In the field of IT configuration and update management, Microsoft Configuration Manager and Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) both offer distinct capabilities. Microsoft Configuration Manager has the upper hand with its extensive features and scalability, suiting enterprises with complex IT infrastructures.
Features: Microsoft Configuration Manager provides software deployment, patch management, operating system deployment, a centralized console, integration with Intune, and hardware/software inventory. WSUS specializes in facilitating cost-effective updates for Microsoft products with minimal additional licensing requirements.
Room for Improvement: Microsoft Configuration Manager could benefit from better PowerShell integration, more streamlined application deployment, and improved compliance reporting. Users of WSUS express the need for more flexible reporting, an easier setup process, and broader support for non-Microsoft operating systems like Linux.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both solutions are primarily deployed on-premises with some hybrid cloud use. While Configuration Manager offers centralized management, it faces challenges in setup complexity and resource requirements. Users find customer service generally positive, though there are occasional reports of inconsistent response times.
Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Configuration Manager involves significant investment with a complex licensing structure, justified by automation and management efficiency gains. WSUS is included with Windows Server, providing an economical option with no extra licensing fees, leading to higher ROI for basic update needs.
Microsoft Configuration Manager helps IT manage PCs and servers, keeping software up-to-date, setting configuration and security policies, and monitoring system status while giving employees access to corporate applications on the devices that they choose. When Configuration Manager is integrated with Microsoft Intune, you can manage corporate-connected PCs and Macs along with cloud-based mobile devices running Windows, iOS, and Android, all from a single management console.
New features of Configuration Manager, such as the support of Windows 10 in-place upgrade, co-management with Microsoft Intune, Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise Servicing Dashboard, integration with Windows Update for Business, and more make deploying and managing Windows easier than ever before.
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is a patch management tool that simplifies the administrator’s task of deploying the latest Microsoft updates. Administrators use WSUS to manage the distribution of updates released through Microsoft Update to computers in their network.
WSUS has features you can use to manage and distribute updates from a management console. The WSUS server can also be a source of updates to other servers within the organization, acting as an upstream server.
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services Use Cases
The four main use cases that WSUS adds value to businesses are:
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services Features
This built-in server includes the following features:
Requirements
In order to be able to use WSUS to manage and deploy updates, it is important to use a supported WSUS version, such as:
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services Benefits
Different Types of WSUS Deployments
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