Intune Windows Management Focuses on MDM

Intune is Microsoft’s hosted service that offers mobile device management (MDM), security, and reporting. Intune is moving away from the proprietary Windows management model it used in the past, and now emphasizes managing Windows 10 devices using lightweight MDM technologies, like technology used to manage devices from Apple, Google, and other mobile device manufacturers. The legacy Intune client is likely to be phased out over time, as Windows 7 leaves Extended support, so organizations using Intune with older versions of Windows, and those investigating using Intune, should ensure that they can manage their Windows 10 devices adequately through the MDM infrastructure.

The Evolution of Intune

Intune, Microsoft’s hosted device management service, first became generally available in 2011. The management service was targeted at small and medium businesses and offered tools for managing security, patching, error handling, and remote assistance, solely for Windows client PCs. Windows PCs connected to Intune through client software installed on the PC, an approach now sometimes referred to as “Intune classic,” and were managed using an Intune-specific Silverlight portal. The portal has become increasingly challenging for administrators of the service, as Silverlight is no longer supported by modern browsers.