The importance of adopting modern, cloud-based PC management with Microsoft Intune

Traditional on-premises management tools rely on manual processes and rigid infrastructure. In other words, these tools just can’t keep up with today’s distributed workforces and dynamic device environments. Modern, cloud-based PC management platforms automate processes to streamline deployment, strengthen security, and ensure compliance. By shifting to a unified endpoint management (UEM) platform such as Microsoft Intune, organizations gain the agility, visibility, and scalability to support users anywhere—and return valuable time to IT teams.

We compared the following solutions to manage a Microsoft Intune environment:

Our hands-on tests quantified the time and steps each solution required to complete management tasks on a single device.¹ Then, we used those findings to extrapolate the time and effort to complete each task for 1,000 devices. For these calculations, we measured the time and steps necessary to add one subsequent device, and then we multiplied those numbers by 999. We added that time and step count to the initial device’s time and step count to arrive at our 1,000-device fleet estimations. For more information, see the science behind the report.

Cut the time it takes to access fleet information

IT admins need the ability to quickly obtain critical information about the devices in their fleet. For our first use case, we compared the time and effort to access OS version, storage details, assigned user, and service tag information on fleet members across management solutions. For the manual approach with only Intune, we drilled into the devices and clicked through to gather the information. For the Dell and Lenovo solutions, we found this information within their respective portals. HP Connect didn’t offer this functionality in its portal, leaving administrators to navigate to Intune itself.

While each environment required three steps to complete this use case, the time to gather critical system information varied. As Figure 1 shows, using Dell Management Portal with Microsoft Intune for this task took 4 seconds less than using Lenovo Device Orchestration (80 percent faster) and took 11 seconds less than completing the process manually.

Dell Management Portal saved admin time for a single device—but what could that look like across an organization? Table 1 shows an example extrapolation of our results to a fleet of 1,000 PCs. After accessing fleet information on a single device, subsequent devices require less time and fewer steps­ (see the science behind the report to learn more). While the three solutions would require the same number of steps in our estimation, Dell Management Portal with Intune can reduce the time to complete the task. Its single pane of glass displays system information in one place, saving admins time they would otherwise spend scrolling, switching tabs, and hunting for information in a manual Intune environment or Lenovo Device Orchestration.

Based on these calculations, we estimate that Dell Management Portal with Microsoft Intune could save anywhere from half an hour to nearly 3 hours of admin time. That’s time better spent furthering projects to completion and providing more strategic support—not to mention far less hassle.

Keep compliant with corporate policy through easier app deployment

When PCs are in employee hands—or when you’re refreshing your fleet and delivering new devices—it can be a burden to schedule time with each individual and deploy a new app that the team needs. Robust cloud-based management tools let admins deploy enterprise apps to systems in their fleet, no matter where they’re located. Endpoint management with Microsoft Intune through Dell Management Portal can give admins a leg up when completing this task.

For this use case, we deployed the Dell ProAI Studio application package from Dell Management Portal to a specific user group within Microsoft Intune. We also deployed the app to target devices using solutions from the other vendors, and used traditional software distribution methods to deploy the app for the manual Intune solution. Using Dell Management Portal to deploy this app was quick and easy, requiring only eight steps and 1 minute, 28 seconds for a single device. It enabled us to complete the process in as much as 78 percent less time compared to using Intune on HP devices, as HP Connect has no deployment feature in their partner portal.

For the Lenovo solution, we tested two approaches: the standard deployment method and Intune deployment method. While Dell Management Portal is an Intune Partner Portal, Lenovo Device Orchestration (LDO) is a subscription-based stand-alone portal for device management­ that offers some manual integrations to exchange information between the Intune environment and LDO. Whichever method an IT team might select for an LDO environment, we found that both took more time and steps than the approach with Dell Management Portal integrated with Microsoft Intune.

What do these per-device time savings mean for IT admins? As the fleet grows, so too can the time savings, giving admins significant time back in their workday for innovation.

Table 2 shows our results extrapolated to 1,000 devices (actual times may vary). Dell Management Portal and Microsoft Intune would require the same eight steps and a few additional seconds per device to deploy to 1 or 1,000 devices, making the process easy no matter the size of the fleet. In comparison, the standard deployment method within Lenovo Device Orchestration (without Intune) would target devices individually, requiring over 22 hours of admin time. To see our calculations in detail, see the science behind the report.

Dell Management Portal can make these tasks a snap, even saving time and effort compared to the other solutions with Intune we tested. By easily streamlining application management, IT teams can ensure that their entire fleet remains secure and compliant with corporate policies, reducing organizational risk.

Enjoy simple administration with Dell Management Portal + Microsoft Intune

After measuring time and steps for those use cases, we looked at the different features that each management platform offers to simplify administration. As Table 3 shows, Dell Management Portal offers more fleet-wide management capabilities contained within the Microsoft Intune environment.

Of the solutions we looked at, only Dell Management Portal combined with Intune offers the ability to retrieve fleet information, deploy enterprise apps, configure and deploy advanced BIOS settings, manage driver/firmware updates, and manage below-OS security.

By offering a unified, intuitive pane of glass for fleet management, Dell Management Portal makes it easier for administrators to complete routine tasks. Other offerings that we assessed required multiple tools or portals to complete routine management tasks: HP Connect lacked the capabilities to complete our use cases, and the stand-alone nature of LDO—even with Intune integrations—could add significant time and steps to deploy enterprise apps. These extra burdens can create new headaches for admins trying to manage PC fleets large and small.

Conclusion

Selecting a modern, cloud-based PC management solution can help your IT team meet the challenges of a workforce that needs to work from anywhere. In our hands-on comparison of endpoint management solutions from leading vendors, we found that Dell Management Portal together with Microsoft Intune offered the most intuitive, feature-rich way to simplify routine fleet management tasks.

Dell Management Portal and Microsoft Intune reduced the time to get vital PC information by as much as 68 percent vs. using a manual workflow. Accessing fleet information with Dell Management Portal and Microsoft Intune was 80 percent faster than using Lenovo Device Orchestration. We also found that Dell Management Portal offered more monitoring, app deployment, and firmware/driver update capabilities within an Intune environment than HP Connect did.

In large fleets, these time saving could dramatically reduce administrative hours and allow IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine maintenance. Plus, for organizations investing in new laptops, Dell Management Portal and Microsoft Intune can accelerate the process of large laptop deployments to get users up and running on their new devices sooner.