The Path to Modern Management and PC Management with Intune

Endpoint management is a cornerstone of any enterprise IT strategy. For years, infrastructure teams have relied on on-premises tools such as SCCM (System Center Configuration Manager), Group Policy Objects (GPO) and a centralised Active Directory to deploy, configure and secure workstations. While this model is well-established, it now faces significant challenges as digital transformation reshapes every organisation.

With the rise of hybrid working, the proliferation of devices and the shift towards cloud architectures, a new approach is needed: Modern Management. At the heart of this strategy, Microsoft Intune has become the go-to solution for managing endpoints in a unified, secure and agile manner.

1. Why the traditional model is reaching its limits

The classic workstation management model relies on heavy infrastructure: SCCM servers, distribution points, domain controllers, master images, complex task sequences. This architecture was designed for a world where employees worked exclusively from the office, connected to the corporate network.

Today, this model is showing its limitations in several areas:

• Local network dependency: a device must be connected to the corporate network (or via VPN) to receive updates and configurations. Remote workers often fall out of compliance.
• Cumbersome deployment: the traditional imaging process (capture, customisation, PXE or USB deployment) consumes significant resources and extends provisioning timelines.
• Infrastructure costs: maintaining SCCM servers, distribution points at every site, and the associated skills represents a substantial investment.
• GPO rigidity: Group Policies, while powerful, are tied to Active Directory and difficult to audit at scale. Their application depends on domain connectivity.

2. What is Modern Management?

Modern Management refers to an approach to workstation management that is entirely cloud-based. Rather than relying on on-premises infrastructure, this philosophy leverages Microsoft 365 and Azure services to manage devices wherever they are.

The core principles of Modern Management are:

• Cloud-first: Intune replaces SCCM as the primary management console. Configuration policies, updates and applications are delivered via the cloud.
• Identity-driven: Azure Active Directory (Entra ID) replaces on-premises AD as the identity source. Device enrolment is based on the user's work account, not domain join.
• Zero Trust: every access is verified. User identity, device compliance and connection context determine access rights to resources.
• Self-service: users can set up their own devices through Windows Autopilot, with no IT team intervention required.

This approach fits naturally within the Modern Workplace ecosystem that we support at EMAZIS, where the goal is to create a seamless, secure and user-centred work environment.

3. Co-management: a smooth transition

Few organisations can switch overnight to 100% cloud management. This is precisely why Microsoft designed co-management, an intermediary step that allows workstations to be managed simultaneously by SCCM and Intune.

Co-management works through a set of workloads that are progressively switched from SCCM to Intune:

• Compliance policies: compliance policies are evaluated by Intune, enabling Azure AD Conditional Access.
• Device configuration: Intune configuration profiles progressively replace GPOs.
• Windows Update policies: Windows updates are managed through Windows Update for Business rather than WSUS/SCCM.
• Resource access: Wi-Fi, VPN and certificate profiles are delivered by Intune.
• Endpoint Protection: Microsoft Defender management is transferred to Intune and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
• Client apps: applications are deployed via the Intune Company Portal.

The advantage of co-management is that it respects each organisation's pace. You can migrate one workload at a time, validate it in production, then move on to the next. It is a pragmatic transition strategy that we systematically recommend in our Modern Workplace consulting engagements.

4. The pillars of Intune for PC management

Microsoft Intune provides a comprehensive set of capabilities for managing Windows devices. Here are the essential pillars to master:

Configuration profiles

Configuration profiles are the cloud equivalent of GPOs. They allow you to control hundreds of settings: device restrictions, Edge browser configuration, security settings, firewall rules, BitLocker, and more. Intune offers two approaches: templates (predefined models) and the Settings Catalog, which provides access to all Windows CSPs (Configuration Service Providers).

The Settings Catalog is now the recommended method. It offers greater granularity and intuitive search across thousands of settings, with integrated contextual documentation.

Compliance policies

Compliance policies define the minimum criteria a device must meet to be considered secure: minimum Windows version, BitLocker encryption enabled, active antivirus, no jailbreak, acceptable risk score from Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. A non-compliant device can be blocked from accessing corporate resources through Azure AD Conditional Access.

