Microsoft Intune Reviews

We use the solution for endpoint management for about 15,000 devices. It helps us ensure compliance and security for our devices according to standards. We also use it for application management, security and compliance, and centralized management from a single point. So, it covers endpoint management, app management, and compliance management and provides centralized control.

We were trying to solve many issues, mainly the lack of centralized management. Before Microsoft Intune, we had to manually support devices one by one, installing applications and configuring policies individually. When we implemented the tool, it became much easier to manage our devices. We enroll them in Microsoft Intune and can manage all devices with a few clicks. For application management, it's the same process. If we want to deploy applications to hundreds or thousands of devices, we can do it easily with just a few clicks. This also applies to policies. 

I have been using Microsoft Intune and another solution for endpoint management. What I like the most about IT is that it's a cloud-based solution. We don't need any on-premises infrastructure to manage it. It's easy to access the portal from anywhere securely. This setup reduces our workload because Microsoft handles everything related to the infrastructure, including notifications about any downtime. This way, we can inform our customers in advance.

We are currently using different solutions, but all from Microsoft. We use Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Security. it also includes Microsoft Defender. In the future, we might use these tools for security purposes.

The solution's user experience is very good. Compared with on-premises solutions, it deploys applications and policies faster, resolving user queries in less time. Configuring anything is easier; users only need to follow a few basic steps, such as installing the company portal app and logging in with their ID and password, to integrate their device. Unlike on-premises solutions, which can be confusing, the solution allows us to manage various devices, including Linux, mobile devices, and Windows. 

It functions similarly to on-premises but offers additional features. For example, we can maintain applications downloaded from the Microsoft Store and onboard them as a solution for user-based deployment. This reduces the need to create manual packages, as most applications are available on the Microsoft resource.

The solution needs to improve reporting. Sometimes, it shows double or triple entries of the same thing, which affects the count's accuracy. Also, some applications onboarded in Microsoft Intune do not get updated. When we look for solutions online, there is often no clear answer.

Microsoft Intune has no automatic cleanup option for devices that haven't been used for over 90 days. It would be beneficial for Microsoft to add such a feature.

I have been using the product for two years and six months. 

The solution is stable, but there was one incident where we faced an issue with a security patch. We didn't receive any notification about this problem, which caused significant issues in our infrastructure. Regarding SLA, we now receive multiple notifications from Microsoft about planned downtimes. 

The tool is used by users in our environment across various locations, including RU, APAC, China, India, Pakistan, and Germany. It is scalable. 

Microsoft support takes time to respond. 

The installation and implementation were very easy compared to on-premises solutions. We just needed one Azure account to create a tenant and log in to endpoint management. The setup required only a full subscription. On-premises setups, by contrast, need multiple servers, VPNs, and IP configurations, which is much more complicated. Configuring the tool took around 10-20 minutes, and only one person was needed.

The solution has reduced manual labor by approximately 15%. Many business applications, such as Google Chrome and VLC Media Player, are available in the Microsoft Store. We still need to manually create packages for a few custom applications used by our organization that aren't available in the Microsoft Store. However, we can onboard the majority of applications without creating manual packages. Being a cloud-based solution, it eliminates the need for multiple on-premises servers and the associated infrastructure. We only need a cloud subscription to manage everything. We can save around 40 percent on costs with Microsoft Intune. It has also helped us save money, time, and resources by 50-60 percent. 

We use the workbook to describe data on device compliance. It helps us generate reports and analytics about how many devices are compliant and how many are below the patch compliance deadline for updates. We do use some of the reporting features. For endpoint security, we can check how many devices have been affected by malware and how many have an updated Defender platform.

Microsoft Intune is a cloud solution, so there's no need to maintain servers, patch networks, or configure network info. It provides EDR capabilities. The solution also allows for mobility management, meaning we can manage mobile devices. Additionally, it can manage Chrome OS and Linux devices, though we aren't currently using that feature. The tool offers a centralized solution for deploying policies, compliance policies, application management, and patching servers and workstations.

The product has reduced our costs and centralized management. We can manage all our devices from a single console, which is very effective for reporting.

It simplifies deploying applications. We can push policies to ensure only certain users can access specific applications. Additionally, Intune allows us to create user and device groups.

Currently, we manage privileges through Azure AD. We have groups set up with specific group policies and restrictions. For example, we've assigned certain licenses, such as E5 and Office 365 Copilot licenses, to users through these groups, granting them the necessary privileges to access these features.

The solution supports logging, which helps us easily trace and identify issues. It also provides many reports on device compliance and configuration. This capability helps us reduce the time required to reach out to Azure. 

It centralizes the management of users, groups, and applications. In an on-premises setup, we would need multiple teams, such as an AD and application packaging team. With Microsoft Intune, we don't need to create packages for many applications, as they are already available in the line of business.

I would recommend it to other users because it's a cloud solution that centralizes the management of endpoint devices, security, and Azure products. However, I would mention that reporting is an area where the tool could improve, as it's crucial for some organizations. If reporting is a critical need, Microsoft Intune might not fully meet those requirements.

I rate it an eight out of ten. 

