What Is Microsoft Intune (And Why You Still Need IT Asset Management)

From the transcript’s example, we can extract the core capabilities of Microsoft Intune. Here are the main jobs it handles:

1. Enrolling and tracking devices
First, devices need to be enrolled in Intune. This basically means connecting them to the Intune service so they can receive policies and report their status.

Once a device is enrolled:
- It regularly checks in with Intune to see if there are new rules or updates.
- IT can see if the device is compliant with policies.
- You get basic visibility over which devices exist and who’s using them.

2. Enforcing security policies
Intune lets you define and push security requirements, such as:
- Requiring a password or PIN
- Enforcing two-factor authentication (2FA) for access
- Setting screen lock and timeout rules
- Blocking jailbroken or rooted devices from accessing company data (depending on platform)

This is crucial for keeping sensitive information safe, especially with remote or hybrid work.

3. Controlling apps and software
With Intune, IT teams can:
- Control which apps can be installed or used
- Push approved apps directly to devices
- Install and update software remotely, like that urgent Windows security patch

In our security update scenario, this is the lifesaver. Instead of begging users to update their machines, you simply deploy the update from Intune.

4. Protecting data if a device is lost or stolen
Devices get lost. It happens. Intune helps reduce the damage:
- You can encrypt devices, so stolen laptops can’t easily leak data
- If needed, you can remotely wipe a device to remove company data

For organizations handling confidential or regulated data, this is non‑negotiable.

5. Keeping devices compliant and up to date
Intune supports pushing security patches and monitoring whether devices stay compliant. When a device checks in, it can:
- Receive new security policies
- Download required updates
- Report back on its compliance status

This reduces the number of vulnerable machines quietly sitting on old software versions.

One of the big advantages of Microsoft Intune is that it’s not just for Windows laptops.

Intune supports a wide range of operating systems and device types, including:

• Windows devices (laptops, desktops, tablets)
• Mobile devices like iOS and Android smartphones and tablets
• Other common platforms typically found in modern workplaces

This cross‑platform support is especially important if your company uses a mix of:

• Corporate‑owned laptops
• BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) phones
• Shared tablets or kiosks

Employees can use their own smartphones, tablets, or laptops to access company apps and data, while IT can still enforce security policies to keep that data safe. This is where Intune’s combination of device management and application management really pays off.

In my experience, this balance—flexible for employees, controlled for IT—is exactly what most modern organizations are trying to achieve.

Here’s roughly how the process looks with Intune in place:

1. Devices are enrolled
All company laptops, phones, and tablets are enrolled into Intune. Each device now has a connection to the cloud service.

2. Policies are defined
IT defines policies, for example:
- All Windows 11 laptops must have the latest security patch
- Devices must require passwords and 2FA
- Only approved business apps can be installed

3. Devices regularly check in
Enrolled devices connect to Intune at regular intervals. When they check in, they:
- Ask if there are new policies to apply
- Report back on compliance ("Am I up to date? Am I following the rules?")

4. Updates are deployed remotely
When a security update is released, IT can:
- Push the update to all targeted devices
- Monitor which devices have installed it and which still need it

5. Non‑compliant devices can be handled
Devices that don’t meet requirements (maybe they’re offline, or something failed) can be flagged. IT can then:
- Follow up with users
- Adjust policies if needed
- Potentially block access to sensitive apps or data until issues are fixed

Compared to old‑school approaches, this is a huge step up in efficiency and security. You’re no longer chasing each device across different locations. Everything is coordinated through the cloud.

A lot of organizations now rely heavily on BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). Employees use their own smartphones or laptops to access company email, files, and business apps.

This is convenient and cost‑effective, but it can be a security nightmare if not managed properly.

Here’s how Intune helps:

• It allows employees to enroll their personal devices with a limited, policy‑driven setup
• IT can enforce things like PIN codes, basic encryption, or app restrictions only where company data is involved
• If the employee leaves the company, IT can remove company data from the device without wiping the person’s personal photos, apps, and messages

This split between personal space and work space on a device is a big deal. It keeps users comfortable with using their own devices while still giving IT enough control to keep business data secure.

Surprisingly, when this is explained clearly to staff, adoption is usually better than you might expect. People tend to appreciate that their personal data stays private while the company only manages the work side of things.

