Intune is included in Business Premium but most businesses have zero devices enrolled. Here's what you're missing — and what an MSP does with Intune from day one.
Key takeaways
- 1Compliance policies enforce minimum OS versions, password requirements, and encryption
- 2Configuration profiles push settings like Wi-Fi, VPN, and app configurations automatically
- 3App protection policies protect company data on personal (BYOD) devices without touching personal content
- 4BitLocker encryption is enforced and recovery keys are stored centrally
- 5Remote wipe lets you remove company data from a lost or stolen device in minutes
Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based Mobile Device Management (MDM) and Mobile Application Management (MAM) platform. It's included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium at no extra cost. Despite this, the majority of Business Premium tenants we encounter at Optimyze have no devices enrolled in Intune whatsoever.
What Intune actually does
Intune gives you centralised control over every device your team uses to access company data — Windows PCs, Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Android devices. Once enrolled, a device is subject to your policies:
- Compliance policies enforce minimum OS versions, password requirements, and encryption
- Configuration profiles push settings like Wi-Fi, VPN, and app configurations automatically
- App protection policies protect company data on personal (BYOD) devices without touching personal content
- BitLocker encryption is enforced and recovery keys are stored centrally
- Remote wipe lets you remove company data from a lost or stolen device in minutes
Windows Autopilot: the zero-touch provisioning game changer
When combined with Windows Autopilot, Intune enables zero-touch device provisioning. A new employee's laptop ships directly to them from the manufacturer. They connect to Wi-Fi, sign in with their Microsoft 365 account, and the device automatically downloads and installs all applications, security policies, and company configurations. No IT person needs to touch it. No imaging, no reimaging.
What happens without Intune
Without Intune, you have no visibility of what's on the devices accessing your company data. You can't enforce encryption. You can't remotely wipe a lost device. You can't ensure a device is patched before it connects to your network. You're licensing a security platform and using none of it.
How Optimyze deploys Intune
On every new managed IT engagement, Optimyze begins with Intune enrolment. We configure compliance policies appropriate to your sector (stricter for healthcare and finance clients), deploy configuration profiles, enable Autopilot for new device provisioning, and set up app protection policies for any BYOD devices. Device compliance is monitored continuously and reported monthly.
