The teams that manage end-user devices such as PCs and laptops are constantly dealing with pressure that extends from all directions. Internally, those take the shape of new application deployments, supporting the needs of specific business units and the demands from end users. Externally, pressure comes from the increased number and volume of security vulnerabilities, the need to upgrade to Windows 11, and, increasingly, all things artificial intelligence. It’s no surprise, then, that 90% of organizations to a research survey from TechTarget’s Enterprise Strategy Group say that IT is becoming more complex, with security, incorporating new and emerging technologies, an increase in the number and types of apps, and an increase in devices all featuring prominently (see Figure 1).

1 Digging into the operational and business challenges specifically associated with PCs and laptops, IT finds itself pulled in many directions at the same time. When a recent research project by Enterprise Strategy Group asked what challenges organizations experienced and which of them was the most significant, responses were evenly distributed, although operational cost for IT staff required to support end users and devices, an increased variety of devices, delivering a consistent user experience, and regulatory/compliance edged out the others as the most significant challenges (see Figure 2).