Manage Institution-Owned Computers

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Applies To: Windows 8.1

For a Windows 8.1 deployment to PCs in education there are many tools you can use to configure, customize, and manage your deployment.

Management of computers within a school is easier than ever. Tools like Windows Intune, System Center Configuration Manager, Windows PowerShell, and Group Policy provide the necessary specificity while at the same time enabling automation with low overhead. This section looks at some of the management tools available for Windows 8.1. Table 8 discusses the benefits, limitations, and requirements of several such management tools.

Table 8. Management Tools for Windows 8.1

  Benefits Limitations Requirements

Group Policy

  • Included with Windows

  • Little experience required

  • Powerful control over many aspects of Windows

  • Limited advanced capabilities

  • No means for updating client software

  • Limited change management capabilities (can add by using Advanced Group Policy Management)

  • Cannot manage non-Windows clients

  • Requires a domain environment to be most effective

System Center Configuration Manager

  • Advanced control over infrastructure

  • Can create a hierarchy of client computers, mirroring the organization

  • Can manage Mac and Linux client computers

  • Requires expert-level IT experience

  • Numerous components such as Microsoft SQL Server required

  • Requires ongoing maintenance

Windows Intune

  • Can manage and deploy updates

  • Can deploy applications, including Windows Store apps

  • Can configure Windows Firewall, Windows Intune Endpoint protection

  • Requires little experience

  • Self-service portal for users to install apps and get help

  • Available for multiple platforms

  • Can integrate with System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager

  • Dependent on the cloud

  • Access to the management console depends on the Internet

  • Client access to the Internet periodically required

  • Client software installation required

Windows PowerShell

  • Ability to manage services, the registry, event logs, processes, and more

  • Ability to manage remotely

  • Can run tasks on multiple computers simultaneously

  • Highly customizable

  • IT staff need to be comfortable with scripting and command-line tools

  • Scripting-related IT skill set required

Which management solution is right for me?

The management solution you choose depends largely on the skill set of IT staff and the number of computers you’ll be managing. For many environments, Group Policy provides all the management needed, while other, larger institutions require the power of System Center Configuration Manager.

Windows Intune is becoming increasingly popular as a supplement to both Group Policy– and System Center Configuration Manager–managed environments, and Windows PowerShell is pervasive in some form throughout many institutions.

Additional resources

See also