How Microsoft Intune Suite's Cloud PKI and Enterprise App Management are Game Changers for Endpoint Management
Endpoint management is a crucial aspect of any organization's IT strategy, as it ensures that devices and apps are secure, compliant, and productive. However, traditional endpoint management solutions often involve complex, costly, and time-consuming processes, such as setting up and maintaining on-premises servers, hardware, and infrastructure, managing certificates and public key infrastructure (PKI), and deploying and updating apps across multiple platforms.
Microsoft Intune Suite is a cloud-based unified endpoint management solution that simplifies and automates endpoint management, while providing a Zero Trust security framework. It offers a comprehensive set of capabilities, such as co-management, conditional access, simplified workflows, and device and app protection. Recently, Microsoft announced two new additions to the Intune Suite that are game changers for endpoint management: Cloud PKI and Enterprise App Management.
Cloud PKI: A Cloud-Based Solution for Certificate Management
Public key infrastructure (PKI) is a system that enables secure communication and authentication between devices and services, using digital certificates and encryption keys. PKI is essential for many use cases, such as accessing Wi-Fi networks, VPNs, Windows Hello for Business, and Microsoft 365 apps. However, PKI is also notoriously complex, requiring deep expertise and extensive planning, coordination, procurement, and deployment of on-premises servers, hardware, and infrastructure.
Microsoft Cloud PKI is a cloud-based PKI service that handles all aspects of the certificate lifecycle for Intune-managed devices. It eliminates the need for any on-premises components which is awesome in our cloud-centric world. It also allows you to set up a PKI infrastructure in minutes instead of weeks. With Cloud PKI, you can create multiple certification authorities and manage the issuance, renewal, expiration, and revocation of certificates for devices across platforms, such as Windows, iOS, macOS, and Android. You can also use certificates from Cloud PKI for certificate-based authentication (CBA), which provides a more secure and convenient alternative to passwords.
Cloud PKI provides a single pane of glass from the cloud for certification authorities, registration authorities, revocation distribution lists, monitoring, and reporting. You can easily view and manage your certificates, as well as get alerts and insights on certificate status, usage, and health. Cloud PKI also integrates with other security solutions, such as Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and Microsoft Azure Sentinel, to provide enhanced visibility and protection for your endpoints.
Enterprise App Management: A Cloud-Based Solution for App Deployment and Patching
App management is another key aspect of endpoint management, as it ensures that your apps are up to date, secure, and compliant with your policies and standards. However, app management can also be challenging, especially when you have to deal with multiple app sources, formats, platforms, and versions, as well as manual packaging, deployment, and updating processes.
Microsoft Enterprise App Management is a cloud-based app management solution that builds on existing capabilities to deploy applications via Intune. It offers an enterprise app catalog and controls for easy app discovery, deployment, and automatic updating (something a lot of customers missed when migrating to Intune from SCCM), as well as alerts for app updates and vulnerabilities. With Enterprise App Management, you can manage apps from various sources, such as Microsoft Store for Business, Microsoft Endpoint Manager admin center, and third-party app stores, and deploy them to devices across platforms, such as Windows, iOS, macOS, and Android. You can also use Enterprise App Management to patch apps from Microsoft and other vendors, using automated packaging, guided remediation, and cloud-based distribution – reducing the number of tools in your environment and saving money.
Enterprise App Management provides a single pane of glass from the cloud for app inventory, deployment, and patching. You can easily view and manage your apps, as well as get alerts and insights on app status, usage, and health. Enterprise App Management also integrates with other security solutions, such as Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and Microsoft Azure Sentinel, to provide enhanced visibility and protection for your endpoints.
Conclusion
Microsoft Intune Suite is a cloud-based unified endpoint management solution that simplifies and automates endpoint management, while providing a Zero Trust security framework. It offers a comprehensive set of capabilities, such as co-management, conditional access, simplified workflows, and device and app protection. Recently, Microsoft announced two new additions to the Intune Suite that are game changers for endpoint management: Cloud PKI and Enterprise App Management.
Cloud PKI is a cloud-based PKI service that handles all aspects of the certificate lifecycle for Intune-managed devices. It eliminates the need for any on-premises components and allows you to set up a PKI infrastructure in minutes instead of weeks. You can also use certificates from Cloud PKI for certificate-based authentication, which provides a more secure and convenient alternative to passwords.
Enterprise App Management is a cloud-based app management solution that helps you simplify and automate app deployment and patching for Intune-managed devices. It offers an enterprise app catalog and controls for easy app discovery, deployment, and automatic updating, as well as alerts for app updates and vulnerabilities. You can also use Advanced App Management to patch apps from Microsoft and other vendors, using automated packaging, guided remediation, and cloud-based distribution.
With Cloud PKI and Enterprise App Management, you can save time and money, reduce complexity and risk, and improve security and productivity for your endpoints. To learn more about these new solutions, visit the Microsoft Intune Blog and the Microsoft Technical Takeoff events. To get started with the Microsoft Intune Suite, contact us at Hello@interlink.com.
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Mike Wilson
Mike Wilson brings over twenty-five years of technology experience to Interlink Cloud Advisors. Prior to joining Interlink, he served as a Director of Technology for a mid-size insurance company and has led multiple consulting practices to substantial growth. In those roles, Mike delivered tremendous value for his customers by designing and implementing scalable, reliable and business aligned solutions. Mike’s focus at Interlink is on leveraging the power of the Microsoft cloud to streamline IT operations in a way that reduces cost and allows businesses to refocus on core operations. He plays a key role in architecting projects and ensuring high standards in service delivery across the Interlink team. Mike earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of Cincinnati and is a proud graduate of St. Xavier High School. He is active in a number of local non-profits and has served on multiple non-profit boards and in executive leadership.
