ManageEngine AssetExplorer vs. Microsoft System Center Service Manager

The purchase order module can be very useful if you put a process in place. It is miles ahead of using a spreadsheet or something simple to do purchase orders and track spending. It can be good to keep track of equipment and software you have in house. However it is imperative you have dedicated staff and processes in place to maximize the utility of the software else it can become a white elephant if not implemented properly as it is a complex piece of software that does many things.

Incentivized

I think any organization that runs windows on their computers that is size over 50 workstations and looking for a complete package to manage their windows machines must have Microsoft System Center Service Manager, especially if they have Windows servers and VMs. The capability of managing multiple devices at ones can save a lot of time for the IT jobs.

Incentivized

• The asset discovery across the network is great.
• The periodic scanning and updating of asset status is super valuable.
• The software discovery is outstanding. Receiving list of installed software helps greatly with license compliance.

Incentivized

• This tool is used to track support requests among our IT staff.
• We use this tool to automate some more routine tasks.

Incentivized

• You can fill the database and link it.
• You can also add assets that aren't connected with the offline script, I would prefer to get a .exe but this import XML works well.
• All is handled via the web, I would prefer a GUI standalone client.

Incentivized

• Kind of clunky.
• Takes a lot a lot a lot of configuration.
• There is a lot of jargon to learn to be able to use it to its full ability.

Incentivized

It is not a perfect solution. I don't believe it is the best software for some of the components it offers but I do like and appreciate what it does offer. It offers complexity and a range of features for a company to take advantage of if planned and implemented properly.

Incentivized

The customer support service is excellent. They help from start/deployment through to any time later on. They responded quickly and resolved our issues professionally and in no time.

Incentivized

Altiris is very daunting for users that have never worked with it. AssetExplorer was much easier to use for our team that had no experience with asset management.

Incentivized

We selected MCSM because it is a solid product that we could use very quickly, compared to other tools there is a lot more effort for integration into the infrastructure, costing time and money. We implemented the tool very quickly and since it integrates with other Microsoft products, it was very easy to get up and running.

Incentivized

• Allow us to stay in compliance with licensing requirements. We usually have just the right amount of licenses +2 or 3. We don't have to guess on where we are.
• Allows us identify older assets and proactively replace them. Reduces downtime.
• No negative impacts I can think of.

Incentivized

• Save a world of time when imaging
• Save a world of time with patch management
• Provides decent reports to get a snapshot quickly

Incentivized