We use Intune as the MDM platform, and we used to deploy some products connected to Intune. 

Intune has improved productivity somewhat by connecting the AD with Microsoft Defender and the MDM because we can identify the Internet server. That's the main application or port over which we can manage our infrastructure. It streamlines device management. 

I like how Intune deploys the policies and makes them customizable. You can deploy it through Intune and forget about it. 

You can connect Defender for Endpoint to Intune and assign the client to start porting detections and alerts, creating a little security operations center. The integration is easy but tricky for someone who doesn't know how to use it. Once you learn to use it, it's a powerful tool that can condense most of your administrative tasks into one place

Integration with Microsoft 365 and security is critical if you have a Microsoft infrastructure. You want all the tools to be connected and exchanging data so that when you make a change or deploy something, you can make an informed decision and log the errors. You can avoid having different types of configurations and strengthen your policies. 

We've been using what they call conditional access in which we set up policies and apply them based on certain conditions and attributes. For example, you can apply some policies to company-owned devices and a different set of policies to devices for personal use. 

Sometimes, it takes time to synchronize the policies between the portal and the devices, you don't have a way to estimate how long it will take to deploy. You have some kind of gray area, where it can deploy in 30 minutes or three days. 

I have two years of experience with Intune

I rate Microsoft support nine out of 10. When we raise a ticket, they respond with a solution or guidance on how to fix the problem within 24 hours. 

Positive

We used VMware Workspace ONE and one other MDM. Based on my experience, I think Intune is the most robust because of how easily it can integrate with the other Microsoft tools. You won't need to deal with the process of connecting the Active Directory to Intune. Once you have your account with a subscription and a license, it will connect automatically, and you won't have a big problem with it. 

Microsoft offers a license that lets you access all the tools. Purchasing that license will probably be the most cost-effective if you plan to implement a Microsoft-oriented infrastructure. It's cheaper than purchasing all the products separately. 

I rate Microsoft Intune eight out of 10. 

We use Intune to manage endpoints as a centralized enterprise solution. Instead of relying on Active Directory or an on-premise system, we directly manage employee devices using Microsoft Intune. Intune, a cloud-based SaaS product, simplifies endpoint management. From a user perspective, it's an improvement. Users no longer need to be on the office network. They can set up their devices anywhere with an internet connection, whether at home or another location.

Security is also enhanced. By using Intune as a mobile device management solution, we can implement security controls and restrictions on endpoints. Intune helps us achieve a balance between user experience and security.

Managing remote employee devices with Microsoft Intune is easy. Intune acts as a central platform for deploying controls, policies, and applications to our endpoints. It simplifies the delivery of these configurations to our remote workforce.

Intune simplifies our mobile application management. Once implemented across the organization, it will eliminate our reliance on on-premises solutions. Previously, managing endpoints required using our System Center Configuration Manager. Now, Microsoft offers a unified solution called Microsoft Endpoint Manager. Intune, a key component of this suite, allows for convenient device enrollment over the internet, streamlining endpoint organization.

Intune helps bring our endpoints and security management tools into one place.

Consolidating endpoints and security management tools simplifies IT and security operations. This unified approach offers a single solution or console for all tasks. Role-based access control ensures each administrator only sees and modifies what's relevant to their role. For example, the security team can access Intune solely for security-related functions, while the patch management team has its own set of permissions. This centralized management is significantly easier to handle than using multiple third-party tools. Intune provides a comprehensive solution where everyone can configure settings – security, endpoints, controls, etc. – within a single platform.

Intune offers endpoint visibility and IT control across various device platforms. It simplifies troubleshooting and device management compared to other solutions. Intune excels in providing a comprehensive solution. We can manage applications, security controls, and patching processes all within Intune. This eliminates the need to rely on three separate solutions. With Intune, everything is consolidated into a single platform, allowing for combined reporting and streamlined issue resolution.

Enrolling endpoints with Intune is a breeze! The overall user experience is excellent, easily a nine out of ten.

There are three critical features of Intune for maintaining our devices' security. Endpoint encryption ensures data on the device is scrambled even if it's lost or stolen. Intune supports BitLocker encryption for Windows devices and file-level encryption for Mac devices. Defender is a comprehensive security solution that helps protect devices from malware, viruses, and other threats. Compliance policies in Intune allow us to define security requirements for devices. These policies can enforce encryption, complex passwords, and other security settings. If a device doesn't meet the compliance policy, it can be restricted from accessing organizational resources. Intune can also send notifications to users or administrators when a device becomes non-compliant.

In the initial stages of migrating from our on-premises solution to Intune, we relied on device compliance policies. We configured these policies to require the latest antivirus signatures, specifically targeting developer devices. This ensured compliance and minimized the risk of non-compliance impacting their work. While compliance policies were initially used, we've since transitioned to Microsoft Defender, which now plays a major role in our device security strategy.

Intune's application deployment feature has significantly improved efficiency in our IT department. As one of its key functionalities, Intune allows deployment of a variety of applications with different extensions, such as .DXE or .MSI files. However, for applications requiring custom license scripts, batch files, or executables, Intune provides its own Windows app deployment toolkit. This toolkit facilitates the conversion of these files into a format compatible with the Intune app store and its update system.

