


AWS CloudFormation and AWS Systems Manager compete in the infrastructure and management services category. CloudFormation holds the upper hand due to its extensive automation and infrastructure as code capabilities.
Features: AWS CloudFormation offers valuable features such as infrastructure as code, nested stacks, and scalability options for quick deployment and resource control. Its verbose yet comprehensive template system is highlighted by users. AWS Systems Manager provides secure parameter management, robust automation features, and seamless integration with AWS services, appreciated for its flexibility in managing resources.
Room for Improvement: AWS CloudFormation faces criticism for its complexity and AWS exclusivity, limiting its viability for multi-cloud environments. Suggestions for better error handling and more comprehensive documentation remain common. AWS Systems Manager could enhance its automation tools, improve integration with third-party systems, and simplify patch management processes. Expanding OS coverage in patch management and incorporating agentless operations are noted areas for development.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: AWS CloudFormation, primarily used in public cloud settings, is robust in deployment but complex for non-coders. It receives mixed reviews regarding customer support response time and expertise. AWS Systems Manager is favored for its simple setup and efficient customer support, though it also operates predominantly in the cloud. Both services provide strong support, but CloudFormation often demands more technical expertise for optimal use.
Pricing and ROI: Both AWS CloudFormation and Systems Manager are cost-effective, linked to their pay-as-you-go models. CloudFormation incurs no cost for infrastructure management but charges for deployed resources, appealing to companies focused on ROI. Systems Manager, nearly cost-free with AWS EC2 usage, faces issues with unexpected price surges and cost notifications. Both services deliver significant ROI, although CloudFormation's templated deployment is attractive to organizations emphasizing rapid recovery and resource optimization.
Everything we've gained from it makes my job easier day after day, and I see value in it as an engineer.
Microsoft Intune not only saves costs by reducing the number of personnel needed but also offers a comprehensive solution for managing laptops, applications, security, individual access, and enrollment.
With Microsoft Intune, tasks such as device provisioning, policy deployment, application delivery, and compliance enforcement require less manual effort than in more traditional management models.
When a support ticket is submitted, it directly reaches someone with Intune support expertise.
When I contacted Microsoft, they had the same expertise, if not more, which is phenomenal because I felt heard and my problem was solved.
Sometimes, the support provided is excellent, and the representative is knowledgeable, while other times, the service needs improvement.
While this might be acceptable for some, it can be lengthy depending on the urgency of the issue.
Free support for AWS CloudFormation is not provided, and while some support is understandable due to its complexity, assistance for service-related issues should be accessible without a cost.
The scalability of Microsoft Intune is ten out of ten.
Ideally, we want to automatically segregate devices based on user properties like primary use, but currently, dynamic groups seem limited to device properties.
It supports organizations with 200 endpoints and those with more than 15,000 endpoints.
Splitting CloudFormation into multiple formations results in changes to resources like API gateway URLs and Cognito pools, which causes issues, especially when trying to maintain consistency across resources.
Adjusting capacity and functionality is a fundamental use.
We have not experienced downtime, bugs, or glitches.
It appears Microsoft Intune undergoes changes without informing customers.
In my experience, Microsoft Intune is a stable platform as it is a cloud-based service, and updates are regularly delivered by Microsoft.
It has been reliable and efficient in all my deployments.
Data loss can occur when splitting or scaling applications due to changes in resources.
It's a service that has been around for years, and it handles large complex deployments and updates with very good consistency.
Features like unlocking devices sometimes fail, and the support offered for other operating systems is insufficient.
There are communication issues, so you might start working with a feature without knowing if it will be deprecated six months from now.
Many third-party companies offer single-pane-of-glass reporting that shows you what your update environment looks like, how your patch is doing, application status, etc., but Intune's reporting is not intuitive.
It presents challenges for users unfamiliar with coding, posing as a barrier to fully utilizing CloudFormation.
Creating microservices and connecting multiple APIs into a single API gateway can be challenging; documentation should address specific needs.
Managing the correct order of resource creation and some updates can be tricky, especially with interdependent resources.
