Boost IT Asset Management with Microsoft Intune and Jamf Integration

Effective IT asset management (ITAM), in fact, doesn't have to be overwhelming. A well-integrated system can dramatically improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance security. In this article, we'll explore how combining Microsoft Intune Asset Management and Jamf Asset Management with a dedicated ITAM solution like ALVAO creates a powerful, unified platform for complete IT asset control. 

Why is it Important to Manage IT Equipment Well? 

Keeping track of your IT assets isn't just nice to have - it's key to effective work. It's all about knowing what equipment you own, where everything is located, how it's being used, and planning for replacements as well

A strong ITAM strategy helps organizations:

1. Optimize IT Infrastructure: Avoid wasting money and ensure everything works as it should. 
2. Reduce Costs: Avoid buying excess software licenses, identify unused devices, and make buying new equipment smoother.
3. Enhance Safety: Monitor devices, ensure security settings are correct, and quickly find and fix security problems. 
4. Maintain Compliance: Ensure you follow software license rules and other regulations.

Want to gain better control over your IT assets? Don’t miss this article: The Benefits of IT Asset Management (ITAM): Why You Can't Afford to Ignore It

What is Microsoft Intune? 

Think of Microsoft Intune as a digital security warehouse for your company's devices. It's a cloud-based solution that helps your IT team protect company data, licenses, and apps on all devices, even if employees use their own. Via mobile device management (MDM), Intune ensures devices operate securely. Furthermore, it safeguards company apps from unauthorized access by using mobile application management (MAM). 

It allows you to: 

1. Confirm devices have strong security settings (like passwords and encryption) 
2. Install and manage apps on devices 
3. Check if devices are working properly and following company rules 
4. Remotely erase or lock devices if they are lost or stolen 

Microsoft Intune Asset management is great for managing a mix of devices - Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. However, for organizations that rely heavily on Apple products, Jamf Asset Management offers a better fit with more tailored, Apple-specific features. 

The ALVAO Microsoft Intune Connector enables you to import device information, including the operating system, its version, serial number, and user details.

Intune Asset Management mainly focuses on managing devices, not tracking everything about them throughout their entire lifespan. That's why connecting it with an ITAM tool like ALVAO is helpful.

What is Jamf? 

So, what is Jamf? Jamf Pro is a comprehensive Apple endpoint management solution designed to help organizations deploy, manage, and secure their ecosystem, encompassing macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and more minor devices. It automates a wide range of administrative tasks. 

As mentioned before, Intune and Jamf for IT asset management are pretty similar in their mission - they only operate on different platforms. It takes two to tango, but no proper dance exists without music. So, connecting two robust tools with a strong ITAM system like ALVAO makes them even better - that way, you create one central place to see all your IT assets. 

Like Intune, Jamf Pro excels at device management but doesn't function as a complete IT asset management solution. It lacks the financial tracking, end-to-end lifecycle management, and broad asset scope (including servers, network gear, and software licenses) characteristic of a dedicated ITAM platform. Instead, it acts as an essential data feed, contributing detailed information about assets to an ITAM system. 

To achieve comprehensive visibility, connecting Intune and Jamf into a central platform is crucial to have a centralized view of all IT assets. 

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Why you shouldn’t use Intune or Jamf for IT Asset and Inventory Management? 

While Intune and Jamf are excellent tools for tasks like device enrollment, remote control, and software deployment, they fall short when it comes to comprehensive IT asset management (ITAM). 

Here are the key limitations: 

1. Limited asset lifecycle management due to missing features and incomplete data  
2. Inability to track and manage non-computer devices, such as peripherals, contracts and other equipment  
3. No built-in Configuration Management Database (CMDB)
4. Lack of support for managing software licenses and tracking compliance 
5. Poor integration with service desk or ticketing systems, making incident and problem management less effective 
6. Lack of cost and budget tracking tools
7. Very limited reporting capabilities 

Centralize IT asset data from Intune and Jamf within ALVAO ITAM

ALVAO integrates Microsoft Intune asset management and Jamf asset management data to provide a centralized, real-time overview of all IT assets, eliminating blind spots. While each of these tools serves a slightly different purpose, combining them gains the greatest business value. 

