I need a solution
If I prep a standard image for user machine and include SEP, what happens when I image multiple computers from that image in terms of SEP? Is SEPM smart enough to recognize them as separate machines or would it be reusing a unique identifier from the image and think they're all the same machine?
It's safer to leave SEP off the image and install it fresh on each machine. But it's faster for initially deploying a machine if it's already on there. (Yes, that matters for some machines in some instances. Not my call, just deploy asap.)
The imaging process would involve sysprepping and capturing an image of the whole machine.