The user interface is easy to navigate. Microsoft provides monthly updates that introduce new features. Previously, they provided pie chart visualizations for complaint and policy control status reports. These have been transitioned to standard chart formats. Overall, the UI continues to improve with each Microsoft update.

Company-owned devices are subject to a different set of policies. These policies may be very strict, restricting certain functionalities, or they may prioritize security above all else. On the other hand, for BYOD programs, we provide users with certain privileges for their mobile devices and laptops. We create a secure, isolated environment in a sandbox to manage the devices within that environment. Security is a major consideration for both BYOD and company-owned devices.

Intune has increased our IT productivity for patching and security by around 15 percent.

Microsoft Intune helps our organization reduce the risk of security breaches by eight percent by deploying zero-day patches in conjunction with Defender and Sentinel.

Intune has helped us consolidate vendors with the driver deployment and onboarding.

We manage configurations for Microsoft 365, co-managed devices, Azure, Defender security controls, and DLP controls within Intune. This centralized platform allows us to configure roughly 80 percent of these services and controls in a single location.

A valuable feature is user enrollment, where users can enroll their devices in their organizations themselves. This streamlines the process and saves IT time.

Another key benefit is zero-day productivity. During enrollment, the user has access to the applications and settings the organization needs them to have, making them ready to work immediately. Intune essentially pre-configures the device based on the user and organization during enrollment.

Finally, Intune offers easy patch management for various endpoints, including Windows 10, 11, and Macs. Deploying upgrades and monthly patches is significantly simpler compared to other solutions, both from Microsoft and third-party vendors.

The current Intune reporting functionality could benefit from some improvements. Specifically, a report that tracks patch deployment status would be valuable. Ideally, I'd like a report that provides device-level details on applications and controls deployed. However, it seems like other organizations might be more interested in control-centric reports, showing details like what control was deployed, the number of devices affected, and other relevant device data. Overall, reporting is the area where we're encountering the most challenges with Intune.

I've been using Microsoft Intune as a comprehensive solution for the past six years. While I had some experience with it before 2019, it was limited to mobile device management. Since 2019, I've been managing the full Intune suite as an administrator, overseeing Windows endpoints, Mac endpoints, Android and iOS.

I would rate the stability of Microsoft Intune eight out of ten.

Microsoft Intune excels in scalability, earning it a nine out of ten rating. It empowers organizations to migrate to the cloud and manage all their endpoints seamlessly. This includes a wide range of platforms like Windows, macOS, mobile devices, and even Linux. Intune simplifies endpoint management by offering a centralized solution for all these platforms.

The response time and technical knowledge of the support team is not what it used to be.

Neutral

We previously used an on-premises solution, Microsoft Endpoint Manager, to manage our devices. The pandemic necessitated a shift to the cloud.

The initial deployment of Intune can be complex because it is linked to Microsoft Entra, which itself is a complex product. This complexity depends on the desired outcome. Intune's deployment complexity hinges on whether users will enroll their devices themselves or if the IT team will enroll them and grant access. A proper pre-assessment is crucial to determine if Intune's complexity aligns with our desired outcome.

Our deployment took two months to complete because of the internal security approvals we required.

Three administrators were required for the deployment.

The price for Intune is fair.

I would rate Microsoft Intune eight out of ten. There are some improvements concerning the reports and there are other design-related concerns that we are looking at in Intune.

We don't have the tunnel option because we primarily work in a restricted computer environment. Our organization uses Microsoft Intune to manage applications within a dedicated sandbox environment. We perform frequent updates to ensure everything is current.

During the initial onboarding process, we encountered some challenges, and multiple teams were involved in resolving them. For example, users from India might experience issues like broken URLs or restricted access due to their ISPs. Similarly, in China, certain URLs might be blocked by some internet service providers. To address these issues, we initially involved additional administrators from each region on the administrative side. However, we've since transitioned to a centralized management structure with a core team of five to six members overseeing the entire organization.

We maintain a separate development Intune environment for User Acceptance Testing specific to the Asia Pacific region. Since our production environment is also located in Asia Pacific, we essentially have two Intune instances: one for development and one for production. We also have around 290,000 devices.

We have a team of five Intune administrators. The only maintenance required for Intune is the updates.

I recommend Microsoft Intune.

Based on the number of users and devices you're enrolling, I recommend having separate UAT and production Intune environments for larger deployments. For simpler environments, a single Intune license is sufficient to manage your devices and integrate with your Enterprise and Microsoft 365 solutions.

Public Cloud

Microsoft Azure

While Microsoft Intune offers centralized management and policy enforcement, it doesn't consolidate all endpoint and security management tools into a single platform. To comprehensively safeguard systems, additional solutions such as Microsoft Defender for Endpoint are necessary.

