Deployment vs provisioning: Are they the same?

“Sophia! How much longer are you gonna take? It’s almost 3. I’m hungry!” Grace from HR could feel the hunger pangs shifting her mood from mildly irritated to downright frustrated by the minute. Sophia, the newest addition to the IT team at Stark Industries and Grace’s older-by-13-minutes twin, grinned as she replied without looking up from the Mac she was working on, “Just a sec Gracey, I’m almost done deploying the devices assigned to me.” Grace pulled a face at the nickname Sophia used for her and mumbled, “Deploying? Haven’t you been at it for the last three days? How slow!” Sophia smirked as she said, “I heard that. And nope, I was provisioning the devices the last two days. Now, I am deploying the apps and stuff. This way, the other Starkies can easily start using their devices as soon as they get them.”

Grace couldn’t help the confusion that slipped into her voice as she asked, “Deploying and provisioning, aren’t they the same thing?” Sophia tapped the ‘enter’ key one last time before shutting down her Mac and then walked towards her sister. Steering her sister towards the cafeteria, Sophia said, ” Deploying and provisioning are two very different things, although many use the terms interchangeably. That, however, is a discussion for some other day.”

Whoa! I know what y’all are thinking. Deploying and provisioning are different? Yup, they are two very different concepts. And although Sophia stepped out to grab her lunch before explaining the difference, we’ll get our answers! So, let’s get down to business, shall we?

Back to the basics…

Oookay, directly jumping into the difference between deploying and provisioning might be confusing. So, let’s go back two steps and start from the beginning. For starters, deploying and provisioning are two processes that are part of getting devices ready for the nine-to-fivers or the people employed in any organization (corporate or otherwise). So essentially, provisioning and deploying are the groundwork for managing and securing the devices inducted into an organizational setting.

Now, we know how particular corporate organizations and offices are about keeping their data safe and secure. Managing and securing the endpoints that access this sensitive data is one way of protecting corporate data. Well, we’ve all been reading about and witnessing the growing importance of endpoint security in the business world. And this rise in popularity gave birth to the concept of Unified Endpoint Management. Technically, it wasn’t as straightforward as that. The UEM solutions today are the result of multiple iterations and rebuilding over the years. But the point remains that UEM is a comprehensive approach to managing all endpoints in an enterprise environment, including desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets. And deployment and provisioning are two facets of this multi-faceted UEM.

Automated MDM enrollment: Your key to easy device deployment

Now that we have a background on the two processes, let’s move on!

Deployment vs provisioning: Putting on the definition hats…

So, let us start by using the definitions as a point of difference. Software deployment refers to the process of installing and configuring software or applications on an endpoint device. It involves creating packages of software that the IT guys can then distribute to multiple devices at once and then using automation tools to install and configure those packages on each device. Device deployment, on the other hand, refers to software deployment followed by distributing these endpoints to the users. Fundamentally, the goal of deployment is to ensure that all devices have the same software and configurations, which is essential for security, compliance, and productivity.

Provisioning, on the other hand, refers to the process of setting up an endpoint device for use on a network. It involves configuring settings such as network access, security policies, user profiles, and device restrictions. Provisioning also involves installing and configuring software applications, but its primary focus is on preparing the device for use in the enterprise environment.

In the context of UEM, deployment and provisioning are closely related but serve different purposes. Deployment ensures that software and configurations are consistent across all devices, while provisioning ensures that the admin configures each device properly for use in the enterprise setting.

Deployment vs provisioning: Understanding the importance…

Moving on, let’s understand the importance of both deployment and provisioning to paint a clearer picture of differentiating the two cornerstones of UEM.

Deployment is crucial to ensure all devices have the same software and configurations. Consistent software and configurations are critical for security, compliance, and productivity. If all the devices have different software or configurations, it can create security vulnerabilities. This, in turn, makes it difficult to manage devices and reduces productivity. With deployment, IT administrators can create software packages that they can distribute to multiple devices at once and then use automation tools to install and configure those packages on each device. This saves time and reduces the risk of errors, which is critical in today’s continuously spinning and complex enterprise environments.

Provisioning is crucial to ensure that the IT guys properly configure each device in the enterprise environment. Provisioning prepares the device for use in the enterprise environment and ensures that it is secure and compliant. Without proper provisioning, devices can create security vulnerabilities and make it difficult to manage the device. With provisioning, IT administrators can ensure that each device is properly configured and secure. And this aids in combatting today’s threat landscape.

