Microsoft 365 Business explained

We’re Aurora, and we help small and medium-sized businesses with their IT services. In fact, for over two decades, we’ve helped organisations from all industry sectors manage their tech solutions, from cloud migration to cyber security – keeping them productive, efficient and secure. 

One way we help SMEs is through implementing Microsoft 365 Business. A subscription-based model, it has three distinct tiers to meet varying needs. It also spans a range of cutting-edge applications, allowing employees to work anytime, anywhere with anyone.

In this blog, we’ll talk you through the benefits of the top subscription tier, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, as well as other options you could consider.

Microsoft 365 Business overview

Microsoft 365 Business is a cloud-first platform and tech solution designed around the way we work. Not only does it house the latest version of familiar office apps – think Outlook and Word – but they’re automatically available across web, desktop or both, depending on your subscription. And, through your subscription, you can bring other areas under one roof, like storage and security. 

As mentioned, Microsoft 365 Business has three tiers: Basic, Standard and Premium. While we’d always recommend using the same tier for all your users, it’s possible to mix and match, depending on your business size and needs. And, of course, Premium provides the most comprehensive set of features.

What’s included in Microsoft 365 Business

All subscriptions include:

• The latest versions of Office apps such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint and OneNote.
  In other words, everything your business needs to be productive. 

• The Exchange mail/calendar server, Outlook for email, and the Teams communication platform (complete with video conferencing and chat functionality). These help your employees collaborate and connect better. 

• An impressive 1TB of cloud storage per user on their personal OneDrive, plus access to SharePoint. This helps with sharing and storing files.

• Built-in security to detect and defend against phishing, ransomware, spam, viruses and more. Your data is also encrypted for greater safety. As cyber security experts ourselves, this is one of the biggest reasons for choosing the Business Premium subscription above the other tiers – and there’s no denying Microsoft is paving the way for information technology across the sector.

Subscription comparison

With three tiers across Microsoft 365 Business, you can set up the right one for your company.

• If you choose the Basic subscription, you’ll only get the applications and features listed above online, and a standard level of security. 

• Move up a tier onto the Standard subscription, and you’ll be able to access all of the apps listed above online, or as a download to install on a local desktop. You’ll also get some extra app features – like reporting and personalisation – as well as a desktop version of Microsoft Access and Publisher.
  
• Go for Premium, and there’s a lot more included:
  
  – Intune, for managing accounts, access and endpoints.
  – Azure Virtual Desktop, which gives anywhere-access, needs no local server and can host legacy apps through the cloud (though Azure infrastructure is required to support this).
  – Defender for Business, a more advanced version of Microsoft Defender which gives you antivirus software for desktop.
  – Azure Information Protection, which among other benefits, allows you to add various levels of security to sensitive documents. 

For many businesses, it comes down to Standard or Premium when choosing a subscription. We’ll go into more detail on that below.

Standard versus Premium subscriptions

Standard can be a great starting point for many SMEs, as it runs across web and desktop, comes with plenty of storage, and like all Business subscriptions, supports up to 300 users.

But Premium is ideal for any business with additional compliancy needs. It features greater security and flexibility – whether it’s managing devices, growing your storage, or boosting integration and collaboration. Here’s what that looks like. 

Premium security measures

First and foremost, this tier protects against unauthorised access through conditional access, which is a way of controlling who can access what data. Like the other subscriptions, it comes with MFA (multi-factor authentication) to provide a second layer of protection against lost or stolen passwords.

Next, you get multi-layered protection against phishing and ransomware, including:

• Real-time threat detection and management through Microsoft Defender for Business.
• Endpoint detection with improved response times through Intune. 
• Antivirus protection across devices such as phones, laptops and tablets. 
• AI malware scanning for attachments and links. 

It’s worth pointing out that the level of protection here is much more advanced than on the Basic subscription.

Finally, there are ways to guard against data leaks – whether it’s through encryption, managed and unmanaged devices (i.e. company or personal computers), or remote data wiping. And you can even protect sensitive documents by applying labels or locking down storage locations. 

But what about flexibility? We’ll take a look at that next. 

Premium flexibility features

When weighing up any IT service, flexibility is king. And that’s where Premium comes into its own, with Azure Virtual Desktop. This allows you to:

• Deploy and scale both virtual apps and desktops, which employees can log into simultaneously for multi-session capabilities. 
• Migrate existing virtual desktop/apps to Azure, so you can pick up where you left off.
• Work hybrid, e.g. at a physical office premises and across the cloud.
• Work across most devices, operating systems and browsers.
• Access what you need remotely. 
• Configure services and apps to specific employees or needs. 

It’s worth noting that the upcoming Copilot integration, which is designed to help employees be more productive and collaborative, will only be available on Standard and Premium tiers.

Invest in Microsoft 365 Business Premium today

Through our technology consulting business, we help companies set up subscriptions and implement them across their entire organisation so they run more smoothly – whether it’s security, storage or collaboration. 

At Aurora, we assess your needs, and then suggest the right IT services, plans and products for your business. Once we’ve set them up, we’ll even manage them long-term through our technology consulting service.

To book a call with us and see how our tech solutions can help, visit our IT support services or get in touch.