Achieving comprehensive endpoint visibility and IT control across various device platforms is a complex task, considering the diversity and freedom inherent in different systems. However, when it comes to deploying and managing devices like tablets, mobile phones, laptops, and specialized devices in Germany, a systematic and organized approach is crucial. Particularly noteworthy is the ability to configure IoT devices, such as numerous thermostats, water control systems, or sprinkler devices. Without a solution like Intune, scaling becomes a challenging issue, especially when dealing with thousands of such devices. Therefore, the use of a system like Intune becomes imperative in addressing these scaling challenges and ensuring effective device management.

On a scale of one to ten, I would rate my user experience with Intune as a six. The lack of intuitiveness makes it cumbersome to track and understand what needs configuration, especially when dealing with aspects like OneDrive and having to cross-reference settings across different areas of Intune.

In the context of securing hybrid work with Intune, our experience involved a two-day effort to configure the certificate for the Conditional Access server. However, once this initial setup was completed, we successfully configured VPN access for mobile phones. Despite the initial complexity, especially for a large company, Intune delivered on its advertised promises and proved effective in fulfilling the intended security functions.

Intune's effectiveness in securing data on company and BYOD devices is based on distributing security configuration data. While valuable, Intune has limitations, and comprehensive protection against cyber threats requires a sophisticated approach, including hybrid artificial intelligence solutions like Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. While Intune aids in system configuration, detecting and preventing attacks demands a more advanced defense strategy, comparable to sophisticated endpoint protection. Hybrid AI, with continuous human input, enhances threat evaluation, recognizing nuanced situations like suspicious timings in actions on developer endpoints.

It positively impacted IT productivity within the organization by enabling the secure addition of thousands of mobile phones to the VPN. In this regard, it performed effectively.

It played a crucial role in mitigating the risk of security breaches by securely distributing VPN certificates. While effective in this aspect, it's important to note that this alone is not sufficient. Endpoint security, such as developer endpoints, is analogous to having specialized tools for reading and managing complex systems.

It significantly contributed to cost savings. Manual configuration for each mobile phone would have taken approximately an hour per device per year, amounting to three or four thousand hours annually. However, with Intune, we accomplished the task in two days for five thousand devices, equivalent to around one hundred sixty hours. This resulted in substantial efficiency, reducing the effort from an ongoing five thousand hours per year to a one-time investment of a hundred sixty hours.

One of the most valuable aspects of Microsoft Intune is its seamless integration with Azure Active Directory, offering capabilities akin to Group Policy Objects. This integration provides a centralized platform for managing and enforcing policies, ensuring the stability of configuration data across devices, resembling the familiar functionalities of traditional group policies in an on-premises Active Directory environment.

In utilizing Intune's endpoint privilege management feature, I've primarily focused on configuring VPN access and certificates, although I'm not an Intune specialist. It's versatile enough for both configuring VPN access and managing large-scale IoT servers. For instance, in building management systems, especially in large structures like bank buildings, where numerous actuators are involved, configuring and securing them becomes a complex task. Intune proves valuable in this context. However, it's essential to recognize that while Intune serves as a powerful tool, relying solely on it is insufficient for comprehensive system security.

The integration of Intune capabilities with Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Security is crucial. As mentioned earlier, securing your machine requires tools like a developer endpoint, and relying solely on Intune may not be sufficient. While Intune allows configuration and deployment of Defender for Endpoints, having a dedicated tool is essential. The unique selling point of Microsoft lies in its seamless integration, especially notable for those working with Linux systems, where Microsoft's comprehensive integration sets it apart.

In terms of configuration, my experience with Intune is somewhat mixed. The configuration tool appears to be scattered throughout the Intune interface, requiring frequent navigation back and forth. The web interface, while functional, isn't particularly user-friendly, leading me to find PowerShell a preferable option. However, using PowerShell involves investing time in developing scripts. The challenge lies in the complexity of navigating between profiles and MDM configurations. Multiple windows need to be open simultaneously to grasp the overall configuration landscape.

I wish there was an improvement in the configuration process, as currently, it involves navigating through different locations with multiple windows open. Having a dedicated configuration server that assists in modifying the configuration service, and creating personalized structures, interfaces, and web services could enhance usability.

I have been working with it for three years. 

When evaluating stability, it's essential to consider the multitude of adversarial attempts, particularly from military opponents engaging in hacking activities. Microsoft has demonstrated its capability to withstand and defend against such sophisticated attacks, setting a high standard for security.

Considering the extensive number of support calls, I believe Microsoft handles them as effectively as possible. I would rate its customer service and support eight out of ten.

Positive

In the past, we utilized Windows services.

The number of people required for deployment depends on the specific tasks at hand. For instance, implementing the VPN solution involved five individuals, including specialists for firewalls and virtualization for the server endpoint. If the focus is solely on Intune-related tasks, one expert may be sufficient. However, in typical scenarios where Intune is used for onboarding machines or mobile device management, you'll need administrators with access to the relevant machines. It functions as a collaborative administration tool, and the required personnel would depend on the number of departments involved.

The pricing is inherently reasonable, as Microsoft leverages market insights to maintain the total cost of ownership at around ninety to ninety-five percent of what would be incurred in an on-premise scenario. Microsoft products inherently benefit from economies of scale and global reach, making them cost-effective.

