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Microsoft System Center Orchestrator vs vCenter Orchestrator comparison

Microsoft and Broadcom are both solutions in the Process Automation category. Microsoft is ranked #18 with an average rating of 9.0, while Broadcom is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.0. Microsoft holds a 1.3% mindshare in PA, compared to Broadcom’s 0.7% mindshare. Additionally, 33% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Broadcom users who would recommend it.
Microsoft System Center Orc...
Read 2 Microsoft System Center Orchestrator reviews
  • 1,058 Views
  • 1,058 Comparison Views
33% willing to recommend
vCenter Orchestrator
Read 51 vCenter Orchestrator reviews
  • 1,068 Views
  • 395 Comparison Views
95% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 17, 2024

vCenter Orchestrator and Microsoft System Center Orchestrator are automation management products for virtual environments. System Center Orchestrator appears to have an advantage due to its comprehensive feature set and integration capabilities.

Features: vCenter Orchestrator integrates smoothly with VMware, enhancing workflow automation and resource management. Its simplicity makes it a strong choice for users seeking efficient VMware automation. Microsoft System Center Orchestrator offers integration across multiple systems, facilitating diverse automation tasks and operational agility, with its variety in integration showcasing adaptability.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: vCenter Orchestrator provides a streamlined deployment process for VMware users, supported by a robust service network. Microsoft System Center Orchestrator also features easy deployment, particularly in Microsoft environments, benefiting from comprehensive documentation and customer support. It shows flexibility in deployment options, supporting extensive implementation assistance.

Pricing and ROI: vCenter Orchestrator has a straightforward pricing structure with competitive setup costs, positively affecting ROI for VMware users. Microsoft System Center Orchestrator may entail higher initial costs but its extensive functionality and integration offer long-term value, reflecting a favorable ROI through versatile automation capabilities. The decision may depend on budget constraints versus future-proof automation investments.

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To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft System Center Orchestrator vs. vCenter Orchestrator Report (Updated: December 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft System Center Orchestrator vs. vCenter Orchestrator
December 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

Microsoft System Center Orc...
Ranking in Process Automation
18th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.1
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
vCenter Orchestrator
Ranking in Process Automation
10th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
51
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Process Automation category, the mindshare of Microsoft System Center Orchestrator is 1.3%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of vCenter Orchestrator is 0.7%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Process Automation Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
vCenter Orchestrator0.7%
Microsoft System Center Orchestrator1.3%
Other98.0%
Process Automation
 

Featured Reviews

Dan Campeanu - PeerSpot reviewer
Dan Campeanu
Security Engineer at ProVision
Automates tasks and manages multiple servers from a central location
The initial setup was quite complex. It required careful preparation of installation steps, as many tasks were not automated as expected. Special attention was needed to prepare groups, users, and permissions at each step to ensure a smooth setup process. Please do so accurately to avoid having to start over. Challenges encountered during deployment included issues with installation and configuration and difficulties detecting machines and executing tasks as expected. Some solutions were found through trial and error during installation, while others were discovered through recommendations from other users. Despite these challenges, the deployment and rollout of Orchestrator took approximately one and a half months to ensure proper functionality.
Read full review
NB
Narendar Bompally
Hybrid Cloud Engineer at RealPage
Boosts operational efficiency with flexible workflows and reliable cluster management
We currently use vCenter Orchestrator's pre-built workflow templates for our IT processes. The templates are flexible, allowing us to create and convert processes simply and manage patches. Regarding integration capabilities, we do not integrate any third-party tools. We exclusively use VMware products. The integration within the VMware infrastructure is limited to Single Sign-On (SSO). I have not created any workflows in vCenter Orchestrator as workflows are only used for change management. I have not encountered any drag and drop interface. The version control and logging features of vCenter Orchestrator have significantly improved the reliability of our automated processes, particularly during upgrades or patching to the cluster-wise. Previously, it would be done on a one-to-one cluster or one-to-one host basis, but now we only need to monitor it for upgrading or patching the entire cluster. I cannot comment on the pricing and licensing of vCenter Orchestrator as these aspects are managed by our onsite counterpart. Overall, I rate vCenter Orchestrator 8 out of 10. The rating reflects occasional delays in support response times and portal stability issues.
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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

