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Dean Ellerby

Petri Contributor

Dean is a Microsoft Security MVP, Microsoft Certified Trainer, and co-organizer at the Workplace Ninjas UK.

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Cloud Computing

How to Add Microsoft Store Apps to Intune

Microsoft has recently unveiled the Intune Microsoft Store repository integration, which is intended to replace the current Microsoft Store for Business integration with Intune and provide a more consumer-like experience for employees. Microsoft has also released the WinGet Windows Package Manager, which allows IT pros to manage apps and updates through the Microsoft Store repository…

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Security

How to Configure Windows LAPS in an Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) Scenario

Last Update: Jun 05, 2025

Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (Windows LAPS) is a powerful tool that allows organizations to better manage and protect their local administrator account passwords on Windows devices. This feature is available on Azure Active Directory-joined or Windows Server Active Directory-joined devices. In this article, I will explain how to configure Windows LAPS in an Microsoft…

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Windows 365

Windows 365 vs. Azure Virtual Desktop: Which Virtualization Solution Should You Choose?

Last Update: Jun 04, 2025

Both Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop perform a similar function for end users, which is providing access to a Windows desktop. From the IT admin perspective though, they are fundamentally different solutions. In this article, we’ll walk through the major differences between Windows 365 vs Azure Virtual Desktop so that you can understand which solution,…

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Security

How to Enable Windows 11 Config Lock on Secured-Core PCs

Windows 11 Secured-core configuration lock (config lock) is a new system-level feature on the Windows 11 2022 Update to protect secured-core PCs from unintentional misconfiguration. When enabled, Windows 11 config lock should guarantee that secured-core PCs won’t be affected by configuration drift. In this article, I’ll be detailing how config lock works and how you…

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Windows 11 2022 Update

Windows 11 Smart App Control Explained: What It Is and How It Works

Windows 11 Smart App Control is a new feature that Microsoft introduced in Windows 11 version 22H2, also known as the 2022 Update. Smart App Control is a system-level feature that can help to protect your Windows 11 PC by blocking malicious and untrusted apps. In this article, we’ll explain how Windows 11 Smart App…

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Windows 11

How to Configure Windows Autopatch: A Step-by-Step Guide

Last Update: Jun 05, 2025

Windows Autopatch is a new Microsoft service that organizations can use to automate the patching of Windows, Microsoft 365 apps for Enterprise, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft Teams. It aims to complete patching cycles within the least amount of time, whilst keeping downtime to a minimum. In this guide, we’ll show you how to configure Windows Autopatch…

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Windows 11

Windows Autopilot Deployment: A Step-by-Step Guide

Last Update: Jun 10, 2025

Windows Autopilot is a new Microsoft tool that IT pros can use to pre-configure, reset, or repurpose Windows devices. It’s a great tool to automate the process of deploying Windows devices in an organization. In this Windows Autopilot deployment step-by-step guide, we’ll explain how to get started with Windows Autopilot and set up new devices…

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Getting Started with Microsoft 365 Business Premium

Last Update: May 19, 2022

Microsoft 365 Business Premium, previously known as Microsoft 365 Business, is a subscription service packed with productivity and security management features. It’s designed specifically for organizations with fewer than 300 users, and it is more feature-rich than Microsoft 365 Enterprise E3. In this article, I’ll show you how to set up Microsoft 365 from scratch. Then…

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Security

Protect iOS and Android Devices with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Last Update: Sep 07, 2023

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for iOS and Android devices is a mobile threat defense solution (MTD). Most organizations are in agreement that Windows devices require some form of antivirus and antimalware solution in order to be considered secure. Very few organizations, however, consider iOS and Android as platforms that require threat protection. Whilst iOS and…

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How to Set Up Windows 365

Last Update: Jun 04, 2025

Learn how to set up and configure Microsoft’s new Cloud-PC solution, Windows 365. In this article, you will learn how to get started with Windows 365, how to set it up for your organization, and how to choose between Hybrid Azure AD and Azure AD native join. The high-level steps required to configure or set…

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Manage Windows Devices with Microsoft Endpoint Manager (Intune)

Last Update: May 08, 2025

Microsoft Endpoint Manager (Intune) is a free cloud service that connects your devices to the cloud and lets you manage the devices using the cloud console. Learn how to set up Microsoft Endpoint Manager to manage your Windows endpoints. What is Microsoft Endpoint Manager (Intune)? Microsoft Endpoint Manager is an Enterprise Mobility Management platform that…

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How to Secure Unmanaged Devices with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Last Update: Sep 04, 2024

Security Management with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a new feature that can be used to apply security configuration to devices that do not enroll into Microsoft Endpoint Manager. In this scenario, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint retrieves, enforces, and reports on policies deployed via Microsoft Endpoint Manager. The devices are joined to your Azure Active…

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