Are you finding it challenging to keep track of your company’s growing number of devices and applications?

Microsoft Intune’s asset management offers a solution to this common business challenge. It provides a powerful set of tools that help you control, secure, and optimize your IT infrastructure. 

Intune simplifies managing a diverse IT environment by streamlining device enrollment and enforcing security policies.

This article shows how Intune asset management can boost security and productivity while reducing management work.

What is Intune Asset Management?

Intune Asset Management is a set of tools and features within Microsoft Intune that allows businesses to track, manage, and secure their IT assets, including devices, applications, and data. It provides a centralized platform for IT administrators to oversee the entire lifecycle of devices and applications within the organization—from deployment to retirement.

Intune Asset Management includes several core components that work together to provide comprehensive control over your IT infrastructure. These include device enrollment, configuration management, application deployment, security policy enforcement, and reporting. By utilizing these components, businesses can ensure that their IT assets are properly managed, secured, and optimized for performance.

Enhancing Device Management with Intune

Intune asset management revolutionizes device management in modern workplace environments. It offers a comprehensive solution for managing both corporate-owned and personal devices across various platforms, including Windows, iOS, Android, and macOS. 

Intune enables IT administrators to implement robust mobile device management (MDM) and mobile application management (MAM) policies, ensuring that devices remain secure and compliant with organizational standards. The platform facilitates seamless enrollment processes, allowing for the automatic configuration of devices with predefined settings, applications, and security policies. 

Intune’s cloud-based nature ensures that management capabilities are accessible from anywhere, reducing the need for on-premises infrastructure. It integrates smoothly with other Microsoft 365 services, providing a unified management experience. 

By providing features such as remote wipes, device inventory tracking, and health monitoring, intune asset management helps organizations maintain control over their devices. It ensures that devices are secure and well-managed, even as employees work from various locations. This approach allows businesses to keep operations running smoothly and efficiently, no matter where their teams are located.

Additionally, Intune makes it easier for IT teams to manage devices remotely, saving time and reducing operational costs. Users can enjoy a consistent and secure experience, whether working in the office or remotely. This level of control and flexibility ensures that businesses can adapt quickly to changing work environments.

Optimizing Application Management

Centralized App Distribution: Deploy and manage applications across all devices from a single console, streamlining the process of app delivery and updates.

App Configuration Policies: Customize application settings before deployment, ensuring consistent user experiences and reducing setup time.

App Protection Policies: Implement data loss prevention measures to secure corporate data within applications, even on personal devices.

Volume Purchasing Programs: Efficiently manage and distribute store apps through integration with various platform-specific volume purchasing programs.

App Wrapping and SDK Integration: Enhance existing line-of-business apps with additional security features without modifying the source code.

Application Reporting: Gain insights into app installation status, usage patterns, and compliance across the device fleet.

Conditional Access for Apps: Control access to corporate resources based on device compliance and user identity, enhancing overall security.

Self-Service App Portal: Enables users to install approved applications on-demand, reducing IT workload while maintaining control.

Strengthening Security and Compliance

Intune Asset Management enhances an organization’s security by enforcing encryption and password policies, and restricting device features. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 70% of data breaches in 2022 involved unmanaged devices. 

Intune’s compliance policies automatically remediate or quarantine non-compliant devices, while Azure Active Directory integration enables conditional access based on user identity and device health. 

Additionally, Intune allows for selective wiping of corporate data, ensuring robust protection. Detailed reporting and monitoring provide an audit trail for regulatory compliance and security investigations.

Improving Productivity and User Experience

Intune’s self-service portal empowers users to manage their devices and applications, reducing the burden on IT support teams. Through this portal, users can enroll their devices, install approved applications, and perform basic troubleshooting tasks.

This self-service approach not only improves user satisfaction by providing immediate access to needed resources but also frees up IT staff to focus on more complex issues and strategic initiatives. For instance, a user who needs a specific application for a project can quickly install it from the company portal without waiting for IT assistance.

Intune Asset Management’s monitoring and reporting capabilities enable IT teams to proactively identify and resolve issues before they impact users. The platform provides detailed insights into device health, application performance, and user activities.

By analyzing this data, IT administrators can spot trends, such as recurring software conflicts or devices approaching storage capacity limits. This proactive approach allows for timely interventions, reducing downtime and ensuring that users can work efficiently without interruptions.

Maximizing Cost Efficiency

Optimized License Management

Streamline software licensing processes, ensuring efficient allocation and utilization of licenses across the organization. Implement automated tracking systems to monitor usage, prevent overprovisioning, and identify underutilized licenses. This approach minimizes unnecessary expenses and maximizes the value of software investments.

Reduced Support Costs

Implement self-service portals and automated troubleshooting tools to empower users to resolve common issues. Utilize remote support capabilities and proactive monitoring to address problems before they escalate. These strategies decrease the volume of support tickets and minimize costly on-site interventions.

Extended Device Lifecycles

Employ robust maintenance schedules and performance optimization techniques through Intune Asset Management to prolong device usability.  Implement virtualization and cloud-based solutions to reduce hardware demands. Regularly update and patch systems to maintain security and efficiency, thereby extending the functional lifespan of devices and deferring replacement costs.

Term	Description
Enrollment	Registering devices into the system
Compliance	Ensuring devices meet set standards
Monitoring	Tracking device status and performance
Deployment	Installing apps and updates remotely
Security	Protecting devices and data
Reporting	Generating insights from device data
Flexibility	Adapting management to different needs

Conclusion

Intune asset management is more than just an IT tool – it’s a strategic asset for your business. By centralizing control, enhancing security, and improving efficiency, it addresses the key challenges of modern IT management. 

Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, Intune’s scalable solutions can help you build a more resilient, secure, and productive IT infrastructure. Adopt the power of Intune to take your asset management to the next level.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is Intune suitable for small businesses?

Yes, Intune is highly suitable for small businesses, offering scalable asset management with flexible pricing. It provides enterprise-grade capabilities without significant infrastructure investments, making it accessible for smaller organizations.

• Can Intune manage both company-owned and personal devices?

Yes, Intune effectively manages both company-owned and personal devices (BYOD). It enforces appropriate policies to protect company data while ensuring user privacy, enabling unified management across diverse device ownership models.

• Can Intune integrate with existing on-premises systems?

Yes, Intune integrates smoothly with existing on-premises systems through hybrid Azure AD join and co-management with System Center Configuration Manager. This enables a seamless transition to cloud management while retaining legacy infrastructure.

Key Takeaways

• Intune centralizes the management of devices, applications, and security across multiple platforms for comprehensive IT control.

• Enhanced security features include encryption, compliance policies, and conditional access to protect corporate resources.

• Self-service options and proactive IT monitoring improve user productivity and reduce downtime across the organization.

• Cost efficiency is achieved through optimized licensing, reduced support needs, and extended device lifespans.

• Intune is scalable for businesses of all sizes and supports the management of both company-owned and personal devices.