What is our primary use case?
I use Microsoft Intune for endpoint provisioning, configuration, and security within our MSP environment at Coubari. Key use cases include Windows Autopilot for zero-touch deployments, application deployment, device configuration profiles such as Wi-Fi and security policies, compliance and Conditional Access, and MDM for mobile and shared devices. Intune provides a consistent, secure, and scalable way to manage devices across multiple client environments.
How has it helped my organization?
Microsoft Intune has improved our organisation by enabling zero-touch device deployment with Autopilot, reducing build time and ensuring consistent device configurations. It has strengthened security through compliance policies and Conditional Access, and provides centralised management of devices, apps, and settings. This has improved efficiency, supported remote working, and allowed us to scale device management across multiple client environments more effectively.
What is most valuable?
The best features of Microsoft Intune are Windows Autopilot, configuration profiles, application deployment, and its integration with compliance policies and Conditional Access. Autopilot enables zero-touch deployment, while configuration profiles standardise settings such as Wi-Fi and security. Together, these features provide a consistent, secure, and scalable way to deploy and manage devices across multiple environments.
What needs improvement?
The interface is good. From a customer perspective, sometimes it can be difficult because of the name changing from Entra and changing the names to Identity, which can sometimes confuse the customers. When you start referring to certain features, they are confused, and then you have to explain that it used to be called something different. The naming changes from an IT perspective when talking to the customers can be problematic, but the interface is very good. From the user perspective, they do not really use the interface, but from my perspective, I would say the naming conventions and trying to explain that to the customers is probably the hard part.
It depends on the industry. In construction, they have multiple small software applications where you have to do some scripting and testing to get it right and complete the install. Some of them are not compatible with Microsoft Intune. Realistically, no matter if it is for a big or small company, we give ourselves six months to configure from start to finish. That is considerable testing. For example, per department, we have the finance team test it, a site administrator test another configuration, and a director, because we have different device models. A lot of our clients have directors with Microsoft Surfaces, which are excellent. Some of the team, the engineers, have a high-specification laptop, so they have more drivers and more software. Then there is the standard configuration. Getting those standards and configurations right takes time. Over time, since my last role when I deployed Autopilot, we have probably saved hundreds of hours of IT time setting up laptops.
Different sectors have different demands. It is trying to convince the customers to spend the money. Once we have it right, the process becomes much more streamlined. There could be more features added. For me, as I mentioned, one area is the reporting. If the reporting became better, I think you would not need to use more RMMs. That is probably from an MSP perspective. From an end-user perspective, yes.
I would give it a rating of seven. As I mentioned, it is more the reporting and the challenges with the sync delays. If the sync delays could be improved and policy conflicts, which can cause some issues, were addressed, the rating would be higher.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Microsoft Intune for approximately six years. While adoption was more limited in the early stages, it has since become a core part of modern endpoint management.
Across my roles within MSP environments, including my current position at Coubari, I have used Intune extensively for device deployment, configuration, security, and ongoing management. Over the last six years, it has been a key platform in my day-to-day work supporting multiple client environments and delivering standardised, secure device management at scale.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
In my experience at Coubari, Microsoft Intune is a stable and reliable platform for day-to-day device management.
There have occasionally been wider Microsoft 365 service incidents (for example with Exchange Online or Microsoft Teams), but these have not directly impacted Intune’s core functionality. From an endpoint management perspective, Intune has remained consistent and dependable.
Day-to-day operations such as device enrolment, policy deployment, application delivery, and compliance management run reliably, and we have not experienced any major outages specific to Intune itself.
Overall, Intune has proven to be a stable platform suitable for managing devices at scale, particularly when used as part of the wider Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
.In my experience at Coubari, Microsoft Intune is highly scalable and well suited to both growing organisations and large, multi-site environments. I have personally managed Intune deployments across customers with hundreds of users and have not encountered any scalability issues.
Because Intune is cloud-based, it allows us to onboard large numbers of devices and users without needing additional on-premise infrastructure. Features such as Windows Autopilot, dynamic groups, and automated policy assignment make it easy to deploy and manage devices at scale while maintaining consistent standards.
As environments grow, Intune continues to perform reliably, allowing us to manage multiple device types, locations, and user roles from a single platform. It also supports remote and hybrid working seamlessly, which is essential for modern organisations.
Overall, Intune scales very well, from smaller deployments through to large enterprise environments, and has proven to be a reliable platform for managing growth without added complexity.
How are customer service and support?
In our MSP environment at Coubari, we have had limited need to engage directly with Microsoft customer support for Intune, as the platform has been stable and well-documented.
Instead, we rely heavily on Microsoft Secure Score and built-in recommendations to guide security best practice and configuration improvements across client environments. As all of our clients are Cyber Essentials Plus certified, we maintain a strong security baseline, and Intune integrates well with Microsoft’s guidance to help us meet those standards.
On the occasions where guidance is needed, the Microsoft documentation, community resources, and Secure Score recommendations provide sufficient direction without needing to raise support tickets.
