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Head-to-head · Configuration Management Tools

Google Cloud VM Manager vs Microsoft Desired State Configuration

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Google Cloud VM Manager #3 in Configuration Management Tools 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Google Cloud
Microsoft Desired State Configuration #10 in Configuration Management Tools 8.2/10 Open source ✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Microsoft DSC

Google Cloud VM Manager leads on 0 checks, Microsoft Desired State Configuration on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreGoogle Cloud VM Manager · 9.0/10
  • Free planonly Google Cloud VM Manager

Google Cloud VM Manager scores higher on our rubric for configuration management tools: 9.0 against 8.2 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #10.

On deployment model, Google Cloud VM Manager gives you Cloud where Microsoft Desired State Configuration offers Self_hosted.

Google Cloud VM Manager is the better fit for google Cloud VM patch and policy operations. Microsoft Desired State Configuration is the better fit for developers needing portable declarative configuration.

  • Google Cloud VM Manager fits best

    Google Cloud VM patch and policy operations

  • Microsoft Desired State Configuration fits best

    Developers needing portable declarative configuration

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Side by side

Feature Google Cloud VM Manager 9.0/10 Visit ↗ Microsoft Desired State Configuration 8.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.0 8.2
Ranking #3 in Configuration Management Tools #10 in Configuration Management Tools
Best for Google Cloud VM patch and policy operations Developers needing portable declarative configuration
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free
Starting price $0.003/device usage-based Open source
Free plan ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Self-hosted
Platforms Web Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Community, Docs Docs
Integrations 4 integrations 4 integrations
Built for Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Google Cloud VM Manager 4/4 · Microsoft Desired State Configuration 4/4
Drift detection ✓ ✓
Patch management ✓ ✓
Policy as code ✓ ✓
Compliance reporting ✓ ✓
Specs
Deployment model Cloud Self_hosted
Agent model Agent_based Not checked yet
Supported platforms Windows Server, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Rocky Linux, CentOS, Debian, Ubuntu, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Linux, macOS, Windows
Our review
Pros
  • Patch deployment, compliance dashboards, and vulnerability reporting
  • Declarative OS policies with validation and enforcement modes
  • Terraform, API, CLI, and console management options
  • Runs agentless across Linux, macOS, and Windows
  • Supports JSON and YAML configuration documents
  • Compares configuration drift against desired state
Cons
  • Requires the OS Config agent on managed VMs
  • Designed for Compute Engine virtual-machine fleets
  • Supports English-locale operating systems
  • Does not cover patch management
  • Does not provide compliance reporting
  • Self-hosted deployment requires operational ownership
Our verdict

Google Cloud VM Manager is a cloud-based configuration management suite for Windows and Linux virtual machines running on Compute Engine. It is aimed at teams managing operating-system updates, software packages, configuration policies,…

Read the review →

Microsoft Desired State Configuration (DSC) is an open-source, self-hosted configuration management platform for developers and administrators who need portable declarative configuration. Its current DSC 3.x implementation is a standalone…

Read the review →
  1. Google Cloud VM ManagerConfiguration Management Tools 9.0Free plan
  2. Microsoft Desired State ConfigurationConfiguration Management Tools 8.2Open source

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Google Cloud VM Manager — where it wins

    • Patch deployment, compliance dashboards, and vulnerability reporting
    • Declarative OS policies with validation and enforcement modes
    • Terraform, API, CLI, and console management options

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires the OS Config agent on managed VMs
    • Designed for Compute Engine virtual-machine fleets
    • Supports English-locale operating systems

  • Microsoft Desired State Configuration — where it wins

    • Runs agentless across Linux, macOS, and Windows
    • Supports JSON and YAML configuration documents
    • Compares configuration drift against desired state

    Where it doesn't

    • Does not cover patch management
    • Does not provide compliance reporting
    • Self-hosted deployment requires operational ownership

More comparisons

All configuration management tools comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update