Remote working is the new normal and this is exactly what has contributed to the spread of intune. Intune gets a large number of new users/devices every day and is also being developed at a rapid pace. Intune is an extremely good platform to manage devices regardless of their location and offers the great advantage that you no longer have to worry about an infrastructure as with Config Manager. However, this growth brings the challenge that administrators have to get used to a new platform.
In my blog you will find many deep dives or useful tools and solutions how to get the full power out of Intune. In this blog post I want to go back to the beginning. I want to give you a general overview of what Intune is and provide you with a free QuickStart guide for the first steps.
What is Intune?
Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based SaaS (Software as a Service) service that helps organizations manage their devices and ensure security. With Intune you can manage Workplace devices like Windows and Mac and very recently also Linux and ChromeOs (currently only limited) but also mobile devices like iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. Manage means you can distribute policies and scripts for device management and security as well as applications and updates to the devices. In addition, Intune offers you reporting and analytics possibilities of your workspace landscape.
Because Intune is a cloud service you can manage the devices network and location independent. The only thing needed is an internet connection. Intune also helps you establish a secure connection to corporate resources.
Overall, Microsoft Intune is a powerful tool for helping organisations manage and secure their devices and apps, while also providing employees with access to the resources they need to be productive.
How can I reach Intune and what are the prerequisites?
Intune is reachable via https://devicemanagement.microsoft.com/.
To use Intune you have to fulfill the following prerequisites:
You need a Intune license. The Intune license is included in one of the following licenses:
- Microsoft 365 E5
- Microsoft 365 E3
- Enterprise Mobility + Security E5
- Enterprise Mobility + Security E3
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium
- Microsoft 365 F1
- Microsoft 365 F3
- Microsoft 365 Government G5
- Microsoft 365 Government G3
- Intune for Education
An other prerequisite is that you are member of the Global Administrator or Intune Service Administrator Group.
General Overview of the Portal
Anyone who knows the Config Manager console knows that it is not self-explanatory, especially for beginners. This has changed somewhat with Intune. The console has been simplified a lot and also offers new administrators an easier introduction.
When you open the Intune Console, you land on the start page, which gives you a high-level overview of your environment and also displays news around Intune. On the left site you can find the menu with the navigation the the different areas. This is the most important part for you. In addition you can find on the right top an area with buttons for feedback, help and general site settings like changing the language and account settings.
As mentioned above the most interesting part of this page is the left side menu. Here I would like to give you a more detailed overview of what is behind the categories.
| Item | Description |
| Home | Navigate back to the start Page |
| Dashboard | Here you can create your custom dashboard with different widgets to get an overview of your tenant |
| All Services | Similarly with the menu which I am now explaining. It offers you an overview of the different categories of Intune but also a link to portals like the Surface Management Portal or Intune for education. |
| Devices | In my opinion the most important menu in intune. Here you can create and manage Configuration Profiles, Compliance Profiles, Scripts, Updates and much more around the management of devices. |
| Apps | The app category offers you an overview of your app portfolio as well as the possibility to add new apps to your portfolio, but also the possibility to create app configurations. |
| Endpoint Security | In this category you will find a lot of possibilities around security like the creation of attack surface reduction policies, device compliance, conditional access, firewall and much more. |
| Reports | Many of the reporrts in intune are decentralized. This means that you can find the reports exactly where you need them, e.g. in the app or device category. But there are also comprehensive reports that you can find in this menu. You will also find a very powerful feature called Endpoint Analytics. |
| Users | This is an integration of the Azure Ad user view. So you can manage AAD users without leaving the console |
| Groups | This is an integration of the Azure Ad group view. So you can manage AAD group without leaving the console |
| Tenant administration | In the tenant administration you can create overall configurations like connectors and integrations but also notifications or organization messages and much more. |
| Troubleshooting + support | This category helps you to troubleshoot individual devices / users but also to open tickets to Intune or offers the intelligent troubleshooting tips. |
How to create a Configuration Profile?
- Open https://endpoint.microsoft.com in your Browser
- Select Devices in the left start menu and select Configuration Profiles
- Click + Create profile
- Select the Platform in our case Windows 10 and select Settings catalog
- Click Create
- Enter a Name (Hint: It is recommended to have a naming convention)
- Click Next
- Click + Add settings
- Select and configure the settings you want to take
- Click Next -> Next
- Create a assignment. In my case I select all Devices. (It is recommended to use custom groups instead of all users and devices)
- Click Next
- Review the settings and click Create
How to enroll a device into Intune?
I have written a detailed blog on how to create an enrollment profile for Windows and MacOS. You can check out these blog posts here.
How to add and deploy a new Application?
For this you can have a look at the following blog posts of mine:
Important sources for news and help
The Intune community is very big and by very big I mean very big indeed. There are a lot of great bloggers and communities. It wouldn’t be fair to name individual bloggers here but I would like to give you a few resources that will help you stay up to date but also help you with your problems.
Also, I am always open to help you with your questions or to write a blog about it. Feel free to contact me on Twitter, LinkedIn or via the contact form on my blog.
Modern Device Management 
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