Organizations considering Intune or System Center Configuring Manager (SCCM) should evaluate their device management and application deployment business goals. Although these solutions seem similar in functionality, they are different.

Should an organization invest in both solutions? That depends on the business requirements, range of devices, compliance mandates, and device management strategy.

Organizations evaluating Intune and SCCM should engage with a Microsoft-experienced consulting firm like Hypershift.

Hypershift's experience deploying premises solutions and approach to device management, optimizing, and managing Intune and SCCM instances align well with assisting clients with this critical decision.

In a Nutshell, What is Intune and SCCM?

“Intune is a cloud-based mobile device management (MDM) solution for managing devices. It works well in environments with similar devices, such as laptops, tablets, and mobile devices.”

Intune also supports a hybrid workforce and can manage a variety of devices. Intune manages devices through profiles set by the OS manufacturer, offering simple device management with some limitations.

Note: “Microsoft Endpoint Manager now includes SCCM, designed for organizations with on-premise servers and a traditional workforce. SCCM manages diverse endpoint environments, including servers, laptops, and workstations, focusing on server management, software inventory management, and software update management.”

SCCM uses agents for endpoint management, which requires installation on each device. These agents provide administrator access, allowing the device to perform tasks just like an administrator, enable a range of security features, and access additional tools.

A key differentiator between Intune and SCCM is supporting various endpoints, reporting capabilities, and compliance management, not just Microsoft devices.

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Comparison Between Intune and SCCM

“Choosing Intune MDM and Mobile Application Management (MAM) solutions for your company can be challenging, especially as Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) becomes more common.”

• MDM is critical for protecting corporate data on devices by setting security protection controls.
• MAM is essential for managing software installations, application updates, and app protection policies.

Should you choose SCCM or Intune from Microsoft Endpoint Manager to manage all endpoints?

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Intune

“Intune is an MDM and MAM solution well-suited for organizations with homogeneous environments and hybrid workforces.” It provides device management for various devices and operating systems and a seamless experience for software updates.

Benefits

• Intune makes managing apps easy with built-in features for deploying, updating, and removing apps.
• Intune offers a self-service portal.
• Intune integrates with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for advanced features, including adding additional levels of security to the device.
• “Automation is a crucial feature of Intune, as it streamlines policy deployment for various aspects of digital infrastructure, such as apps, security, device configuration, compliance, and conditional access.”

Challenges

Intune has strengths and limitations. Organizations should know its limits for their MDM and MAM security needs.

• The lack of server support in Intune can be a limitation for environments where server management is a crucial aspect of the infrastructure. Intune is not intended to manage server operating systems.

Some customers have reported issues with Intune's performance, complexity, and licensing. Certain features, like modern provisioning and remote actions, are only accessible through Intune.

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SCCM

SCCM is a comprehensive PC and Server Management solution that simplifies device management. ”Its integrated console efficiently manages Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V), Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (Med-V), Citrix XenApp, Microsoft Forefront, and Windows Phone applications from a single platform.”

Benefits

• ‍Software Distribution - SCCM allows IT teams to deploy software to devices simultaneously, making it easier to manage large-scale operations.
• ‍Patch Management - With SCCM, IT teams efficiently deploy patches and updates to devices on their network, ensuring that all devices are current and secure.‍
• Operation Systems (OS) Update and Initial Deployment - SCCM OS deployment simplifies setting up new devices by facilitating the easy deployment of operating systems.‍
• Support for Remote Control Access - SCCM enables IT teams to access and control devices remotely, making it easier to troubleshoot issues and support employees‍
• Regulatory Compliance - SCCM's automated update helps organizations stay compliant.

Challenges

While SCCM has strengths, organizations should know its limitations when determining if it fits their needs.

• SCCM licensing can be pricey and complicated, which is a hurdle for some organizations.
• SCCM's support for non-Windows devices is limited, which may present challenges for organizations with diverse device ecosystems.

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How To Make The Best Decision Between Intune and SCCM?

Intune is a versatile tool that can manage applications, updates, and security on smartphones, tablets, and desktops. It's user-friendly and integrates with third-party apps for efficient deployment and management, making it great for organizations with mobile workforces.

SCCM is recommended for managing IT infrastructure in large enterprises handling desktops, laptops, and Windows servers. It allows centralized control over software distribution and updates, making it ideal for organizations with on-premises infrastructure.

How Can Hypershift Assist?

Developing a relationship with Hypershift is a solid first step in your Intune/SCCM journey. Working with Hypershift, their experts in MDM and MAM, along with ongoing enterprise patching, asset inventory, and compliance, will help you develop the correct strategy. Deciding between Intune and SCCM has much more to do with meeting business requirements and less with which tool is better. Organizations wanting an MDM capability with an on-premise instance will benefit significantly from both solutions.

When comparing SCCM and Intune, it is essential to consider your organization's individual needs and requirements to determine which tool is best for you.

For organizations with a traditional device setup and on-premises infrastructure, SCCM is a recommended option because of its wide range of features and popularity for managing extensive deployments.

Intune may be preferable for organizations with many mobile devices seeking a cloud-based solution. It offers various features for managing mobile devices and seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft tools for a comprehensive device management solution.

Hypershift's assessment services are the first step in assisting clients when developing any new strategy, including Intune or SCCM. Additionally, for organizations struggling to keep experienced talent to manage Intune and SCCM, Hypershift's various managed services offering could provide the ongoing support needed.

The Role of Managed Services

Managed services are an essential component of an Intune and SCCM deployment. Organizations need experienced engineers to manage the platforms like any enterprise management tool. To maximize their investment in Intune and SCCM, organizations must keep the tool updated and used correctly to ensure the devices and applications stay secure.

Hypershift offers several managed options for clients enabling Intune and SCCM, including:

• 24x7x365 complete outsourcing model for Intune and SCCM.
• After-hours support for Intune and SCCM.
• Quarterly health check of the Intune and SCCM instances to ensure the platform is secure and operating correctly.

Are you developing an MDM and MAM strategy with Intune and SCCM and need help knowing where to begin? Contact our Microsoft solution experts and managed services to discuss your project today!