When organizations consider their options for managing users' endpoints, it's imperative to select desktop management software by looking into specific features, integrations and licensing models.

The challenge for years has been managing mobile devices, desktops and related software alongside one another, because often times they each require separate tools. Over the years, these specialized tools evolved into a more universal platform called unified endpoint management (UEM) .

UEM contains several product categories each with unique specialties.

Security is not a distinct category, but UEM includes it to some degree in each offering -- sometimes as an add-on.

It can be confusing, as vendors developed the products separately before converging them into a single UEM product. However, some products still list the above acronyms while describing individual features. For example, MDM may be listed as a specific product on a vendor's website, but it is sold as part of the UEM product; the MDM part can't be split out. However, there are narrower products that do address individual functions, such as Microsoft's System Configuration Manager, which is a desktop management tool and not Microsoft's fully-fledged UEM product.

While UEM is a combination of existing platforms in many ways, there can be value in using the more specialized management platforms -- such as MDM and IAM -- for a more focused approach to each aspect of end-user management. Organizations may like a key feature from one MDM vendor's platform, but the desktop management capabilities from another.

For organizations focusing on what they need for desktop management, it's worthwhile to review the products in terms of their desktop management capabilities. As such, this comparison of products and features focuses on desktop management and does not consider factors beyond that.

Although firms such as Gartner don't often identify products specifically as desktop management software, we can use Gartner's Magic Quadrant for UEM as a baseline to compile a list of viable options. IT administrators should analyze the desktop management capabilities of each tool based on this starting point.

This comparison explores offerings from Microsoft, VMware, IBM, ManageEngine, Citrix, BlackBerry, LogMeIn and Ivanti. These are all mature products built on desktop and mobile products for years before consolidating into UEM. In addition, these products include the ability to manage mobile devices and many offer a cloud-based management pane.

Vendors don't all identify the same features in the same way, and they often vary greatly on what they include. Some vendors focus a lot on security in a basic product, and others separate security into a separate product. The feature list below is a set of fairly common features among products that are important to IT administrators. Separating the features into these categories allows for a more apples-to-apples comparison between products.

Keep in mind that desktop management, as defined here, includes hardware -- PCs and laptops -- and software for user productivity and management functions. Mobile devices are not included.

Desktop management software varies greatly, depending on how vendors implement and support features. Additionally, vendors may offer three or more product tiers that include the additional features above. Thus, it is important to review the feature sets for each product's offerings to determine which one satisfies an organization's needs.

This comparison can help narrow down the list of products that an organization should review and strongly consider. Organizations likely need more details when considering desktop management software, so the best route is to speak directly to the most promising vendors. Most will provide a free demo or evaluation license to help organizations decide.

There are some important notes to know about each vendor, their offering and their pricing. Some products require contacting the vendor for detailed pricing information.

ManageEngine is one of the core vendors to offer a UEM product and is consistently in Gartner's Magic Quadrant reports -- though it's currently in the "niche" group. In addition to a solid set of mobile device tools, this product features hardware-independent deployment, custom deployment templates and a number of add-ons, including the following:

ManageEngine uses a 'call for quote' pricing mechanism so organizations must speak with a vendor representative to get a sense of the pricing.

A solid UEM product, IBM MaaS360 has some interesting AI components including a policy recommendation engine and a voice-based AI administrative assistant. IBM prices its product in four levels. While the vendor provides more details on its website, the following pricing outline gives a good baseline:

IT administrators will know that Microsoft often has complicated licensing, but these offerings are certainly worth looking into for some organizations. Their UEM product, Microsoft Endpoint Manager (MEM), offers Microsoft Managed Desktop as a cloud-based IT management and security monitoring service. For the purposes of this article, we focus specifically on the desktop management capabilities of Microsoft Configuration Manager -- which is a component of MEM.

The pricing and licensing models are numerous with lots of different paths that organizations have to  negotiate based on specific requirements. Microsoft does, however, offer a strong roadmap for navigating all these disparate services.   

VMware Workspace One has some advanced features including certificate management. The vendor offers a wide assortment of deployment and provisioning options which includes physical and virtual machines. Its device management options offer advanced, enterprise and mission-critical management levels as an add-on -- something that competitors have not identified. Similar to IBM, VMware features an automated AI virtual assistant for user support. Pricing is based on a monthly basis, per user and per device. Workspace One Plus, Standard, Advanced and Enterprise Suites do not have public pricing information.

Another mature UEM product, Citrix Workspace, builds on Citrix's base products and offers extensive virtual app and virtual desktop support. Citrix is the only evaluated product that specifies a Microsoft Office 365 integration in addition to extensions to support Windows 7, 8.1, 10 and 11. Citrix Workspace provides management without requiring agents to be installed.

Pricing is at four tiers.

BlackBerry is a major player in the UEM market and has been in Gartner's report for several years. BlackBerry UEM features a single-pane-of-glass UEM console for mobile, desktop, laptop and software management, along with cloud options.

BlackBerry's pricing is a closely held secret, with no pricing tables or feature lists on their website.

With a history of being a remote access product, LogMeIn features a strong portfolio of remote access and control and IT automation using scripting for reporting and proactive alerts. LogMeIn features software and device management in a single-pane-of-glass console and features support for kiosks and point-of-sale devices.

Pricing is a little different. This vendor offers a base plan of $80 per month with a minimum of 25 devices and basic features including the following:

Advanced features are available in three add-ons.

This UEM offering from Ivanti allows IT to automate software and OS updates and deployments and offers several monitoring and troubleshooting functions that IT can use to address UX issues as they arise. The product provides real-time session data on managed desktops, which can help IT understand the root causes of user issues. Ivanti's platform also supports remote access desktop sessions for users to work on their in-office desktop from remote locations. That same function also allows IT administrators to look into user issues with a hands-on remote session.

Ivanti does not have public pricing information on Ivanti Neurons for UEM, though it offers perpetual or subscription licensing.

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