System Center is a management platform providing unified control of Hyper-V servers with integration of cloud and on-premise environments. It facilitates efficient operations, enhancing device management and incident resolution, which aids in reducing support time and costs.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| System Center | 19.5% |
| iQuate iQSonar | 15.8% |
| ManageEngine AssetExplorer | 12.6% |
| Other | 52.1% |
System Center offers robust management capabilities, particularly with Hyper-V and integration with Intune for seamless cloud and on-premise environments. It excels in patching, deployment, and incident management, allowing organizations to efficiently handle device separation, updates, and remote support. While it offers these strong features, improvements can be made in managing non-Microsoft OS integrations, cloud endpoint management like Azure and AWS, simplifying backup processes, and enhancing security. The need for better reporting and an improved user interface, alongside IoT management, is acknowledged, as well as the advantage of transitioning to a cloud-based structure.
What are the main features of System Center?System Center is used in industries for managing devices, applications, and servers, emphasizing SSL handling and co-management. It supports remote configuration, software updates, and automated backups. Integrated deployment for software-defined data centers and client updates further supports remote application installations across multiple sites, ensuring effective user support.
| Author info | Rating | Review Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Security Manager at a tech services company with 11-50 employees | 4.0 | I've used System Center for nearly a decade, and with Intune for co-management, it's great for hybrid environments, especially on-premise. However, cloud management and reporting need improvement. Support could be better, but overall, it’s effective. |
| Sr. Sys. Server & Storage Egineer / Tech .Consultant at CANAR OFFICE SYSTEMS | 4.0 | I use System Center for updating and deploying clients and applications remotely. Its most valuable feature is remote deployment. However, it needs improvements like managing IoT devices, a more user-friendly interface, and transitioning to a cloud-based solution. |
| IT Manager at GASCO | 4.5 | I use System Center for deploying and managing our SDDCs and find it easy to configure. However, I believe the security features could be improved for better protection. The review does not mention ROI or consider other solutions. |
| Senior backend systems engineer at a mining and metals company with 5,001-10,000 employees | 4.5 | I am using System Center for integration and deployment, appreciating its easy management capabilities. However, improvements in integration and a unified database reporting feature are needed. Previously, I used ManageEngine but switched due to existing Microsoft licenses. |
| Head of ICT Infrastructure and Security at City of Harare | 4.5 | I use Microsoft Systems Center for remote support and configuration, finding it cuts costs and time with good ROI. It's stable, but I wish update testing and DPM backups were easier. I rate this comprehensive solution 9/10. |
| Support at Za irery | 3.5 | I use System Center to manage devices and applications across the company, finding its features valuable for comprehensive management. However, my lack of administrator access restricts my ability to identify areas needing improvement. |
| Senior Manager of Engineering with 1,001-5,000 employees | 5.0 | System Center 2012 is a breakthrough, simplifying Hyper-V and Linux server management from one console, crucial for our cloud plans. Installation was easy. More non-Microsoft integration would be great. |
When it comes to device management, I am working heavily with Intune and System Center in terms of the co-management functionality.
We have implemented it and it works wonders, especially when looking at on-premise devices. This includes servers, so when doing server management, Configuration Manager really helps, and especially when leveraging the SSL handling capability for Configuration Manager, that works perfectly for us.
System Center perfectly works with on-premise both servers and devices, especially when it comes to patching, the orchestration part of it, and also when looking at on-premise device management.
When looking at the cloud functionality part of it, this is where Intune comes in; hence, when you have the co-management functionality, you're able to both manage cloud and also on-premise.
You are able to integrate Windows Hello and push the same to all managed devices, and you're also able to separate both corporately owned and personal devices. Overall now, looking at when a device gets lost, you're also able to do remote wipe.
Time is money, so saving on time means you're also saving on costs. Especially when looking at how quickly you're able to patch endpoints and servers when it comes to updates, the whole System Center family, if you're able to integrate the whole SCCM functionalities, you're able to harness more. User experience has also changed in that we're able to handle tickets more effectively, and the overall posture just gives administrators an easier time to handle the business-critical since System Center is already handling most of the processes.
