Governing Copilot agents: Your next step starts here
For those of you navigating this shift, Rob Howard, Microsoft’s VP of Product Management for Microsoft 365 Copilot Extensibility, offers a practical governance framework in his article, What IT admins need to know about governing AI agents. The article introduces three key governance pillars: Security controls using Microsoft Purview. Management controls through admin centers and deployment planning. Agent reporting to monitor usage and stay ahead of compliance. You’ll also get a first look at governance zones—a planning model to help segment Copilot deployment based on your organization’s risk tolerance and data sensitivity. Think sandbox, controlled, and trusted zones, with guidance on how to phase rollout. What else you’ll find: A checklist to assess your readiness. Real-world examples of phased deployment. Links to tools you already use, like Purview, Power Platform admin center, and Microsoft 365 admin center. A preview of the upcoming white paper and webinar. Next Steps Ready to securely and strategically lead your organization into the future of AI? Read Rob’s blog today for reliable advice on governing Copilot agents. It’s part of a broader initiative by FastTrack for Microsoft 365 to support IT admins with actionable, admin-relevant content on governing Copilot AI agents—so stay tuned for future articles, webinars, and more on the topic!Bring AI out of the shadows with agents for Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat
For IT admins and Microsoft 365 admins 7-minute read Overview Shadow AI is almost certainly happening across your organization—whether you can see it or not. Employees are using tools like ChatGPT and Notion AI to get work done, even without organizational knowledge or approval. This creates real risks like data leakage, compliance violations, and a lack of visibility into how employees are using artificial intelligence. Fortunately, IT admins are in a unique position to fix the problem at its core. Today's article is intended to be a practical playbook for helping IT admins lead the charge toward responsible AI use in their organizations by empowering secure, compliant, and easy-to-manage agents for Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat. What is shadow AI? Like shadow IT, the term ‘shadow AI’ exists for a reason: it refers to unsanctioned, often hidden, use of AI tools. In the shadows, artificial intelligence can be hard to detect and even harder to govern. Tools can be browser-based, embedded in SaaS apps, or used on personal devices. Controls that mitigate shadow IT—like app blocking or firewall rules—don’t necessarily translate to AI use. Both shadow IT and shadow AI involve technical and behavioral elements, however unauthorized use of AI presents deeper behavioral challenges beyond unauthorized tools. These challenges center around how users make decisions and potentially bypass governance in ways that are harder to detect and control. While employees may not want to go rogue or bypass IT—and they generally don’t want to put the organization at risk—they do want to get their work done efficiently. They turn to public AI tools when they can’t find the capabilities they need inside the tools they have permission to use. Agents for Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat give you a way to lead AI use into the light and meet your users’ needs with modern AI business tools. By building and deploying task-specific, data-grounded chat experiences that live inside Microsoft 365, users get fast, relevant answers they’re looking for without having to step into the shadows and leave the secure environment you manage. These agents are part of the broader Microsoft 365 Copilot ecosystem and are designed to automate and execute business processes directly within Copilot Chat. Should you ignore or even allow shadow AI? When employees use public AI tools without oversight, they create risks that are harder to detect, harder to govern, and harder to reverse. For IT admins, the stakes are high for operational, security, and technical risks: Loss of visibility and control: You can’t protect what you can’t see. Shadow AI obscures oversight. It’s harder to track usage or enforce policies for tools used outside your environment. No centralized monitoring = no control. Without a unified view, you can’t troubleshoot issues, optimize usage, or step in when something goes wrong. Shadow data silos emerge. Generative AI content created outside your tenant isn’t retained or governed, which complicates lifecycle management, legal holds, and compliance requests. Security and compliance risks Enterprise-grade protections are lacking. Most public AI tools don’t support conditional access, audit logs, or data loss prevention (DLP) policies, leaving you with blind spots and increased risk of data leaks. Sensitive data exposure. Employees may unknowingly input proprietary or regulated data into public models, risking violations of GDPR, HIPAA, or internal policies. Compliance gaps. If tools aren’t tracked or documented, they increase the burden of proving compliance and can become major liabilities during audits or regulatory reviews. IT and governance challenges IT is out of the loop. Adoption of unauthorized AI tools sidelines IT, preventing teams from recommending secure, supported