How to Force MDE device management ( instead of configuration manager) for Windows Server

You can only utilize Defender for Endpoint for Servers, the Intune as MDM solution is not supported for Servers.

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/intune-customer-success/windows-server-devices-managed-by-defender-for-endpoint-now/ba-p/3767773

@A3193,Thanks for posting in Q&A.

From your description, I know that you want to know if there is other way to force configuration manager to manage device.

Based on my research, Windows Server is not the supported operating system in Intune, but you can use Intune to manage MDE security settings on devices not enrolled with Intune. It allows you to configure policies for endpoint security for MDE and assign them to Microsoft Entra ID groups. And the status for Device management will be MDE.

However, if you are planning to use Configuration Manager, you can set the toggle for Manage Security settings using Configuration Manager to On. Then the device Management status will be "config mgr" and you can use Configuration manager to manage the targeted device.

Here are some related documents you can refer.

https://video2.skills-academy.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/defender-endpoint/switch-to-mde-phase-2?view=o365-worldwide#step-2-configure-defender-for-endpoint-plan-1-or-plan-2

https://video2.skills-academy.com/en-us/mem/intune/protect/mde-security-integration#co-existence-with-microsoft-endpoint-configuration-manager

Hope this can be help.

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