How Can You Keep Microsoft Intune Costs Down?

Hybrid and remote work strategies are becoming more entwined in corporate cultures. While the advantages of flexible work arrangements can help boost productivity, efficiency and profitability, organizations must put a high priority on cybersecurity or else face risks of exploitation or non-compliance penalties.

Between BYOD (bring-your-own-device) and any potentially unsecured connections workers use to perform their jobs when physically away from the workplace, the potential for cyber risks increases. With that being said, technology continues to progress to develop products to assist organizations in bettering their security postures while they support flexible work strategies.

Microsoft has developed its Intune offering to help organizations mitigate risks so they can enjoy the productivity and efficiency associated with mobile work options. While the benefits are often worth the investment, companies might also wonder if there are strategies to keep costs down.

How can companies effectively cultivate flexible workplaces while maintaining the degree of security they need? In this article, we’ll discuss what Intune does and the benefits it offers, along with Microsoft Intune costs and pricing options. We’ll also delve into ways to potentially lower the expenses associated with obtaining an Intune subscription.

Business Use of Microsoft Intune

Microsoft Intune is designed to manage device and application management. It’s a great solution for businesses that need to control the management and security of mobile devices and the applications their employees use.

Key features include:

• Device enrollment and management
• Application management (e.g., public apps, custom-built apps and corporate apps)
• Data protection, including Zero Trust integration
• Security and compliance features
• Device configuration (e.g., VPN setup, deployment of security software and enforcement of password and PIN rules)
• Compatibility with diverse operating systems and devices (e.g. Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, Linux, etc.)
• Improved user productivity and efficiency

How Can Microsoft Intune Potentially Save Money?

A substantial benefit to using Intune is the way Microsoft designed the product to simplify administrative duties associated with the device management process, freeing up more time for IT administrators and staff to focus on other vital tasks. Other potential savings include:

• Reduces operational expenditures
• Eliminates the need to buy and maintain expensive hardware (since it supports BYOD)
• Encourages higher levels of employee productivity
• Simplifying and consolidating endpoint management
• Consolidate IT costs
• Improve cybersecurity posture
• Faster device deployment
• Improved user experience

This and other cost-efficiencies Intune offers make it an attractive product, but many organizations may not need all the features Intune offers and, as a result, seek ways to reduce Microsoft Intune pricing.

Choosing the Right Licensing Model

As your organization pursues ways to keep its Microsoft Intune costs down, the first place to start is to check to ensure you’ve purchased the right licensing model. Companies can select between two primary types of licensing options for Intune:

• User-based licensing, which allows each Intune user to enroll up to five devices, regardless of the operating system being used.
• Device based licensing, which allows one Intune license per device and can only be used on Windows devices.

Both licensing types include device management, application management, data protection and monitoring and reporting. Device-based licensing is a limited option and only works with certain types of devices – an important question to ask when you begin the process of purchasing a plan. You can also opt to work with an expert provider who can help guide you in making the most beneficial and cost-efficient choices.

The following is an overview of the different licensing types found within the above two categories.

Intune Plan 1

Intune Plan 1 is a standalone user-based licensing option that charges a nominal amount per user per month for basic endpoint management and security capabilities. Many small and medium-sized businesses tend to opt for Plan 1.

Key features offered in this type of license include cross-platform endpoint management, mobile application management, built-in endpoint security features, endpoint analytics and Microsoft configuration manager integration.

Businesses seeking a cost-effective and reliable solution without necessarily needing advanced specialty features will invest in Intune Plan 1.

Intune Plan 2

Intune Plan 2 is another type of user-based licensing plan that includes all the features of Plan 1 but also incorporates several advanced specialty features as an add-on for an additional fee per user per month on top of the base fee. With Plan 2’s advanced management capabilities, this is typically a more attractive option for larger businesses with more complexities.

Advanced features include: specialty device management (e.g., ATMs, kiosks and industry-specific devices), advanced management features, Microsoft Intune Tunnel (a VPN solution for mobile devices) and Android-specific firmware updates (FOTA).

Intune Suite

An all-in-one inclusive package, Intune Suite is also user-based and offers all the features of Plan 2 and can be purchased as an add-on to Plan 1.

Intune Suite is often considered to be the best choice for enterprise-level organizations that require comprehensive control and advanced features and support, along with the ability to access deep analytics from all of the devices managed in their network ecosystem.

The additional features offered in Intune Suite include remote assistance, advanced analytics (device health), enterprise application management, endpoint privilege management and cloud public key infrastructure (PKI). Like the other plans, Intune Suite charges a fee per user per month and provides all-inclusive features.

Bundled Licenses

A potential cost-effective option for Intune licensing is through accessing it via software a business already uses, making bundled licensing a potential option. For example, Microsoft Intune is included with the following software licenses.

