Intune Best Practices: Comprehensive Overview

This comprehensive guide covers essential best practices for Microsoft Intune deployment and management. Following these practices helps ensure a secure, compliant, and well-managed device environment.

Planning and Design

1. Define Your Strategy

• Device Ownership: Identify corporate vs. BYOD devices
• Enrollment Methods: Choose appropriate enrollment methods
• Security Requirements: Define security and compliance requirements
• User Experience: Balance security with usability

2. Start with Pilot Groups

• Small Scale: Begin with small pilot groups
• Test Thoroughly: Test all configurations
• Gather Feedback: Collect user feedback
• Iterate: Adjust based on results

3. Document Everything

• Policies: Document all policies and their purpose
• Procedures: Document operational procedures
• Decisions: Record design decisions
• Changes: Maintain change history

Security Best Practices

1. Deploy Security Baselines

• Start with Defaults: Use Microsoft's recommended baselines
• Customize Carefully: Only customize when necessary
• Test Before Deployment: Test on pilot groups
• Monitor Compliance: Track baseline compliance

For guidance, see Use security baselines to configure Windows devices in Intune.

2. Configure Compliance Policies

• Define Requirements: Set clear compliance requirements
• Use Grace Periods: Configure appropriate grace periods
• Integrate with CA: Use Conditional Access
• Monitor Regularly: Review compliance status

For details, see Use compliance policies to set rules for devices you manage with Intune.

3. Implement Conditional Access

• Require Compliance: Require compliant devices
• Test First: Use report-only mode initially
• Exclude Emergency Accounts: Always exclude break-glass accounts
• Monitor Impact: Review policy impact regularly

For guidance, see Require device compliance with Conditional Access.

Device Management Best Practices

1. Use Descriptive Naming

• Include Platform: Prefix with platform (e.g., "Windows -")
• Include Purpose: Describe policy purpose
• Include Scope: Indicate target scope
• Be Consistent: Use consistent naming convention

2. Organize with Scope Tags

• Department: Tag by department
• Location: Tag by geographic location
• Device Type: Tag by device type
• Security Tier: Tag by security level

3. Avoid Policy Conflicts

• Review All Policies: Check for overlapping settings
• Understand Precedence: Know conflict resolution rules
• Use Scope Tags: Organize to avoid conflicts
• Document Relationships: Document policy interactions

App Management Best Practices

1. Choose Appropriate App Types

• Win32 Apps: Use for traditional desktop apps
• Store Apps: Use for Microsoft Store apps
• Web Apps: Use for web-based applications
• Line-of-Business: Use for internal apps

2. Test App Deployments

• Pilot First: Test with small groups
• Verify Installation: Confirm apps install correctly
• Test Functionality: Ensure apps work as expected
• Monitor Status: Track installation status

3. Use Dependencies

• Identify Dependencies: List all app dependencies
• Configure Properly: Set up dependency relationships
• Test Installation Order: Verify correct installation sequence
• Document Dependencies: Maintain dependency documentation

Operational Best Practices

1. Monitor Regularly

• Daily: Check critical alerts
• Weekly: Review compliance and configuration status
• Monthly: Analyze trends and optimize
• Quarterly: Review and update strategy

2. Maintain Documentation

• Policies: Document all policies
• Procedures: Maintain operational procedures
• Changes: Track all changes
• Issues: Document problems and solutions

3. Train Your Team

• Intune Training: Ensure team is trained
• Best Practices: Share best practices
• Updates: Stay current with new features
• Certification: Pursue relevant certifications

Additional Resources

• Get started with your Microsoft Intune deployment
• Intune planning guide
• Deployment guide: Manage devices running Windows

Conclusion

Following Intune best practices ensures a secure, compliant, and well-managed device environment. Key takeaways:

✅ Plan and design carefully
✅ Start with pilot groups
✅ Implement security best practices
✅ Monitor and maintain regularly
✅ Document and train continuously

By following these practices, you can build and maintain an effective Intune deployment that protects your organization while enabling productivity.

Remember: Best practices evolve with new features and threats. Stay current with Microsoft updates and adjust your practices accordingly.