Specifically, their connection provides significant benefits: 

• Optimize License Usage: Combine device information with software license details to avoid overspending and ensure compliance. 
• Track the Full Lifecycle: Track equipment from when you buy it to when you get rid of it, providing efficient oversight and minimizing risks from outdated hardware. 
• Automation for Efficiency: Automate key tasks like device discovery, software deployment, and license reconciliation to free up your IT team to focus on strategic initiatives. 
• Improved Security: Ensure compliance and help mitigate potential threats. 

Key point? Having a single source of truth - all your IT asset information in one place - helps companies make quicker and more valid decisions. 

Benefits for End Users 

While the advantages for IT departments are clear, Intune and Jamf Pro integration benefits end users. To be exact, it's useful: 

• More Straightforward Device Setup: Seamlessly integrate new devices into the corporate network and easily access company resources. 
• Self-Service Options: Empower users with self-service portals to manage their devices, request support, and access applications. 
• User Protection: Prevent potentially compromised devices from accessing sensitive data.
• Microsoft Intune streamlines device interaction for employees, offering a secure and convenient way to access company resources while enhancing productivity. It's a win for both individual work and overall company security. 

ALVAO Endpoint Management Connectors

Are you tracking your IT assets across multiple apps like Jamf, Microsoft Intune, and ALVAO? Using ALVAO integrations (Endpoint Management connectors), you can synchronize your IT asset data from Jamf and Intune and have them all in ALVAO. 

Thanks to Enter ID integration, every record is automatically matched with its user. You can now easily manage your Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, or Android devices with ALVAO IT Asset Management. 

Watch our video about ALVAO Endpoint Management Connectors: 

ALVAO's Intune connection makes it easy to upload asset information and protect privacy. You can choose which assets to include and use Windows Autopilot for a smooth setup.

Customer Case Studies 

Case study 1: 

Western Industrial Contractors (WIC) used spreadsheets to keep track of their IT assets. Picture how messy it was: If someone needed a laptop for a remote job, finding one meant digging through old lists that might be wrong, and thus, caused delays. 

Trying to manage budgets or know when warranties ran out was slow and full of errors because the spreadsheet info wasn't always right. To fix that confusing and risky management, WIC adopted ALVAO IT Asset Management and integrated it with their Azure and Intune environment. 

The integration with Microsoft Azure and Intune simplified device management and automation. Now, their Microsoft tools automatically send correct, up-to-date info about their devices to ALVAO. They have one reliable place to see everything. Finding the right computer or making reports for budgets is now fast and automatic. 

Read the full case study about Western Industrial Contractors here. 

Case study 2: 

Sapio, an innovative Australian cybersecurity firm, faced a similar challenge. They required a comprehensive ITSM, Asset Management, and Service Desk solution to achieve ISO 27001 certification. Manual data entry in multiple Excel sheets led to inaccurate and outdated IT asset information, errors, and poor data quality. 

With Microsoft Intune Integration, additional information about IT assets was provided. Now, information about mobile phones is automatically added to ALVAO and kept up to date by Intune. By implementing the ALVAO ITSM solution, Sapio successfully achieved ISO 27001 certification and now keeps all IT asset information in one place. 

Read the full case study about Sapio here.

Conclusion 

While Microsoft Intune and Jamf are potent tools for unified endpoint management (UEM), their true potential is realized when integrated with a comprehensive ITAM system like ALVAO offers. 

This combination provides: 

• Complete Visibility: One place to see all your IT assets. 
• Better Resource Use: Save money and improve efficiency. 
• Stronger Security: Protect your company from security threats. 
• Informed Decisions: Give your IT team the information they need. 

This integrated approach makes IT management smoother, reduces chaos, and, therefore, leads to greater success. 

Contact us today to learn how Intune and Jamf integration with ALVAO can transform your IT asset management. 

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