8 Benefits of Microsoft Intune

The modern workplace has more devices than ever before. Unlike just a few years ago, you can find individuals carrying three or four different devices with them. And they are using all of them for various tasks. Needless to say, this creates a challenging situation for companies. Ensuring the security of corporate data in such a scenario becomes significantly harder. How do you manage and keep track of all those devices? The answer, Microsoft Intune. This cloud-based platform lets you manage devices that have access to corporate data. Therefore, you get to retain control over who has access to corporate resources and how. Without a doubt, the benefits of Intune are plenty and certainly worth discussing.

Access to on-premises servers

A lot of companies have on-premises servers for several reasons, security not being the least of them. Although this may be part of their security strategy, it still poses a challenge for remote work. Employees still need access to their email as well as corporate data. However, by utilizing Intune-managed certificates and standard VPN gateways or proxies, you can allow mobile apps access to on-premises data. The key is to make sure that security is not compromised in the process. Managing devices that are enrolled in Intune and ensuring that they comply with your security policies is pretty straightforward.   

Easier transition to the cloud

Microsoft has come out and said that Intune is not going to force companies to make the transition. Having said that, Intune is a cloud-based platform so it does give you that possibility. This means that if your organization is looking to move away from on-premises servers then this is a fantastic way to do it. The cloud architecture is scalable and always up to date. Moreover, you can have peace of mind knowing that your company is under the protection of Intune. So your employees will have constant secure access to corporate resources regardless of where they are working from.

Better device management

Device management is a very important issue for all businesses. This is something that will have a significant impact on how secure your corporate data will be. With Microsoft Intune, you can implement full control over company-owned devices. By having such kind of control over these devices, it makes it easier to secure them. For BYOD cases, however, users are unlikely to want to cede full control of their devices to administrators. So you can give users options such as enrolling their devices or using app protection policies. This helps to ensure that administrators can configure all devices and check that they are fully compliant.

Secure app management

With Mobile application management (MAM), Intune is capable of protecting your organization’s data at the app level. This management applies to both company and personal devices. Therefore administrators retain control over apps on all devices. They can configure app settings, track app usage, and wipe organization data from apps among other things. Also, you benefit from app security through app protection policies. These policies have several features including offering an extra layer of protection, securing access on personal devices, and isolating company data from personal data.  

Flexible licensing structure

Even with seemingly endless incredible features to drool over, cost will still be a significant determiner of whether a business subscribes or not. Rather than complicate things for clients, Microsoft offers you a very cost-effective way to acquire Intune. You can get it as part of the Enterprise Mobility Suite. That way you don’t have to worry about additional costs or counting devices with per-user licensing.

Intune adds value to Office 365

For Office 365 clients, they get the advantage of having Mobile Device Management (MDM) as a prebuilt solution. This will enhance data protection on users’ devices thanks to security policy management. Also, whenever the need arises, you can wipe corporate data from users’ devices while leaving personal data intact. In addition, you also get to deploy custom and Microsoft store apps as well as benefitting from an Intune Managed Browser app that offers users a more secure browsing experience. Corporate data will get better security because of restrictions concerning copying, pasting, saving, etc.    

Availability of constant support

Problems are something that we are going to encounter with just about any technology. It’s almost impossible to avoid. You can almost be certain that at some point you’ll face a problem. Hence the need for readily available support. With Microsoft Intune, you get access to a global support network by phone or online platforms. This 24/7 support that is available with every Intune subscription helps clients to swiftly resolve any problems that may arise.

Improved IT experience

Microsoft Intune does a lot to optimize the operations of your IT team. For instance, the deployment of software across all enrolled devices eliminates the need for dealing with one individual device at a time. This allows IT to easily control updates so that all users have up-to-date software and apps. In addition, the management of Office means that you get the necessary control without the need for a containerization app. IT can also track licensing, collect information about hardware configurations as well as software installations. All in all, this will mean that IT will operate with greater efficiency which will translate to a better working atmosphere from top to bottom.

Wrap up

Businesses need solutions that can bring greater convenience to their employees without compromising security. With Microsoft Intune, you get a comprehensive and secure platform that optimizes user experience without draining your resources. It enables you to streamline app use across all devices while protecting corporate data. This is vitally important for every business, especially with an increasing number of employees working remotely. Achieving greater efficiency in the cloud and improved employee productivity is something that Intune can do for your business.