It aids in vendor consolidation; otherwise, we would have had to manually configure around three thousand mobile phones.

It impacts the security posture positively when you are aware of what you configure and can update configurations promptly. However, as mentioned, the need for artificial intelligence in Endpoint Protection remains crucial.

I would recommend subscribing to reputable YouTube channels that focus on Intune or related topics. Building a strong foundation and gaining practical experience is crucial to understanding the intricacies of Intune. Overall, I would rate it eight out of ten.

It serves as our EDM, enabling remote computer management. We install various applications directly for users, granting us administrator-level control over the computers.

We utilize it exclusively within the IT department to manage all hardware from a single location.

It consolidates all endpoint and security management tools into a single platform. This allows us to efficiently determine the required applications for each employee. Having Azure Active Directory integrated into the complete environment further simplifies the process. Additionally, its compatibility with Android-based devices is a significant advantage, enabling the management of both Windows PCs and Android devices from a unified platform.

It offers complete visibility and IT control across various device platforms, saving us a significant amount of time. The alternative, handling devices individually each time there's a change in employee or any other scenario, is much more time-consuming.

When it comes to the user experience of Intune, the initial setup is quite straightforward, but delving deeper into its functionalities demands additional training and familiarity. This complexity can be considered a drawback. The policies that can be configured sometimes lack clarity, and understanding the limitations for users who aren't global admins can be unclear.

We don't utilize the MAM tunnel feature for remote access to corporate resources. Instead, we rely on TeamViewer for remote support when dealing with any issues.

It significantly enhanced our organization's efficiency, particularly in terms of time savings. While I don't have the specific numbers at the moment, the impact was substantial. Especially when we operated with a small IT team, the investment in the license cost was undoubtedly worthwhile.

In terms of securing hybrid work environments and safeguarding data on company and personal devices, there's flexibility to fine-tune policies for preventing certain actions. Currently, our approach restricts employees from installing unauthorized software, acting as a deterrent to Shadow IT. However, we haven't explored the full spectrum of possibilities with policies to uncover additional security measures.

The impact of Intune on the organization's security is essentially a peace of mind for me. If there's ever a report of a stolen computer, I can swiftly lock it without much concern. The speed at which this can be done is particularly reassuring, especially in the current landscape of hybrid work where such incidents tend to occur more frequently than before.

It has significantly impacted IT productivity in our organization. Onboarding and offboarding processes have become much faster. Simply Intuning the device and managing it through the internal portal or even within the VPN network streamlines the workflow. This is especially beneficial since our company supports hybrid work, extending flexibility to the IT staff as well. Inventory management has also seen a notable improvement, with less time spent. Now, we not only have a count of devices but also know which accounts they are associated with. Compared to our previous reliance on paper and Excel, this is a whole new level of efficiency. Overall, it has been an extremely positive experience for us.

While it's challenging to directly quantify cost savings, Microsoft Intune has certainly resulted in significant time savings for our organization. As we didn't have a comparable system before, it wasn't a matter of moving from something else to Intune. However, the investment has proven valuable, especially evident in the offboarding process. Previously taking fifteen to twenty minutes per device, it has now been streamlined to just a few clicks, around five minutes. This efficiency has been particularly impressive and has undoubtedly saved us considerable time.

Its most valuable aspect is the seamless onboarding and offboarding of new users, whether it's for a computer or a mobile device. This process is remarkably straightforward. Additionally, while not explicitly security features, there are safeguards in place that enhance safety. For instance, if a user reports their computer as stolen, you can promptly lock it and erase all data remotely. This means you can secure the hardware even without physical possession of the device. It goes beyond safeguarding just the Microsoft 365 user account; it extends protection to the hardware itself. It also served as a means to efficiently manage our inventory. Through Intune, I could easily access a comprehensive list of all the computers, tablets, and company-owned devices. This streamlined the process of accounting for new devices in our stock, eliminating the need for separate tracking outside of the Intune platform.

The capabilities of the Intune suite are seamlessly integrated with Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Security. This integration, especially with Microsoft 365, is crucial for us as it enables clear visibility into the association of devices with specific employees. Additionally, it facilitates tracking the usage of applications by different groups. The integration with Azure Active Directory further enhances the importance of the overall integration for our operations.

It would be beneficial to have a more straightforward understanding of Intune's capabilities, presented in a simplified manner. This way, one wouldn't need to be an Intune specialist or spend hours trying to grasp the intricacies of policies and functionalities. While I've used Intune extensively and have practical experience, I've found that to explore its full potential, significant time is needed for both understanding capabilities and seeking out relevant training. The current understanding of what actions or functionalities are available for configuration is not as clear as it could be. Enhancing the clarity of these policies, whether in terms of functionality or features, would be beneficial for users managing Intune.

I have been working with it for three years.

It provides excellent stability. We didn't face any downtime. I would rate it ten out of ten.

Scalability has been excellent. We began with a pilot involving just a few devices and swiftly expanded to over two hundred without experiencing any degradation in performance or functionality. I would rate it ten out of ten.

