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Pre-Requisites of Windows MDM Setup

What

FileWave can use Microsoft Windows MDM to enroll and manage Windows endpoints through Microsoft Entra ID. Microsoft licensing and tenant prerequisites are outside FileWave and must be in place before Windows MDM enrollment will work.

When/Why

Confirm Microsoft licensing before you plan Windows MDM enrollment. FileWave still requires a FileWave Client license for each managed endpoint. On the Microsoft side, the key requirement is access to Microsoft Entra ID automatic MDM enrollment, typically through Microsoft Entra ID P1 or P2 or a Microsoft 365, Education, Enterprise Mobility + Security, or equivalent bundle that includes that capability.

Microsoft Intune is not required just because you are using Windows MDM with FileWave. Microsoft’s setup screens and documentation often live in the Intune or endpoint-management admin areas, but FileWave can be configured as the MDM service for the scoped users. If you also use Intune or another MDM, do not scope the same users or devices to both services for MDM enrollment; a Windows device should be enrolled in one MDM service at a time.

How

Before configuring FileWave Windows MDM, confirm these Microsoft-side requirements:

  • A Microsoft Entra ID tenant is available for the organization.
  • The enrolling users have Microsoft Entra ID P1/P2, or a bundle that includes the required automatic MDM enrollment functionality. The older name was Azure Active Directory Premium P1/P2; Microsoft now uses Microsoft Entra ID P1/P2.
  • The users who should enroll through FileWave are included in the FileWave MDM application’s MDM user scope in Microsoft Entra ID.
  • The same users are not also scoped to Intune or another MDM service for MDM enrollment unless you are intentionally separating user groups by MDM provider.
  • For Windows Autopilot workflows, the tenant and devices also meet Microsoft’s Autopilot software, networking, licensing, and configuration requirements.
  • For manual Microsoft Entra join, use a supported Windows Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition; Windows Home cannot join through this workflow.
  • Plan the FileWave Server hostname before configuring the Microsoft application. For a FileWave-hosted server, Windows MDM requires a customer-owned custom hostname that can be verified in your Microsoft Entra tenant; a FileWave-owned filewave.net hostname cannot be verified by your organization. See the Portal App setup for the Application ID URI and certificate steps.

Microsoft Entra integration with MDM

Microsoft documents how Windows uses Microsoft Entra ID with third-party MDM providers. In FileWave’s setup, the FileWave MDM application provides the Terms of Use and MDM discovery/enrollment URLs.

Windows Autopilot requirements

Windows Autopilot is the Microsoft framework that lets Windows devices enroll during initial setup. Microsoft’s Autopilot licensing requirements include Microsoft Entra ID and an MDM service such as Microsoft Intune or an alternative MDM service.

Microsoft Intune and endpoint management

Endpoint Management at Microsoft | Microsoft Learn

Use Microsoft Intune documentation when the customer is also using Intune-managed workflows. Do not treat Intune as a required FileWave Windows MDM prerequisite.

Microsoft Store for Business and Microsoft Store for Education were retired by Microsoft. Do not treat Store for Business access as a current Windows MDM prerequisite.

Complete the FileWave setup before enrolling

Microsoft licensing alone does not configure the FileWave enrollment service. Complete these steps before inviting users to enroll:

  1. Configure the Windows Client enrollment package, using the instructions for your FileWave Server version. That procedure also covers the trusted certificate, saved Preferences, and initial Model Update prerequisites.
  2. Publish your Windows MDM Terms & Conditions in FileWave Anywhere.
  3. Configure the Microsoft Entra Portal App and FileWave account, including the user scope, URLs, and certificate exchange.
  4. Manually enroll a pilot Windows device. Confirm the device details in FileWave Central report Windows MDM enrollment before extending the rollout.

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