Managing BitLocker with Microsoft Endpoint Manager
Introduction
BitLocker is a disk encryption feature in Windows operating system that helps protect data stored on a device if it is lost, stolen, or otherwise exposed to unauthorized access. It can also be used to protect data stored in removable drives such as USB drives, external hard drives, and SD cards. Microsoft Endpoint Manager (MEM) is a unified platform for managing corporate-owned devices, providing a single pane of glass for IT administrators to manage devices, users, apps, and data. This blog post will provide an overview of how to manage BitLocker with MEM.
Getting Started with BitLocker
In order to use BitLocker, you need to have a compatible version of Windows. If you’re using Windows 10 Enterprise or Pro edition, you can use the BitLocker feature. To enable BitLocker you can use the “Manage BitLocker” tool in the Control Panel, or you can use the “Enable-BitLocker” PowerShell command.
Managing BitLocker with MEM
MEM provides the ability to manage and monitor the status of BitLocker encryption on corporate-owned devices. You can use MEM to create and deploy BitLocker policies to ensure that all corporate-owned devices are properly encrypted and that the encryption keys are securely stored and managed.
Create a BitLocker Policy
The first step in managing BitLocker with MEM is to create a BitLocker policy. To do this, you will need to log in to the MEM console and navigate to the “Device Configuration” section. From there, you can select the “Policies” tab and then click “Create Policy.” You will then be prompted to select the type of policy you want to create. In this case, you will select “Windows 10 and later” and then “BitLocker”.
Configure the BitLocker Policy
Once you have created the policy, you will need to configure it. This includes setting the encryption type, the encryption method, and other options such as whether or not to enable BitLocker Network Unlock. You can also specify which users or groups will be affected by the policy.
Deploy the Policy
When you have finished configuring the policy, you can deploy it to the targeted devices. This can be done by selecting the “Deploy” option from the policy page. You will then be prompted to select the targeted devices or users. Once you have selected the devices or users, you can click “Deploy” to deploy the policy to the targeted devices.
Monitor BitLocker Status
Once the policy has been deployed, you can monitor the status of BitLocker on the devices. To do this, you can navigate to the “Overview” tab in the MEM console and select “BitLocker.” This will show you the status of BitLocker on all of the devices that have the policy deployed.
Conclusion
BitLocker is an important security feature and Microsoft Endpoint Manager makes it easy to manage and monitor the status of BitLocker encryption on corporate-owned devices. With MEM, you can create and deploy policies to ensure that all corporate-owned devices are properly encrypted and that the encryption keys are securely stored and managed.
