DSM, Desktop & Server Management, has been an established tool for central software distribution and endpoint management for many years, especially in complex Windows environments. Official support will end on December 31, 2026. The platform has not undergone any significant further development for years.
The end of support is not a statement about the quality of DSM. DSM was and is a very good, stable solution – the discontinuation is a manufacturer decision following portfolio consolidation – including a focus on Ivanti EPM / formerly LANDesk. From our point of view, this is regrettable, but at the same time it opens up the opportunity to choose a successor solution that not only replaces the old one, but also better addresses the changes of recent years.
That is what this article is about:
- Why is it necessary to move away from DSM now?
- What requirements must modern IT platforms meet today?
- How can companies switch to a new solution in a structured and low-risk manner?
- How does IDERI support the transition between the old and new worlds?
Why companies need to act now
The end of support is fixed. For IT departments, this means:
- No new featuresSecurity vulnerabilities are not fixed
- No support for new operating systems
- No security and bug updates
- No manufacturer support in case of problems
- Increasing operational risks if you remain on a platform that is no longer maintained
Particularly critical: From 2027 onwards, patch management via DSM is expected to no longer function – Windows and third-party patches will then no longer be able to be distributed automatically. With every month without patching, the attack surface and compatibility risks grow. Recommendation: Plan the transition so that a successor product is in productive use by January 1, 2027, at the latest.
What a platform must deliver today
Those replacing DSM are not looking for a 1:1 replacement, but rather a future-proof platform that goes far beyond traditional software distribution:
- Real-time transparency regarding end devices, configurations, and software versions
- Automated enforcement of security and compliance requirements
- Hybrid operating models (on-premises, cloud, mixed) depending on compliance requirements
- Scalability and cost-effective operation
- Open interfaces for integrating existing processes and systems
Note on classification: DSM has not been expanded in recent years, meaning that there will be no new capabilities to meet modern requirements in the future. The change is therefore less a move “away from something bad” and more a move toward a platform that actively meets current requirements.
Comparison of selected target platforms
We deliberately focus on a few migration paths that have proven themselves in practice – tailored to the requirements of our customers.
- Tanium combines management and security in a single stack. The platform is particularly suitable for large environments with around 1,000 clients or more. Its strengths include a unified agent, up-to-date endpoint data in real time, and flexible operation—both on-premises and cloud-based (hybrid).
- Aagon ACMP offers full-featured client management for medium-sized IT landscapes with up to approximately 1,500 devices. The focus is on classic Windows management in on-premises operation.
- Microsoft Intune is a pure cloud service that originally comes from mobile device management (MDM). For comprehensive Windows client and server management, Intune is often used as a supplement to an on-premises or hybrid platform – rather than as a complete replacement for established system management solutions.
We deliberately do not provide a comprehensive list of “all alternatives,” but rather the realistic options that we actively support in customer projects.
How to make a successful transition – structured and low-risk
A viable migration strategy avoids big bang risks and distributes the technical complexity across predictable steps. The first step is a thorough analysis of the current environment: Which packages are currently in use? What dependencies exist? Which assignments and approvals interact with each other? It is not only the “what” that counts, but above all the “why”: Why was a package built this way – and what functional or technical constraints are the reasons behind it?
The next step is not about a 1:1 transfer, but about a clean target platform design. Instead of simply replicating existing DSM logic, processes and workflows should be designed to fully exploit the strengths of the new platform – for example, in terms of automation, assignment logic, or security.
The migration itself takes place in staggered phases – starting with basic clients with a small package footprint. More complex systems follow successively. During the transition, DSM and the target platform usually run in parallel until all relevant packages, policies, and processes have been transferred. Accompanying training and close monitoring ensure quality and acceptance. Whether the transition is carried out by location or by target group depends less on geography than on the complexity of the user landscapes in terms of content.
IDERI as a partner: Understanding DSM – Enabling the future
Many projects fail due to a lack of bridging expertise between the old and new worlds. Our added value:
- Many years of DSM expertise – including typical package logic, workarounds, and configuration patterns
- In-depth insight into platforms such as Tanium (architecture, allocation, automation, security) and ACMP
- IDERI move – supports package transfer and, in many cases, migrates > 85 % of DSM packages without modificatin
We provide modular or end-to-end support: from analysis and design to implementation and rollout. On request, we can also take on ongoing operational tasks on an outsourcing basis – tailored precisely to your organization. And: we package “as usual” – in line with established DSM practice, without forcing teams to radically relearn.
