Microsoft Intune is at the forefront of business desktop deployment. Announcing an exciting enhancement to its device deployment solution, Windows Autopilot. The latest feature, known as pre-provisioned deployment, should simplify how organizations set up new devices moving ahead. It finally offers a more streamlined, secure, and user-friendly approach.
The Advent of Pre-Provisioned Deployment
Autopilot enables IT Department, MSP’s, or OEMs to prepare a Windows PC that is fully configured and ready for business. This means the bulk of the setup process is completed before the device even reaches the end user. This process can be time-consuming. The end user then needs to finalize a few settings. They also need to adjust some policies before they can start using their new device.
The Inner Workings of Pre-Provisioned Deployment
Pre-provisioned deployments utilize Microsoft Intune and are compatible with currently supported versions of Windows. They expand the existing user-driven scenarios of Windows Autopilot. They work with both Microsoft Entra joined and Microsoft Entra hybrid joined devices.
Essentials for Pre-Provisioned Deployment
Alongside the standard Windows Autopilot prerequisites, pre-provisioned deployment has a few additional requirements:
- A currently supported version of Windows.
- Windows Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions.
- An active Intune subscription.
- Physical devices that support Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 and device attestation. Note that virtual machines are not supported.
The Path of Pre-Provisioning
The pre-provisioning journey leverages the self-deploying capabilities of Windows Autopilot, hence the need for TPM 2.0. The TPM attestation process also necessitates access to a set of unique HTTPS URLs for each TPM provider.
The OEM or MSP carries out the pre-provisioning process. This means it doesn’t require access to the end-user’s on-premises domain infrastructure. The device is resealed before it needs to connect to a domain controller. The device will then connect to the domain network when it is unboxed on-site by the end-user.
In Conclusion
The introduction of pre-provisioned deployment in Windows Autopilot marks a significant advancement in device deployment and management. Organizations can handle the heavy lifting of the provisioning process before the device reaches the end user. This helps organizations save valuable time. It also saves resources. This makes the entire process more efficient and user-friendly. Stay tuned for more updates and enhancements in Windows Autopilot!
