Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM) Beta Released

The Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM) Beta went live earlier this week along with version 1.0 of Windows Intune.

MBAM is important for Windows Intune because it’s included in the next version of the next Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP).

Windows Intune customers can also leverage MDOP by paying $12 per PC per month instead of just $11 which is the monthly subscription for Microsoft’s Cloud-based PC management and security offering.

“MBAM builds on BitLocker in Windows 7 and helps simplify BitLocker provisioning and deployments, improves compliance and reporting, and reduces support costs through streamlining the key recovery process,” revealed Gavriella Schuster, Windows Intune general manager of Windows Product Management.

Early adopters can now download MBAM Beta and start testing it. They need to head over to Microsoft Connect to do so, as that’s the hub via which the software giant is sharing the development milestone with the world.

“Over the past month the MBAM team has been hard at work and they are happy to announce that the beta of MBAM is now available here (Windows Live ID required) along with the relevant documentation to help you setup your MBAM environment,” explained Microsoft’s Stephen L Rose.

Of course, once it will be finalized, MBAM will also be integrated into the next version of MDOP, the successor of Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack 2011.

According to Microsoft, “using MBAM:

- IT can automate the process of encrypting volumes on client machines across enterprise

- Helpdesk can reduce the time required for BitLocker PIN and Recovery Key information

- Security officers can quickly produce reliable evidence that indicates the compliance state of individual computers or even the enterprise itself.

- Security Officers can easily audit access to Recover Key information.

- Windows Enterprise users are empowered to continue working anywhere knowing their corporate data is protected.”