Project Purpose

Technology Services will implement a unified Windows Device Management platform using Intune to improve the consistency, efficiency and security of endpoint management in alignment with the goals set by Technology Services in 2021. The project will reduce redundant administrative overhead and provide consistent configuration so all devices follow the same rules, ensuring consistency and faster setup for new devices and improved customer experience.

Project Implementation

Microsoft Intune will be used to achieve a modern and streamlined approach to device provisioning and management.

Project Roadmap

The project has been approved to start enrolling Windows devices for Texas A&M’s Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences and Mays Business School into Microsoft Intune.

Project Team

Consists of various teams and councils.

Technology Operations

  • Eli Billette, IT Manager II
  • Jesus Perez, Senior Windows Device Management Professional
  • Daven Kostroun, Senior Windows Device Management Professional
  • Andrew Nelson, Systems Administrator II
  • Robert E. Jackson, Unified Windows Technologies Analyst III
  • Michael J. Spaulding, Senior IT Professional III

Architecture & Engineering

  • Nicolas Swanzy, M365 Site Reliability Engineer
  • Anthony Guevara, Senior IT Professional I

Technology Services Support

  • Derrick Berger, Executive Director, Information Technology, School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
  • Mark Hopcus, Associate Director, Information Technology College of Engineering
  • Jennifer Hutchinson, Executive Director, Information Technology, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Garret LaPaglia, Executive Director, Information Technology, Health
  • Joseph Zatopek, Assistant Director, Information Technology, Health
  • Michael Findley, Senior IT Professional II, Division of Finance, HROE, Marketing & Communications
  • James Williams, IT Manager III, Strategic Alliances and Partnerships, Information Technology Utilities & Energy Services, University Police Department, Athletics
  • Joshua Green, Program Director, ITEO
  • John Baros, Project Management Office

Project Steering Council

  • Dan Schumacher, Executive Director, Technology Operations
  • Chrissie Cordray, Assistant CIO, IT Unification
  • Allison Oslund, Program Director of Product Management
  • Rebecca Baker, Director Vice President for Faculty Affairs
  • Anthony Miles, Director, Program Management Office
  • Daniel Roberts, Assistant Director, Athletics IT
  • Dale Cook, Associate Director IT Finance
  • Carl Ivey, Executive Director IT Student Affairs
  • Adrian Alba, Director of Academic Effectiveness and Planning
  • Blake Caron, IT BRM II, Strategic Management

Project Task Force Teams

The Windows Device Management Unification Project team has commissioned a collection of Technology Services staff to bring their expertise and advocacy for the communities they serve at Texas A&M University. The Task force teams are not only stakeholders of the Windows Unified Device Management, but they are also guiding rollout of the project.

The goal of these Task Force teams is to bring together the subject matter experts from the distributed Technology Services support units and from the unified support team to have open discussions about the Windows Device Management Unification Project. Each Task Force has been charged to make recommendations to the project team on a variety of topics, that represent the operational and support requirements needed to successfully unify Windows device management across campus.

There are seven key IT objectives: reliable and secure services, staff empowerment, optimizing resources, supporting academics, aiding research, cutting costs, and addressing security issues.

The project team has identified seven priority areas that the individual Task Force teams will address. The teams are asked to keep the seven key IT objectives in mind, focusing on simplifying and standardizing device administration to ensure consistent service delivery.

Critical success factors include recommendations that represent the operational and support needs for successful unification, ensuring all perspectives are heard and considered, and promoting excellent customer experiences and security.

Task Force Teams Overview

  • Role Based Access Control (RBAC) Task Force: Focuses on role-based access control to ensure secure and efficient access management.
  • Communication Task Force: Ensures clear and consistent messaging across all channels.
  • Testing Plan Task Force: Develops and implements comprehensive testing strategies for new deployments.
  • Escalation Task Force: Manages and resolves high-priority issues effectively.
  • Patching Task Force: Oversees the maintenance and updates of systems to keep them secure.
  • Governance Task Force: Sets policies and guidelines to maintain compliance and operational excellence.
  • Training/Documentation Task Force: Provides resources and training for seamless adoption of new systems.