Azure Arc is a set of technologies that brings Azure security and cloud-native services to hybrid and multicloud environments. It enables the user to secure and govern infrastructure and apps anywhere, build cloud-native apps faster with familiar tools and services to run them on any Kubernetes platform, and modernize the data estate with Azure data and machine-learning services.
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Microsoft Intune
Score 8.3 out of 10
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Microsoft Intune (formerly Microsoft Endpoint Manager), combining the capabilities of the former Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager, SCCM or ConfigMgr, is presented as a unified endpoint management option. Microsoft Intune is an endpoint management solution for mobile devices, an MDM solution that allows the user to securely manage iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS devices with a single endpoint management solution. The component Endpoint Configuration Manager (the…
Azure Arc uses the underlying power of Microsoft Azure, which allows assets across multicloud to be onboarded to Arc platform. It provides monitoring, security, updates in one click in one single platform. It also provides licensing benefits for Windows Server licenses, which …
It is best asset management & centralized monitoring across multi cloud environments. It can be used to access those assets, update them when necessary, implement Azure monitor to get insights. We can also onboard thsese assets to Microsoft Defender for Cloud to provide the cloud security. Azure Arc is not suitable for the client device management or use as a MDM.
Microsoft Intune is well suited for the larger end of the small business segment to the enterprise. The ability to configure and remotely deploy computer configurations, control mobile devices, and fine tune security controls of each device or device group is a major win for this product. Smaller and mid-sized businesses may balk at having to increase their license level to unlock the better updating features.
[Microsoft Endpoint Manager (Microsoft Intune + SCCM)] helps to speed up the deployment of patches/software throughout our environment. I can easily build a package and then deploy across all endpoints.
The ability to supercede software is also quite handy. This automates the removal of old versions and replacing them with newer versions.
The Intune Autopilot option is very useful if you want to deploy software to devices straight out of the box. You can configure them to download software when a user opens a new PC and turns it on for the first time.
Deploying more apps besides Microsoft Edge and Microsoft Office 365 app
Microsoft needs to make it easier to deploy exe, pkg, and msi apps without having to go through the manual process of re-packaging these apps using tools from github like intuneapputil
Add a feature to push out software updates for 3rd party apps
Mascom Wireless is a Microsoft shop and SCCM has proved to be helpful in keeping our Microsoft products up to date every month without fail. We also have a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement which we renewed for three years ending 2022. The remote access utility works wonders for the organisation and have saved travel bills including subsistance allowance. We have been able to fulfill security audits both internal and external. We have been able to keep a robust inventory of our computer assets and nothing falls of the cracks
Azure Arc monitoring is based on a unified procedure which includes the installation and configuration of the Arc agent on any computer/server which is to be onboaded to Arc. The solution is very usable especially when combined with the usage of Windows Admin Center, the HTML5-based unified management console for all our hybrid infrastructure. Many of the best of breed Azure tools and services are available via Azure Arc, when deployed to on-premise servers.
The console is not intuitive and does not work well often. Due to the complexity of the product, documentation can be confusing. When properly configured, routine tasks like OS deployment, remote control, and software deployment are easy to do. Troubleshooting of System Center Configuration Manager issues is hard, as there are various logs, and their content can be hard to understand.
It's a 'heavy' system, which demands a lot of resources form the datacenter perspective. So, make sure you followed the requirements to avoid frustration in the future. From the 'client' perspective, it's fine. I've never had any issue with that.
We have not needed to seek support for this product in the time that we have used it thus far. It's been working really well, and have not had any major issues. Being that it's a Microsoft product, it goes without saying that there will be many support options available if needed. This includes phone, web, forums, KB articles, etc. There is even comprehensive documentation that is available on the web through Microsoft's website for use of the product.
Work with a "test group" of users who you have a good relationship with so that when things don't work properly they understand! Work with your partner nicely without forcing things especially timelines as you are bound to make mistakes and create oversights in the project Management can also interfere with the implementation (which can cause delays) if you make too many mistakes which takes me back to having a "test group" where you have good relations
Azure Arc uses the underlying power of Microsoft Azure, which allows assets across multicloud to be onboarded to Arc platform. It provides monitoring, security, updates in one click in one single platform. It also provides licensing benefits for Windows Server licenses, which offers premium features like Windows server admin center to manage your windows servers more effectively.
We did not evaluate or use other products like Microsoft Endpoint Manager (Microsoft Intune + SCCM). The main reason we did not evaluate or use other products is because Microsoft Endpoint Manager (Microsoft Intune + SCCM) integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 and Windows PCs. Expenses would have increased as well if we had purchased another similar product.
After configuring Azure Arc-enabled services on premise for SQL Server, we saw a drastic decrease in our Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) by 30%
After working with Azure Arc monitoring agents installed in our on-prem Windows and Linux users, we documented a 20% increase in overall IT operations efficiency, due to the unified monitoring solution.
The Azure Arc-enabled servers security baseline provides procedural guidance and resources for implementing security recommendations and best practices. This has increased operational efficiency and decreased security incidents by 15%.
In our current environment, this System Center Configuration Manager had replaced several standalone solutions for patching, imaging, remote assistance, reporting, etc. That saved a lot of time and resulted in money to manage the IT infrastructure.
Once SCCM is deployed and fully configured, all agents are deployed and it is easy to automate a lot of processes and just control them from time to time to make sure that everything is working as supposed to be.
SCCM + Windows 10: great built-in endpoint protection solution. As a result, there is no need to buy additional software for that purpose.
The imaging process is better compared to WDS because you can modify deployment packages and apply patches to a newly imaged machine. This saves tons of time for new employees deployment.
