SUSE Multi-Linux Manager alternative when you also run Windows
SUSE Multi-Linux Manager (formerly SUSE Manager) runs on Salt and manages many Linux distributions, but not Windows. Gardience runs on the same open-source Salt and patches and proves Windows and Linux from one console.
SUSE Multi-Linux Manager, known until recently as SUSE Manager, is a capable Linux management server. It runs on Salt, handles SUSE, RHEL, Ubuntu, and other distributions, and works on disconnected networks. Its open-source upstream, Uyuni, closed its own request for Windows support as "not planned."
So if your fleet includes Windows servers, you run SUSE Multi-Linux Manager for Linux and something else for Windows, with two consoles, two patch schedules, and two sets of evidence for every audit.
Same engine, both operating systems#
Gardience is built on the same open-source Salt. One agent, one console, one schedule, for Windows and Linux.
| SUSE Multi-Linux Manager | Gardience | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Salt | Salt (current open-source release) |
| Linux distributions | Many | Debian, Ubuntu, RHEL, Rocky, AlmaLinux, Amazon Linux |
| Windows Server and desktops | No | Yes |
| Patching with rings and change windows | Yes, through channels and action chains | Built in, with a second-person approval between rings |
| CISA exploited-vulnerability matching | CVE audit | Built in, with CISA's due dates and EPSS |
| DISA STIG checklists for eMASS | OpenSCAP on Linux | Windows and Linux, ready for eMASS |
| CMMC Level 2 evidence | No | Built in |
| Runs your Ansible playbooks | Ansible integration | Yes, over Salt, including Windows without WinRM |
| Offline install | Yes | Yes, signed offline bundle |
When SUSE is the right call#
If your fleet is all Linux, heavily SUSE, and you value SUSE's own channel and lifecycle management, SUSE Multi-Linux Manager is a strong choice and fits naturally with SUSE subscriptions. Gardience is the choice when Windows is part of the fleet, or when you need STIG and CMMC evidence for both operating systems in one place.
Moving over#
Your Salt knowledge carries straight across. Install Gardience on a Linux server in about five minutes, enroll a test group with the one-line installer or your Ansible inventory, and compare side by side.
Start a free 90-day trial, or book a 15-minute demo.
Sources: SUSE Multi-Linux Manager product and shop pages; Uyuni issue tracker (Windows support request closed as not planned). Seen November 3, 2026.
Try Gardience on your own machines
One supported console for Windows and Linux on open-source Salt: patching, a scored STIG/CIS-aligned baseline, drift repair, event-driven automation, two-person approval and a tamper-evident audit log. Flat yearly pricing, not per node.
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