Newest version of Microsoft's cloud-based PC management service now available
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?
