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SUSE Manager vs SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 2024

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 Intune
Sponsored
Ranking in Configuration Management
2nd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
255
Ranking in other categories
Remote Access (1st), Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (1st), Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) (1st), Microsoft Security Suite (1st)
SolarWinds Network Configur...
Ranking in Configuration Management
12th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
27
Ranking in other categories
Network Automation (4th)
SUSE Manager
Ranking in Configuration Management
14th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.2
Number of Reviews
5
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Configuration Management category, the mindshare of Microsoft Intune is 10.3%, up from 9.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager is 1.4%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SUSE Manager is 3.6%, up from 3.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Configuration Management
 

Featured Reviews

Joseph Merusi - PeerSpot reviewer
Everything has worked better since we started using it
Sometimes the syncing is inconsistent. I'm confident that the devices are checking in every eight hours, but sometimes the devices aren't picking up the settings as quickly as I would expect. Some features haven't been updated in a while, and Microsoft doesn't seem interested in developing them. Unless you talk to an engineer, you don't know whether there will be an update. There are communication issues, so you might start working with a feature without knowing if it will be deprecated six months from now. Some reporting areas still need development. For example, I noticed that the reporting for driver updates is still confusing.
RajeshB - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers additional functionality, including warranty management
Setting up a solution involves configuring a server and a web console, which is straightforward. Network team coordination is necessary when applying it to devices. This involves creating device connection profiles and ensuring SNMP is enabled. Initially, there were challenges involved in this process, but once the setup was complete, operations proceeded smoothly. All network devices are automatically added to NPM during auto-discovery in SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor, including Network Configuration Manager features. Once configuration profile credentials are established in NCM, they are automatically deployed to all network devices. The solution is easy to use and deploy, although initial setup may require coordination and overcoming challenges.
Victor Estival - PeerSpot reviewer
Easy to deploy, offers embedded monitoring, and is very stable
I am a SUSE partner. I have a central server and then I'm connected to the VPN. That way, I can connect to all different customers. I'd advise new users to certainly read the documentation, as that's what I tend to skip. However, it's an important step. Try to automate as much as you can. One of the most powerful things that I noticed when I arrived, was that it was underutilized, and there are all of these automation capabilities that SUSE Manager has. It's saved just so much time for me. I'd rate the solution at 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

"Based on my experience, I find Intune very flexible for managing Windows devices. We can use scripting, and we can make use of the self-service portal or the company portal to publish some of the applications for Windows."
"Microsoft Intune is far more efficient and faster than MECM."
"The solution is scalable. We currently have tens of thousands of users within our organization using the solution."
"Maturity makes it a stable product."
"For the price, the features included with Microsoft are appealing."
"For Windows services, there are multiple options within Intune to modernize it to be more internet-facing and dynamic."
"It is absolutely a positive investment."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Intune is that it is more of a one-stop shop, providing an easier experience."
"The feature that I really enjoy is the ability to script changes across all of your devices."
"I use it for monitoring the entire network for the company. We oversee nodes down, we oversee devices heading up to crossing the threshold for CPU usage. We oversee power so power backups on the switches, we oversee if they're down or if they're failing. We oversee any node down or any router from any vendor."
"The features we find most valuable is the configuration backup automation, the configuration compliance, the security vulnerability detection and upgrading devices."
"The most valuable Real-time fault detection is beneficial as it enables the identification of changes made to a device's configuration through the SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager. This makes it easy to pinpoint which configurations were added or removed, potentially causing network issues. Such changes are saved in logs for future reference."
"The network performance monitoring of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager is a vital feature"
"It's perfect for network configuration management. It's easy to use."
"The installation is straightforward."
"Configuration pushing, upgrade capabilities, job backup, configuration backup, and real-time configuration change monitoring are highly beneficial features of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager."
"The setup is straightforward."
"SUSE Manager is the best solution for maintaining the Linux environment"
"SUSE Manager helps to optimize operations at a reduced cost."
"SUSE Manager is valuable for managing systems, patching, and utilizing SaltStack connectivity for various installations and other routines."
"When it comes to managing both Red Hat and SUSE environments, it provides the support for live patching, which is something I really, really appreciate."
 