alternatives or aligning tools with organizational standards. When users go rogue with AI tools, they aren't using recommended secure, supported options that align with your environment and policies. Tool sprawl = more support tickets. Unapproved tools often lack integration with existing systems, creating support burdens and increasing the risk of misconfigurations. Bottom line: Allowing or ignoring shadow AI will make it much harder to manage later. That’s why Copilot Chat agents, combined with strong governance and user education, are such a powerful response: they give you a way to meet end user demand without losing control. What IT admins are up against When it comes to eradicating rogue AI, admins have their work cut out for them. Here’s a summary table of how activating Copilot Chat agents at your organization can help stem the tide: Unsanctioned AI use contributes to: How to stem the problem: Loss of visibility and control Employees use unsanctioned AI tools. Reframe shadow AI as a signal Offer sanctioned tools that meet user needs and bring AI usage into the light. Data governance gaps Unapproved tools bypass DLP and compliance policies. Keep data in your tenant Copilot agents respect Microsoft 365 compliance, identity, and data boundaries. Inconsistent AI use across teams Different tools create fragmented workflows. Centralize AI access Deploy agents across Teams and Microsoft 365 to unify usage. Security and compliance risks Shadow tools may not meet regulatory standards. Use enterprise-grade protection Copilot agents are authenticated with Azure AD and governed by Microsoft Purview. Lack of deployment clarity Admins may not know where to start. Follow a clear blueprint This blog outlines steps for setup, governance, and scaling. Missed innovation opportunities IT is seen as a blocker, not a partner. Support safe innovation Let business units build AI chat agents with IT guardrails in place. Copilot Chat agents remove the roadblocks to getting value from AI Microsoft's chat agents aren’t just another AI tool—they’re designed to work the way IT works. Secure by design: Agents run inside your Microsoft 365 tenant and authenticate through Azure AD. Compliant by default: They respect DLP and audit policies and retention through Microsoft Purview. Customizable and governable: You can define access, data sources, and usage policies. Easy to deploy: Agents live inside Teams and Microsoft apps, so users don’t need to install anything new. Copilot Chat agents strengthen governance While Copilot for Microsoft 365 helps users work more efficiently inside apps like Word, Excel, and Teams, Copilot's AI agents go a step further. They give IT the ability to create task-specific, role-based, and data-grounded AI experiences that directly replace the kinds of tools employees might otherwise seek out on their own. Key deployment benefits for IT admins Benefit Impact Visibility Know who’s using AI, how, and with what data. Control Define and enforce usage policies. Compliance Align AI use with regulatory standards. Efficiency Reduce support tickets with self-service agents. Innovation Empower business units without losing oversight. Take the next step Like shadow IT, you may not get rid of shadow AI completely or overnight. But you can meet it head-on with tools that work for your users and comply with your policies. Start by deploying a few AI Chat agents in high-impact areas. Use the resources in this article to guide your rollout. With Copilot Chat agents, you’re not just solving a technical problem. You’re leading your organization toward safer, smarter AI adoption. Tools that make it easier When it comes to Microsoft 365 deployments, you’re never alone. FastTrack for Microsoft 365 offers a full set of resources to help you learn about, build, manage, and instruct end users on Copilot Chat agents: Credentialed access, sign in required: Microsoft 365 advanced deployment guides and assistance Microsoft 365 Copilot onboarding hub Microsoft 365 Copilot: Quickstart, Copilot Chat licensing Open access, no sign-in required: Get started with Microsoft 365 Copilot extensibility Microsoft 365 Copilot ADG: Streamlining your Copilot journey (video) Copilot Chat Success Kit – Microsoft Adoption Microsoft Copilot AI setup and usage guides AI in business: Artificial intelligence tools & solutions (blog) Request assistance from FastTrack Deployment blueprint: Get started today Remember: You don’t need to roll out everything at once. Start small, build momentum, and scale responsibly. Here’s a blueprint that will get you to the finish line: Copilot Chat agent deployment checklist Step 1: Prepare your environment ☐ Set up Copilot Studio and review licensing. ☐ Create Power Platform environments that reflect your data boundaries and governance needs. ☐ Identify early declarative agent use cases (e.g., HR FAQs, IT help desk). Note: Only declarative agents are currently supported in Copilot Chat. Agents that access tenant data (e.g., SharePoint, Graph) require pay-as-you-go billing. Step 2: Define governance policies ☐ Use role-based access control (RBAC) to manage who can create, publish, and use agents. ☐ Apply naming conventions, approval workflows, and publishing guidelines. ☐ Set up guardrails for data access, agent behavior, and knowledge sources. ☐ Assign maker permissions via Microsoft Entra groups or