System Center alone just being able to handle cloud endpoints has always been a challenge, even from Microsoft's end. Just looking at how best can you do it without Intune on System Center when it comes to cloud, it becomes a challenge.
You'll find that for System Center, it purely looks at on-premise solutions; if maybe you have an Azure or an AWS virtual machine, it might become a challenge when looking at how you're able to manage that.
On the reporting capability of System Center, there are some reports that you really need, but sometimes they are a bit shallow or sometimes they are not even there, so maybe on the reporting capability, more improvement is needed.
Currently, I have been using the solution for over nine years; 2025 will be my 10th year.
It's on the medium level of difficulty; the fact that I've had experience, I might be biased to say it's simple, but for a novice, they might need handholding in terms of just the installation. But once installed, it really works wonders.
When it comes to stability, if you're able to update System Center regularly, I would rate it a seven; but if you miss out on the updates, it really gets a bit hectic and terrible.
When it comes to scalability, I would rate it an 8.5.
The support experience rates at a five; you really struggle to get support, and by the time you're getting support, they have to take you through their collecting logs before they can actually give you the technical assistance.
Neutral
The initial setup is on the medium level of difficulty; having experience might make it seem simple, but a novice might need handholding in terms of installation.
I actually work for a partner.
The main return on investment is the saving of time, which directly translates to saving costs.
The top solutions are tied between System Center, Intune, and Qualys, with Qualys being a non-Microsoft solution.
We are using other Microsoft solutions including the Defenders.
We started off with on-prem, but with the co-management functionality with Intune, now we are able to do the hybrid, where we can monitor and manage both cloud and on-premise.
We've tested the remote installation feature multiple times.
The Service Manager has been integrated with the help desk, which really helps, especially when handling tickets and end-user management.
It is quite effective, and we leverage it, especially during the alert part of it with the daily processes and business runs; it really keeps us up to par in terms of what is currently happening. In terms of new feature releases, that is also a plus for us.
I rate System Center an 8 out of 10.
We use System Center for updating clients, deploying clients, purchasing, and installing applications remotely.
The newer version of System Center should have a feature for managing IoT devices.
System Center should make its interface and console easy to understand and operate. System Center should be a cloud-based solution.
I have been using System Center for two years.
System Center is a stable solution. I don't have any negative inputs regarding the solution's stability.
I have three customers of System Center, but not at the same time. I had three customers using it in 2010 when we first deployed it. The latest one was deployed in 2019. Our three customers have 110, 220, and 50 users using the solution in their organizations.
Compared to other products, System Center's initial setup is more complex.
To deploy System Center, you have to upload the application binaries from the console. You have to have the target properly communicated before you can deploy it. First, you have to check the communication client target-wise and source-wise. Once those things are verified, the solution can be easily deployed.
We have a group of four people for System Center's deployment. Two people are from the client side, one from the SCCM side, and one from the infrastructure. One manager, one developer, and two engineers are required for the solution's deployment.
Overall, I rate System Center an eight out of ten.
The security of the System Center can be enhanced.
I have been using System Center for five years.
System Center is stable. I give the stability a ten out of ten.
I give the scalability of System Center a ten out of ten.
The technical support is fine.
The initial setup is straightforward. The deployment took one week and involved approximately five people, including one manager and some engineers.
We used a partner to help with the implementation.
The licensing fee is yearly.
I give System Center a nine out of ten.
We have 1,000 users.
The integration could improve in the future. Additionally, a single reporting feature for databases would be useful.
I have been using System Center for many years.
The solution is stable.
I rate the stability of System Center a nine out of ten.
We have approximately 4,000 people using the solution.
I rate the scalability of System Center a ten out of ten.
There are times when the response time could be quicker.
I rate the support of System Center a nine out of ten.
Positive
I have used ManageEngine. We switched to System Center because we have licenses for other Microsoft solutions.
The initial setup of the System Center is of a medium difficulty level.
I did the implementation of the solution myself.
I rate the price System Center a six out of ten.
We have approximately 30 people for the maintenance of this solution.
I rate System Center a nine out of ten.
