Microsoft 365 is a business ecosystem where work, communication, ideation, collaboration, analytics, compliance, and every other functional part of an organization connects.
It combines work productivity apps, like Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Outlook, with Microsoft’s industry-leading Windows 10 Pro operating system and a number of security and communication and collaboration platforms.
The tools are best-in-class. Microsoft’s naming system, however, can be confusing.
Starting in 2020, Microsoft began phasing out its Office 365 branding. Legacy Office subscriptions are still active and available, but Microsoft has been encouraging users to switch over to Microsoft 365 licenses, which add several features Office 365 lacks, notably in regard to security.
Feature Changes
The exact change in your feature set when migrating from Office 365 to Microsoft 365 will vary depending on the license. Major feature differences can include the storage limit per mailbox for Exchange Online and Outlook, as well as cloud storage per user on OneDrive for Business.
Both licenses, even at the base level, have access to Microsoft’s incredibly popular collaboration and communication platforms Microsoft Teams, as well as:
- Yammer: Intracompany social network
- SharePoint Online: Document storage, retrieval, archiving, and tracking
- Microsoft Planner: Task management and scheduling
- Microsoft Stream: Live video sharing
That’s where thing’s start to change, however. Only Microsoft 365 has advanced security features included.
Cybersecurity
Defender for Office 365 Plan 1, Microsoft’s powerful threat protection system costs extra on an legacy Office license, but is included with Microsoft 365, as is self-service password reset for hybrid Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) accounts, a useful identity management redundancy.
Microsoft 365 is designed to provide secure, reliable identity management across an organization with features Office lacks, including:
- Azure AD multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Conditional access
- Password writeback for on-premises identities
Base Microsoft 365 licenses is bundled with Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1, which includes:
- Safe Attachments
- Safe Links
- Safe Attachments for SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams
- Anti-phishing
- Real-time detections
Microsoft’s Safe Documents protocol is an intermediary step for added protection. It routes all eligible documents for endpoint cloud analysis and vetting before transmitting them to their intended destination.
Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 adds automation and other tools:
- Threat Trackers
- Threat Explorer
- Automated investigation and response
- Attack Simulator
- Campaign Views
Data Loss Protection
Data protection is serious business. Data breaches, cyberattacks, and the loss of sensitive user information is costing businesses billions and grinding operations to a halt.
While both Microsoft 365 and Office 365 rely on the Office 365 Data Loss Prevention protocol (rules and policies that add extra layers of security for data that is determined to be confidential or critical), only Microsoft 365 has Azure Information Protection Plan 1, Bitlocker enforcement and Sensitivity labels.
Both Office and Microsoft 365 rely on Azure Information Protection for added cloud security, but only Microsoft 365 includes Premium P1 license features, including:
- Protection for non-Microsoft Office file formats
- Azure Information Protection on-premises scanner
- Document tracking and revocation
Given the rise in ransomware and other cyber risks, as well as new restrictions from international regulators regarding the compliant handling of user data (e.g. GDPR), companies are wise to take on new security measures, particularly when it can be done with minimal added practical considerations.
CRM, ERP, and Device Management
Microsoft 365 adds the option of adding on customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) apps that Office doesn’t come with at base licenses, such as Microsoft Dynamics 365. It also features Microsoft’s intuitive mile tracking app MileIQ for teams on the road.
Another advantage to migrating to Microsoft 365 from Office 365 is access to upgrade rights from legacy Windows 7 and 8.1 Pro licenses to the current Windows 10 Pro platform. Additionally, Microsoft 365 makes device and app management a snap thanks to Microsoft Endpoint Manager (formerly Microsoft Intune) and Windows AutoPilot included.
Endpoint Manager helps system and network administrators manage and organize all the mobile devices connecting to you, wherever they are. It’s specially focused on mobile device management (MDM) and mobile application management (MAM).
Windows Autopilot is useful for IT departments in the process of setting up a large number of similar systems. It pre-configures new devices and automates the set up, drastically reducing time and manpower requirements for rollout.
Empower Your Team and Streamline Your IT
The market leading path to the modern workplace, Microsoft 365, is a fast, intuitive, secure, and incredibly powerful all-in-one, subscription-based solution.
With Microsoft 365, IT administrators can manage their business platforms to tailor them in real time to how your business runs. Scalability is built in. You can adjust the number of licensed users, the tools and platforms available to them, and even their data storage limitations.
Plus, when you migrate to Microsoft 365 it won’t just be your frontline workforce benefiting, your IT support staff will appreciate the greater control and ease of management built into Microsoft’s secure and integrated platform.
Contact Razor Technology today to learn how migrating to Microsoft 365 can benefit your organization.
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