Copilot Studio user licenses. Step 3: Deploy and monitor ☐ Use the Microsoft admin center and Power Platform admin center to manage billing and access. ☐ Monitor usage with audit logs, analytics, and the Copilot Control System. ☐ Identify which teams are still using unauthorized AI tools and guide them toward approved Copilot agents. Step 4: Support and scale ☐ Offer training, templates, and office hours to support agent creators and users. ☐ Establish a Center of Excellence (CoE) to share best practices and governance. ☐ Highlight successful use cases to drive adoption and build momentum. ☐ Encourage feedback loops to refine agent behavior and expand scenarios. Shadow AI prevention checklist What else should you do to discourage shadow AI? Here's a handy checklist of actions to take: Data protection ☐ Apply Microsoft Purview DLP policies to monitor and restrict sensitive data. ☐ Use sensitivity labels and encryption to protect data at rest and in transit. ☐ Set up conditional access policies to limit AI tool usage by role, device, or location. Acceptable use ☐ Publish clear guidance on approved AI tools and data usage. ☐ Include AI-specific clauses in acceptable use and security policies. ☐ Reinforce policies through onboarding, training, and regular reminders. Monitoring and detection ☐ Use Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps (MCAS) to detect unsanctioned AI usage. ☐ Analyze browser traffic and app usage patterns for high-risk behavior. ☐ Set up alerts for uploads to known AI endpoints (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude). Education and empowerment ☐ Run awareness campaigns about shadow AI risks and approved alternatives. ☐ Offer training on how to use Copilot and Copilot Chat agents effectively. ☐ Create a feedback loop for users to request new AI capabilities. Internal partnerships ☐ Collaborate with HR, legal, and other teams to understand AI needs. ☐ Support business units in building Copilot Chat agents with IT oversight. ☐ Use shadow AI behavior as a signal for unmet needs and prioritize accordingly. Governance alignment ☐ Align Copilot deployment with your organization’s responsible AI principles. ☐ Document how Copilot Chat agents support ethical and regulatory standards. ☐ Use audit logs and analytics to support transparency and accountability.Driving adoption and measuring impact with the Microsoft 365 Copilot Dashboard
Since 2023, nearly 70% of Fortune 500 companies have integrated Microsoft 365 Copilot’s advanced AI into their daily workflows, unlocking new efficiencies and streamlining collaboration—and they’re seeing measurable business impact. For example, Vodafone discovered employees who use Copilot save an average of 3 hours per week, reclaiming 10% of their workweek. Lumen Technologies estimates that using Copilot will help their sales teams save $50 million per year. These are game-changing outcomes. But how do these companies know their numbers are accurate? And how did they achieve them? The key to maximizing the value of AI-driven productivity tools is more than simply licensing your end users and waiting for them to make the most of it. In fact, the key lies in measuring its impact. To drive meaningful adoption and maximize ROI with Microsoft 365 Copilot, organizational leaders need clear visibility into how their workforces are using it. This means understanding: Who’s adopting AI with Copilot. How effectively is Copilot supporting workflows. What measurable productivity gains are users achieving. In this article, business leaders and IT can learn more about the Microsoft 365 Copilot dashboard, including its key features and core metrics. We'll also go over IT's tasks for configuring the dashboard and granting access to business leaders so they can analyze Copilot usage patterns themselves, refine their Copilot engagement strategies, and help drive productivity gains in their teams and throughout the organization. What is the Copilot Dashboard? The Microsoft Copilot Dashboard is a tool in Viva Insights that helps IT, business leaders, change managers, and other non-technical stakeholders track usage of Microsoft 365 Copilot with practical insights they can use to: Prepare users to work effectively with AI Drive Copilot adoption across teams Measure impact on workplace behavior Key features and core metrics of the Copilot Dashboard With a Viva Insights license, your unlock advanced dashboard features, including: Comprehensive Metrics A 28-day aggregated view of Copilot usage, adoption, readiness, and impact, to help you understand engagement and Copilot business value. Readiness tracking Based on Microsoft 365 app usage patterns, these metrics can help you identify which teams are ready to adopt AI into their daily workflows and which may need additional support, training or upskilling. Adoption insights With adoption insights, dashboard users can track active Copilot usage patterns within each Microsoft 365 app to measure how effectively teams are integrating Copilot into workflows. They can also pinpoint areas where Copilot users may need training or support to maximize productivity. By default, the dashboard’s Adoption trendline shows the prior six-month trend for all users in the organization. You can adjust filters at the top of the page for specific groups. Impact analysis This insight allows you to analyze how often