In terms of tech support or customer support, our experience has been somewhat mixed. Since we work with partners rather than directly with Microsoft Intune, and these partners are internal and cross-charged within the same company, there have been instances where support was not entirely satisfactory. This could be attributed to a lack of in-depth understanding on their part. However, it's important to note that they are not directly affiliated with Microsoft, and the level of support might vary accordingly.

The initial setup was complex.

Our setup is hybrid, specifically with Active Directory. The initial configuration necessitated an on-premises presence. However, once the setup is complete, the entire system operates in the cloud, making it predominantly cloud-based after the initial on-premises setup. I was involved in certain aspects of the deployment process. The complexity arose not necessarily from the intricacies of the tasks themselves but from the coordination required. As we lacked global admin privileges, there was a need for extensive collaboration between our team, global admins, and the Intune team at Microsoft.

In terms of maintenance, once it's up and running, there's not much ongoing effort required. It's essentially a set-and-forget situation. Occasionally, we might need to handle reports and views, especially when there's a new release. In such cases, there might be minor adjustments, like making something visible or invisible, but overall, the maintenance workload is minimal.

Regarding the pricing, my experience was with a nonprofit, where we enjoyed a substantial discount. While I can't provide insights from a business perspective, it's worth noting that the pricing may differ significantly, and the discount we received might not be reflective of standard business rates.

It's advisable to start with a straightforward approach, avoiding unnecessary complexity initially. However, it's equally important to have a well-thought-out plan for maximizing the platform's capabilities. Assign someone the responsibility of owning and creating a roadmap for ongoing improvements and enhancements. The idea is not just to go live and consider the implementation complete; rather, to plan for continuous refinement and utilization of additional features over time. Overall, I would rate it eight out of ten.

Hybrid Cloud

Microsoft Azure

We were using SCCM to build and manage our machines and to control the AV, and everybody left the offices for the pandemic. We did not have an external management point. Oh. And we realized we lacked a method of control. After hassling Microsoft over a question of semantics, we finally got our answer, and we quickly scrambled over two weeks to push out Defender while everybody was still in the office. The other part was to move toward Intune. 

We started testing that and went in both directions. We tried domain and nondomain. We eventually worked backward, redid it again, and took all of our workstations off the domain. Now, none of our workstations are running on the domain. We build everything from Intune. The company gets a list ahead of time from vendors like Dell or HP, so we can have a laptop sent directly to an individual without ever touching it. They sign in, and it simply asks for their password. 

The biggest benefits of Intune are the ability to push changes and the added security. When we moved forward with Defender, we onboarded all those machines automatically. That helps dramatically. For a while, we were left with machines that weren't protected. We could see where people had done things they shouldn't have done, and Defender saved our skins a few times. It didn't happen a lot, but it happened enough that it made us glad we made that decision. 

Intune has enabled us to manage our remote workers' devices, which has been especially helpful since the start of the pandemic. My guys spend less time troubleshooting. If they're going to spend more than about an hour on an issue, it's a little easier to just reset the machine and reinstall everything again. It saves a lot of time. 

We're a much smaller group, so it worked out better for us. We've been able to push out products that we hadn't planned on. We had to push out certificates because we decided to go with a Cloud RADIUS provider and moved to certificate-based authentication for wireless. We've leveraged that same certificate to turn on 802.1x in all our offices to secure the wired networks. And all of these things have made it possible to roll out DNS filtering. Once again, all through Intune. We could enable all these pieces that we would need to turn on one by one with Intune in place.  

The company needed something that could be agnostic, so it didn't matter where it was. Half our workforce doesn't work in the office. We've downsized our primary office, and leased over half of it to other companies with subleasing. We don't need as much space anymore. Our workers are still working, and they're not required to be in the office more than three days away. Intune ensures that everyone can work remotely and securely. You can't log into our Office 365 environment from a non-managed device. Almost everything is in Office 365. We use nearly every piece of it. We use Teams for communications and switched to Azure Virtual Desktop at the end of 2019. We were a Skype customer then, so it wasn't hard to switch. 

We continued to shrink our footprint as we adopted more and more SaaS offerings. Unfortunately, finance and some other use cases cannot be in the cloud. You still need on-premise Bloomberg terminals, and other companies require you to have circuits to run them. We have to redirect certain things, which is why we have the VDI in place for a handful of users who require those internal resources when they work remotely. Intune is what made all that easy and possible. I don't think we would ever change that. My guys like it. It has simplified things. 

At the end of the day, we do touch the machines, but we don't need to. And we know if we didn't have to. Previously, a machine got left in an office, and we just walked through somebody wiping it, where you assign it to them, and they log back into it. In the worst-case scenario, we can just pull something off a shelf like that.

We had to learn the hard way which machines work in our environment. It's nothing against the company, but we will no longer buy Dell because their business platforms only use Intel chips, and we can no longer afford to use Intel chips. It doesn't work for our needs. I can get AMD chipsets that are generally cheaper and perform better. They aren't throttled for some of our applications the way Intel chips do. People have been happier since we made that migration a little over a year ago. 

