5 Best SCCM Alternatives

5 Best SCCM Alternatives

Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) enables the management, security, and deployment of applications and devices across an organization. It is commonly used for patch management, software distribution, and endpoint protection. Since SCCM is offered by Microsoft, it is trusted by hundreds of thousands of organizations and holds the position as one of the most popular systems management tools.

SCCM is undoubtedly one comprehensive systems management solution, but it does come with features limitations and OS support that force many organizations to look for alternative solutions. Moreover, there are many other powerful alternatives to SCCM that can even offer more user-friendly, cheap, and versatile solutions to organizations. Therefore, this article will present the 5 best SCCM alternatives selected based on their feature-rich offerings, user-friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and many other parameters.

The following are the 5 recommended and reliable SCCM alternatives:

1. Swimage

Swimage is another leading endpoint management solution that is trusted by many Fortune 100 companies, government agencies, and other organizations. It offers a complete PC lifecycle management from new provisioning, OS upgrades, and OS repairs to PC replacements and PC migrations. It offers intelligent, efficient, and secure solutions for common PC management use cases. Moreover, it also holds the reputation for being the only solution that can recover a PC securely to its fully operational status, restoring all apps, data, and settings within minutes and without any intervention.

Swimage is designed to either work stand-alone or in conjunction with any other systems management solution. It offers an automated and customized workflow to ensure successful deployments. Moreover, it keeps the data encrypted and intact during migration, deployment, or recovery no matter the encryption type. Similarly, it can convert encryption from one type to another without decrypting the device. The key features of Swimage include:

  • Unified solution for PC deployment, migration, and OS recovery
  • Manage remote PCs’ health and handle issues in minutes
  • Easy to install with minimal intervention
  • Rebuild a PC in minutes
  • Rollback to the previous OS within two minutes
  • Restore multiple PCs in parallel
  • Remove malware
  • Ransomware risk mitigation and recovery (full system rebuild)
  • PC encryption conversion with zero-touch automation
  • Real-time active deployment dashboard

Swimage is a complete solution for modernizing all aspects of the PC lifecycle no matter the size of the organization. Other than intelligent processes, it also offers activity reports quickly after deployments that narrate information about success criteria and similar other parameters. Organizations can test out Swimage offerings by requesting a demo.

2. SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor (NPM)

SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor (NPM) is one of the best SCCM alternatives, as it offers exceptional monitoring features for deeper network insights along with supporting network latency testing and link analysis. It is usable with all major platforms and can also be installed via AWS or Azure marketplaces.

SolarWinds NPM offers an intuitive user interface that anyone can use without any prior experience or training. Compared to SCCM, SolarWinds NPM offers many additional top-notch features, making it a complete network monitoring platform. For example, it offers performance, availability, and fault monitoring to make the detection and repair of network problems fast with minimal downtime. Depending on the license, it can scale to about 1 million elements per instance. The key features of SolarWinds NPM include:

  • Automated network discovery and mapping
  • Multi-vendor network monitoring
  • CMS distribution
  • Hop-by-hop monitoring and analysis
  • Wireless heatmaps
  • Customizable topology
  • Advanced alerts
  • Monitoring hardware status
  • Network insights
  • LAN monitoring

SolarWinds NPM can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud. It provides a one-stop place to access physical and logical network monitoring capabilities, thereby helping in monitoring the SDN environment's logical components. Moreover, it is also cheaper compared to SCCM and suits both small and large businesses. It is available for a 30-day free trial.

3. ManageEngine Endpoint Central

Known for simple and fast implementation, ManageEngine Endpoint Central is another powerful SCCM alternative. It is an all-in-one endpoint management solution that not just makes client and agent configuration easy but also simplifies software updates. For instance, Endpoint Central can quickly scan through the computer, look for the software updates, and then update the software to its latest version in minimal time and with no hefty configuration.

