Ivanti Security Controls vs Microsoft Configuration Manager comparison

Ivanti Security Controls vs. Microsoft Configuration Manager

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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

Ivanti Security Controls

Ranking in Patch Management

12th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Microsoft Configuration Man...

Ranking in Patch Management

2nd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Software Distribution (2nd), Server Monitoring (5th), Configuration Management (4th)

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Patch Management category, the mindshare of Ivanti Security Controls is 2.2%, down from 3.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Configuration Manager is 7.0%, down from 13.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Patch Management Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Microsoft Configuration Manager	7.0%
Ivanti Security Controls	2.2%
Other	90.8%

Patch Management

Featured Reviews

Chethan R

Windows Security Patching Operation III (Cyber Operations) at CBTS

Has reduced hardware strain through agentless patching and improved asset visibility

This solution does not have capability of managing applications. It is only used for asset management and patch management. Regarding analytics for Ivanti Security Controls, it does not have extensive capabilities. It is a basic tool from Ivanti for scanning and deploying. It does not have analytics features such as EDR or security tools available in the market. It only has capability to check missing patches, find them, and deploy them. When it comes to reports, compliance reports or similar types of reports are not user-friendly. Expertise is required for handling these aspects. The asset management in Ivanti Security Controls needs more visibility. Additionally, it can be improved to handle in-house applications, which currently cannot be installed. It can only handle existing applications, unlike Ivanti's Endpoint Manager. It should have additional features in this area that need improvement.

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Narendar S

Senior System Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

Centralized endpoint control has streamlined deployments and improved security compliance

In my experience, the best features of Microsoft Configuration Manager are software deployments and updates, OSD, hardware and software inventory, compliance and configuration baseline, reporting and monitoring, and integration with Intune hybrid management. These features make endpoint management efficient and scalable. The feature I rely on the most day-to-day is software deployment and patch management. It keeps endpoints updated and secure with minimal manual effort. Inventory and compliance monitoring are also important, but daily deployments are critical. Microsoft Configuration Manager has had a significant positive impact on our organization in several ways: improved efficiency, enhanced security and compliance, standardization, scalability, and visibility reporting. Overall, Microsoft Configuration Manager has helped us save time, reduce risk, improve operational efficiency, and maintain strong control over our endpoints. One of the biggest impacts Microsoft Configuration Manager has had on efficiency is the reduced manual work for software deployment and patching. For example, deploying a new application or security updates to hundreds or thousands of devices previously required several days of manual effort, including running scripts, checking devices individually, and validating installation. With Microsoft Configuration Manager, these tasks are automated and managed, allowing deployments to complete in hours rather than days. We also have automated reporting for deployment success and compliance which saved the IT team significant time that used to be spent gathering and reconciling inventory data from multiple tools.

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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

"Ivanti Security Controls is an agentless tool which means we do not need to install any agent on the server or endpoint, and through agentless capabilities, it can install software, install patches, and control over the server, including asset management."

"What has been most valuable is the ability to manage, restore and install upgrades and applications. We scan PCs and server and receive results."

"Technical support is helpful and responsive."

"Ivanti Security Controls is a better solution than SCCM."

"I like the data collection."

"Technical support is very helpful and very responsive."

"By putting this solution in place and ensuring that the latest security patches are installed, you are no longer vulnerable to this virus and your computer operates at an optimal speed, so you maintain security and the best performance of your systems."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is its ability to deploy patches to nearly all applications."

"The product is very stable compared to older versions."

"MECM has given us many benefits, but the main benefit is that we no longer have to deploy software manually onto hard drives or with USB flash drives, and instead you can do everything over the network."

"It gives us the ability to set up schedules, according to what our security requirements are, to automate the patching of our servers and desktops."

"There is a faster time to rollout, and if we get a new PC, it can be ready for productivity right away."

More Microsoft Configuration Manager pros

Cons

"It should be more scalable."

"For the Windows upgrade, the errors we experience are not clear. We see a time out error but do not know the reason. We would like to know the root cause."

"Ivanti Security Controls is a powerful product, but it has quite a steep learning curve."

"When it comes to reports, compliance reports or similar types of reports are not user-friendly. Expertise is required for handling these aspects."

"The endpoint configuration is very convoluted to implement."

"SCCM is a high CPU/memory consuming application and so it would be fine that Microsoft could improve performances."

"It would be of benefit if Configuration Manager could be connected/integrated with multiple Microsoft Intune subscriptions rather than just one (the current limit)."

