How one Australian research university achieved modern management

A well-respected Australian research university with 10,000 students is modernising its device management. 

Challenge 

The University was managing 1,000+ multi-user devices in student labs. Ensuring consistency in application updates, OS patching and achieving a stable SOE was challenging. The lab devices were managed using SCCM, and the IT team wanted to transition to modern management on Microsoft Intune (Intune). 

Solution 

The University leveraged Devicie to unlock the full potential of Intune.  

Devicie created, configured and implemented a tailored Intune instance in accordance with the University’s requirements. With automation, repetitive day-to-day device management tasks have been eliminated and the IT team can focus on other tasks. Controls are applied consistently, empowering the University to achieve maturity in device management compliance and security. 

Consistent, automated application updates 

Keeping the student lab devices updated regularly was resource-intensive, with over a hundred applications to package, test and update manually. Applications are now automatically updated, ensuring consistency and minimising security and productivity risks. Any misnomers are remediated quickly by Devicie, so the IT team doesn’t need to concern itself with testing processes, issues or risk of device downtime. 60+ bespoke applications (outside of the Devicie catalogue) were packaged, tested and deployed within two weeks, significantly improving productivity and giving the University confidence in achieving required security and compliance controls related to applications. 

Regular, automated operating system (OS) patching 

Another time-consuming task for the IT team was patching OS. With automating patching, devices remain up-to-date and run smoothly without any IT team intervention. This enhances the productivity of the IT team, ensures consistency across the device fleet, improves security and enables compliance. 

Stable standard operating environment (SOE) 

Devicie streamlined the University’s SOE, removing conflicting policies and refreshing their Intune instance with a current, intentional approach. The University can easily implement controls including local administration management in line with their choice of 300+ CIS framework controls and the Essential Eight to uplift security and compliance.  

Results  

With Devicie, the University achieved: 

• Migration from SCCM to Intune 

• Automation of device management tasks, reducing time-consuming, repetitive tasks prone to human error, enhancing productivity 

• Consistency in application updates and OS patching 

• Implementation of complementary, current controls in line with their compliance and security requirements  

• Visibility of the status of each device via Devicie reporting 

By automating routine device management tasks, the University significantly improved the consistency, compliance and security of its fleet without compromising the productivity of its IT team. 

Next steps - tackling the faculty and staff Intune instance 

The University has a separate Intune instance for faculty and staff in addition to the labs instance. The basic Intune configuration they have for the faculty and staff instance hasn’t enabled the IT team to achieve their ongoing device management goals. They have a pressing need to deploy Windows 11 to over 2,000 devices and want to use Devicie to automate device management. 

The University has engaged Devicie to configure the Intune instance, tailoring it to their needs with current policies. With Devicie, they will be able to seamlessly transition thousands of devices to Windows 11, ensuring their faculty and staff have consistent and reliable devices.  

The University will be empowered to achieve its productivity, security and compliance goals across both Intune instances, without the demands of ongoing, regular device management tasks which will be automated with Devicie.