"It can manage multiple servers and workstations from a single location."
"Automation is the most valuable feature of the solution."
"We can manage and relocate resources easily."
"If I need to do DR, VMware can enable me to use vMotion, which requires use of vCenter. You cannot do vMotion without vCenter. We do a lot of automation, orchestration, and simplification for that purpose."
"The most valuable feature is how easy it makes it to manage the VM."
"The open, flexible architecture has brought in the agile computing environment along with better Dr capabilities. Automation management and operational tasks across VMware and third-party applications, like our HMIS and other business productivity applications, have delivered peace of mind."
"It has the best workflow feature."
"Communication with technical support is very good. It has a repository of knowledge base articles which we can access which are very helpful."
"Technical support is helpful."
"It is the most cost-effective method for moving data between machines."
More vCenter Orchestrator pros
 

Cons

"I find the Orchestrator UI to be problematic."
"The product's management aspect needs enhancement."
"We would like more flexibility in sizing data storage and virtual machines, as the current options aren't very adaptable."
"A feature to review and setup tasks should be added."
"I liked the previous client better than the current web client of vCenter Orchestrator, though my colleagues like the client now. The technical support for vCenter Orchestrator needs improvement."
"The scalability option provided by the solution is an area with certain shortcomings where improvements are required."
"It could be integrated with third-party hypervisors."
"The licensing is expensive and should be improved."
"vCenter Orchestrator's debugging capacity could be improved."
"I would like to see more automation added in the future."
More vCenter Orchestrator cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We obtained a license that bundled Windows Server with System Center at no additional cost."
"I give the cost of the solution a five out of ten."
"The licensing module is somewhat complex. Calculating the cost is complicated. Many of our clients are unclear about the billing system and the traffic metering."
"My company needs to make yearly payments towards the licensing costs attached to the product."
"The concept of hyper-convergence is smart. I don't know if it can be applied with less cost to be more affordable for small or medium-sized companies. The cost is a very important factor for it. We are currently depending on SAN storage. However, the hyper-converged solutions are depending on the storage within the hosts, such as vSAN in the VMware. It is a smart solution."
"The solution is a bit expensive."
"vCenter Orchestrator could be more affordable."
"Our licensing is on a yearly basis. We pay for the license and then we pay the support every year."
"We renew the solution's license every one or two years."
"vCenter Orchestrator is an expensive solution."
More vCenter Orchestrator pricing and cost advice
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
18%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Insurance Company
9%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Performing Arts
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business18
Midsize Enterprise13
Large Enterprise20
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft System Center Orchestrator?
It can manage multiple servers and workstations from a single location.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft System Center Orchestrator?
The platform was almost free of cost for us. We obtained a license that bundled Windows Server with System Center at no additional cost.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Microsoft System Center Orchestrator?
The product's management aspect needs enhancement. It affects the visibility of powerful scripts that were previously accessible. Furthermore, the focus is shifting towards cloud-based features, sp...
See all answers
What do you like most about vCenter Orchestrator?
The stability of the product is very good.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for vCenter Orchestrator?
We're running a low-profile budget. This is not our main focus on investment technology, so we're trying to reduce costs due to the change from perpetual to subscription licenses.
See all answers
What needs improvement with vCenter Orchestrator?
For our environment, I do not see any areas of vCenter Orchestrator that could be improved or enhanced. We are currently satisfied with the orchestrator. If any improvements are needed, I will prov...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

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Ivanti Automation vs Microsoft System Center Orchestrator
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Compared 10% of the time
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Compared 26% of the time
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Compared 20% of the time
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Compared 8% of the time
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ServiceNow Orchestration vs vCenter Orchestrator
Compared 8% of the time
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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Process Automation
December 2025
Microsoft System Center Orchestrator reportDownload Microsoft System Center Orchestrator product report
Buyer's Guide
vCenter Orchestrator
December 2025
vCenter Orchestrator reportDownload vCenter Orchestrator product report
 

Also Known As

MS System Center Orchestrator
No data available
 

Overview

As an IT administrator, you probably perform a lot of tasks and procedures to keep your computing environment healthy. You may have automated individual tasks, but typically, not the whole process. With System Center - Orchestrator you tie disparate tasks and procedures together using a graphical user interface Runbook Designer to create reliable, flexible, and efficient end-to-end solutions in your IT environment.

Microsoft

VMware vCenter Orchestrator simplifies the automation of complex IT tasks and integrates with VMware vCloud Suite components to adapt and extend service delivery and operational management, effectively working with existing infrastructure, tools and processes.

Broadcom
 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Beiersdorf Shared Services
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft System Center Orchestrator vs. vCenter Orchestrator
December 2025
Free Report: Microsoft System Center Orchestrator vs. vCenter Orchestrator
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