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Every one of those devices is a potential entry point for a security breach — unless it is properly managed, configured, and monitored.
Microsoft Intune is Microsoft's cloud-based endpoint management platform — giving your business complete control over the devices and applications that access your company data, regardless of whether those devices are company-owned or personal. Advantage implements and manages Intune for UK SMEs as part of a comprehensive Microsoft security posture.
Microsoft Intune is the device and application management component of Microsoft's Enterprise Mobility and Security suite. It replaces traditional on-premise Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions with a cloud-hosted platform that manages Windows PCs, Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Android devices from a single console — with no on-premise infrastructure required.
Intune integrates natively with Microsoft Entra ID for identity-based access control, Microsoft Defender for Business for endpoint threat protection, and Microsoft 365 for application and data management — forming a coherent, connected security platform across your entire device estate.
Intune operates in two distinct modes depending on the device:
Full device management: Intune enrols the device, enforces security policies across the entire device, deploys applications, manages settings, and can remotely wipe the device completely if it is lost or stolen. Used for company laptops, company phones, and other organisation-owned hardware.
Application-level management only: Intune manages only the company applications and the data within them — it has no visibility into personal apps, personal files, or device usage outside of managed apps. Company data within managed apps is encrypted and protected; personal data is entirely separate. If an employee leaves, only company data is removed — their personal content is untouched.
This distinction is essential for BYOD policies that respect employee privacy while still protecting company data. Advantage designs the right blend of MDM and MAM policies for each client's device environment.
Enrol and manage Windows 10 and 11 devices via Intune — enforcing BitLocker encryption, Windows Update policies, firewall configuration, and security baselines. Windows Autopilot integration enables zero-touch provisioning: new devices shipped directly to employees are automatically configured and ready to use on first boot, without IT needing to handle the hardware.
Manage Apple Mac devices in a mixed-OS environment — enforcing FileVault encryption, password policies, and security configurations alongside Windows devices from the same Intune console.
Manage company iPhones and iPads with full MDM enrolment, or protect company data on personal iOS devices using MAM app protection policies — including preventing company data from being copied to personal apps, shared via personal cloud storage, or captured in screenshots.
Android Enterprise management for company-owned Android devices and work profile separation for personal devices — creating a clear boundary between work apps (managed by Intune) and personal apps (not visible to or managed by the organisation).
Compliance policies — define what a compliant device looks like (encrypted, OS up to date, no known malware, screen lock enabled) and report on which devices meet those standards. Conditional Access in Entra ID can then restrict access to company data from non-compliant devices.
Remote wipe — lost or stolen device? Trigger a remote wipe to remove company data immediately. Full wipe for company-owned devices; selective wipe of only company data for personal devices.
Application deployment — deploy, update, and remove applications across the device fleet without physical access. Software updates are managed centrally rather than depending on individual users to keep their devices current.
Configuration profiles — push security settings, certificates, Wi-Fi profiles, VPN configurations, and email settings to devices automatically on enrolment.
App protection policies — prevent company data from being copied to personal apps, opened in unmanaged browsers, shared to personal cloud storage, or captured in screenshots — even on unmanaged personal devices.
Windows Autopilot transforms the device provisioning process for SMEs. New Windows devices can be shipped directly from a supplier to an employee's home or desk — and on first boot, Autopilot automatically joins the device to Entra ID, enrols it in Intune, applies all required configuration profiles and applications, and presents the user with a ready-to-use work device. No imaging, no IT hands-on time, no devices shipped to the office first. For growing SMEs or businesses with remote staff, Autopilot eliminates one of the most time-consuming aspects of IT operations.
Microsoft Intune is included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Enterprise Mobility and Security E3 and E5, and Microsoft 365 E3 and E5. It is also available as a standalone subscription. Advantage advises on the most cost-effective licensing approach for each client — often the inclusion of Intune in Microsoft 365 Business Premium makes upgrading from a lower plan the right commercial decision when device management is required.