Cons

"We only have major classifications for iOS and Android, but there are different brands that have different cycles of updates. If they can fine-tune it to make it more brand-specific, that would be even better."
"I expect Microsoft Intune to have more features in the cloud because there are two major functionalities that we need to be added. This is software metering and license management. These functionalities, for now, must be on-premise. For this purpose, we have set up a SQL Server and I hope that in near future this option will be in the cloud in Microsoft Intune."
"It needs certificate provisioning for S/MIME purposes."
"They should make it easier to order it, however, that's generally true for everything from Microsoft."
"They need to integrate more with security options."
"There needs to be more support for Mac operating systems."
"I have a lot of Apple products in my environment. It would be nice to have an improved integration of Apple products with Microsoft Intune without Jam."
"Reporting needs improvement."
"The network flow is a problem for this solution."
"The only thing that requires some experience, and training doesn't fix, is how to set up your custom policy-based reports to check compliance."
"When it comes to the way of managing the network devices, SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager should provide the simplest way that devices can relate to the server. For example, when we want to get the devices on board, we go by SSH to make the SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager create the connectivity with the device. After that, we pull the configuration. It would be helpful if they could combine both so that everything will be done in one step."
"The Network Configuration Manager needs to improve the access control list compliance."
"When we run the SolarWinds NCM jobs at the cellular line, it runs in the morning. They're just not finishing. We're getting false processing."
"There are certain limitations of node-related monitoring"
"There is room for improvement in automation."
"The solution could have better integration."
"The initial setup of SUSE Manager is quite complex."
"It can be complex and difficult for users who are new to Linux and don't have any technical expertise."
"I really would like to have a broader library of VCP's or playbooks that I can deploy."
"We sometimes have server issues and need to restart the service."
"The initial stage is a bit complex, but after that, everything runs seamlessly."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The E5 license is expensive."
"Microsoft Intune is more expensive than other solutions, but it offers a wider range of features and control."
"It is not expensive."
"The price of Intune is often included as part of a bundle with other Microsoft licenses, which makes it somewhat cheaper."
"It is reasonable. When you have Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 license, it is already licensed in that license. So, you could say it is free."
"The pricing is good because customers are not complaining about it."
"We have a limited budget for security investments, so Microsoft should consider reducing pricing in our region. This would make investment more viable, especially since larger businesses in other countries can afford it easily."
"It's a bit expensive from a licensing perspective, especially as we look to have organizations with tenants across the globe."
"There is a license needed to use SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager."
"I have a yearly subscription."
"Available at a moderate price"
"We have to pay additionally for its support and maintenance."
"The price of the solution is high compared to other solutions."
"Additional costs beyond the standard licensing fee are inevitable."
"You have a base license for 50 devices, and then you can add more licenses as you go."
"There is a license for the use of this solution and it is priced well, there is a lot of value for the money."
Information not available
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
20%
Computer Software Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Government
12%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Computer Software Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Energy/Utilities Company
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

How does Microsoft Intune compare with VMware Workspace One?
Microsoft Intune is a great tool for managing a mobile device fleet while keeping access control. The solution makes ...
What are the pros and cons of Microsoft Intune?
Microsoft Intune is a great configuration management tool and has a lot of good things going for it. Here are some of...
How does Google Cloud Identity compare with Microsoft Intune?
Microsoft Intune offers not only an easy-to-deploy data protection and productivity management solution, but also ...
What do you like most about SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager?
The configuration compliance aspect of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager allows for easy comparison of configu...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager?
The licensing costs of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager are expensive, but considering its reliability, featu...
What needs improvement with SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager?
Further improvements in automation are needed. Currently, there are limitations in performing tasks without logging i...
What do you like most about SUSE Manager?
SUSE Manager helps to optimize operations at a reduced cost.
What needs improvement with SUSE Manager?
There is room for improvement in the documentation. A better description of the initial setup process could enhance u...
What is your primary use case for SUSE Manager?
I use SUSE Manager ( /products/suse-manager-reviews ) for managing systems and for patching systems. Additionally, I ...
 

Also Known As

Intune, MS Intune, Microsoft Endpoint Manager
SolarWinds NCM
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Mitchells and Buzzers, Callaway
United Lincolnshire Hospitals, Air Rarotonga, NetSuite, Thai AirAsia, REA Group, 335th Signal Command, Agilisys, Marine Expeditionary Force
Day & Zimmermann, Cisco, CEMEX, L.B. Foster, Adient, Istanbul Technical University, 7Pixel, University of Maine System, Guerbet
Find out what your peers are saying about SUSE Manager vs. SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
850,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.