"The solution is a bit heavy on the sources such as RAM or CPU and the software needs to be a bit lighter."

"It is a bit of an old and outdated product."

"There are also some limitations of Intune, such as the inability to deploy operating systems the traditional way via task sequences, making it such that we have to use Autopilot to deploy operating systems."

"The solution can be improved by speeding up the synchronizing of the policies on the devices."

"They should improve their anti-malware policies like the SCEP policies. For instance, you can't have different policies for different servers, there is only one policy in all the servers, and everything is covered under that. For example, say you want to scan one group of servers on Saturday, and then you want to scan another group of servers on Sunday, you can't do that. You have to scan all your servers, a regular scan or a full scan, on the same day and at the same time. That's definitely one thing they need to resolve. In the next release, it would actually be nice if they included Apple products. It will also help if you can use Intune again. Their compliance reporting feature could also be better. They can maybe work a bit on that for patching now. It would be better if SCCM came with the functions of Right Click Tools built-in. If SCCM would have all those functions already built-in, we won't have to go and spend $5,000, just as an add-in from another company to get those functions."

More Microsoft Configuration Manager cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"The solution operates on a licensing model that can be expensive."

"Pricing and licensing are a downside of SCCM. It's expensive. I'd have to confirm this, but I think they changed the licensing to core-based instead of socket-based. It's not cheap, because you have to buy the software, you have to buy SQL. Another thing we learned from talking to Microsoft is that they provide you a license for SQL if you run it on the same box as the primary server. If you run it outside that box, you have to buy SQL. Microsoft does recommend you running it on the same box because of performance. But then, in order to run SQL, SCCM, and everything on the same box, you better have some resources. It's an expensive solution. There's no doubt about it."

"Overall, I think it's fine. It's pretty much in-line because there are ways to offset it with the Office 365 licensing."

"It comes free with the Microsoft account. We have a yearly agreement, and all products are covered under it."

"Microsoft provides a steep price for their enterprise products, but they offer very competitive pricing for their legacy customers."

"The price model is different for every client."

"The price is competitive and reasonable."

"For enterprises, there is an annual license required to use this solution. The price of the solution could be cheaper. However, this is mostly because of the exchange rate from the dollar to the Nigerian currency."

More Microsoft Configuration Manager pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Outsourcing Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

12%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	20
Midsize Enterprise	13
Large Enterprise	69

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Ivanti Security Controls?

Ivanti Security Controls is a powerful product, but it has quite a steep learning curve. There is quite a lot to learn, though it proves to be very powerful if you put in the time to learn how to u...

What is your primary use case for Ivanti Security Controls?

We are using Ivanti Security Controls for deploying Windows updates to Windows servers.

What advice do you have for others considering Ivanti Security Controls?

I am currently working with Ivanti Security Controls as a customer. I think Ivanti Security Controls is an effective product for this purpose. I would give tech support for Ivanti Security Controls...

How does Ansible compare to Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (SCCM)?

Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager takes knowledge and research to properly configure. The length of time that the set up will take depends on the kind of technical architecture that your org...

How to choose between ManageEngine Desktop Central and Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (formerly SCCM)?

ManageEngine Desktop Central is very easy to set up, is scalable, stable, and also has very good patch management. What I like most about ManageEngine is that I can log on to every PC very easily a...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SCCM?

The setup cost is considered sufficient. It is not significant enough for us to consider a change at the moment.

Microsoft Windows Server Update Services vs Ivanti Security Controls

Comparisons

Compared 14% of the time

Ivanti Neurons for Patch Management vs Ivanti Security Controls

Compared 13% of the time

PDQ Deploy vs Ivanti Security Controls

Compared 7% of the time

Ivanti Patch for Endpoint Manager vs Ivanti Security Controls

Compared 7% of the time

Ivanti Neurons Patch for Intune vs Ivanti Security Controls

Compared 6% of the time

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Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform vs Microsoft Configuration Manager

Compared 6% of the time

PDQ Deploy vs Microsoft Configuration Manager

Compared 4% of the time

Tanium vs Microsoft Configuration Manager

Compared 3% of the time

BigFix vs Microsoft Configuration Manager

Compared 3% of the time

Microsoft Intune vs Microsoft Configuration Manager

Compared 3% of the time

More Microsoft Configuration Manager Competitors

Product Reports

Patch Management

Download Ivanti Security Controls product report

Microsoft Configuration Manager

Download Microsoft Configuration Manager product report

Also Known As

No data available

Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager, System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM ), Microsoft SMS

Overview

Ivanti Security Controls delivers a reliable, stable setup for managing and installing upgrades and applications, featuring agentless operation and comprehensive reporting. It's preferred by data centers for efficiently addressing vulnerabilities through agentless solutions and backend scripting.

