Azure Automation vs SUSE Multi-Linux Manager (formerly SUSE Manager)

Azure Automation8.9Visit SUSE Multi-Linux Manager (formerly SUSE Manager)8.8Visit

Higher score Azure Automation #6 in IT Automation Software 8.9/10 30-day trial Free trial✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Microsoft

vs

SUSE Multi-Linux Manager (formerly SUSE Manager) #7 in IT Automation Software 8.8/10 Pricing on request ✓ 0 of 3 features Visit SUSE

• Azure Automation fits best

  Azure-based runbook and update automation

• SUSE Multi-Linux Manager (formerly SUSE Manager) fits best

  Enterprise Linux lifecycle governance

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Side by side

Feature	Azure Automation 8.9/10 Visit ↗	SUSE Multi-Linux Manager (formerly SUSE Manager) 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.9	8.8
Ranking	#6 in IT Automation Software	#7 in IT Automation Software
Best for	Azure-based runbook and update automation	Enterprise Linux lifecycle governance
Pricing model	Paid	Paid
Starting price	$0.002/unit usage-based	—
Free plan	—	—
Free trial	30 days	—
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms	Web	Web, Linux
Support	Docs	Docs
Integrations	11 integrations	6 integrations
Built for	Mid-market, Enterprise	Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Azure Automation 3/3 · SUSE Multi-Linux Manager (formerly SUSE Manager) 0/3
Patch management	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Configuration management	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Remediation automation	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Specs
Deployment model	Cloud	Hybrid
Included endpoints	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Supported platforms	Windows, Linux	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	PowerShell and Python runbooks with scheduled and event-triggered jobs Windows and Linux update assessment and installation Hybrid execution with RBAC, audit logging, and Azure integrations	Covers provisioning, patching, monitoring, auditing, and compliance in one platform Supports Salt, Ansible, OpenSCAP, OVAL, Prometheus, and Grafana Offers agentless Salt SSH management plus REST/API automation
Cons	No free plan; usage-based pricing requires cost planning Most compelling for Azure-centered environments State Configuration is scheduled for retirement on September 30, 2027	No free plan is offered Subscription pricing requires contacting sales Listed subscriptions target X86-64 environments
Our verdict	Azure Automation is a Microsoft cloud service for automating operational processes across Azure, on-premises environments, and other clouds. It is aimed at IT and operations teams that need to create and run PowerShell or Python runbooks,… Read the review →	SUSE Multi-Linux Manager, formerly SUSE Manager, is an open-source infrastructure management platform for enterprise IT and DevOps teams. It centralizes administration across mixed Linux environments, covering provisioning, client… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Azure Automation — where it wins

  • PowerShell and Python runbooks with scheduled and event-triggered jobs
  • Windows and Linux update assessment and installation
  • Hybrid execution with RBAC, audit logging, and Azure integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan; usage-based pricing requires cost planning
  • Most compelling for Azure-centered environments
  • State Configuration is scheduled for retirement on September 30, 2027

• SUSE Multi-Linux Manager (formerly SUSE Manager) — where it wins

  • Covers provisioning, patching, monitoring, auditing, and compliance in one platform
  • Supports Salt, Ansible, OpenSCAP, OVAL, Prometheus, and Grafana
  • Offers agentless Salt SSH management plus REST/API automation

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan is offered
  • Subscription pricing requires contacting sales
  • Listed subscriptions target X86-64 environments

• Azure Automation8.9/10 · 30-day trial

  A strong fit for Azure teams that need runbooks, patching, and hybrid automation.

  Visit MicrosoftFull verdict →
• SUSE Multi-Linux Manager (formerly SUSE Manager)8.8/10 · Pricing on request

  A broad open-source platform for governing mixed Linux environments across enterprise infrastructure.

  Visit SUSEFull verdict →