Introductory professional services, like a fast-track service, were included with our E5 membership, and there have been no additional costs.
The Intune suite and add-ons, such as batch management and remote help, are costly.
It costs approximately forty euros per user per month.
AWS CloudFormation is free.
While using AWS Systems Manager, we continually monitor to optimize costs according to our use case, time, and frequency.
Intune excels in configuration and compliance management for Windows 10, ensuring devices receive timely updates and adhere to organizational standards.
Dynamic groups allow us to set conditions for automatic membership, eliminating the need for user intervention or manual review and ensuring a seamless workflow.
Windows Autopatch is the most valuable because it removes the burden of patch management.
I can see the entire infrastructure and its connections through code.
Managing, maintaining, and deploying become easier as it allows the creation of the same resources on multiple accounts, making it efficient for infrastructure management.
AWS Systems Manager's most valuable feature is its ability to dynamically export and import values in various AWS accounts.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Intune | 5.4% |
| AWS CloudFormation | 4.4% |
| AWS Systems Manager | 5.1% |
| Other | 85.1% |

| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 151 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 60 |
| Large Enterprise | 177 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 15 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 8 |
| Large Enterprise | 17 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 6 |
| Large Enterprise | 7 |
Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based service designed for device management, security, and compliance. It supports automation and facilitates endpoint management for Windows, iOS, and Android devices, ensuring data protection and efficient policy enforcement.
Microsoft Intune offers seamless integration with tools like Windows Autopilot to automate device setup and deployment. Integrated with Azure Active Directory, it enhances policy management while providing robust reporting and analytics tools for compliance tracking. Despite its intuitive interface aimed at simplifying navigation and device security management, there are challenges such as compatibility issues with Linux and Mac, limited policy support for Android, and demands for better third-party integration. It's widely used for both corporate-owned devices and BYOD scenarios in dynamic IT environments.
What are the key features of Microsoft Intune?In industries such as finance and healthcare, Microsoft Intune is implemented to ensure data protection and compliance with regulatory standards. Manufacturing sectors utilize Intune for managing a distributed workforce across global locations, while educational institutions employ it to secure and manage devices in learning environments supporting both students and faculty.
AWS CloudFormation provides scalable automation for infrastructure management using infrastructure as code principles while supporting JSON/YAML templates, empowering teams to efficiently manage resources across multiple AWS regions.
Designed to enhance efficiency, AWS CloudFormation simplifies resource management through automation, versioning, and template creation. Its integration within AWS accelerates setup and management of infrastructure by facilitating modular design and parameter management. DevOps teams benefit from these capabilities, easing deployment across complex environments. Despite its strengths, it could improve by enhancing speed, better error handling, user interface improvements, documentation, and integrating new AWS services while addressing licensing costs. Multi-cloud compatibility remains absent, which has some opting for alternatives like Terraform for broader deployment scenarios.
What are the key features of AWS CloudFormation?In industries like finance and healthcare, AWS CloudFormation automates infrastructure deployment, managing resources such as VPCs and EC2 efficiently. DevOps teams use it to ensure consistency through templates, facilitating quick, reliable service deployments while reducing manual error risks and enhancing scalability.
AWS Systems Manager automates infrastructure tasks like patching and configuration, securely integrates with AWS services, and enhances security with its Session Manager. It efficiently manages parameters and dynamic values across accounts, supporting Terraform for infrastructure provisioning.
AWS Systems Manager centralizes management tasks such as patch management, compliance enforcement, and log diagnostics. It enables secure access without SSH keys via Session Manager. With Parameter Store, it manages sensitive data, while automation with runbooks streamlines processes. Its integration capabilities support deployment automation with AWS Lambda, and it efficiently handles dynamic value export, role deployment, and cross-account configuration management.
What features are most important?AWS Systems Manager is implemented across industries for infrastructure management and automation, enabling organizations to execute tasks like patch management and compliance enforcement. For example, in IT, it's utilized to enhance security management and scale operations, while in finance, it supports efficient deployment and data management, showcasing its adaptability in diverse sectors.
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