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Microsoft .NET Framework vs Microsoft System Center comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 5, 2025

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

Microsoft .NET Framework
Ranking in Application Infrastructure
4th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
53
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft System Center
Ranking in Application Infrastructure
13th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
19
Ranking in other categories
Cloud Monitoring Software (24th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Application Infrastructure category, the mindshare of Microsoft .NET Framework is 6.0%, down from 6.9% 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

Pavan Kodur - PeerSpot reviewer
Intuitive, easier to develop, maintain, and migrate from the old framework to newer versions
There are a few areas where they could compete better with products like React or Angular – the popular SPA (Single Page Application) frameworks. Microsoft has its own product called Blazor, but I don't think it's quite as powerful yet as React or Angular. I think that's an area for improvement. For example, HR asked me to build something that worked offline and online. Microsoft products don't really support that well, as I'd have to rely on browser databases. React and Angular are better for that. If I need something faster, I'd definitely use React. So, I see Microsoft lagging a bit in that area.
Ajinkya Mohod - PeerSpot reviewer
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.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Given that it's cross-platform right now, where you can use it on Windows and Mac, that is the single most significant feature that has resulted in wider adoption of .NET."
"The .NET framework is a mature platform that is very helpful and saves time during the software development process."
"I'd rate the solution as highly stable."
"The solution is easy to use if the user is a developer or some technical person."
"The addition of generics to handle common functionality across types, and the more recent upgrade of the dataset to the Entity Framework, has cut development time drastically, while increasing quality and confidence between builds."
"The .NET Framework simplified operations dealing with the allocation and deallocation of memory spaces and the additional processing resources."
"Initial setup is straightforward. All the components are readily available."
"User-friendly and straightforward."
"It can generate KPIs and management reports with monthly presentations on activities and updating the environment (success and failure)."
"We like Microsoft System Center's Operations Manager. That is primarily why we use it."
"The installation process is easy."
"The product's initial setup phase was easy."
"Managment Packs for Microsoft-specific products, help us implement the best practices for each product."
"The features that I have found most valuable are the ease of configuration and the easy discovery of the environment."
"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."
 

Cons

"Needs stronger security with respect to cloud issues."
"The product could have a better framework for application development."
"The initial setup is complex."
"The integration with DevOps tools, such as Azure DevOps, Jira, and GitLab, would be a valuable addition."
"One thing that could be improved is the tooling and IDE for .NET in non-Windows environments like Mac."
"The product's price is an area of concern, making it an area where improvements are required."
"Lacking in auto-scaling."
"The solution needs to update its security periodically because there are many security concerns."
"The solution’s pricing could be improved."
"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."
"For me, the tool's UI seems to be too old."
"The platform's performance could be improved. Additionally, its UI needs to be well-upgraded and work faster."
"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."
"In Microsoft System Center, it is difficult to follow the steps to create dataflows at times."
"Could be more user friendly."
"They should have some customized solutions or internal development, then maybe it could be easier to use different solutions or some self-developed solution."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution is a bit costly when compared to open source products or open gear licenses."
"The solution is free but you need to pay for a license for the hosting service."
"The product is not expensive."
"The pricing could be cheaper."
"In the interim, there's no need to purchase videos for viewing. Microsoft has made significant moves in the .NET space, starting with their response in Visual Studio Code and now providing Visual Studio entirely for free. This is a notable shift from the past when we used to pay substantial amounts for technical subscriptions. Previously, a group of ten developers could cost several thousand dollars annually for licensing. However, the current trend is to offer these tools for free to maintain their dominance in the developer market. The market dynamics have changed, and now developers can freely download Visual Studio, making it a preferred choice over other paid options."
"The product’s pricing is a bit high."
"Microsoft .NET Framework is a free, open-source solution."
"Microsoft .NET Framework is licensed under the Windows License."
"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."
"We maximized our license investment."
"Microsoft System Center is quite expensive."
"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."
"Microsoft System Center's licensing is costly."
"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 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."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Construction Company
11%
Real Estate/Law Firm
11%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Computer Software Company
11%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft .NET Framework?
Microsoft .NET Framework continually innovates, particularly in Visual Studio, which focuses on improving languages, debugging, and .NET functionality.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft .NET Framework?
The company is not paying anything for the license. I am not familiar with this area. For us, it's free.
What needs improvement with Microsoft .NET Framework?
There may be some topics regarding connectivity and management of certificates that require attention. We are currently facing some issues.
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...
 

Also Known As

MS .NET Framework
MS System Center
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Curtin University, Rockwell Automation, Aruba Networks, Insurity Inc., City of Barcelona, Pennsylvania DCNR, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, A1 Telekom Austria AG, Eastman Chemical Company
Kassen_rztliche Vereinigung Nordrhein, Magyar Telekom Nyrt., Adeka, QualCare, Aeriandi, UniCredit Bank d.d., Mostar, Allianz Australia Ltd., Grupo Familia
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft .NET Framework vs. Microsoft System Center and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
850,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.