employees in your organization use Copilot during a specified time period. Leaders can also measure productivity gains through metrics like meeting efficiency, email usage, and document collaboration. Advanced tools, such as before-and-after behavioral data and employee surveys, can reveal early and even deeper insights into Copilot’s organizational impact. Learning opportunities Use qualitative feedback data from Copilot impact pulse surveys to identify Copilot satisfaction levels, challenges, and areas for improvement. For example, you can compare high-adoption teams with low-adoption ones to uncover training or awareness gaps. Managing the Copilot Dashboard: Key admin responsibilities Global admins play a critical role in configuring and managing the Copilot Dashboard. Their roles include: Setting up and configuring the Copilot Dashboard. Granting access and supporting business stakeholders. Integrating data. 1. Setting up and configuring the Microsoft 365 Copilot Dashboard Global IT admins are responsible for setting up and configuring the Copilot Dashboard to align with organizational goals and requirements. This includes managing settings and turning features on and off as needed. 2. Granting access and supporting business stakeholders Admins, you'll also need to assign permissions to specific leaders, stakeholders, or groups through the Microsoft 365 admin center or PowerShell. Make sure stakeholders in different roles have the correct permissions. You'll also play a critical role in supporting and troubleshooting issues that users might encounter, such as technical problems and related assistance. Who should have access to the Copilot Dashboard? Business leaders You can view engagement and adoption metrics directly and make informed decisions about how best to guide users on adopting Copilot. Department heads You'll want to monitor how your teams are using Copilot and identify areas for improvement. IT managers You'll need to oversee the technical aspects of Copilot deployment and ensure smooth operations. HR Managers Track employee sentiment and impact metrics for workforce planning and development. How do admins grant access to the Copilot Dashboard? You can delegate and manage access for individuals or groups to the dashboard in two different ways: 1. The Microsoft 365 admin center Access the Copilot Dashboard here or Sign in to Microsoft 365 admin center Navigate to the Settings tab Select Setup Go to the Copilot Dashboard to Manage access settings. From there you can search for and select users to grant or revoke access. Manage access for groups by selecting the Groups option, searching for Entra ID groups, and adding or removing users as needed. 2. PowerShell Viva Insights admins can delegate access to organizational insights and the Copilot Dashboard using PowerShell. Set policies to enable or disable access to the dashboard at the tenant level using PowerShell cmdlets. This method gives you more granular control. Use it to manage access for larger groups or the entire organization. Note: You can only delegate access to users with a Viva Insights license. Viva Insights is available as part of the Microsoft Viva Suite or as a standalone add-on to Microsoft 365 enterprise plans. How do business stakeholders access the Copilot Dashboard? Business stakeholders, you can access the Microsoft 365 Copilot Dashboard through your Teams Viva Insights app. 3. Integrating organizational data into the dashboard Admins will upload organizational data directly through the admin center and configure it for analysis. If both the Viva Insights admin and the Global admin upload data, the dashboard will merge these uploads and display insights based on the most recent data. Empowering business stakeholders with insights they can act on Microsoft 365 Copilot is transforming productivity, and metrics powered by Viva Insights are proving its impact to the world. Access the Copilot Dashboard today for yourself and unlock Copilot’s full potential for driving organizational success. Learn more For more information on connecting to the Copilot Dashboard for Microsoft 365 customers, watch our recent video, AI Transformation: Maximize the value of Copilot with Copilot Dashboard and check out our article: Connect to the Microsoft Copilot Dashboard for Microsoft 365 customers | Microsoft Learn. Need more assistance? FastTrack is here to help! FastTrack is available to support customers with eligible licenses. Request assistance from FastTrack today or contact your assigned FastTrack Architect (FTA).Deploy Microsoft Defender XDR today and start protecting your entire digital estate
