Have you tried restarting? #7 (Merry XMas!)
Microsoft Ignite 2025 news, Intune Suite included in M365 E3/E5, various simplifications, and Christmas greetings from the IT world
“Merry Christmas,” “Happy New Year,” “to you and your family”, everywhere! By now we’re right in the middle of the Christmas countdown (everyone) and some simple but well-earned time off (me, the Grinch 😆). That WPC post completely wiped me out, and I can’t wait to recharge.
I’m heading into 2026 knowing I’ll definitely simplify my online presence even more, and I’ll also cut back on events (without disappearing altogether). In the meantime, there’s still plenty to read over the holidays this month, especially after Microsoft Ignite 2025!
But you know what? Put this issue aside. Just send me a quick Christmas hello by replying to this email (if you feel like it), and then go do something else entirely. You can always catch up later, the holiday break is meant to be enjoyed.
No long speech: whatever your take is on the holidays (and everything that comes with them), I simply hope they’re a good one and that you get to enjoy them at your best. See you in 2026! Byyyyyye!
📌 In this issue
FAQ… but make it stylish: “What’s this about Intune Suite now being included with Microsoft 365 licenses? 😱”
Microsoft News Radar: post-Ignite 2025 updates straight from Microsoft sources.
Community Picks: I haven’t been very active on LinkedIn lately, but the hunt for great community content never stopped. Here’s a selection of the most interesting finds this month.
Events: yep, after WPC we’re not slowing down, and the events keep coming, with a techy Christmas twist!
On a personal note: a year that… honestly, I don’t even know.
❓ FAQ… with style
Question
“What’s this about Intune Suite now being included with Microsoft 365 licenses? 😱”
Answer
In early December, Lior Bela (Director @ Microsoft Intune) dropped a bomb on LinkedIn one evening.
All Microsoft Intune Suite capabilities will be included and redistributed within EMS E3, Microsoft 365 E3, and E5.
All hell broke loose.
“What do you mean? When? Which features go into E3 and which into E5? TELL ME RIGHT NOW… AAAARGHHHH”
Let’s bring some order with a Q&A on the key points.
Which Intune features are included in the different Microsoft 365 plans?
The answer is in the table in the image.
What does Intune Plan 2 include?
The Intune Plan 2 features, included in EMS E3, include:
Microsoft Tunnel for Mobile Application Management (MAM): provides secure VPN connectivity for individual apps, enabling access to corporate resources without requiring full device enrollment.
Specialty device management: helps secure specialized devices such as AR/VR headsets, smart displays, and meeting room systems.
Firmware over-the-air (FOTA) updates: firmware updates for supported Zebra devices.
When will these changes take effect?
A common question is, of course, about timing. The changes will take effect in 2026, and the process will be largely automatic:
All eligible tenants with Enterprise Mobility and Security E3 and Microsoft 365 E5 will automatically receive provisioning of Intune Suite capabilities.
Microsoft will notify administrators of eligible organizations 30 days before the change is applied via the Microsoft 365 admin center.
There’s no need to change plans to take advantage of these new capabilities.
As always, here are some verifiable sources where you can dive deeper into your licensing considerations.
📎 Microsoft 365 adds advanced Microsoft Intune solutions at scale
🛰️ Microsoft Radar
A selection of content straight from Microsoft sources: a ton of new announcements from Ignite.
Microsoft Intune
Windows IT Pro
Microsoft Entra
🌐 Community Picks
he most useful community content I came across over the past few weeks.
🔗 Intune and Secure Boot Certificate Updates: What You Must Fix Before the 2026 Expiry
👤 Florian Salzmann
How to manage Secure Boot certificate updates on devices managed with Microsoft Intune, with practical guidance to keep Windows systems secure. A hands-on approach to avoid issues in June 2026.🔗 Windows Backup for Organizations: a modern approach with Microsoft Intune
👤 Nicky De Westelinck
This article explains how to use Windows Backup for Organizations with Microsoft Intune to protect and easily restore settings and Microsoft Store apps on Windows 11 devices, simplifying IT management and improving the user experience in case of a reset or device replacement.🔗 Troubleshoot configured Defender AV settings with effective settings in Defender
👤 Jeffrey Appel
This article explains how to use the Effective Settings feature in Microsoft Defender to analyze which Defender AV antivirus configurations are actually applied on devices when policies come from multiple sources (Intune, GPO, MECM, scripts, etc.), helping identify conflicts that can disable or weaken protection.
🎭 Events and Call for Speaker
Eventi di community e Microsoft, oltre alle principali Call 4 Speaker aperte.
⌚ Be Connected Hour
📅 19 December 2025 - 💻 Online
Monthly update on what’s new across Microsoft 365, Teams, MTR, Purview, MDO, and Copilot, together with Luca Vitali, Fabrizio Volpe, and Raffaele Colavecchi.🎅🏻 Santa Cloud Day
📅 20 December 2025 - 🌍 Meetup (Lecce)
A day dedicated to Generative AI, Cloud, and Security, organized together with Global AI Lecce, plus talks, hands-on demos, and plenty of networking among enthusiasts and industry professionals.
🎧 On a personal note
Outside the IT world, here’s what’s been inspiring me lately.
📖 What I’m reading (books, newsletters)
Books
🎵 What I’m Listening To (my musical obsessions)
Breakdown / Artist: Sea Lemon / Album: Stop at Nothing - EP
(this one in particular has been obsessing me)
✍️ Random Thoughts
I’m not usually one to have thoughts like this, but 2025 is a year I’m more than happy to file away and move on from. Even so, I’ve got a feeling that 2026 will mean rolling up our sleeves to tackle a few things.
See you soon!
Riccardo
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