Advantage follows the Analyse, Activate, Aftercare approach — starting with an audit of the current device estate and existing management capabilities, designing the right MDM/MAM policy framework, managing the device enrolment process, and providing ongoing device compliance monitoring and management as part of Aftercare or Advantage Secure365™.
Related Pages: Microsoft Entra ID — Identity Management | Enterprise Mobility and Security | Advantage Secure365™
Common questions about Microsoft Intune — device management, MDM vs MAM, BYOD policies, Windows Autopilot, and how Advantage implements and manages Intune for UK SMEs.
Microsoft Intune is Microsoft's cloud-based endpoint management platform — the system that manages and secures the devices and applications your staff use to access company data. Intune gives your organisation complete control over Windows PCs, Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Android devices from a single cloud console, without requiring any on-premise infrastructure.
Intune is part of Microsoft's Enterprise Mobility and Security suite and integrates natively with Microsoft Entra ID for identity-based access control and Microsoft Defender for Business for endpoint threat protection — forming a coherent, connected security platform across your entire device estate.
Intune operates in two modes depending on who owns the device:
This distinction allows SMEs to extend security to personal devices without infringing on employee privacy — a balance that is both practically important for BYOD adoption and relevant to GDPR compliance.
Yes — and managing a mix of company-owned and personal devices is one of the most common Intune use cases for UK SMEs. Using Mobile Application Management (MAM), Intune protects company data on personal devices by wrapping managed apps (Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive) in application protection policies.
These policies can prevent company data from being copied to personal apps, shared to personal cloud storage, opened in unmanaged browsers, or captured in screenshots — even on a device that Intune does not fully manage. From the employee's perspective, their personal apps and personal data are untouched. From the organisation's perspective, company data is protected to the same standard as on a managed company device.
Intune manages devices across all major platforms from a single console:
All platforms are managed from the same Microsoft Intune admin centre — eliminating the need for separate management tools per platform.
Windows Autopilot is a zero-touch device provisioning capability that works alongside Intune to eliminate the manual setup work involved in getting new Windows devices ready for staff. The process works as follows: new Windows devices are registered with Autopilot before shipping; when an employee turns on the device for the first time and signs in with their Microsoft 365 credentials, Autopilot automatically joins the device to Entra ID, enrols it in Intune, and applies all required configuration profiles, security policies, and applications — presenting the user with a fully configured work device in under an hour.
For SMEs, Autopilot means new starter devices can be shipped directly from supplier to employee — no imaging, no IT hands-on time, no devices routed through the office first. It also makes replacing lost or faulty devices straightforward and fast.
Intune, Entra ID, and Defender for Business are designed as complementary components of a unified security platform:
Intune can enforce a wide range of security policies across managed devices:
Devices that do not meet compliance policies can be automatically quarantined — restricting access until remediated.
Remote and hybrid working creates the exact device management challenge Intune is designed to solve. When staff work from home or on the road, traditional network-based security controls (firewalls, VPNs as the sole access control) are insufficient. Intune extends your security policies to every device wherever it is located.
Staff can work from home, client offices, or anywhere else — and their devices remain enrolled in Intune, subject to the same compliance policies, receiving the same application updates, and monitored by the same Defender protection as devices in the office. If a device is lost or stolen while travelling, it can be remotely wiped immediately regardless of location. The organisation retains control without requiring all work to happen inside a specific network.
Microsoft Intune is included in the following Microsoft plans — meaning many SMEs already have access to it without realising:
Intune is also available as a standalone subscription for organisations that need device management without the full Microsoft 365 suite. Advantage advises on the most cost-effective licensing path for each client — often upgrading to Microsoft 365 Business Premium is commercially more efficient than adding standalone Intune, given the other security capabilities included in that plan.
Advantage follows its Analyse, Activate, Aftercare methodology for Intune implementations:
Contact the team, call 020 3004 4600, or email hello@advantage.co.uk.
The technology you use should help you move faster, not hold you back. At Advantage, we help SMEs unlock the full power of Microsoft - from cloud and security to AI and automation. Whether you're modernising systems or exploring Copilot, we'll help you transform the way you work. Let's build something smarter. Together.
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