Microsoft announces availability of Intune 2
Newest version of Microsoft's cloud-based PC management service now available
By Kerrie Meyler on Tue, 10/18/11 - 7:57pm.Just this spring, Microsoft shipped the first version of Intune. Now version 2 is available.
Version 2 includes new features such as software distribution, remote tasks, license management, enhanced reporting, customizing alerts, read-only administrator access, offline installation, additional language support, and general administration and usability improvement (for a full list, see http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ff472080). Not only that, Microsoft says they'll continue to deliver new versions on a regular basis, not just to achieve functional parity with their on-premises management products (Configuration Manager), but to potentially exceed that.
Intune is a cloud-based PC management solution, targeted at all sizes of businesses, and available as a monthly subscription. It comes with a web-based management console interface, a client agent, and client security based on Forefront. Each Intune 2 client license also includes free upgrade rights to Windows 7 Enterprise.
At $11 per PC per month, Intune's prices are reasonable for many businesses.
The stated goal of exceeding the capability of System Center Configuration Manager is worth noting. Microsoft is going all-out on cloud computing. Will they do that at the cost of their enterprise management software? If so, where does that leave its thousands of customers that invested in Configuration Manager and its Systems Management Server (SMS) predecessor?
- About Managing Microsoft
Kerrie Meyler, MVP, MCSE, MCTS, MCT, is an independent consultant and trainer with over fifteen years of experience in IT. While at Microsoft in Field Technical Sales for four years she focused on infrastructure and mangement, presenting at numerous product launches. Kerrie has presented Operations Manager 2007 at TechEd 2007, MMS 2009, MMS 2011, and internal Microsoft conferences, receiving company recognition and awards including a SPAR MGS award. Kerrie worked with Microsoft Learning to develop functional specifications for the original Operations Manager Microsoft courseware, 2550: Implementing Microsoft Operations Manager 2000 and did the beta teach for that course.She also participated in development for several System Center certification exams.
Kerrie is the lead author of Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 Unleashed, System Center Operations Manager 2007 Unleashed, System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007 Unleashed, System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 Unleashed, System Center Opalis Integration Server 6.3 Unleashed and System Center Service Manager 2010 Unleashed.
Check out an excerpt from System Center Operations Manager 2007 Unleashed, Chapter 3: Looking Inside OpsMgr.
You can also check out an excerpt from System Center Configuration (SCCM) Manager 2007 Unleashed, Chapter 3: Looking Inside ConfigMgr.
Read a sample chapter of System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 Unleashed at Chapter 1: Introduction and What's New.
You can also read a sample chapter of System Center Opalis Integration Server 6.3 Unleashed at Chapter 1: Introducing Opalis Integration Server 6.3 and System Center Service Manager 2010 Unleashed at Chapter 1:Service Management Basics.
System Center Service Manager 2010 Unleashed was selected as the September, 2011 book giveaway for Microsoft Subnet.
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