We replaced many machines and onboarded people after acquiring a couple of other companies, and they were shocked at the difference between the machines we gave them and what they were used to working with. They just had always put up with that, and so had we. With Intune, it didn't matter what we purchased because it already had Windows loaded on. It was simple and easy to move forward.

Intune has reduced our build time from four hours per build to an hour or an hour and a half on a slow day. That's getting the Office 365 stuff to download and install. The other apps are secondary. When somebody logs in to a machine, the apps start downloading. We could give somebody a machine they've never seen before, have them sign in, and they're ready to work in an hour and a half. That's a tremendous amount of time saved, and there's nothing left for us to do.  We just make sure everybody who's supposed to be in a group has the assigned apps that the group needs to have. They're installed automatically.

The biggest problem we ever have is when something goes out of date after 30 days when nobody has logged into it. We do have a problem trying to get those back online. We've been working with Microsoft to resolve that problem, but that's been the only issue that we've had in the last few years.

Out of the box, Intune works reasonably well. They will continue to think of new ways to improve. Some of the policies could use some work to align more with what people are used to, but it's getting there. It's coming along, and I'd like to see how Security Copilot comes into play. You could have Copilot build things based on what you request. It could help put policies in place and look at your current policies. 

Unfortunately, we've had stuff out there for four years, and it's not working properly. A tool like Copilot could assess my policies, find weaknesses, and tell me where to make changes. That would be a great benefit.

I've had a constant battle with the DLP component, and no they're not going to have a choice. If they want to go with Copilot, we will need to start classifying documentation whether we want it or not. There will be a big fight when I get back of it. There's a fight. If you want you want you say you want copilot when it comes out, but if we have a classified stuff, it's not gonna work the way you wanna too. I heard so. Yeah. That's a problem. I heard someone talking about

We started testing Intune at the start of the pandemic, and at the time, it didn't seem to be quite as ready as they claimed it was. It was still being pieced together when we adopted it. However, it worked out well. While everybody else was scrambling during the pandemic to get on Teams and Azure Virtual Desktop, we had done that in the previous December, so by pure luck, we were ready to walk out the door. 

And I think it's scalable, honestly, but it's it's also about mentality, whether you believe it's you wanna spend the time to make sure that it's scalable. You know, I I I don't think I've been a big fan of getting away from domain services for the longest time. Think I don't see the point anymore. It's we use it very rarely. I so, you know, everything should be cloud based. It's a way to go. I mean, if you can run it that way,

We don't usually deal with Microsoft much. We have a CSP in place. However, sometimes we're dealing with a backend problem, and the CSP will take longer, so we'll go straight to Microsoft. When that occurs, Microsoft typically handles those issues reasonably quickly. When I contact Microsoft, I usually go through several engineers before I get to someone who can help. That's normal, but it doesn't drag out.  

Years ago, when we paid for enterprise support, I felt it dragged on forever because I went through the same process. I'd talk to a first-level engineer, and we had to escalate to tier three before we finally got somebody who understood what was going on. They would see the problem but not know how to fix it. They never had a resolution half the time.

The initial setup was easy, but we had lots of time during the pandemic. I had that all set up in my living room that first summer, working on it remotely. There were some pains because it wasn't all there yet. It wasn't until about July 2020 that most of the pieces were in place. It took another year before the rest was solid. However, to be fair, people adopting Intune now will get a mostly finished product.

Intune has a cost advantage if you get it with a bundled Microsoft license. If you have E3 licenses, you already have access to Intune, so you're not paying anything extra. That's a huge savings right there. Back in the day, people always wanted Office, but they didn't wanna pay for it, so you would use Open Office. That was my go-to 10 years ago. Now, I recommend the opposite. You need an Office 365 account. Don't think it is as paying for Office. That's not what you're buying.

For $7 dollars a month, you're getting a terabyte of storage in OneDrive and all the apps. You won't get that from Google. It's about cost, and it's even better if you get those bonuses with it. 

I rate Intune eight out of 10. I've never seen anything perfect, but it is an excellent fit for our environment. This is the smallest company I've ever worked for in my professional career, so it works well for us.

The primary use case for Intune is to enable user access to authorized data and applications like Outlook and Microsoft Teams, whether they are using corporate devices or their personal ones. By enrolling these devices in Microsoft Intune, users gain access to organization data, effectively turning their device into a mobile office laptop.

In our work, we have experienced the advantages of using Microsoft's services, particularly when it comes to handling certificates and inventories. Microsoft's capabilities in these areas have prompted many people to transition their operations to Microsoft.

One of the standout features of Intune is its seamless accessibility to work data, eliminating the need to be tied to an office or a desktop. Whether on iOS, Android, or other mobile devices like tablets, users can effortlessly access essential tools such as email, Microsoft Teams, and custom business applications, enhancing productivity. This capability became especially crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic, when remote work setups became the norm, making Intune a prominent solution for remote access to corporate resources.

Intune's areas for improvement, especially since its implementation in June, revolve around security and certificate management, primarily related to personal devices known as BYOD. While there are policies in place to prevent data transfer between corporate and personal apps, there is room for further enhancing security measures for devices that aren't corporate-owned but are enrolled to access organization data. Tightening security in this context is a key area in which Intune can continue to evolve.

