Microsoft Endpoint Manager

Towards the end of 2019, Microsoft announced Microsoft Endpoint Manager—the convergence of Intune and Configuration Manager functionality and data, plus new intelligent actions—offering a seamless, end-to-end management solution without the complexity of a migration or disruption to productivity. Microsoft Endpoint Manager provides transformative modern management and security that meets customers where they are and helps them move to the cloud. In addition to Intune and Configuration Manager Mgr, Microsoft Endpoint Manager includes; Desktop Analytics, Device Management Admin Center, Co-Management and Autopilot. ConfigMgr and Intune will both be managed through a web-based console called the Microsoft Endpoint Manager’s Admin Center. This will supersede the Microsoft 365 Device Management Admin Center (DMAC).

System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) and Microsoft Intune provide integrated cloud-powered management tools, and unique co-management options to provision, deploy, manage, and secure endpoints and applications across an organization—managing 200 million devices today.

Microsoft has also simplified licensing and making the licensing to Intune available to all Configuration Manager customers to co-manage their Windows devices.

If you’d like to manage non-Windows devices through Microsoft Endpoint Manager, you’ll need to purchase either an Intune license, an Enterprise Mobility & Security (EMS) license, or a Microsoft 365 E3 or higher license.

Use Configuration Manager to help you with the following systems management activities

• Increase IT productivity and efficiency by reducing manual tasks and letting you focus on high-value projects.
• Maximize hardware and software investments.
• Empower user productivity by providing the right software at the right time.

Configuration Manager helps you deliver more effective IT services by enabling

• Secure and scalable deployment of applications, software updates, and operating systems.
• Real-time actions on managed devices.
• Cloud-powered analytics and management for on-premises and internet-based devices.
• Compliance settings management.
• Comprehensive management of servers, desktops, and laptops.

Configuration Manager extends and works alongside many Microsoft technologies and solutions. For example, Configuration Manager integrates with

• Microsoft Intune to co-manage a wide variety of mobile device platforms
• Microsoft Azure to host cloud services to extend your management services
• Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) to manage software updates
• Certificate Services
• Exchange Server and Exchange Online
• Group Policy
• DNS
• Windows Automated Deployment Kit (Windows ADK) and the User State Migration Tool (USMT)
• Windows Deployment Services (WDS)
• Remote Desktop and Remote Assistance

Configuration Manager also uses

• Active Directory Domain Services and Azure Active Directory for security, service location, configuration, and to discover the users and devices that you want to manage.
• Microsoft SQL Server as a distributed change management database—and integrates with SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) to produce reports to monitor and track management activities.
• Site system roles that extend management functionality and use the web services of Internet Information Services (IIS).
• Delivery Optimization, Windows Low Extra Delay Background Transport (LEDBAT), Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), BranchCache, and other peer caching technologies to help manage content on your networks and between devices.

Need more information? Send Oakwood’s Infrastructure Team a message below and we’ll be happy to help!