I currently work in higher education IT as a senior computer systems specialist, with responsibilities covering Windows, macOS, iPads, Teams phones, device provisioning, annual hardware refreshes, computer lab maintenance, Jamf Pro administration, MECM task sequences, and escalated support tickets. My main specialty has become Jamf Pro, including building configurations and policies and migrating Macs into management.
I may be moving into a more operations-focused role within the same organization. I would continue managing Jamf, but would also take on broader MECM administration, third-party application deployment and updates, Intune administration, some Active Directory responsibilities, and possibly Windows Server administration. We currently use MECM and Intune together in a hybrid setup, but the long-term goal is to transition away from MECM and eventually manage Windows devices primarily through Intune and Entra ID.
I am comfortable with MECM and Active Directory at a basic level, but I have never administered Intune and find its interface confusing. What would be the best learning path and resources for understanding Windows management tools, Intune, Entra-joined devices, co-management, Autopilot, application deployment, and the eventual migration away from MECM? I would also appreciate advice on whether gradually allowing MECM to disappear is a reasonable strategy or whether the migration should be planned more deliberately.
3 Answers
I would avoid simply letting MECM fade away without first documenting what it currently does. Make an inventory of task sequences, applications, certificates, Wi-Fi and VPN profiles, printers, BitLocker recovery, lab software, scripts, and any other dependencies. Then move one workload at a time.
A pilot using Entra-joined devices is a good starting point. Test provisioning, policies, software deployment, updates, and recovery with a small group before expanding. Keep written records of each policy, assignment, dependency, and rollback procedure. That will make the eventual move to Intune-only management much less risky than relying on new computers to gradually replace the old process.
Your idea of provisioning all future devices through Entra and leaving existing MECM machines in place can work as part of the transition, but it should be treated as a controlled migration rather than an automatic retirement plan. Some devices may still depend on MECM for software, task sequences, or settings long after newer machines are Intune-managed.
Co-management can be useful while you shift responsibilities gradually. Decide which workloads remain with MECM and which move to Intune, set clear milestones, and verify that every required function has an Intune replacement before removing the old management path. Also use the role as a chance to clarify what Active Directory and Windows Server administration actually mean in your organization, since those responsibilities can range from basic account and group management to much broader infrastructure ownership.
Moving from service desk and asset work into operations sounds like a solid career step, even if the lack of a raise is disappointing. Your Jamf experience should transfer well because the core ideas are similar: enrollment, inventory, configuration profiles, application deployment, compliance, patching, and troubleshooting. The terminology and failure points are just different on the Microsoft side.
For Intune, start with Microsoft's official learning paths, then reinforce them with a small test environment. Focus first on enrollment and group assignments, followed by configuration profiles, compliance policies, Win32 application deployment, update rings, Autopilot, and troubleshooting logs. A hands-on pilot will probably teach you more than simply reading through the documentation.
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