Endpoint Central offers a central place to manage desktops, laptops, servers, tablets, and smartphones. Compared to the traditional desktop management services, Endpoint Central offers more customization and depth. For example, it automates the regular endpoint management routines, such as deploying OS, deploying software, installing patches, etc. The key features of Endpoint Central include:

  • Automatic OS imaging and deployment
  • Troubleshoot remote desktops
  • Endpoint security by regularly monitoring browsers, accessing vulnerabilities, etc.
  • Manage hardware and software assets and track warranty/license
  • Configure, secure, and manage mobile devices
  • Automatic patch deployment for built-in and third-party applications
  • 4,500+ pre-defined application templates for effective software deployment
  • 25+ pre-defined configurations

Endpoint Central is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems and provides a single console to manage Android, iOS, and Windows smartphones/tablets. In short, it is a unified endpoint management platform that offers all the endpoint management capabilities organizations need today. It is available in 4 editions, where the free edition (best for SMBs) supports 25 computers and 25 smartphones.

4. NinjaOne Patch Management

NinjaOne Patch Management is also a trustworthy alternative to SCCM, ranked in the top tier for key features such as asset management, patch management, remote monitoring, and application deployment. It automates patching by automatically identifying and remediating vulnerabilities across the workstations and servers. Its cloud-native patching solution is designed to address the needs of the current work environment. For example, it can patch any endpoint whether in-house, in the field, or remote location, as all it demands is a stable internet connection.

NinjaOne Patch Management offers an ease-of-setup and ease-of-use support to simplify and automate patch management. It provides complete control and information on how every endpoint is patched, which includes patch identification, approval, and deployment schedules. It supports OS patching for Windows, Mac, and Linux from a single console. The key features of NinjaOne Patch Management include:

  • Automate identification, downloading, and deployment of patches of OS and applications
  • Patch 135+ third-party applications
  • Detailed reports on patch compliance status, known endpoint vulnerabilities, patch deployments, etc.
  • No VPN, company network, or domain required for patching
  • Cost-friendly due to cloud-based patching
  • Remote monitoring and management
  • System backups

NinjaOne also offers detailed insights on the performance and health of every endpoint so that users can have a clear glimpse of vulnerable and protected devices. In short, NinjaOne Patch Management provides IT teams the tools to automate patching across endpoints and also gives insights to know the endpoint vulnerabilities, all under a unified platform. It is accessible right away with the free trial.

5. JumpCloud

As the name implies, JumpCloud is a cloud-based unified device and identity management platform that changes the way IT team handles their organizations. It provides an all-in-one place to manage user identifies, access resources, secure Windows, Mac, and Linux devices, and get a comprehensive view of the organization environment.

Being a cloud directory platform, JumpCloud offers an intuitive web interface and modern console for IT operations and management across users and resources. It offers secure credentials for every user to streamline accessing workflows and onboarding/offboarding users. Moreover, another main feature of JumpCloud is its support for mixed-platform environments, which is absent in SCCM. The key features of JumpCloud include:

  • Cloud-based unified device management
  • User lifecycle management across SSO applications
  • API automation and tools
  • Secure server and app authentication via cloud LDAP
  • Secure network authentication via cloud RADIUS
  • Event monitoring and reporting
  • Integration with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Active Directory

JumpCloud also helps in implementing the modern Zero Trust security framework, thereby configuring devices via templated policies, such as encryption of full disk, etc. Moreover, it also supports exporting event, directory, and device data for auditing or fulfilling compliance needs. It is accessible right away with the free trial.

Wrapping Up

Microsoft SCCM has a large consumer base, but it does not fit the needs of all types of organizations. The above-listed 5 alternatives of SCCM are considered the best systems management platforms owing to feature-rich offerings, user-friendliness, high performance, and cost-effectiveness. So, the recommended approach is to shortlist 2-3 platforms, experience their offerings, and then finalize the solution that fits best with the organization's systems management needs.

5 Best SCCM Alternatives

Copyright © 2022 All rights reserved.

5 Best SCCM Alternatives

Copyright © 2022 All rights reserved.