Windows Intune Step by Step Guide Part 9: Reporting

Back to main menu

Part 9 of my Windows Intune Step by Step Guide describes Reporting.

Navigate to Reports > Overview

See the types of reports that Intune offers

• Update Reports
• Detected Software Reports
• Computer Inventory Reports
• License Purchase Reports
• Licence Installation Reports

We will concentrate on Computer Inventory Reports. Select "Computer Inventory Reports".

Edit the Operating System section 

Select "Include only the following" and choose Windows 8. Click OK.

On the top right hand side of the console click Save As. Enter a name for the report.

Notice on the top right side of the screen you can also click Load to select a previously saved report

On the bottom right hand side of the console click "View Report"

Review the criteria you have selected

Click on Hardware Details to see your inventory of Windows 8 devices

Scroll over for more information

Scroll over for more information

On the top right hand side of the console note the options to Print or Export the report. Click to Export.

Note that the options are .csv and .html. Choose one and click Export.

Windows Intune Step by Step Guide Part 8: Software Deployment

Back to main menu

Part 8 of my guide describes software deployment via Windows Intune. In this example we will deploy the Microsoft Lync client to a group of devices.

The first step is to create a Group of devices (as we saw previously with software updates, you cannot deploy software to an individual device).

Now we have to add the software installation files to Intune.

Navigate to Software > Overview and click on Add Software. This launches the Windows Intune Software Publisher. You will have to re-authenticate to access the publisher.

Setup.exe appears on bottom left of screen. Open this.

Choose to run the setup file

Choose to run the Publisher setup

Windows Intune Software Publisher files download

Log in to the Publisher

Select "Add Software" 

Review and click Next

Choose "Software Installer" and "Windows Installer" and browse to the location of the installation files. 

Enter a name and description

We will deploy to any architecture and operating system

(however, we could limit the deployment to 32-bit Windows 8 only, for example)

Choose to "Use the default detection rules" - you can create your own if you wish. 

Enter any command line switches you require. I want my installation to run silently.

Accept the default return codes and click Next

Review the Summary of your settings and click Upload

Note that the installation files are compressed

and encrypted.

Upload has been completed.

The software is now available in the Intune console.

Right click and choose "Manage Deployment"

Choose the group you created earlier.

Choose a "Required Install" and click Finish. The software will now be deployed according to your schedule.  You can also force the installation on individual devices (force the installation, not deploy to in the first instance).

Right click the device and choose "Refresh Policies"

Click Close

See current status - successful deployment.

Metered connections: Windows 8 detects 3G connections to be "metered connections" by default. This means that there is a level of control over what is allowed to be downloaded (to prevent high data download costs). Software deployment is prevented using metered connections. In order for the deployments to be successful devices must be using a WiFi connection.

Windows Intune Step by Step Guide Part 7: Software Updates

Back to main menu

Part 7 of my Step by Step guide describes how to manage software updates via Windows Intune. 

In part 4 of the guide we configured our Windows Intune Agent Setting policy. This included settings for Software Updates.

By default several Product Categories and Update Classifications are chosen for you. You can select more if you wish. Based on the inventory of your devices updates are presented for approval.

Navigate to Administration > Updates to view the default choices

First we must create a Group. You cannot deploy updates to individual computers using Windows Intune.

Navigate to Groups > Overview

Select Create Group.

Name your Group and enter a description. Specify whether this is a group of users or devices.

We will use Direct Membership, not Criteria Membership. Click Next.

Click Browse to directly add the computers you wish.

The group has been created. You can add or remove computers at any time by editing the group.

Now we approve and deploy the updates. Navigate to Updates > All Updates. Use the filter on the top right corner to choose "New Updates to Approve". Remember the list of updates is based on the Product Categories and Update Classifications that we previously chose. It is also based on inventory of our devices.

Select all the updates (or the ones you require), right click and choose Approve.

Choose your deployment group and click Add

Click Next

Edit the Approval setting to be "Required Install" and click Finish. These updates will now be installed on all the devices in that group (at a schedule that you have set - 8 hours by default)

Metered connections: Windows 8 detects 3G connections to be "metered connections" by default. This means that there is a level of control over what is allowed to be downloaded (to prevent high data download costs). Some Software Updates are prevented using metered connections. Only critical updates are allowed. In order for the deployment of all updates to be successful devices must be using a WiFi connection.