• Microsoft 365 E3
• Microsoft 365 E5
• Enterprise Mobility + Security E3
• Enterprise Mobility and Security E5
• Microsoft 365 Business Premium
• Microsoft 365 F1
• Microsoft 265 F3
• Microsoft 365 Government G3
• Microsoft 365 Government G5
• Microsoft 365 for Education A3
• Microsoft 365 for Education A5

By leveraging existing Microsoft licenses, you can easily scale back on costs associated with Intune because you avoid the expense of redundant licensing.

Device-Only Licensing

Some organizations might find Microsoft’s device-only licensing an appealing option. With this option, a business can purchase use licenses rather than per user. This benefits organizations that have shared devices or use specific types of automated processes where individual user licenses are not necessary.

The drawbacks to device-only licensing are the restrictions, which include no Intune app protection policies, no conditional access capabilities and limited user-based capabilities.

Compare Intune Pricing

Many cloud-based solutions come bundled with features companies may or may not need and Intune is no exception. Before committing to an Intune plan, consider taking the following steps.

• Evaluate your current infrastructure for both on-premises and/or cloud
• Survey the approximate number of devices used and the types of devices
• Determine your company’s desired level of control
• Compare Intune’s price points of each plan and examine the add-on options
• Determine which add-on services are “musts”, which ones are “would like to have but not necessary” and “not needed”
• Compare Intune pricing with competitors

It can be overwhelming to try to determine the best solution. Another option is to speak to a qualified managed service provider who has the expertise to evaluate your requirements and subsequently provide feedback on all of the potential options available to you.

Manage Device Enrollments

Since every Intune plan has limits on devices used under the subscription, you can help bring down costs by managing your device enrollments. Take inventory of all your users and the devices they use.

When purchasing an Intune plan, look to limit unnecessary devices and remove inactive or outdated pieces of equipment. You can also seek to optimize license assignment by only planning to grant licenses solely to the users who will need them.

Implementing self-service enrollment can also assist in reducing the costs of your business’s IT overhead and help scale back on costs.

Streamline Security Policies to Reduce Redundancy

Before integrating Microsoft Intune into your organization’s technology infrastructure, examine how it will fit into your overall IT strategy. You want to obtain the options that will best help meet your company’s objectives. For example, are you seeking to better your compliance standing? Reduce the number of helpdesk tickets? Increase security on mobile devices used across your organization?

• Carry out an internal needs assessment and inventory all devices that will be managed by Intune
• Identify essential applications and confirm which ones will run through Intune for secure deployment
• Evaluate your company’s compliance requirements
• Examine security baselines, including password policies, conditional access protocols and encryption – strengthen any weaknesses you uncover
• Use Power Automate and Microsoft Endpoint Manager to automate tasks (this won’t necessarily keep tasks down but it will increase efficiency)

Once you know your primary objectives, you can better streamline your security policies and reduce any redundancies. Lastly, even after you integrate Intune, be sure to conduct a review of your organization’s policies periodically. Plan to update as necessary to accommodate changing security needs and business requirements.

Intune is a Popular Solution for Many Enterprises Supporting BYOD and Remote Work Options

Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based service that is often deemed to be beneficial to enterprise-sized businesses and the people who work for them. Common use cases for Intune include overseeing BYOD programs, mobile device management and PC lifecycle management — all vital to supporting remote work scenarios.

Intune provides a centralized structure to help companies manage cybersecurity requirements, compliance needs and the configuration of devices. This enables them to facilitate the ability to seamlessly maintain and monitor flexible workplace arrangements. Your company can manage devices and applications to mitigate outside threats and malicious apps, along with the management of access management and the assigning of roles while simultaneously supporting productivity levels.

Like many other types of cloud-based services, there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and Intune allows for different licensing options and price points. You may already have access to a license through another Microsoft product and, if so, this will help lower expenses. If you do not, then it’s vital to evaluate the level of service you need to meet your company’s requirements and, by doing so, you can help keep your costs manageable and at the level you choose.

Looking to Determine the Right Price Point for Microsoft Intune? Red River Can Help!

Your IT team has enough tasks to manage without having to struggle with the managing and monitoring of all the devices utilized by your employees. Using a robust cloud solution, such as Microsoft Intune, can help alleviate these tasks while empowering your business to enjoy full productivity and cybersecurity capabilities.

Red River is committed to helping organizations identify the right solutions to help them meet their goals. Our team of IT experts has the specialized skills necessary to determine how to best implement Microsoft Intune (or another solution). We can help you evaluate the different licensing options, integrate and deploy Intune, configure preferred settings and customize them to meet your business’s security and compliance requirements.

To learn more about Microsoft Intune and other customizable IT solutions, contact Red River to schedule a consultation. We’re happy to answer your questions and explore your options!