The average organization now hosts 351 exploitable attack pathways, says Microsoft’s 2024 State of Multicloud Security Risk Report 1 , so it’s no wonder leaders across sectors are calling for enhanced protection of high-value assets within applications, email, endpoints, identity, and more. But deploying a comprehensive security solution like Microsoft Defender XDR can be a big lift, especially in organizations using legacy systems or a mix of third-party tools. Complex integrations and configurations combined with common issues like limited staffing resources can further delay or even prevent full product implementation. Fortunately, FastTrack for Microsoft 365 is ready to help streamline your security product deployment and today we’ll explain how. In this blog, you’ll learn: Why Microsoft Defender platform adds value beyond security. How to deploy Microsoft Defender efficiently and securely using Microsoft admin center advanced deployment guides. Answers to FAQs. Microsoft Defender: The industry leading 2 , XDR solution with added value Microsoft Defender protects your entire organization with a unified security platform that consolidates multiple security functions (e.g., endpoint, identity, cloud security) under a single tool. This comprehensive coverage creates overlapping security, which strengthens overall security and helps reduce workloads for security and IT teams. And while in some cases, transitioning security systems can create vulnerabilities in the short term, FastTrack engineers at Microsoft have solved for this by providing incremental security coverage as you wind down third-party point solutions. We’ll describe this in more detail later on but first let’s go over the Microsoft Defender platform. The Microsoft Defender platform: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Helps prevent, detect, investigate, and respond to advanced threats with next-gen antivirus, endpoint detection response (EDR), automated investigation, and prioritized remediation capabilities. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint setup guide Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Protects email and collaboration tools like SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams against advanced threats, i.e., phishing, business email compromise, and malware attacks. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 setup guide Microsoft Defender for Identity Protects on-premises Active Directory from targeted attacks with signals that identify, detect, and investigate compromised identities and malicious insider actions. Microsoft Defender for Identity setup guide Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps A Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) that uses rich visibility, control over data travel, and sophisticated analytics to identify and combat cyber threats across cloud services. Gain visibility into Shadow IT, discover cloud apps in use, control and protect data within apps, and detect and respond to threats across all potential threat vectors. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps setup guide Microsoft Defender XDR, powered by AI, integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft 365 products and security tools Seamless integration provides for stronger, more consistent, automated security across the entire software ecosystem. For example: Microsoft Defender is embedded with Microsoft Sentinel Microsoft Sentinel is a new FastTrack offering. It’s a very powerful cloud-native, AI-powered security information and event management (SIEM) solution that helps teams address top cyberthreats, including ransomware attacks, by: Enriching data with machine learning: Sentinel employs machine learning to enrich data with Microsoft's threat intelligence, the secret ingredient that fuels capabilities, including threat hunting, detecting, investigating, and responding to threats across an ecosystem. Reducing “alert fatigue”: Sentinel filters through billions of signals, correlates them into alerts and incidents, and even prioritizes incidents. This allows for more efficient and cost-effective remediation strategies and reduced alert fatigue for SOC teams. Microsoft Defender integrates with Azure’s Microsoft Defender for Cloud Microsoft Defender for Cloud is a cloud-native application protection platform (CNAPP) that secures full-stack workloads, end to end, across Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Azure Cloud Services with constant cyberthreat monitoring at the code level. How to deploy Microsoft Defender security products efficiently and securely Because each organization’s deployment scenario will be as unique as the organization itself, Microsoft engineers designed Defender to be highly customizable and able to accommodate a variety of different scenarios. However, no one should let complexities surrounding custom configurations delay deployment. FastTrack for Microsoft 365 is here to help With a variety of self-serve resources, detailed documentation, automated, step-by-step deployment guides, and even one-on-one assistance (with an eligible license), FastTrack can help you reduce complexity and get your Microsoft Defender products up-and-running quickly. Here’s how to start: 1. Visit the Microsoft 365 Setup site Regardless of license status or credentials, start your journey at the Microsoft 365 Setup site for open, self-service access to detailed setup guides, on-demand videos, and helpful blogs to plan secure and efficient Microsoft Defender deployment workloads. 2. Sign in to the Microsoft admin center Once your organization owns a license and you’re ready to deploy, sign in to the Microsoft admin center and access Microsoft Defender advanced deployment and setup guides. 