Ivanti Security Controls is instrumental in deploying updates to servers and workstations, effectively managing Microsoft and non-Microsoft patches. Teams leverage its centralized console for efficiency, conducting vulnerability scans and deploying patches based on detected issues. Users appreciate its responsive support and backend scripting capabilities, finding it essential for streamlining patching tasks and addressing vulnerabilities. Areas for improvement include cloud capabilities, logging, and scalability, with users seeking more intuitive report designs, enhanced documentation, and improved application management. Error messages during Windows upgrades need clarity, and more visibility in asset management is desired.

What are the most important features of Ivanti Security Controls?

Agentless Operation: Minimizes system resource usage, enhancing operational efficiency.
Comprehensive Reporting: Offers in-depth insights into security status and system vulnerabilities.
Patch and Asset Management: Simplifies the management of software updates and inventory tracking.
Credential Management: Ensures secure handling of sensitive access information.
PowerShell Script Execution: Allows automated tasks and customized scripting for tailored solutions.

What benefits should users look for in Ivanti Security Controls?

Operational Efficiency: Streamlines update processes, saving time and resources.
Enhanced Security: Improves system safety by addressing vulnerabilities quickly.
Responsive Support: Assists quickly in troubleshooting and resolving user issues.
Centralized Management: Offers a unified platform for managing updates and patches across systems.
Visibility into Vulnerabilities: Provides insights to tackle potential security threats effectively.

Ivanti Security Controls sees extensive use in industries requiring robust patch management and vulnerability scanning, notably in data centers where maintaining security and efficiency is critical. Its ability to deploy updates seamlessly makes it a valuable tool for sectors focused on IT infrastructure management.

Ivanti

Microsoft Configuration Manager streamlines IT management with features such as software deployment, patch management, and automation, centralizing operations for Windows environments. Integration with Microsoft products allows efficient oversight of workstations and servers.

Microsoft Configuration Manager provides comprehensive IT management, offering software deployment, patch management, and application pushing. Automation reduces manual tasks, ensuring consistency across systems. Centralized management enables standardized OS deployments, application updates, and configuration integrity. Integration with Microsoft products facilitates seamless operations, while hardware and software inventory, compliance reporting, and remote control functions enhance IT management. Users seek improvements in application deployment for those without deep scripting knowledge and desire better WSUS control, PowerShell and Intune integration, Linux compatibility, and user interface enhancements. Performance improvements are requested for remote user management and third-party application support.

What features enhance Microsoft Configuration Manager?

Software Deployment: Efficiently distribute software across large networks.
Patch Management: Automate and streamline update processes for security and functionality.
Automation Capabilities: Reduce manual effort and enhance consistency in IT tasks.
Centralized Management: Standardize OS deployments and application updates.
Integration with Microsoft Products: Seamless operation with existing Microsoft infrastructure.
Hardware and Software Inventory: Comprehensive tracking for assets and resources.
Compliance Reporting: Ensure compliance with internal and external standards.
Remote Control Functions: Enhance support and troubleshooting capabilities.

What benefits should users expect when evaluating Microsoft Configuration Manager?

Decreased Manual Work: Automation reduces time spent on repetitive tasks.
Enhanced Security: Automated patch management keeps systems secure.
Consistent Configurations: Centralized updates ensure uniformity across systems.
Improved Integration: Seamless operation within Microsoft ecosystems boosts productivity.
Comprehensive Oversight: Detailed inventory and reporting tools aid in strategic planning.
Streamlined Support: Remote capabilities improve IT support and user satisfaction.

Microsoft Configuration Manager is widely implemented in organizations to manage Windows workstations and servers. It is essential for deploying operating systems and applications, managing software updates, and conducting hardware and software inventories. The tool is crucial for endpoint and configuration management, ensuring compliance, and automating processes like patching and vulnerability management. Industries such as finance, healthcare, and education rely on Microsoft Configuration Manager to keep systems secure and operational, adapting it to address their specific needs and challenges in maintaining diversified IT environments.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Bank Alfalah Ltd., Wªrth Handelsges.m.b.H, Dimension Data, Japan Business Systems, St. Lucie County Public Schools, MISC Berhad

Ivanti Security Controls vs. Microsoft Configuration Manager