The numerous benefits offered and realized by using Microsoft System Center!
May 18, 2022

The numerous benefits offered and realized by using Microsoft System Center!

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Software Version

Datacenter Edition

Overall Satisfaction with Microsoft System Center

We have a large group of users over several buildings that require management. We use SCCM to control the device drivers and software that are deployed to different groups. This allows us to have unique offerings to the different groups of users, ex: Teaching staff, maintenance staff, different grade levels for students, etc. This also allows us to do a clean wipe of the machines if they become corrupt or abused by the user. The product also makes it easier to repurpose desktops and notebooks, allowing for us to clear a machine and install new programs as needed. Another nice feature is the ability to update operating systems and software versions via SCCM.
  • Allows the grouping of devices by user.
  • Allows controlling updates being deployed to user devices.
  • Allows for the repurposing of machines by being able to load new or updated software on machines that already are in the system.
  • Allows us the ability to wipe a machine clean and restore it back to the configuration that was assigned the machine.
  • The end-user should be able to update the base system (SCCM) much easier than is currently allowed.
  • Searching across the different levels of device groups would make locating a single computer much easier.
  • Because our version is an older release this concern may have already been resolved. Often after we've done considerable re-imaging our unit requires a reboot to bring all of the services back online.
  • The imaging aspect of SCCM is a major plus.
  • The ability to log into a desktop remotely for support is very helpful.
  • The ability to update and install existing or new applications is a big time saver.
  • We achieved a savings by no longer having to purchase desktop management software from 3rd party vendors.
  • We achieved a savings because of the time saved with tech's being able to re-image a machine to it's original configuration in minutes rather than hours of service time.
  • We are able to manage and view current configurations of desktops and laptops throughout the district from the SCCM management console.
We have used Ghost from Symantec (licensed), FOG and Clonezilla which are freeware products. All three products had their pros and cons. The two freeware products were functional but did lack some polish, and Ghost was a good product for imaging of desktop computers. All did their job but Microsoft System Center while a more expensive cloning / imaging program really excelled by all of the other features it brought to the table. It allowed for very extensive image capabilities, as well as very strong desktop device management and organization. Being able to remote directly into a users desktop and controlling the desktop is a feature well worth having. We were able to eliminate buying licenses for desktop imaging, remote access, and desktop auditing by rolling them all into the services Microsoft System Center offers.

Do you think Microsoft System Center delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Microsoft System Center's feature set?

Yes

Did Microsoft System Center live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Microsoft System Center go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Microsoft System Center again?

Yes

We used a product before that was designed to prevent users making changes and saving files to the desktop computer. This required a renewal of the license. By using SCCM in our environment we were able to discontinue using that product because SCCM allows us to completely restore a machine back to the original configuration. We have taught our users to save their individual work on either a network drive or a cloud drive. By doing this, if we do a re-image of their machine they have lost no data, and it makes for a faster resolution. In some instances having a computer in our SCCM environment it can become cumbersome when creating new users for very specific purposes. It can be done by creating new organizational units and applying new policies but when in a pinch it can be frustrating. For the most part we have tried to make "new" purpose images and groups to at least accommodate a quick install.