The Microsoft Systems Center solution is basically to make sure that we provide remote support, and remote configuration and deployment, for software updates as well as any support that is needed remotely. We have more than 100 sites across the city of Harare. We are able to meet and support and make sure that we attend to users by request for support remotely right from our head office. We also use this for our backups. We use the Data Processing Manager, the DPM. We have an automated system whereby we, through our backups, our environment, are automatically updating. We also have a service desk that basically receives all incidents from users. We use it for configuration management and change management as well.
When you look at it from a user perspective, you will find that our users are quite happy with submitting their incident report, or their incident issues. That functionality provided is very convenient for our users. They are able then to get a response from our help desk. Their issues are resolved speedily.
The ability to provide remote support is something that is very important for us. It also cuts down on support time.
It cuts down the cost of support overall, saving the company money.
We don't need as many support staff, and they do not need to travel to the actual location of offices, which saves time.
Everything, from patches to deployments, can be done remotely.
A lot of improvement can be done in terms of its functionality. We are receiving an incident as well as a generic user ticket. This could be enhanced.
The DPM, Data Processing Manager is something that could also be enhanced in terms of how the apps are done and installed.
The way the backups can be done could be easier.
Sometimes the updates don't work as they should. There needs to be a way to test their efficacy.
We've been using the solution for just about four years now.
The solution is very stable, however, in terms of pushing updates, you find that the updates are that produced by Microsoft are not fully tested. Sometimes those updates, once you push them automatically, you have issues with your environment.
There needs to be a sandbox or something where you can fully test the update before sending it into a live environment so you know it's going to work properly.
We have about 2,000 users on the solution currently.
The support from Microsoft has been very good. We have found that Microsoft support staff are always available to assist many of our people. For remote assistance, they seem to optimize their services to ensure that they transfer skills to our technical staff. We're satisfied with the support they provide.
The initial setup took us a bit of time and we had to get support from Microsoft's office. We have a Microsoft support agreement which made the implementation itself not too complicated, however, we weren't without help. We figured out how to do things through Microsoft.
The entire deployment took about 30 or so days.
Microsoft directly assisted us with the product.
The ROI is good. Most operations that are running within System Center do alternate in the number of processes. Basically, it cuts down on the costs in terms of time and personnel. Most of the support is done remotely. That's cut down in terms of transport and in terms of fuel. The downtime is also minimal as we are able to attend to all faults that are reported.
We have an enterprise license, which is basically a three-year license. We pay on annual basis, however, it's a 3-year license. The initial payment paid for training and support as well as anything else we needed.
We are customers and end-users.
We are running on the 2016 version of the solution.
The System Center is a comprehensive solution that can help support the organization. It's easy. It's a product that can give you a good ROI while being stable to make sure that your environment is secure in terms of the DPM. It makes it much, much easier so you can deploy objects within very large environments. It's a great product for large organizations.
I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten.
I don't have administrator access, so I can't fully explore all the features, and it's hard for me to say what needs to be improved at this time.
I have used System Center for one year.
System Center is stable overall. I occasionally have some issues, but it's stable.
System Center is scalable.
Setting up System Center is easy. You only need to click through the steps on the installer, and it's done in under 10 minutes.
SCCM is expensive for me personally. However, I don't think it's unreasonable for a company.
The ability to manage our Hyper-V servers, from just one console is perfect!
As we are planning to move our hosted services in to the "cloud" System Center 2012 is the management platform solution that we need to achieve our goal.
Future versions should integrate "more" with non Microsoft Operating systems, whether its virtual machines or hypervisors.
When we received the news that Microsoft has released System Centre 2012, we quickly took the opportunity to look at what it has to offer. Compared to the early versions, System Center 2012 is a major breakthrough. It was very easy to install and even easier to configure. By setting up our own internal/private clouds we are able to have a more productive environment for ourselves and for our clients. We now have the ability to also manage our Linux servers which is one of the main reasons why we didn't look for an alternative product. With SP1 we are now able to manage our new deployed Windows Hyper-V 2012 servers directly with our existing Hyper-V servers.
