having too many manual processes and trying to automate?


    - Security and IT are not connecting?


    If you'd like, one of our patch experts will be happy to go over the requirements with you, without any commitment, and help you better define your needs and how they can be met.

    Muhammad Waseem - PeerSpot reviewerMuhammad Waseem
    Real User

    Quest's Unified Endpoint Management - please have a look at this solution: easy to manage, best for mass task deployment, comprehensive and customized reporting.

    Sumit Dubey - PeerSpot reviewerSumit Dubey
    Real User

    My recommendation is to use MS Intune as a solution and you can drop both SCCM and ManageEngine Desktop Central. 


    Intune is the best solution for managing mobile devices and endpoints. You can also manage your servers but there will be some difficulty in managing on-premises servers. 

    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer: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 and… more »
    Top Answer:The product works perfectly for patch management and software deployments.
    Top Answer:The product is not costly. The product is properly priced, especially for SMBs.
    Top Answer:Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager takes knowledge and research to properly configure. The length of time that the set up will take depends on the kind of technical architecture that your… more »
    Top Answer:Microsoft Configuration Manager gives different tools in one solution.
    Top Answer:We use the tool's free license. It is expensive.
    Ranking
    Views
    548
    Comparisons
    291
    Reviews
    21
    Average Words per Review
    568
    Rating
    8.1
    2nd
    out of 42 in Server Monitoring
    Views
    4,112
    Comparisons
    3,129
    Reviews
    28
    Average Words per Review
    455
    Rating
    8.5
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    ManageEngine Desktop Central, Desktop Central, ManageEngine Desktop Management MSP
    Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager, System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM )
    Learn More
    Overview

    ManageEngine Endpoint Central is a unified endpoint management (UEM) solution offered by ManageEngine, a division of Zoho Corporation. It is designed to help organizations efficiently manage and secure their endpoints from a centralized platform. Endpoint Central provides a comprehensive set of features and capabilities to streamline endpoint management and enhance security across diverse devices and operating systems.

    ManageEngine Endpoint Central Features:

    • Device Management: Endpoint Central enables IT administrators to manage a wide range of endpoints, including desktops, laptops, servers, mobile devices, and IoT devices. It offers features such as device discovery, inventory management, configuration management, and software deployment, allowing administrators to efficiently control and monitor devices from a single console.
    • Patch Management: The solution helps organizations keep their endpoints up to date and protected by automating the patching process. Endpoint Central provides patch management capabilities to deploy security updates and patches to endpoints, ensuring they are patched against vulnerabilities and reducing the risk of security breaches.
    • Security and Compliance: Endpoint Central focuses on strengthening security measures for endpoints. It offers features such as antivirus and anti-malware protection, firewall management, encryption, and data loss prevention (DLP). These capabilities help organizations safeguard their sensitive data and adhere to industry regulations and compliance standards.
    • Remote Control and Troubleshooting: With remote control capabilities, Endpoint Central allows IT administrators to access and control endpoints remotely, facilitating troubleshooting and issue resolution. It enables administrators to remotely troubleshoot software or hardware problems, install applications, and provide technical support to end-users, improving efficiency and minimizing downtime
    • Reporting and Analytics: Endpoint Central provides comprehensive reporting and analytics capabilities, offering insights into endpoint performance, security status, software usage, and compliance levels. These features help organizations assess the health and security of their endpoints, identify potential risks or issues, and make data-driven decisions for improved endpoint management.

    ManageEngine Endpoint Central Benefits:

    • Centralized endpoint management for diverse devices.
    • Improved operational efficiency through automation.
    • Enhanced security with antivirus, firewall, encryption, and data loss prevention.
    • Automated patch management for timely updates and security.
    • Remote control and troubleshooting for efficient issue resolution.
    • Comprehensive reporting and analytics for insights and informed decision-making.
    • Scalability and flexibility to accommodate organizational growth.
    • Cost-effectiveness by reducing manual management efforts and security risks.

    Reviews from Real Users

    PeerSpot user, Sr Engineer Administrator at a university, says that "Its cross-platform capabilities and the ability to do both OS-level patching and third-party patching are valuable. It is difficult to find a software product that will do all that for you out of the box, and you don't have to do any configuration other than your initial setup. Once you do that, there is a very minimalistic approach to getting it operational. You can have it up and running within a 20-minute time span."

    Park Armstrong, Chief Technical and Solution Architect at Vertigo Inc., writes that ManageEngine Endpoint Central is “Helpful for identifying and filling the gaps and meeting compliance needs, but each of their product works as an independent product and lacks integration”.

    Microsoft Configuration Manager helps IT manage PCs and servers, keeping software up-to-date, setting configuration and security policies, and monitoring system status while giving employees access to corporate applications on the devices that they choose. When Configuration Manager is integrated with Microsoft Intune, you can manage corporate-connected PCs and Macs along with cloud-based mobile devices running Windows, iOS, and Android, all from a single management console.

    New features of Configuration Manager, such as the support of Windows 10 in-place upgrade, co-management with Microsoft Intune, Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise Servicing Dashboard, integration with Windows Update for Business, and more make deploying and managing Windows easier than ever before.

    Sample Customers
    Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Strathallan School, BMI Healthcare, Comercial Kywi, First Priority Federal Credit Union, Gerab National Enterprises
    Bank Alfalah Ltd., Wªrth Handelsges.m.b.H, Dimension Data, Japan Business Systems, St. Lucie County Public Schools, MISC Berhad
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm18%
    Computer Software Company9%
    Healthcare Company7%
    Insurance Company7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization37%
    Computer Software Company10%
    Manufacturing Company5%
    Government5%
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company17%
    Financial Services Firm13%
    Manufacturing Company13%
    Insurance Company9%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company12%
    Government11%
    Financial Services Firm11%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business31%
    Midsize Enterprise22%
    Large Enterprise47%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business18%
    Midsize Enterprise49%
    Large Enterprise34%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business18%
    Midsize Enterprise13%
    Large Enterprise69%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business18%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise67%

    ManageEngine Endpoint Central is ranked 1st in Client Desktop Management with 58 reviews while Microsoft Configuration Manager is ranked 2nd in Server Monitoring with 76 reviews. ManageEngine Endpoint Central is rated 8.2, while Microsoft Configuration Manager is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of ManageEngine Endpoint Central writes "An in-depth and intuitive product with good cross-platform capabilities, but they should have a more global support channel". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Microsoft Configuration Manager writes "Seamless system updates, useful integration, and reliable". ManageEngine Endpoint Central is most compared with Microsoft Intune, VMware Workspace ONE, Jamf Pro, ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus and SOTI MobiControl, whereas Microsoft Configuration Manager is most compared with Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform, Microsoft Intune, BigFix, Tanium and AWS Systems Manager.

    We monitor all Client Desktop 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.