Application deployment

Intune supports numerous application formats: MSI, MSIX, Win32 (via the IntuneWinAppUtil tool), Microsoft Store apps, web apps and Microsoft 365 apps. For Win32 applications, you define detection rules, dependencies and installation sequences — flexibility comparable to what SCCM offered, but orchestrated from the cloud.

Update management

Windows Update for Business, managed from Intune, allows you to configure update rings with customised deferral periods per group. Feature Updates and Quality Updates can be targeted separately, and Driver Updates now offer granular control over drivers deployed by Windows Update.

5. Windows Autopilot: provisioning reinvented

Windows Autopilot is arguably the most iconic feature of Modern Management. It fundamentally transforms the new workstation deployment experience.

The concept is simple: the user receives a brand-new PC (directly from the manufacturer or from stock), powers it on, signs in with their work account, and the device configures itself automatically — applications, policies, security settings, everything is applied with zero IT team intervention.

Behind the scenes, Autopilot orchestrates several steps:

1. Identification: the device's hardware hash (registered by the OEM or by IT) is recognised by the Autopilot service.
2. Azure AD enrolment: the device is automatically joined to Azure AD (or Hybrid Azure AD Join depending on the scenario).
3. Intune enrolment: the device enrols in Intune and receives its profiles, policies and applications.
4. ESP (Enrollment Status Page): a tracking page shows the user the deployment progress, ensuring the device is ready before first use.

The efficiency gain is substantial: where an SCCM imaging process could take several hours (capture, deployment, customisation), Autopilot reduces provisioning time to 30–45 minutes in most scenarios, with zero IT team involvement.

6. Zero Trust security and compliance

Modern Management is not solely about operational efficiency — it is also a paradigm shift in cybersecurity. The Zero Trust approach, which Microsoft integrates natively into its platform, rests on a fundamental principle: never trust, always verify.

In the context of endpoint management, this translates to:

• Conditional Access: every connection to a Microsoft 365 resource is evaluated in real time. User identity, device compliance, location and risk level determine whether access is granted, requires MFA, or is blocked.
• Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: integrated with Intune, it provides a per-device risk score that feeds compliance and Conditional Access policies.
• BitLocker: disk encryption is enforced and recovery keys are automatically backed up to Azure AD.
• Windows LAPS: automated local administrator password management, with regular rotation and secure storage in Azure AD.
• Endpoint Privilege Management: an Intune module that allows users to perform tasks requiring elevated privileges without being device administrators.

This combination of controls creates a dynamic security perimeter, suited to hybrid working, far more robust than traditional perimeter-based protection relying on VPN and network firewalls.

7. Recommended roadmap

Drawing on our experience in Modern Workplace consulting, here is the roadmap we recommend for a successful transition to Modern Management:

Phase 1 — Foundations (1 to 2 months)

• Audit the existing environment: SCCM inventory, critical GPOs, deployed applications
• Enable Azure AD Connect (if not already in place) for identity synchronisation
• Configure Intune: automatic MDM enrolment, baseline profiles, compliance policies
• Set up SCCM ↔ Intune co-management

Phase 2 — Progressive migration (2 to 4 months)

• Switch co-management workloads one by one (compliance, Windows Update, configuration)
• Migrate critical GPOs to Intune profiles (Settings Catalog)
• Package applications in Win32 format for Intune
• Enable Conditional Access with compliance policies
• Pilot Autopilot with a user group

Phase 3 — Cloud-native (2 to 3 months)

• Deploy Autopilot to production for all new devices
• Enrol existing devices in Azure AD Join (or Hybrid as required)
• Progressively decommission SCCM components
• Implement Endpoint Privilege Management and Windows LAPS
• Monitoring and reporting via Intune and Endpoint Analytics

8. Conclusion

The transition to Modern Management with Microsoft Intune is no longer a futuristic option — it is a strategic necessity for organisations that wish to remain agile, secure and competitive. The benefits are tangible: reduced infrastructure costs, improved user experience, strengthened security posture and the ability to support hybrid working at scale.

The path is progressive and can begin today with co-management, without disrupting existing operations. Every workload migrated to Intune is a step towards more modern, resilient and efficient management.

At EMAZIS, we support organisations at every stage of this transformation — from initial audit to production Autopilot deployment, through to defining Zero Trust security policies. Our approach combines technical expertise, pragmatism and change management to ensure a smooth transition.

Mohamed Ait Salah

CTO & Founder — EMAZIS