Move Your PC Management to the Cloud with Microsoft Intune

IT folks who currently manage PCs in a small organization might be interested in a Microsoft (News - Alert) product that moves your PC administration to the cloud.

Windows Intune is a cloud-based service designed to keep your business PCs outfitted with the latest Windows updates and protected with the latest antivirus security software. Microsoft recently unveiled the second beta of Intune, which is scheduled to go live with its final release early next year.

Beyond updating the PCs you manage at your company, Intune lets you set security policies, keep track of hardware and software inventory, proactively monitor those PCs, and provide remote assistance to your users. And since the service runs in the cloud at Microsoft’s data centers, there’s no need for you to maintain your own local hardware or software to take care of your internal PCs.

To run the Windows Intune client software, your PCs must be running either the 32-bit or 64-bit versions of one of the following operating systems:

- Windows 7 Enterprise, Ultimate, or Professional

- Windows Vista Enterprise, Ultimate, or Business

- Windows XP Professional SP 2 or SP 3

You’ll also need admin rights on the PCs in your organization to install the Intune client software.

So what’s the cost? You’ll pay $11 per computer per month once the final release hits the market.

If you’re intrigued enough to check out Intune, Microsoft is currently seeking candidates to try out the beta release. The company just asks that you start testing the beta within one week after you sign up for it and that you deploy it to manage at least five PCs but no more than 25. You can run the software along with your current management tools.

I think Intune could serve a niche for in-house IT administrators who manage a small group of PCs or IT consultants who take care of small businesses. I consult as a webmaster for one SMB whose employees are scattered across the country and work virtually. I can see Intune as a handy way to better manage the company’s small but diverse lineup of PCs.

You can find out more about Intune at Microsoft’s Windows Intune Web site.