Deployment vs provisioning: What comes first?

That is a great question! Let’s see, shall we? In endpoint security and management using Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) solutions, deployment usually follows provisioning. Provisioning involves configuring endpoint devices for use on the organization’s network, setting up network access, security policies, user profiles, and device restrictions.

Once the admin provisions and configures the endpoint, they can then move on to deploying the devices. Deployment involves installing and configuring software or applications on endpoint devices. This ensures that all devices have the same software and configurations, which is critical for security, compliance, and productivity. Once the admin properly provisions the device, deployment can be carried out with confidence that the device is secure and configured correctly. Furthermore, deployment usually ends with the user finally getting their devices in their hands.

Why Zero Touch deployment is the future of device provisioning

Deployment vs provisioning: Navigating the key points of difference…

Now we are getting somewhere. For a better understanding of deployment and provisioning, let’s spin…

• Objective and configuration: The main objective of provisioning is to configure an endpoint device for use in an organization’s network, while the objective of deployment is to install and configure software or applications on the device.
• Timing: Provisioning typically occurs before deployment, as it is necessary to configure the device for use on the network before installing software.
• Security: Provisioning plays a critical role in endpoint security by ensuring that the device is properly configured, secure, and compliant with the organization’s policies and regulations. Deployment also plays a role in endpoint security by ensuring that software is properly installed and configured on the device.
• Compliance: Provisioning is critical for compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards. Deployment also plays a role in compliance by ensuring that software is properly configured and up-to-date.
• Scope: Provisioning is often a broader process that encompasses many aspects of endpoint device configuration, including network access, security policies, and user profiles. Deployment, on the other hand, focuses on installing and configuring specific software or applications.
• Complexity: Provisioning can be a complex process, as it involves configuring many aspects of endpoint device configuration. Deployment can also be complex, depending on the software being installed and the number of devices being deployed.
• Importance: Both provisioning and deployment are important processes in endpoint security and management, but provisioning is often considered more critical, as it sets the foundation for the secure and compliant use of endpoint devices.
• Frequency: Provisioning is typically done once for each device. Deployment, on the other hand, may occur multiple times for each device. This is because the release of new software and updates is an on-going process.

Adding Hexnode into the mix with deployment vs provisioning

Okay, it’s physically impossible for me to skip out Hexnode when talking about the difference between deployment and provisioning. So, here goes!

Hexnode is a Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) solution that offers a wide range of features for endpoint deployment and provisioning. Chance a glance at ’em…

Provisioning:

• Device enrollment: Hexnode allows administrators to enroll new devices quickly and easily, ensuring that they are properly configured and secure before being deployed.
• Customizable configuration profiles: Administrators can create custom configuration profiles for devices, including network settings, security policies, user profiles, and device restrictions.
• Secure containerization: Hexnode supports secure containerization. This allows the IT guys to create secure workspaces on devices for corporate data and applications. Well, say hello to working on your personal devices with zero compromises on privacy and security.
• Zero-touch provisioning: Hexnode supports zero-touch provisioning for devices powered by popular operating systems, which enables administrators to configure devices remotely without any manual intervention.

Deployment:

• Over-the-air (OTA) installation: Hexnode allows administrators to remotely install and configure software and applications on endpoint devices, ensuring that all devices have the same software and configurations.
• Customizable deployment policies: Administrators can set policies for software deployment, including scheduling, device groups, and user restrictions.
• Silent installation: Hexnode allows administrators to perform silent installations for most of the popular operating systems. These silent installations ensure that there is no need for any user interaction and can be deployed in the background.
• Automated updates: Hexnode supports automated software updates, ensuring that all devices have the latest software and security updates.

Well, Hexnode does have an impressive array of feature sets for endpoint deployment and provisioning. No wonder Hexnode helps organizations in equipping their IT teams with the ability to configure, secure and maintain their devices in an air-tight manner, all the while lifting the yoke off of the admins.

Have fun with deploying and provisioning your corporate devices!

So then, what do you think? Are the basics of deployment and provisioning clear? I sure hope so! Whatever the differences, the bottom line is that the two processes work together to ensure that the admins can properly configure, secure, and maintain endpoint devices. With that as a parting thought, I take your leave, bye-bye!