Confusion on Android Enterprise / Intune

[nb1]

We are working on an established Intune deployment and have discovered a Managed Google Play account that was set up by an employee who is no longer with the company. So I have some questions and general confusion around Managed Google Play vs Android Enterprise and what would be best for our Org.

1. I can see that we need to move away from Android (device administrator) enrolments based on the documentation from Google/MS. If I disconnect the current Managed Play account, I am concerned that these devices would be impacted. I'm not sure if we can blow away this connection, set up a new account, or really try to get access to the current account.

2. Is Managed Google Play the same as Android Enterprise? Or are those 2 completely different things?

3. The devices in our Org will be either BYOD Androids and Android-based conference room gear (that the company owns), polycom phones, displays, speakers, etc. Do we/ should we use Android Enterprise to manage both of these types of devices? For BYOD, we will be going with MAM-type policies, corp-owned will be MDM.

[jasonbayton]

Hi there! 

Managed Google play comes with an android enterprise bind, so devices using the old device admin shouldn't be impacted as that's handled within the EMM more directly. DA enrolments don't use the AE bind at all.

And yes, providing your devices support Google apps and services, you should ideally use AE to manage them 

[nb1]

Thank you. Im starting to go through your website. Lots of great information there!
I am trying to get into the existing Managed Google Play account. In the meantime I have requested information on getting an Android Enterprise account. It has been several days now with no word. Not sure if that is normal or not.

[Michel]

Hi there, welcome!

1. Try to get access to the current account, please! Disconnecting this from Intune makes all configurations invalid and you are no longer able to manage your devices (been there, done that, you don't want to get in that situation). 
   
   
2. Android Enterprise is collecting of things: A certification for devices (Android enterprise recommended), a group of policies within Android devices to make them suitable for work, and Zero touch options. Managed Google play is indeed part of that eco system. You need MGP to utilize Android Enterprise configurations. 
   
   
3. For BYOD, you could use MAM policies or look into enrollment via the company portal app. It creates a work profile on the device which is sort of a container that contains all work related stuff. Yes, you should use Android enterprise to manage them, if possible. Otherwise look into AOSP profiles for devices without Android Enterprise options)

Good luck!

[mattdermody]

It sounds like you may be inheriting the environment and are trying to figure how it was all set up. I highly recommend you get a good foundation of Android Enterprise and its core concepts before attempting to make any changes in your EMM environment. Not to try and scare you but some changes may not be easy to reverse or you could end up painting yourself into a corner, so you should have a decent background on the fundamental concepts before you attempt to apply those learnings into your EMM.

I highly recommend @jasonbayton's documentation as a great place to start:

https://bayton.org/android/what-is-android-enterprise-and-why-is-it-used/