To make this clearer, it helps to separate two concepts:

• Device management (MDM) – making sure devices are configured correctly and secure
• Asset management (ITAM) – knowing exactly what assets you own, where they are, who has them, and what their status and costs are over time

Where Intune excels:

• Pushing and enforcing security policies
• Deploying apps and updates
• Ensuring compliance with security baselines
• Supporting multi‑platform environments (Windows, iOS, Android, etc.)
• Allowing secure remote management and wipes

Where Intune is limited for IT asset tracking:

• It isn’t a true single point of truth for every asset type
• It doesn’t naturally cover accessories like keyboards, mice, monitors, docks
• It doesn’t fully handle software license tracking and allocations across vendors
• It isn’t designed for warranty consolidation, procurement history, or end‑of‑life planning

So yes, you can see which enrolled devices exist and if they’re compliant—but that’s not the same as having a complete, structured IT inventory that answers questions like:

• How many monitors do we own and where are they?
• Which user has which headset assigned?
• When does the warranty on this specific laptop expire?
• Are we under‑ or over‑licensed on a particular software tool?

This is where dedicated IT asset management software comes in.

A proper IT Asset Management (ITAM) solution integrates with Intune and other MDM systems to give you that broader picture.

Using the example mentioned in the transcript, a tool like BlueTally is designed to act as a simple but powerful single source of truth for all your IT assets.

Here’s how something like BlueTally typically complements Intune:

1. Centralizing data from multiple sources
Instead of having device data scattered across spreadsheets and siloed systems, BlueTally can:
- Automatically import devices from Intune
- Pull in assets from other MDM tools like Jamf and Kandji
- Add devices and assets from spreadsheets

This way, you don’t have one list in Intune, another in Excel, and another in someone’s head.

2. Tracking accessories and peripherals
Intune focuses mainly on managed devices like laptops and phones. ITAM tools expand that scope to:
- Mice and keyboards
- Monitors and docks
- Headsets, webcams, and other accessories

You can assign these items to specific users or locations, so you know where everything is actually living.

3. Managing software licenses
While Intune can deploy software, license management is another story. An IT asset management platform:
- Tracks which licenses you own
- Links them to devices or users
- Helps prevent both over‑buying and non‑compliance

4. Warranty information and lifecycle insight
BlueTally, for example, can automatically pull warranty details for devices from vendors like Dell and Lenovo. That means you can:
- See which devices are out of warranty and may need replacing
- Plan budget and procurement more intelligently

Over time, this turns from “nice to have” into “how did we live without this?”—especially as your device count grows.

5. Practical productivity integrations
A focused ITAM solution also tends to include other time‑saving integrations and workflows that aren’t really part of Intune’s mandate. These could include things like HR system connections, ticketing links, or workflow automations that help keep asset records up to date.

In short, Intune is your control center for secure configuration, while an ITAM tool like BlueTally is your source of truth for what you own, where it is, and how it’s performing over its lifetime.

Let’s sketch a practical, everyday flow:

1. New employee joins
- A laptop is ordered and added to your asset management system.
- The device is enrolled in Intune when it’s first set up.
- BlueTally (or similar) records who it’s assigned to, plus any monitors, keyboards, or headsets they receive.

2. Policies and apps are applied automatically
- Intune pushes baseline security policies (password, 2FA, encryption).
- Required apps are installed remotely.
- The asset management system simply references the device record; IT doesn’t have to handle things twice.

3. Ongoing operations and support
- Intune keeps devices compliant with updates and security patches.
- ITAM keeps track of which assets belong to which people and where they are.
- Warranty integration keeps you aware of aging or risky devices.

4. Employee leaves or changes role
- Intune can remove access and, if necessary, wipe company data.
- BlueTally marks those assets as returned or reassigned.

5. Strategic decisions and audits
- Need to know how many devices are nearing end of life? ITAM has the answer.
- Need to prove security compliance and patch status? Intune has that view.

This combination lets IT teams move from reactive chaos (“Who has what?” “Why isn’t that patched?”) to proactive, structured management.

And honestly, that shift doesn’t just reduce risk; it also makes day‑to‑day IT work a lot less frustrating.