In today’s business environment, where mobile devices have become an integral part of the workflow and hybrid and remote employment models are gaining momentum, effective management and security of corporate data on these devices is a critical task. Traditional approaches to IT infrastructure management often prove insufficient for controlling the variety of personal and corporate devices accessing company resources. This is where Microsoft Intune comes in – a cloud-based Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) solution that allows centralized management of mobile devices, computers, and applications, ensuring data security and compliance with corporate policies.
What is Microsoft Intune and its key features
Microsoft Intune is a cloud service, part of Microsoft 365, focused on Mobile Device Management (MDM) and Mobile Application Management (MAM). It allows organizations to control how devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops) are used to access corporate data, and to ensure the security of that data. Intune integrates with Azure Active Directory (now Microsoft Entra ID) for identity and access management, as well as with other Microsoft 365 services for comprehensive protection and productivity.
Key Intune features include:
- Mobile Device Management (MDM): Device enrollment, application of security policies (e.g., password requirements, encryption), remote device lock and wipe, hardware and software inventory.
- Mobile Application Management (MAM): Deployment, updating, and removal of corporate applications, data protection within applications (e.g., preventing copying/pasting corporate data into personal applications), monitoring application usage.
- Access management to corporate resources: Configuring conditional access, which allows access to corporate applications and data only from devices that comply with specific security policies.
- Data protection: Application of Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies, data encryption on devices, integration with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for advanced threat protection.
- Multi-platform support: Management of devices based on Windows, iOS/iPadOS, Android, and macOS.
BYOD and corporate devices: flexibility and security
One of Intune’s main advantages is its ability to effectively work with both corporate devices and employees’ personal devices (BYOD – Bring Your Own Device). This allows companies to provide flexibility for their employees without sacrificing security.
| Characteristic | Corporate devices | BYOD (Personal devices) |
|---|---|---|
| Device ownership | Company | Employee |
| Enrollment method | Full enrollment (MDM), often automatic (Autopilot) | Partial enrollment (MAM), work profile only enrollment |
| Level of control | Full control over device and data | Control only over corporate applications and data |
| Privacy | Less concern about personal data privacy | High priority on employee personal data privacy |
| Remote wipe | Full device wipe | Selective wipe of corporate data and applications |
| Usage | Exclusively for work | For personal and work purposes |
For corporate devices, Intune allows applying a full range of MDM policies, controlling all aspects of the device. For BYOD devices, Intune provides a MAM approach, which allows isolating corporate data and applications from personal ones, protecting employee privacy while ensuring the security of corporate information.
Intune integration with the Microsoft ecosystem
The power of Microsoft Intune is significantly enhanced by its deep integration with other Microsoft products and services. This creates a cohesive and secure ecosystem for endpoint management and protection.
- Microsoft Entra ID (Azure Active Directory): Intune uses Entra ID for user and device identity management, as well as for applying conditional access policies. This ensures that only authorized users from compliant devices gain access to corporate resources.
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: Integration with Microsoft’s EDR solution provides advanced threat protection, vulnerability detection, and automated responses to security incidents. Intune can use Defender data to assess device security posture before granting access.
- Microsoft 365 Apps: Intune allows easy deployment, updating, and management of Microsoft 365 applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) on managed devices, as well as applying data protection policies to them.
- Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365: Intune can be used to manage virtual desktops and cloud PCs, providing a consistent management experience for physical and virtual endpoints.
- Microsoft Sentinel: Event logs from Intune can be integrated into the Sentinel SIEM system for centralized security monitoring, anomaly detection, and incident response.
This integration minimizes management complexity, enhances security, and provides a unified approach to endpoint management across the organization.
How SL Global Service addresses this
The SL Global Service team has extensive experience in implementing and supporting Microsoft Intune as a key component of endpoint management and cybersecurity strategy for Ukrainian businesses. SGS engineers use a comprehensive approach that includes auditing the current infrastructure, developing a customized architecture, and phased solution implementation.
Our Microsoft Intune services include:
- Cloud architecture and migration: Developing an optimal architecture for integrating Intune into existing or new cloud infrastructure, as well as assisting with the migration of existing device management systems.
- Cybersecurity: Configuring Intune to ensure the maximum level of corporate data protection on mobile devices. This includes setting up conditional access policies using Microsoft Entra ID, integration with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for EDR functionality, and applying Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies at the application level. We also integrate data from Intune into Microsoft Sentinel for centralized monitoring and incident response.
- Managed Cloud 24/7: Continuous monitoring and management of Intune infrastructure, including policy updates, new device enrollment, access issue resolution, and ensuring compliance with security standards.
- VDI (cloud workspaces) and Microsoft 365: Integrating Intune with Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 for managing virtual workspaces, as well as deploying and managing Microsoft 365 applications on all managed devices.
- IT audit: Conducting an audit of existing mobile device management systems and developing recommendations for optimization and increasing the level of security using Intune.
The typical result of collaboration with SL Global Service is a fully functional and secure mobile device management system that provides centralized control over corporate data, compliance with regulatory requirements, and a high level of productivity for employees, regardless of where they work or what devices they use.
Implementing an effective mobile device and application management system is not just a trend, but an urgent necessity for any modern business. Consider integrating Microsoft Intune into your IT strategy to ensure robust data protection, optimize device management, and provide employees with the flexibility needed for productive work in a hybrid employment environment.