SCCM Software Inventory Management
Integrate SCCM asset inventory with flexibility
Even when your organization uses Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM), software inventory management can be a complicated ordeal. SolarWinds® Patch Manager makes it easy by offering flexible integration options between SCCM and the SolarWinds extension pack.
With Patch Manager, you can integrate Microsoft SCCM by either installing Patch Manager directly to the SCCM server or by integrating it onto your organization's host server. With this increased autonomy, you don’t need to worry about wasting hours trying to roll out SCCM extensions; you can get right to monitoring your software inventory with SCCM.
Manage SCCM inventory with granularity
The Microsoft SCCM solution is an excellent tool for IT teams to simply collect software inventory data, but it doesn’t allow users to dynamically inspect and manage that data. With SolarWinds Patch Manager, IT admins can use more granular management capabilities to inspect the software. Use Patch Manager to simplify notifications, synchronize devices, deploy more inventory cycles, and more. In addition, the Patch Management dashboard can filter views of your available updates and IT environment, allowing you more visibility into systems, so you can make better decisions for patching, updating, and licensing.
Improve software health with SCCM asset inventory
SCCM file inventory can provide some client health data, but without the SolarWinds Patch Manager extension pack for SCCM software inventory, it may not be possible to fully diagnose and address any issues that arise in your software. Patch Manager helps you diagnose and repair software issues more efficiently and quickly—whether you’re on a local enterprise network or working within the cloud. Patch Manager makes it easy by allowing you to diagnose and repair issues all through a single interface.
Patch Manager is also designed to diagnose and repair Windows Update Agents and Windows Management Instrumentation on managed clients in a network. This helps ensure that updates install successfully based on the schedule you set.
Get More on SCCM Software Inventory Management
What is SCCM software inventory?
In general, software inventory management refers to the practice of keeping a record of all software and applications used within an IT environment. It is a part of the overarching IT asset management process that enables admins to track their software by type, size, data, vendor, and other related attributes of software installations.
In a similar sense, SCCM software inventory is the process of using Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager to gather information about software and hardware inventory data on your network. Generally, SCCM is designed to monitor Windows software and programs, but it can extend into other vendors and operating systems as well. With effective SCCM software inventory, you can better understand the software, patches, and updates installed across your network. SCCM software inventory can help improve your application management efforts, potentially resulting in improved functionality and security.
How does SCCM software inventory work?
SCCM software inventory works by using functions of Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager software management suite to gather application data from Windows-based computers. To do this properly, your machines must have a SCCM client agent installed. This helps the machines communicate with the SCCM server. IT admins can then configure these deployments to monitor the applications and software running on their networks.
Once SCCM runs a software inventory cycle and has stored your software data, there are a few ways to view the resulting data. You can create queries or run query-based collections to view devices with specified files. Additionally, you can run reports that provide details about certain files on a device or use the Microsoft Resource Explorer to examine detailed information about the files that were inventoried and collected from network devices.
What are the benefits of having SCCM software inventory management?
SCCM software inventory management makes it easier for IT admins to integrate device settings management and protection across mobile, physical, and virtual environments. With a more unified IT management infrastructure, admins can better calculate their software's value. In addition, this can help organizations keep tabs on when critical software needs to be updated or if a license needs to be extended. There are also major security benefits, as missing updates and patches can pose a risk for many organizations. A clear inventory helps admins understand and mitigate any current security risks or gaps across the network. Additionally, with better SCCM software inventory management, IT admins can centralize and simplify the administration of client systems while obtaining improved visibility into software data.
How does SCCM software inventory work with Patch Manager?
SCCM is a limited tool by itself, and as such, organizations need to utilize SolarWinds Patch Manager to extend its capabilities.
Depending on your preferences, you can integrate Patch Manager with SCCM in two configurations: either on a SCCM server, or on your host server. In either scenario, Patch Manager is designed to ensure SCCM and host server communications remain intact by having the Administrator Console communicate with the Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) servers and the SCCM console communicate with the WSUS servers through the SCCM server. Patch Manager does not modify the SCCM server, but it does integrate with the ribbon-style menus in the Configuration Manager console to extend its functionality.
This integration helps solve several limitations admins typically experience with SCCM. For example, SCCM does not offer real-time data. Inventory cycles are generally updated during scheduled intervals and will typically not run more than a few times a day. This means your IT team might not always have accurate insights into critical software data. To address this issue, admins can use the Patch Manager to run SCCM more frequently and gain more real-time visibility into application changes. This allows you to track performance issues on targeted machines with more flexibility.
With better insights into software and hardware inventory, Patch Manager can also empower users to create a third-party updates view, manage publishing servers, or import and export catalogs as needed.
What other patching features does Patch Manager have?
In addition to serving as a SCCM software inventory management tool, SolarWinds Patch Manager is a robust suite that offers users many other solutions. Users can integrate the Patch Manager with Microsoft Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) to improve their compliance management and reporting. It also offers an extension to manage third-party patches as well.
Additionally, IT teams can use customizable reporting and dashboards, which allows you to track the status of patches and system updates during various stages of development.
Related Features and Tools
Other SolarWinds Tools to Help Manage or Monitor IT Asset Inventory:
Related Features:
- SCCM Hardware Inventory
- Application Patch Management
- SCCM Patch Management for Third Party Patching
- Virtual Patching for Endpoint Security
- SCCM Alternative
- Software Deployment Tool
- Remote Patch Management
What is SCCM software inventory?
In general, software inventory management refers to the practice of keeping a record of all software and applications used within an IT environment. It is a part of the overarching IT asset management process that enables admins to track their software by type, size, data, vendor, and other related attributes of software installations.
In a similar sense, SCCM software inventory is the process of using Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager to gather information about software and hardware inventory data on your network. Generally, SCCM is designed to monitor Windows software and programs, but it can extend into other vendors and operating systems as well. With effective SCCM software inventory, you can better understand the software, patches, and updates installed across your network. SCCM software inventory can help improve your application management efforts, potentially resulting in improved functionality and security.
Choose a robust, reliable SCCM software inventory management tool
Patch Manager
- Get in-depth visibility for effective software monitoring.
- Integrate Patch Manager with SCCM in a way that works for your organization.
- Leverage insights on your software health to make better decisions.
Starts at $2,187
Subscription and Perpetual Licensing options available
