From Blackberry's early days and the initial genuine smart business-grade handheld phone, mobile device management (MDM) has been around. This technology has evolved and grown throughout the last decade to handle Android, iOS, and now macOS and Windows 10. You can get this sccm training for developing the configuration skills of MDM that enables you to learn the fundamentals of configuration manager site system roles, configuring network firewall settings, exploring the SCCM console, and SQL database server installation.

Mobile Device Management had been designated as a "modern device management" with Microsoft Intune of Microsoft emerging as the current market leader. Microsoft 365 is gaining mainstream market recognition as part of its expansion, with a global MDM of 35% business penetration to be expected by the year 2021 and about 50% by 2022.

Fig 1 – Market proportion for the Adoption of Intune 

Windows operating systems with MDM are radically different from conventional device management tools like SCCM, but it's also close to Android and traditional iOS device management.

Comparing Typical Management of Windows with Microsoft Intune

The idea of management which is based on the profile is what distinguishes Microsoft Intune from conventional management. This is a gradual shift from management which is based on image, that has always been in use since SCCM, or Configuration Manager for Windows NT, as it was formerly known, and in the year 1994, these were designed and published!

A profile is a group of settings for setup added to a system through the cloud depending on the membership of a group. Consider GPOs (group policy objects). These profiles may be created in a modular fashion, with different profiles allocated as a single user based on their work title and application use. The images are typically built on the basis of a singular golden picture that is standardized around the company, necessitating additional programs must be manually installed that are needed for particular job functions.

The profiles are applied at the very top of the system's default state which could be reversible without impacting the device. The hard disk is rewritten and can't be changed during imaging. Hence, without the overhead of IT, devices are repurposed and wiped remotely.

Businesses will also use WUfB with Intune, referring to a concept known as deployment rings, which is dependent on the settings of a profile. Management of patches for Windows systems isn't any longer a concern for IT and devices remain up to date based on their deployment cycle.

Using standard MDMs, both of these features had been open on Android and iOS for many years. Devices running Windows 10 can now be handled in the same way as a smartphone can.

Reduced license and device management costs

As per Brad Anderson from Microsoft Ignite, 2020, 91% of businesses reduced their costs on system management after transitioning to Intune. In addition, systems management administrator time was reduced by 18%. Thus, rather than having the lights turned on, IT teams will focus on innovation.

Since Microsoft Intune facilitates iPadOS, iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows, it is incorporated under the license of Microsoft 365, hence users could preserve costs of licensing by sunsetting their current MDM solution.

Faster system replacement and onboarding

Users who use Microsoft Intune will also reap the benefits of Provisioning the Zero Touch. Apple Business Manager, Windows Autopilot, Knox Mobile Enrollment (for the Samsung gadgets), and Android Enterprise are all part of the Zero Touch Provisioning solution.

When a company gets a new gadget for a person, the device is shipped straight away to the worker and recorded in Intune right away. Onboarding is reduced between weeks and days because of this. In most cases, workers can set up a newer device remotely in less than 30 minutes.

Fig 2 - Illustrating the comparison between zero-touch provisioning and legacy device provisioning

Improved Workplace Protection

Non-compliant computers may be detected while devices are already existing and often patched with the Microsoft Intune. Users can also set up an environment of zero-trust and risk-based authentication by integrating Intune and Azure Conditional Access.

MAM (Mobile Application Management) regulations, Windows Information Protection, and enrollment of a user job profile will all be used to secure BYO devices. This ensures that businesses can secure information on the computing devices belonging to workers without having to manage them.

Managing the device by working remotely in a user-friendly environment

Microsoft Intune as a whole is a first-in-a-cloud solution that helps businesses transition to an environment of “post-domain”. Firms may control equipment from anywhere with visibility to their devices, and certain remote service features were previously inaccessible.

Let us just undergo it: the year 2020 has transformed the perceptions of both employers and employees when it comes to remote jobs. The technology of Device management which is developed for a remote function is necessary at this time that PCs are no longer in the corporate domain.

Frequently Asked Questions

These are the queries that were frequently asked by the users of recent times.

1. What is the discrepancy between the Mobile Device Manager Plus Cloud and On-Premises versions?

MDM Cloud is the software-as-a-service equivalent of MDM On-Premises. You just need to sign in with your Zoho account to start handling your devices with MDM Cloud. Zoho handles the data and server setup. On the other hand, in order to set up MDM and handle devices on-premises, you must install the program and customize network settings.

1. What's the discrepancy between Apple Profile Manager and ManageEngine MDM?

• ManageEngine MDM is open for both on cloud and on-premises.
• Unlike Apple Profile Manager, which is only for Apple, ManageEngine MDM could be used to manage several platforms.
• MDM is more environment-agnostic than Profile Manager and is better for smaller Apple-only environments.
• For enhanced performance, we're using a specialized MDM server.
• MDM allows for flexible department/group management.

1. To be enrolled and operated by MDM, do the devices need to be factory reset?

No, to be enrolled and handled by MDM, devices do not need to be factory reset (unless otherwise specified).

Conclusion:

Mobile Device Management is transforming the global business by significantly expanding the market adding the future scope to the business. You have also witnessed the comparative analysis of traditional management of windows with Microsoft Intune and how users benefit from reduced costs on devices and licenses along with quick replacement of devices, improved device protection, operating the devices from remote locations in a user-friendly environment. However, in order to gain deep insights of the MDM configuration settings, Microsoft SCCM training would definitely help the individual as well the organization's to drive enormous benefits.