Microsoft System Center vs Zend PHP Engine comparison

Microsoft and Zend are both solutions in the Application Infrastructure category. Microsoft is ranked #13 with an average rating of 8.4, while Zend is ranked #15 with an average rating of 8.0. Microsoft holds a 1.0% mindshare in AIS, compared to Zend’s 1.5% mindshare. Additionally, 85% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Zend users who would recommend it.

Microsoft System Center

Read 20 Microsoft System Center reviews

469 Views
188 Comparison Views

85% willing to recommend

Zend PHP Engine

Read 11 Zend PHP Engine reviews

462 Views
462 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Microsoft System Center

Zend PHP Engine

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 5, 2025

Zend PHP Engine and Microsoft System Center serve different purposes, competing in the fields of application development and IT infrastructure management respectively. Microsoft System Center has the upper hand in large-scale enterprise environments due to its comprehensive management capabilities.

Features: Zend PHP Engine includes caching, code acceleration, and runtime performance enhancement. Microsoft System Center provides server management, automation, and monitoring, making it versatile for IT environments.

Room for Improvement: Zend PHP Engine could enhance its enterprise-level management features, expand integration with IT management tools, and refine scalability for very large projects. Microsoft System Center could simplify its user interface, improve integration with non-Microsoft ecosystems, and refine documentation for ease of use.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Zend PHP Engine is straightforward in integration with development tools. In contrast, Microsoft System Center, while more complex, offers detailed enterprise-level support and comprehensive deployment models.

Pricing and ROI: Zend PHP Engine is cost-effective, offering immediate affordability through lower setup costs. Microsoft System Center, although more expensive initially, provides long-term value through improved operational efficiency.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft System Center vs. Zend PHP Engine Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft System Center vs. Zend PHP Engine

July 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

Ranking in Application Infrastructure

13th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Cloud Monitoring Software (19th)

Zend PHP Engine

Ranking in Application Infrastructure

15th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Application Infrastructure category, the mindshare of Microsoft System Center is 1.0%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zend PHP Engine is 1.5%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Infrastructure

Featured Reviews

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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SatyendraGupta

External Consultant (Digital Tool Developer and Intervention Specialist) at IQVIA

The fact that it is available open-source is the best feature

The fact that it is available open-source is the best feature. A general scripting language should be further developed and should be embedded into it. I have been Zend PHP Engine for nine years. Multiple people are using the solution. Overall, I rate the solution a seven 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

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

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

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

"The product's initial setup phase was easy."

"The deployment and asset management features are the most valuable. These are the product's main features."

"System Center helps to create the basis for ITIL alignment."

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

"The availability performance matrix and the reporting capabilities are the solution's most valuable features."

More Microsoft System Center pros

"It offers good support for various types of classes, along with many open source libraries that we can readily utilize in our application development process. This gives us a lot of options when it comes to custom development solutions, without having to worry about licensing or other programming-related issues."

"Zend Engine gives the flexibility to use external modules to easily expand the functionalities you need for your web project."

"Zend Engine is the core of PHP. It makes PHP fast, efficient, and basically, the language of choice for web applications."

"Scaling up is an important factor for large projects, and with PHP 7 and its performance improvements, this becomes even easier."

"Zend PHP Engine is more secure than any other framework, and I usually prefer Zend PHP Engine for big applications."

"The Zend Framework provides an easy, open source way to produce coding based on the needs of our customers."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is the speed at which it compiles and sends the dynamic cache."

"The solution's initial setup process is easy."

More Zend PHP Engine pros

Cons

"The platform's performance could be improved. Additionally, its UI needs to be well-upgraded and work faster."

"The solution's dashboard needs improvement."

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

"The solution’s pricing could be improved."

"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."

"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."

"Something super important that we need is this integration via Intune Configuration Manager."

"The disadvantage of Microsoft System Center is related to the many integrated services; if one service is failing, then all features will be affected."

More Microsoft System Center cons

"SQL queries have always been an issue with PHP, especially if you use large tables, which require caution from the side of the developer."

"Integrating AI tools would make PHP more competitive, as other tools already have AI features."

"A general scripting language should be further developed and should be embedded into it."

"In terms of improvement, it doesn't support concurrent processing. When we want to process anything on a concurrent basis, we have to divide it into a number of things, like a queue, or we have to run it using Cron jobs. We would like to have the capability to run any thread or process in parallel."

"The process of installing and configuring the product is a bit complex and could be improved."

"Integration of MVC with ORM tools for PHP is okay, but lacking a short list of decent ORM tools for PHP to choose from; there is ample room for improvement in both areas."

"The biggest problem with PHP is you have to write lot of conditions or have to use a framework."

"Zend PHP Engine needs to improve the loading time of its libraries and make it faster."

More Zend PHP Engine cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

"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."

"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's licensing is costly."

"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."

"The Zend PHP engine is open source technology, so there's no need for us to worry about licensing or other costs."

"Zend PHP Engine is not an expensive solution."

"Its pricing depends on the number of users."

"No problem with pricing and licensing, as tools are open source. You have to consider training cost, mindset setup cost, as part of the TCO."

"The solution is open source and you just pay for the server cost."

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Questions from the Community

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

What do you like most about Zend PHP Engine?

The fact that it is available open-source is the best feature.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Zend PHP Engine?

PHP is an open-source solution.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Zend PHP Engine?

Integrating AI tools would make PHP more competitive, as other tools already have AI features.

See all answers

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Compared 100% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft System Center

August 2025

Download Microsoft System Center product report

Buyer's Guide

Application Infrastructure

August 2025

Download Zend PHP Engine product report

Also Known As

MS System Center

PHP Engine

Overview

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

The Zend PHP Engine is designed to optimize PHP code and improve performance, making it a popular choice for web developers. It is easy to use, stable, does not require a lot of code, is open source, and only requires payment for server costs. The initial setup is straightforward, and there is no real need to set up the solution because it's built into the deployment.

Zend

Sample Customers

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

Cisco

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft System Center vs. Zend PHP Engine

July 2025

Free Report: Microsoft System Center vs. Zend PHP Engine

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