I have been using Microsoft Intune for six years.

In terms of stability, it largely depends on how well security measures are implemented. Ensuring that devices are properly secured and monitored is crucial for stability, especially in situations like a lost device where sensitive data is at risk. Security awareness and access controls play a significant role in maintaining a stable environment. Multi-factor authentication and additional conditional access measures, such as fingerprint access, are used to verify the user's identity and protect data. I would rate the stability of the solution as a nine out of ten.

The scalability of Intune is highly rated by engineers for its flexibility. It is easy to scale, primarily due to the licensing options. You can start with a smaller scope, say, with 40-50,000 employees, who want to use corporate devices with Intune. As your organization grows, you can easily expand, going up to more than 100,000 users, and incrementally add licenses as needed, be it on a quarterly or monthly basis. This makes Intune a versatile solution for businesses of various sizes. At our company, for mobile devices and laptops, we have 30,000 users. I would rate the scalability of the solution as a ten out of ten.

The experience with Intune support has been generally positive, although there has been a learning curve for support staff. Initially, there were some challenges, with different teams involved, which sometimes resulted in less than optimal solutions. However, the situation has improved over time. On a scale of one to ten, I would give an eight out of ten rating for Intune support. It is a generally positive experience with room for further enhancement.

I would rate the complexity of the initial setup as a seven out of ten. However, if you have prior experience with MDM solutions or other MDM platforms like MobileIron, AirWatch, or IBM's MaaS360, the process may be more straightforward. Intune deployment typically takes a few weeks. The deployment involved a team of over 35 people to cater to a user base of around 30,000 in an automobile company based in Canada. The process began with testing and policy configuration over a month, focusing on aspects like data restrictions and copy limitations. After the pilot phase, Microsoft provided a pricing model, and a migration process took place over two to three months. This involved transitioning users from BlackBerry to iOS and Android and incorporating Windows Autopilot for Windows laptops, both new and existing. The onboarding process also extended to HP and other vendors.

I find the pricing for Microsoft Intune to be quite reasonable. It is available through various licensing options, including E5 Enterprise, E3 Enterprise, and as a standalone product. E5 Enterprise provides Intune as part of a bundled package, while E3 Enterprise offers it separately. Microsoft offers several licensing options, allowing organizations to choose the one that suits their specific needs. Before deploying, there is a free trial period of one month where you can test it with up to 50 devices. Once you have an understanding of your needs and Microsoft's pricing, you can choose the right model and device enrollment numbers. After the trial period, they offer a budget of around $120 for you to allocate according to your requirements. The pricing is then converted into a pro-rated monthly basis, depending on the volume of devices you need to manage, whether it is beyond fifty or a hundred. This flexible approach is advantageous for users. Overall, I would rate it as a seven out of ten in terms of costliness.

In comparison to earlier vendors like IBM, AirWatch, MobileIron, and SOTC, Microsoft Intune stands out as more flexible and user-friendly. These earlier systems were rigid and required IMEI numbers, making them less adaptable. Intune, on the other hand, is simple, similar to Azure, and excels in terms of scalability and versatility. Creating device-switching policies in Intune is straightforward and visually intuitive. It involves selecting the appropriate profile and specifying the device type (iOS, Android, or Windows). The options are readily accessible, making Intune an easy-to-use solution for managing mobile devices and endpoint management tasks.

I highly recommend using Microsoft Intune, especially in today's remote work scenario driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a robust solution for managing corporate and BYOD devices, ensuring that they are properly configured and secure. Intune simplifies end-to-end device management, from pushing policies to implementing multifactor authentication, and it's the best option in the market right now. While VMware Workspace ONE and AirWatch are good, Microsoft Intune stands out, as evidenced by its popularity among clients, with more than 80% opting for it. It is definitely worth considering and conducting a proof of concept to see how it can benefit your organization. Overall, I would rate the solution as a nine out of ten.

Public Cloud

Microsoft Azure

The primary use cases for Microsoft Intune are patching and mobile control.

The ability to deploy patches and automate software deployments to end-user devices is very useful. Managing the applications and compliance has been easier with over two thousand devices. The solution is easy to use and deploy, particularly for Microsoft-based devices.

The asset management component is not very granular. If it could provide information on devices, their composition, specifications, licensing, hardware expiry dates, software expiry, and inventory, it would be more robust. There is a need for better support for non-Microsoft assets, devices, and software applications, and integration with other tools, like Linux, is needed.

I have been working with Microsoft Intune for about six months.

I was not part of the initial deployment, but I have been involved in deploying Microsoft Intune to end-user devices, and it is very good. The deployment took about an hour.

The technical support by Microsoft is not so good. We have to manage many things by ourselves and do not receive responses in a timely manner.

Negative

We're using both Microsoft Intune and ManageEngine as a result of a merger. One company was using Microsoft Intune, and the other was using ManageEngine. We are deciding which one to focus on.

I rate Microsoft Intune overall as seven out of ten.

Public Cloud

Microsoft Azure