How has it helped my organization?
Microsoft Intune has improved our organization a lot. Previously, we had concerns about device security and compliance. We now do not have those concerns, and we also have productivity and efficiency. It enables remote work.
It is very easy for us to pull the applications for security updates. Everything is done at the backend. It is very easy for us to configure for all the users because we are currently using Microsoft E5 and E3 licenses for all the users. We have created separate groups for all the users. We have more than 7,000 users across more than 60 countries. We have created separate groups for all the countries. After the onboarding is over, we add a user to a particular group and Intune. Once we enroll a user's PC, all the applications, security updates, and other things are pulled from the back end.
It helps with security enhancement. We can remotely manage the devices. It helps with productivity. We can have reports. We can download all monthly reports and enable compliance policies. Its cost efficiency is also good.
It is integrated with Microsoft 365. Everything is integrated in terms of security and endpoint solutions. Every feature is in one space or license, which is Microsoft 365. We only need to be concerned about the license because, under Microsoft 365, they have a lot of licenses. That is the only thing we need to focus on.
It is very easy for me to monitor and configure everything. It is a one-time process. Once I have done all the work at the back end, it is very easy for me to configure everything. At times, requirements come from IT managers from some countries where they need to add some applications, policies, or VPN networks, and I take care of that from time to time. They usually come in the middle of every month.
Nowadays, more and more companies are implementing Intune for their users. I see a lot of companies moving to endpoint management. It is a good move to integrate all the systems and bring them under one roof. You do not need to look for other solutions or third-party applications. Once you have the Microsoft enterprise license, it is a one-time process. You do not need to go to all the users to install everything and do the updates. It is not necessary. It requires only a one-time configuration. It is very useful for all companies. It is very user-friendly, and it is very easy to pull the data and reports on updates and applications. Everything is possible in Intune nowadays.
Microsoft Intune is very useful for us because we do not need any extra people. It reduces the manpower required. Previously, for every country, we had to recruit more IT technicians for things like installation and user support. Nowadays, in a single window, I can do all the work in the back end. For example, in the case of a laptop theft, I can wipe the laptop remotely. It is a very useful tool.
Microsoft Intune is a cloud platform. It is integrated with Azure. It protects and checks the identity at the backend. We can also configure some extra layers of protection, such as MFA or passwordless sign-ins. We can enforce all this for all the users. Our devices are more secure.
Microsoft Intune is already integrated with all the things. We have created some alerts for all the users in the case of any unusual activity or travel activity. If they click on a malicious link, it is automatically detected. We have already configured all this in Office 365. The tickets are automatically generated in Jira. We have to verify with the IT managers of the representative countries whether these user activities are valid or not. According to that, we are taking some precautions and remediation such as blocking some users. Security-wise, it is very useful for us.
What is most valuable?
It is a one-time configuration. It is very easy for me to configure all the things. Once I create policies and applications in Intune, it is very easy for us to enroll users. It is a one-time process. We do not need to spend a lot of time because all the setup is done in the initial phases. Its interface is a little bit complicated, but I know where to configure all the things in the portal. It is very easy for me. Before the user enrollment, I have a call with the IT managers of the respective countries and collect the requirements from their end. I configure all the groups accordingly. For example, we have some inbuilt applications that we need to allow for all the users. We also have some in-house applications. For every country, the policies are different. I can take care of all that.
What needs improvement?
We are facing issues with Apple products. With macOS and iOS, there are some difficulties with the updates because we cannot get full control of Apple products. In the case of Windows, it is fine, but in the case of Apple, we have some difficulties. We cannot control everything through Intune.
It can be improved in terms of UI, user productivity, ease of use, performance, customization, and flexibility. It has all of these capabilities, but they can be better. Reporting, analytics, and integration with third-party solutions can also be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Intune since 2022.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution, but when a lot of users are facing the same issue, it can take us some time to find a solution. I would rate it a seven out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable. I would rate it a seven out of ten for scalability.
How are customer service and support?
We have premium support. If I am not able to find a solution for an issue at my end, I raise a ticket with them. I get a response or callback according to the priority level. They try to resolve the issue as soon as possible. I have faced some challenges on Saturdays and Sundays and at night time.
Their support is not always very fast. Sometimes, they take a day or two and they can also take one or two weeks. In a few cases, they took one month. If level 1 support is not able to resolve the issue, the ticket is moved to the next level. If level 2 is also not able to resolve the issue, they move to level 3. Their support needs some improvements.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were not using any similar solution previously. We had some software for remote access and admin control.
I have some experience with Meraki MDM. I am not very familiar with it. I worked with it only for a year. When I joined the organization, all the systems were in domains. It was very difficult to manage everything because one of the engineers had to go to the user systems and install whatever the users wanted. All the systems were protected with the administrator accounts. Nowadays, it is very easy for me to pull all the applications.
For all the updates, we are using a separate third-party tool from Qualys. It is integrated with Azure. Every month, we initiate software updates. It is mandatory for all the users, and it is automatically done. Once I pull the updates, they automatically run in the backend on every user system.
We are using a third-party solution for our servers. We have about 150 servers for application development, UAT, and production. We cannot use Intune for the servers. It is not effective for servers. That is why we are using a third-party application for servers.
How was the initial setup?
For the initial setup, we needed some help from the Microsoft team. As a new organization, we had to know all the features. We had different requirements for different countries in terms of applications and compliance.
We had a session with Microsoft, and they explained all the processes in Intune and showed us how to configure and implement everything. We had done some PoCs. We started with a few users, and after everything worked fine, we started with small groups and implemented it for them.
Its setup is easy, but we had requirements from IT managers regarding excluding some devices from the administrator level and allowing some users to directly install some applications. In such cases, we had to create separate groups for them.
It was a long process. It took me around one month for each country. I had to set up a meeting with IT managers, discuss the license part, and tell them the main advantages and disadvantages. Convincing them was a bit difficult because their systems were connected with domains. Different users required different permissions. We cannot give global admin permissions to all IT managers.
What about the implementation team?
We are a team of 20 people. We are the ones dealing with the global admin access. We take care of many things. For example, for application configuration or policy configuration, people need to raise a ticket with us. We schedule a meeting and take the requirements from them. We accordingly make the changes.
We also have an operations and infrastructure team. Our company is a logistics and shipping company. Here in Dubai, I am working in the global hub. It is the group IT hub. We are developing all the on-premises applications here. We have more than 20 in-house applications.
In terms of maintenance, I have not got any feedback. It is working very smoothly so far. I have not faced any challenges.
What was our ROI?
We have saved resources and time. We do not need that much manpower and time. It is a very effective solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is expensive. The cost depends on the license that we choose.
The enterprise license is expensive. It is recommended only if the organization has the budget. It is not recommended for all companies because of the licensing part.
What other advice do I have?
We ensure that the selected solution integrates smoothly within our IT infrastructure, including Active Directory, Azure AD, cloud platforms, and network equipment. Compatibility and integration are the key factors in achieving seamless deployment and operational efficiency. We also need to consider the security and compliance requirements and plan for scalability and future growth.
We just started using Microsoft Copilot in Intune. We have some testing going on. We assigned the license to some of our help desk IDs. We are using it for some meetings and documentation purposes. It will automatically capture the key points when we are in the meeting. We have tested only a few features in Copilot. We need to explore it more.
I would recommend Microsoft Intune. It is a very useful product. It is very helpful to monitor the devices and implement compliance policies. You can also get monthly reports and alerts about user activities. Security-wise and configuration-wise, it is a very useful product.
I would rate Microsoft Intune an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.