Windows Intune

Windows Intune is a subscription service that uses Microsoft-hosted online services for PC management and malware protection and delivers Windows upgrade rights and other benefits. Windows Intune was designed for small and medium businesses that need to manage many PCs but don’t want to set up an on-premises management and security infrastructure. Intune services are hosted at Microsoft but controlled and administered by the customer’s administrator or a managed service provider. They enable administrators to deploy applications, track software inventory, monitor PC health, and detect and remove malware.

Windows Intune is licensed under a per-device subscription model. For the licensed PC, the organization receives rights like those of the Windows 7 Professional Upgrade license with Software Assurance (SA). For example, the PC may run Windows 7 Enterprise, employ Desktop Optimization Pack management technologies (at extra cost), and run Windows in up to four virtual machines at a time. The PC also receives upgrade rights to any version of Windows released during the term of its subscription. Windows Intune customers receive SA training and support benefits, although some benefits (such as source code access and deployment planning services) are not available. (The precise list of Windows Intune benefits appears in the monthly Microsoft Volume Licensing Product List.)