Fleet management.
WHAT TO STANDARDISE
Hardware specifications, by role The operating system version The installed application set Configuration and security settings
WHY
Variation multiplies support effort and makes problems unpredictable.
WHAT A STANDARD BUILD PROVIDES
Predictable devices Rapid replacement Consistent security posture
WHAT MANAGEMENT TOOLING PROVIDES
Central configuration Software deployment Patch management Inventory Remote actions, including wiping a lost device
WHAT TO ENFORCE CENTRALLY
Encryption Screen lock Update policy Administrative rights
THAT LAST ONE
Restricting local administrative rights prevents a large proportion of incidents.
WHAT TO PLAN FOR
Devices that are rarely connected, and therefore rarely updated.
WHAT TO MONITOR
Patch status Encryption status Devices not seen recently
WHAT THAT LAST ONE MAY INDICATE
A device lost, stolen, or held by someone who left.
