Table of Contents
Remote device deployment and management helps businesses of all types and sizes equip employees with the tools they need to get started quickly and securely. In today’s modern workplace, streamlined IT processes are important to setting your business up for success and growth. Whether you’re shipping devices to remote employees or setting them up at a central office, remote deployment and management reduces IT workload, ensures consistency, and improves security.
Definitions:
Remote device deployment, often referred to as Zero-Touch Deployment, allows businesses to ship devices directly to employees. The device is preconfigured and ready for use right out of the box. Employees can sign in and start working almost immediately.
Light-touch deployment requires minimal setup by your internal IT team or external IT partner.
Remote device management means that devices can be managed remotely by your IT administrators for tasks like configuring settings or deploying applications.
Whether you’re managing a fully remote workforce or just looking to streamline IT operations, automated device deployment and management is a smart investment.
Why Use Remote Device Deployment?
Remote device deployment eliminates the need for onsite infrastructure or manual setup. Devices—most often laptops—can be shipped directly from the vendor to the employee. Once received, the employee simply logs in and the setup process is automatically initiated.
Not only does this save time, but it also ensures consistency. Rather than configuring each device manually, you can predefine the apps, software, security settings, Wi-Fi credentials, printer access, and more that each user needs. Those configurations are then duplicated automatically on future devices.
Beyond deployment, modern device management also simplifies ongoing operations. Updates and patches can be pushed remotely, helping you enforce security compliance and avoid vulnerabilities from outdated software. Need to roll out a new app or software company-wide? With modern tools, you can push that update remotely to all, or a subset of, devices with just a few clicks.
In short: you save time and money, strengthen security, and lay the groundwork for easier IT operations down the road.
What Tools to Use for Remote Device Deployment and Management
We primarily work with Microsoft solutions, as this is the most common business suite solution used among our clients. With Microsoft, there are several robust solutions available. While each tool can be used on its own, the best results come from combining them. Here’s how they work:
Microsoft Intune: Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based endpoint management solution. Intune allows you to configure policies, deploy software, enforce security settings, and monitor compliance across all enrolled devices. Intune helps ensure all user endpoints—laptops, mobile phones, and tablets—are secure and compliant.
Key benefits of Intune:
- Simplified App Management: Install, update, and remove apps remotely. This includes Microsoft 365 apps, as well as third-party or custom software.
- Automated Policy Deployment: Apply security and compliance policies automatically, as long as the device has internet access.
- Cross-Platform Support: Intune supports Windows, macOS, iOS/iPadOS, Android, and more.
Windows Autopilot: Windows Autopilot is designed to simplify new device setup and configuration. It can also reset, repurpose, or recover devices as needed. With Autopilot, devices are automatically joined to your organization’s directory and enrolled into management without needing physical touch from IT. This is perfect for sending out new devices or reconfiguring existing ones.
Microsoft Entra ID: Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) handles identity and access management. Devices registered to Entra ID benefit from seamless sign-on (SSO) to cloud-based resources, helping users securely access what they need without extra logins. Admins can create roles and permissions to limit access to sensitive systems or tools.
How to Set Up Remote Device Deployment and Management
Here are some resources to get started with each solution:
- Microsoft Intune:
- Get started with Intune: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/intune/intune-service/
- Get started with Intune: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/intune/intune-service/
- Windows Autopilot: Requires a Microsoft Intune license. Follow the guide to set up Autopilot and enroll new or existing devices:
- Set up AutoPilot: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/autopilot/overview
- Set up devices with Autopilot: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/autopilot/device-preparation/overview
- Microsoft Entra ID: If you subscribe to any Microsoft Online business service, you automatically get access to Microsoft Entra ID Free. Sign-in and identity protection starts here:
- Register for Entra ID: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/fundamentals/whatis
- Device Identity Setup: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/devices/overview
Partner with Seitel Systems to Provide Remote Device Deployment and Management
At Seitel Systems, we’ve helped many clients set up automated device deployment and management strategies that scale. For our clients on our SRP IT support plans, our engineers will partner with you to determine the right tools and configurations for your business needs.
Whether you’re onboarding a new hire or deploying a whole new fleet of laptops, our team can assist. Once a device is shipped and activated by the end user, we handle remote deployment and ongoing management. Should any issue arise, your team can contact our IT Service Desk for troubleshooting or escalation to an engineer.
We can work with any device vendor you choose. Additionally, our partnership with Dell allows us to provide hardware recommendations and help you get the best pricing—though we never earn commission on sales, keeping your interests first and maintaining our unbiased advisory role.
Looking to streamline your IT onboarding process and simplify device management? Reach out to Seitel Systems today to get started.