Overall, while we have not relied heavily on direct support, the self-service guidance, documentation, and security recommendations provided by Microsoft are strong and effective for managing Intune environments.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have not used other solutions.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Microsoft Intune can be straightforward when approached with a clear project plan, but it does require careful design and testing to get right.
In my experience at Coubari, we structure Intune rollouts as a formal project, defining device standards, security baselines, Autopilot profiles, application packages, and user groupings in advance. With this approach, deployment becomes much more controlled and predictable.
In previous roles, I have delivered Autopilot deployments for recruitment-based organisations, including environments using Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD). We used Intune policies to enforce security controls, such as restricting copy and paste between local devices and remote desktop sessions, which was a key requirement for protecting sensitive data.
While the initial configuration phase requires time and testing across different user roles and device types, once established, Intune provides a very efficient and repeatable deployment model. Overall, with the right planning and structure, the setup is manageable and delivers strong long-term benefits.
What about the implementation team?
We did not use an external integrator, reseller, or consultant for our Microsoft Intune deployments. All implementations were delivered in-house at Coubari.
As the Lead Technical Engineer, I have been responsible for designing and leading the deployments, drawing on my previous experience as a third-line engineer in earlier MSP roles. Our MSP teams are relatively small, so we do not have a dedicated Intune project team; however, we typically involve 2–3 engineers to support planning, testing, and rollout.
Delivering Intune in-house has worked well for us, as it allows us to tailor each deployment to the client’s requirements, maintain full control of the design, and build internal expertise. The key is to ensure proper planning and resource allocation to avoid overloading a single engineer during larger projects.
Overall, our experience with in-house deployment has been positive and effective, allowing us to deliver consistent, high-quality Intune implementations across our customer base.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
From my experience at Coubari, Microsoft Intune pricing is generally competitive and good value, particularly for organisations already invested in Microsoft 365.
In many cases, Intune is included within Microsoft 365 licences such as Business Premium or E3/E5, which makes adoption easier and more cost-effective for larger organisations. As a standalone licence, Intune Plan 1 is typically around £6–£7 per user per month, with additional features available as add-ons if required �.
microsoft.com +1
For mid-sized and enterprise customers, pricing is rarely an issue because it fits within existing IT budgets and delivers strong value through security, device management, and integration with Microsoft 365.
For smaller organisations, licensing can be more of a challenge to justify, especially if they do not already have Microsoft 365 plans that include Intune. In those cases, cost can be a barrier compared to lighter RMM-style tools.
In terms of setup cost, the main investment is time rather than licensing. A proper Intune rollout requires planning, testing, and building configurations (Autopilot profiles, policies, applications, and security baselines). In MSP environments, we typically allow several months to fully design and test deployments across different user roles and device types.
Overall, licensing is straightforward and scalable, but the key investment is in initial design and implementation effort to ensure a stable and standardised environment.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
In our MSP environment at Coubari, we have worked with and evaluated a range of endpoint management solutions, primarily traditional RMM platforms such as Atera and Halo, alongside more legacy on-premise approaches using Group Policy.
The main difference with Microsoft Intune is that it is a cloud-native, identity-driven platform that integrates directly with Microsoft 365, Entra ID, and Conditional Access. This makes it particularly strong for modern device management, security, and remote working, especially when combined with Autopilot for zero-touch deployment.
Strengths of Microsoft Intune:
Cloud-based and scalable for multi-site and remote users
Strong integration with Microsoft 365 and identity/security controls
Autopilot for automated, standardised device deployment
Built-in compliance, MDM, and security policy management
Strengths of RMM platforms (e.g. Atera/Halo):
Stronger real-time control (remote access, scripting, instant changes)
More mature patch management and reporting capabilities
Better multi-tenant visibility across multiple customers
In practice, we use a hybrid approach, with Intune handling provisioning, configuration, and security, and RMM tools used for patching, scripting, and centralised reporting.
From a commercial perspective, cost can be a barrier for smaller organisations. Larger engineering clients typically have the budget and benefit from the full Microsoft 365 ecosystem, but smaller businesses can find the licensing harder to justify. A lighter or entry-level Intune tier with core features would help increase adoption in the SME market.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate Microsoft Intune 7 out of 10 overall.
It is a strong platform for modern endpoint management, particularly for organisations already invested in Microsoft 365. In our MSP environment at Coubari, it works especially well for Windows-based clients with 200+ users, where Autopilot, compliance policies, Conditional Access, and centralised configuration provide consistent and secure device management at scale.
Alongside Intune, we also use tools such as Microsoft Copilot and Teams transcripts/meeting notes to support environment analysis, reporting, and project delivery (for example, SharePoint migrations and client communications), which complements the overall Microsoft ecosystem.
Advice for organisations considering Intune:
Plan your design carefully from the start (policies, apps, security baselines)
Allow time for testing across departments and device types
Use Autopilot to maximise deployment efficiency
Consider how Intune will integrate with your wider tooling (e.g. RMM/reporting)
Ensure licensing aligns with your organisation size and needs
Overall, Intune delivers strong value in terms of security, standardisation, and scalability, particularly when implemented as part of the wider Microsoft 365 platform.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?