Coming Soon: Microsoft Advanced Endpoint Management Solutions

The realities of work have impacted companies globally as remote and hybrid schedules become the new norm. As technology evolves, on-site workers are increasingly becoming a minority: since 2009, remote workers have increased by 159%, according to Global Workplace Analytics. Furthermore, 85% of managers believe that remote work teams will become the new standard.

As a result of these changes, endpoint security has had to be modified to accommodate these types of work scenarios. This trend has caused businesses to rethink their endpoint security strategies. Due to the increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks and threats, rock-solid endpoint security is essential.

Award-Winning Microsoft Endpoint Manager

Microsoft Endpoint Manager is the industry leader in endpoint security and threat detection. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint received the highest score for 15 individual criteria in The Forrester Wave™: Enterprise Detection and Response, Q2 2022, including threat hunting capabilities, product vision, endpoint telemetry, investigation capabilities, and more. 

“Safer and easier access to company data, faster and more secure responses, and greater automation”.

Endpoint Security Improvements

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced essential changes that addressed the increasingly complex needs of its users. The global giant has continued to expand its endpoint security platform and improve user experience to simplify management, increase endpoint security, and reduce the total cost of ownership. This has been done by enabling more insights, automation, and protection within a cost-effective Microsoft 365 plan. This single, cloud-powered solution will simplify how computing landscaping is managed and protected. 

Simplified, Streamlined Endpoint Management

In May 2022’s (2205) Microsoft Endpoint Manager release, an improved Windows Autopilot co-management experience was added. It now allows organizations to simplify and streamline the pre-configuration of new endpoint devices. Although Windows Autopilot was previously available for use, it was not “optimized for concurrent management.”

“IT admins now have an orchestrated Windows Autopilot device enrollment path specific to co-managed devices,” Microsoft reported in a May 2022 blog post. 

Cloud-Based Remote Help

To further address remote and hybrid work needs, an April launch implemented remote help, a cloud-based remote assistance tool that provided permission-based helpdesk-to-user connections. Customer feedback precipitated an update to this tool in the May 2205 release, which addressed the “log-off” issues during users’ sessions. 

“If a helper has the elevation role-based access control (RBAC) permission and selects the just in time (JIT) button on the toolbar,” the blog stated, “they will receive a message informing them that they should close any processes with elevated permissions…if the sharer tries to end the session, then they are informed that they will be logged off if they continue.”

These improvements are just the beginning: Microsoft will continue to make updates to this platform over the coming months. The vision of advanced endpoint management will result in safer and easier access to company data, faster and more secure responses, and greater automation. As a result, these changes will make patching, certificate management, and permission elevation easier.