Intune is one of those tools that’s easy to under-appreciate until a device shows up non-compliant at the wrong moment. Here’s how I use it.
Enrollment First
If a device isn’t enrolled, you’re managing it on faith. I check:
- Enrollment completed successfully
- Correct ownership type (corporate vs personal, depending on policy)
- User association is correct
Skip this step and everything downstream gets harder.
Compliance Policies That Make Sense
A policy nobody can meet is just noise. I stick to requirements the organization actually needs:
- Minimum OS version
- Encryption turned on
- Passcode or PIN in place
- Endpoint protection running
When something fails compliance, I’d rather fix the device than fight the user.
The Device Lifecycle in Practice
| Phase | What I tend to do |
|---|---|
| Deployment | Image or configure, install apps, enroll in Intune |
| Daily use | Monitor compliance, handle break/fix, update configs |
| Retirement | Wipe, remove from Intune, update inventory |
What I’ve Learned
Intune works best when policies are simple, enrollment is smooth, and users know where to go when something breaks: usually the Company Portal or the help desk.
That’s not a product feature. It’s just good operations.