Device management & deployment
Device management & deployment — laptops that set themselves up and stay protected.
Every computer, phone and tablet that touches your business data is a door into your business. Device management means every one of those doors is set up the same way, kept updated, encrypted and protected — and can be locked or wiped remotely if it’s lost or stolen. With zero-touch deployment, a new laptop can be shipped straight to an employee, and when they sign in for the first time it configures itself with your apps, settings and security. No one spends an afternoon setting it up by hand.
The result
Onboarding goes from hours to minutes, and a lost laptop is a hardware problem — not a data breach.
Who it's for
Device management is for any business where staff use computers or phones for work and the owner would like to know — rather than hope — that each one is encrypted, updated and protected. It’s particularly valuable when you hire regularly, have people working from home or between locations, or use personal phones for work email.
It’s also the foundation that makes other things possible. Conditional Access rules like “only company-managed computers can open patient files” need managed devices. Cyber insurers increasingly ask whether laptops are encrypted and whether you can wipe a lost device. Our Intune guide for small businesses covers the background in detail.
- Growing teams that onboard new hires every month
- Practices with front-desk, operatory and exam-room computers that must be consistent
- Firms with remote or hybrid staff who rarely come into the office
- Businesses where staff read work email on personal phones
- Anyone replacing Windows 10 computers with Windows 11
What's included
Zero-touch setup with Windows Autopilot
New Windows computers are registered to your company when purchased (through the vendor or by us). Out of the box, the computer connects to the internet, the user signs in with their work account, and Windows Autopilot applies your settings, apps and security policies automatically.
Central management with Microsoft Intune
Intune is Microsoft’s cloud device-management service. We use it to push settings, apps and updates to every Windows PC, Mac, iPhone and Android device you manage — in the office, at home or on the road.
Encryption on every computer
Windows computers are encrypted with BitLocker, and Macs with FileVault, with recovery keys stored safely in your Microsoft tenant, not on a sticky note. If a laptop is stolen, the data on it is unreadable. See encryption at rest.
Security baselines
A standard set of security settings is applied to every device: firewall on, screen lock after inactivity, local admin rights removed from everyday users, risky features disabled and Microsoft Defender turned on. Every computer looks the same from a security point of view.
Managed Windows and app updates
Windows updates are rolled out in rings — a small test group first, then everyone — so a bad update doesn’t take down the whole office. Microsoft 365 apps and common software update automatically.
Compliance checks
Intune checks each device against rules (encrypted, updated, protected, not jailbroken). Devices that fall out of compliance can be blocked from company data until fixed, using Conditional Access.
Phones and tablets, including personal ones
Company-owned phones can be fully managed. For personal phones, we use app protection policies that protect company data inside Outlook, Teams and OneDrive — preventing copy-and-paste into personal apps, for example — without seeing or controlling the rest of the phone.
Remote lock and wipe
If a device is lost or stolen, we can lock it, wipe it entirely (company devices) or remove only company data (personal devices). A lost laptop becomes a hardware problem, not a data breach.
Apple devices
For Macs, iPhones and iPads, we use Apple Business Manager with Intune so company-owned Apple devices enroll automatically and stay managed even after a reset.
Hardware lifecycle and replacement planning
We keep an inventory of every device — model, age, warranty, Windows version — and plan replacements before they fail. Use our computer replacement planner to sketch your own.
Clean offboarding
When a device is retired or someone leaves, it’s wiped and released from management properly, and old drives are handled so data doesn’t leave on a resold laptop.
How it works
Inventory
We list every computer and phone that touches business data, who uses it, how old it is and whether it can run Windows 11.
Design your baseline
We agree the standard settings and apps for each role — front desk, clinical, billing, management — and how personal phones will be handled.
Pilot
We enroll a few devices first, usually including someone who will tell us honestly if something gets in the way of their work.
Roll out
Existing computers are enrolled in place where possible; older ones are reset or replaced with Autopilot. We schedule changes around your opening hours.
Enforce
Once every device is compliant, we turn on the rules that block unmanaged or non-compliant devices from company data.
Run and report
Under managed IT we watch compliance, updates and alerts, and report on device health and upcoming replacements.
For medical & dental practices
Practices often have more computers than people: front desk, check-out, each operatory or exam room, the doctor’s office, imaging stations and a server. Each one may be signed into by several staff during a day. Device management makes those shared computers consistent and protected, and makes sure that if one is stolen during a break-in, the patient data on it is encrypted.
