Microsoft Intune

What is Microsoft Intune?

Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based Mobile Device Management (MDM) and Mobile Application Management (MAM) platform. It lets IT teams manage and secure devices — Windows PCs, Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Android devices — from a single console, without needing on-premises infrastructure.

Intune is included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium. If your organisation is on Business Premium and not using Intune, you're paying for a capability you're not getting value from.

What Intune actually does

Intune provides control across the full device lifecycle:

• Zero-touch enrolment — new Windows devices configure themselves when the user signs in, no IT hands required
• Policy enforcement — ensure devices are encrypted, have screen lock enabled, and are running current OS versions
• Application deployment — push apps to devices silently, without user interaction
• Conditional Access integration — block devices that aren't compliant from accessing Microsoft 365
• Remote wipe — selectively wipe corporate data from a lost or stolen device without touching personal data
• BYOD support — manage corporate apps and data on personal devices without enrolling the device itself

Zero-touch deployment with Windows Autopilot

Windows Autopilot, configured through Intune, transforms how new devices are deployed. Instead of IT imaging each laptop before it goes to a user, you register the device's hardware ID with Intune, ship it directly to the user, and when they sign in with their Microsoft 365 account, the device configures itself — apps install, policies apply, and it's ready to use.

For Canberra businesses with remote staff or multiple locations, this eliminates the need to physically handle every new device. A new starter in a regional office gets a laptop shipped directly to them, fully configured, without IT ever touching it.

BYOD without the privacy concerns

Intune's MAM capabilities let you manage corporate apps and data on personal devices without enrolling the device itself. Staff can use their personal iPhone to access corporate email and Teams, and IT can wipe only the corporate data if the device is lost or the person leaves — without touching personal photos, messages, or apps.

This is the right approach for most Canberra businesses with staff who prefer to use their own devices. It gives IT the control they need without the privacy concerns that come with full device enrolment.

Intune and Conditional Access

Intune integrates directly with Azure AD Conditional Access to enforce device compliance as a condition of access. A device that isn't enrolled in Intune, isn't encrypted, or hasn't been patched recently can be blocked from accessing Microsoft 365 — even if the user has valid credentials.

This is the practical implementation of Zero Trust at the device layer: access is granted based on verified identity and device health, not just a username and password.

Getting Intune configured properly

Intune is powerful but requires careful configuration to deliver its intended security posture. Default settings are not sufficient — compliance policies, configuration profiles, and Conditional Access rules need to be designed for your specific environment.

I.T.S Canberra deploys and manages Intune as part of a fully managed Microsoft 365 environment, including Autopilot configuration, compliance policy design, and ongoing device management.