Modern device procurement with autopilot proof

Proof of Concept of zero-touch device deployment, demonstrates major cost-cutting opportunity.

Objective

Ageas Insurance Limited were looking for a new partner to reduce the cost in device deployment to over 2,500 UK employees and were particularly interested in trialling Microsoft’s Autopilot software. Ageas UK approached Microsoft to demonstrate deployment at speed, using workplace test devices, with the intention to rollout Autopilot across the business, if the trial proved successful. In turn, Microsoft invited Computacenter to bid alongside them in order to showcase our own capability around Autopilot.

Solution

Ageas UK chose the Microsoft/Computacenter partnership to demonstrate a Proof of Concept (POC) to showcase the capabilities of Microsoft Autopilot. By using investment funds available with our partner, Microsoft, Computacenter was able to deliver the POC to Ageas UK at no up-front cost. Computacenter proceeded to create the deployment profile within Intune to enable the Autopilot deployment process, as well as registering 20 workplace test devices in the Intune console. These devices were then shipped to select Ageas UK employees who promptly tested the auto-deployment by simply taking the workplace device out of the box and connecting to their network. Auto-deployment was then successfully engaged, deploying appropriate policies, drivers and applications or Windows 10 updates, all within half an hour of device power-on.

Outcome

The POC clearly demonstrated that device deployment can be handled rapidly and efficiently by Autopilot, with no on-site manual intervention required by engineers. This offers Ageas UK a significant opportunity to reduce cost, improve service efficiency and deliver an improved user experience, as the POC proved that a vanilla device can be booted up and built within 20- 30 minutes. With no requirement for engineer intervention, the POC also proved that Autopilot would meet Ageas UK’s requirement for a zero-touch production solution. As a result of the successful POC testing, Ageas UK have already moved hardware procurement from the previous supplier to Computacenter and are now seeing Computacenter as a strategic partner of the future.