The HIPAA Security Rule calls for device and media controls, access controls, protection from malicious software, automatic logoff and encryption as an “addressable” safeguard — meaning you must implement it or document why an equivalent alternative is reasonable. In practice, encrypting every device is the simplest answer. Under the HIPAA breach notification rules, a lost device holding properly encrypted ePHI is generally not a reportable breach, which is a strong reason on its own. See the HIPAA Security Rule checklist.
Some clinical systems need special handling. Imaging acquisition computers and sensor software are often validated by the vendor with specific Windows versions and drivers, so we coordinate update timing with your imaging and practice-management vendors rather than forcing changes blindly. Our dental imaging network and computer guide explains what to watch for.
Staff phones are another common gap: clinicians reading email or messaging colleagues about patients on personal phones. App protection policies keep that information inside managed apps and let us remove it if a phone is lost or an employee leaves — without touching their personal photos or messages.
More on how we work with practices: IT for medical & dental practices.
Typical problems we solve
| The problem | What we do about it |
|---|---|
| Setting up a new computer takes someone half a day. | Autopilot configures it at first sign-in; the user is usually working within the hour. |
| A laptop was stolen from a car and you don’t know what was on it. | Every device encrypted, recovery keys stored centrally, and remote wipe ready to go. |
| Every computer is set up differently, so every problem is different. | One baseline for every device, applied and checked automatically. |
| Staff are local administrators and install whatever they like. | Remove everyday admin rights; approved apps are deployed through Intune. |
| Some computers haven’t had updates in months. | Update rings with reporting so stragglers are visible and fixed. |
| An employee left with company email on their personal phone. | Selective wipe removes company data from managed apps without touching personal data. |
| Windows 10 computers you need to replace. | A planned refresh to Windows 11 with Autopilot, prioritized by risk. See Windows 10 end of support. |
Tools we use — and what they do
- Microsoft Intune
- Cloud device management for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android: settings, apps, updates, compliance and remote wipe.
- Windows Autopilot
- Zero-touch provisioning: a new or reset Windows PC configures itself when the user signs in with a work account.
- Apple Business Manager
- Apple’s portal for registering company-owned Apple devices so they enroll in management automatically.
- BitLocker and FileVault
- Built-in full-disk encryption for Windows and macOS, managed and escrowed through Intune.
- Microsoft Defender for Business
- Endpoint protection and response on every managed device. See Defender for Business.
- Microsoft Entra ID
- Device identity and Conditional Access, which ties sign-in decisions to device compliance.
- Windows Update for Business
- Microsoft’s cloud-controlled update service, used with Intune to roll out updates in stages.
Device management & deployment: frequently asked questions
What is Microsoft Intune?
Intune is Microsoft’s cloud service for managing computers, phones and tablets — applying security settings, encryption, apps and updates, and letting us lock or wipe devices remotely. It’s included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium. See Intune.
What does “zero-touch” deployment mean?
A new computer can go straight from the box (or the vendor) to the employee. When they sign in with their work account, Windows Autopilot and Intune set it up automatically. Nobody needs to image it by hand.
Will you be able to see my personal phone?
No. For personal phones we use app protection, which only manages company data inside work apps like Outlook and Teams. We can’t see your photos, messages, browsing or location, and we can only remove company data.
Do we need Business Premium for this?
Intune and Autopilot are included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium, and Intune can also be licensed separately. We’ll recommend the most cost-effective option for your mix of users.
Can you manage Macs?
Yes. Intune manages macOS, and with Apple Business Manager company Macs enroll automatically.
What happens if a laptop is lost?
Tell us right away. We can lock or wipe it remotely, and because it’s encrypted, the data on it can’t be read without the user’s sign-in. We also check whether the user’s account needs to be secured.
Can our old computers be enrolled?
Usually, yes, if they run a supported version of Windows. Very old or Windows 10-only computers are better replaced; we’ll tell you which.
Will updates break our practice software?
We roll updates out in rings and coordinate with your software vendors for sensitive clinical or imaging machines, so a problem shows up on a test device first.
Case study · Software startup
A fast-growing startup that protects its code without an IT department
New hires every month and valuable source code to protect. Zero-touch device setup, strong identity controls and least-privilege access let the team grow fast and stay secure — without hiring in-house IT.
Read the full story