Back in November 2019 Microsoft introduced their new client management solution Microsoft Endpoint Manager. General availability is expected ‘somewhere in the next months’. Since a lot of organizations are interested but confused about the licensing and use terms at the same time, we provide you the licensing details known today.
Good to know, because the product is not available yet, the information presented here is ‘as is’ without any warranty. Please always refer to the official Microsoft licensing documents, such as the Microsoft Product Terms for licensing details.
Microsoft Endpoint Manager
Year after year customers have used System Center Configuration Manager to manage endpoints they issued to their employees, such as PC’s, workstations and laptops. Back in 2011 Microsoft introduced Microsoft Intune, a cloud based endpoint management solution, popular for managing mobile devices (tablet, smartphone). Running both solutions for endpoint management can be complex and since ‘hybrid’ is the new way forward, Microsoft combined both into Microsoft Endpoint Manager. Having said that, there will be additional features, like Device Management Admin Center (DMAC) and Desktop Analytics, which will not become available in either System Center or Intune. With that, the new Microsoft Endpoint Manager is more than the combination of System Center Configuration Manager and Intune.
Subscription
Most likely Microsoft Endpoint Manager (MEM) will become available as a monthly or yearly user based subscription. This means that for every user of an organization which the organization want to manage his or hers devices (all), the organization needs to subscribe to a User Subscription License (USL). Probably there will be an E3 and an E5 subscription with enhanced features. Please be aware, up to the date the licensing information becomes available in the Microsoft Product Terms, this is just the most likely licensing solution.
Licensed for System Center
As per the December 2019 Product Terms, customers currently licensed for System Center Configuration Manager and having active Software Assurance on their licenses are entitled to an Intune subscription license for co-management:
4.3 Access to Intune
Customers with active SA on System Center Configuration Manager Licenses, or ML equivalent Licenses, may permit limited access to Intune by its Licensed Users in conjunction with use of System Center Configuration Manager for the co-management of those users’ PCs. Access and use of these Intune features are subject to the Intune License Terms as set forth in the Online Services Terms.
In the Microsoft Endpoint Manager Frequently Asked Questions document we read that this Intune license for co-management is only for managing Windows PCs (PC here is a personal computer, laptop or workstation running the Windows operating system). For all others, like MacOS, Android or iOS, customer will need additional Intune licenses.
Licensed for Intune
Customer with current subscriptions for Microsoft Intune do not need to buy System Center Configuration Manager licenses. The System Center ConfigMgr Client Management License is included in the following online subscriptions:
- Intune user subscription license (USL)
- EM+S E3
- EM+S E5
- Microsoft 365 E3
- Microsoft 365 E5
- Microsoft 365 F1
Enterprise Mobility + Security
Customers licensed for System Center ConfigMgr do get Intune, as stated above. But they to not get rights to Enterprise Mobility + Security (either E3 or E5). Enterprise Mobility + Security contains Intune as part of the subscription plan, not the other way around. Enterprise Mobility + Security provides other features, such as Azure AD Premium, Information Protection, which are not part of Intune, System Center or Microsoft Endpoint Manager.
More information
Might you want more information about licensing or subscriptions for Microsoft Endpoint Manager, System Center Configuration Manager or Intune, please do contact one of our cloud and licensing experts to help you.