Microsoft Entra and Intune is Key to the Modern Workspace

As the traditional corporate perimeter continues to blur, businesses are rethinking how they secure and manage their IT environments. In a previous article, we explored how the modern workspace extends beyond office walls, fueled by remote work, BYOD devices, and cloud-first applications. One major transformation supporting this shift is moving away from traditional, on-premises domain controllers to modern identity and device management solutions like Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) and Microsoft Intune.

For small and midsize businesses, especially those between 20 to 100 employees, this transition offers significant benefits in security, manageability, and operational efficiency. Let’s explore why moving beyond traditional domains is key to the modern workspace.

The Limitations of On-Premise Domain Controllers

For years, businesses have relied on on-premise Active Directory (AD) to manage user authentication and enforce security policies. While effective in a traditional office setting, on-premise AD was designed for a world where employees worked at corporate offices on company-managed networks.

Today’s remote and hybrid environments present new challenges:

• Limited Remote Access: Extending domain services securely beyond office walls typically requires complex VPN setups, adding both technical overhead and potential security risks.

• Hardware Dependency: On-premise servers demand constant maintenance, updates, and physical security, consuming valuable IT resources.

• Cost and Complexity: Maintaining physical infrastructure not only involves upfront capital expenses but also ongoing operational costs that cloud solutions have helped eliminate.

• Scaling Difficulties: As businesses grow or adapt to remote workforces, on-premise solutions struggle to scale efficiently.

Modernizing with Microsoft Entra ID and Intune

Microsoft Entra ID and Microsoft Intune offer a modern, cloud-first approach to identity and device management. Together, they provide a flexible, scalable, and secure way to manage today’s increasingly mobile and distributed workforce.

Secure and Flexible Identity Management

With Entra ID, authentication moves to the cloud, eliminating the need for employees to connect via VPN to a corporate network. Employees can securely access company resources from anywhere, with Single Sign-On (SSO) capabilities that simplify user experience while reducing password-related risks.

Built-in Conditional Access policies allow businesses to enforce multifactor authentication, evaluate sign-in risks, and restrict access based on user or device compliance — all without the limitations of physical network boundaries.

Streamlined Device Onboarding and Management

With Microsoft Intune, businesses can remotely configure and manage devices from day one. Solutions like Windows Autopilot enable a truly hands-off provisioning experience — a new laptop can be shipped directly to an employee, and once signed in, it automatically enrolls, configures itself with corporate policies, and installs required applications without IT intervention.

This dramatically reduces the time and complexity of onboarding new employees and ensures consistency across all corporate devices, no matter where they’re located.

Consistency, Compliance, and Security

Centralized device management means corporate devices stay compliant with security policies no matter where they are. With Intune, businesses can enforce encryption with BitLocker, deploy endpoint protection like Microsoft Defender, push critical updates, and ensure security baselines are met.

This proactive management approach not only reduces cybersecurity risks but also helps companies stay compliant with regulations like HIPAA, GDPR, and others.

Reduced IT Overhead and Greater Scalability

Transitioning away from physical servers to cloud services reduces costs related to hardware maintenance, electricity, and cooling — and frees up IT staff to focus on strategic initiatives rather than infrastructure upkeep. Cloud solutions scale with your business needs, whether onboarding new employees across the country or rolling out new applications company-wide.

A Stronger Security Posture

Microsoft’s modern identity and security solutions are built on Zero Trust principles — assuming no implicit trust, even inside the network. By continuously verifying users, devices, and access requests, businesses can significantly lower their exposure to modern cyber threats. Studies have shown organizations implementing Zero Trust strategies experience fewer breaches and faster recovery times compared to those using traditional perimeter-based security models.

Real-World Example: Simplifying Remote Onboarding

Consider how onboarding a remote employee used to look: ship a laptop to headquarters, domain-join it, install necessary apps, configure policies, and then ship it out — a process that could take days.

With Entra ID and Intune, a device can be sent straight to the employee. Once it’s turned on, it automatically joins the company's directory, enrolls in Intune, configures itself according to company standards, and installs all necessary apps — dramatically reducing both setup time and IT effort while ensuring a secure, consistent environment from day one.

Why It Matters Now

In an era where hybrid work and cloud services are the norm, businesses can no longer rely on solutions built for a single office location. Moving to cloud-native identity and device management helps companies:

• Secure their assets beyond office walls

• Enable efficient remote onboarding and offboarding

• Maintain consistent, compliant, and secure devices

• Scale effortlessly with business growth

Those that delay this transition risk higher costs, increased security vulnerabilities, and reduced operational agility.

Next Steps

At Stealth Technology Group, we specialize in helping businesses modernize their workspaces. Our Modern Workspace services, combined with Microsoft Premium licenses, help protect your assets, streamline operations, and create a secure and consistent work environment — wherever your team is located.

Ready to move beyond on-premise domains? Contact us today to see how Microsoft Entra ID and Intune can transform your business.