3. Deploy using Microsoft Defender advance deployment guides Start with zero trust Microsoft Defender for Endpoint setup guide Microsoft Defender for Office 365 setup guide Microsoft Defender for Identity setup guide Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps setup guide These streamlined, automated guides combine detailed documentation with stateful personalization, so you know you’re following the right instructions for your organization’s scenario. The step-by-step instructions also lead you through the correct order of operations so you can be confident you’re setting up each Microsoft Defender solution correctly, from beginning to end. Microsoft Defender setup guides: What to expect once you get there Each Microsoft Defender setup guide follows a similar pattern. They begin with an Overview, describing foundational prerequisites and Requirements, then have you identify your organization’s particular Scenario and goals, before walking you through your recommended Deployment and Configuration steps based on your scenario and Microsoft’s best practices. Let’s walk through the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint guide as an example: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint setup guide Arrive at Overview (see above) to learn more about the Defender setup guide and watch a short video. Follow the subway navigation and review Microsoft Defender for Endpoint’s minimum setup requirements to make sure you’re ready for a secure setup experience before you begin. At Scenario, identify your organization’s current security situation and your goals, for example: Do you already have an endpoint security solution in place? Would you like to see how Defender for Endpoint works before rolling it out? Do you want help designing configurations? At Deployment, find Microsoft’s recommended next steps based on your Scenario. These steps include: Preparation: Key points to consider as you prepare for migration. Setup: Guidance on which specific steps you should carry out next. Onboarding to your tenant: Advice on how to onboard while protecting other platforms in your environment. 5. Lastly, Configuration is where you’ll configure various settings and learn more about: Attack surface reduction Mobile threat defense Next-generation protection Auto remediation and investigation Microsoft Secure Score Endpoint detection and response Threat and vulnerability management Frequently asked questions Transitioning to or implementing a new security suite can be tricky. However, Microsoft Defender setup guides have been designed to eliminate as much risk and friction as possible from the deployment process. They also do a great job of anticipating and addressing questions admins frequently ask. Here are a few frequently asked questions and answers: How do I securely migrate to Microsoft Defender for Office 365? Read this Learn article to understand securely migrating from a third-party protection service or device to Microsoft Defender for Office 365. How should I deal with urgent security incident response issues? Get a better understanding of the complex threats affecting your organization. Subscribers to Defender Experts for Hunting can engage with their own security incident response teams to address urgent security incident response issues. Where can I go to learn how to fix onboarding issues myself? Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Microsoft Defender for Identity Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps 4. Does Microsoft offer training for Microsoft Defender? Yes! To get started with Microsoft Defender training, browse the list of learning paths, and filter by product, role, level, and subject. Need additional assistance? Whether you have a few questions or want assistance with deployment of your entire Microsoft Defender suite, FastTrack Engineers and Partners are ready to help. Eligible customers can request direct, remote assistance from FastTrack for Microsoft 365. [1] Microsoft’s 2024 State of Multicloud Security Report [2] Microsoft Defender was named an XDR leader in The Forrester Wave: XDR platforms, Q2 2024, receiving top scores in 15 of 22 criteria, including Endpoint Detection, Threat Hunting, and Innovation.The future of Microsoft 365 deployment: Microsoft 365 Setup Expert
Are you an IT professional, a business or technical decision-maker, or stakeholder involved with managing Microsoft 365 environments? If so, you need quick and reliable access to setup and deployment information. Now you have that access at your fingertips with Microsoft 365 Setup Expert. Read below for more details or check out the full blog post here. What is Microsoft 365 Setup Expert? Microsoft 365 Setup Expert is an innovative, AI-powered solution that helps IT, BDMS, TDMs, and related stakeholders streamline their Microsoft 365 setup and deployment workloads. Developed by FastTrack engineers, this tool responds to queries with the information you need to make informed decisions about product purchases, licensing, deployment, and troubleshooting. Advantages of Using Setup Expert Setup Expert delivers essential insights for navigating Microsoft 365 setup workflows with confidence, regardless of your job role or credentials. Key Features Prepurchase guidance: Evaluate different Microsoft 365 solutions, compare licensing options, and get recommendations for compliance, remote work, and security scenarios. Post-purchase support: Plan product rollouts, deploy advanced features, troubleshoot issues, and scale deployments based on organizational needs. Reliable information: Sourced from official Microsoft channels, ensuring accuracy and relevance. Role-based responses: Tailored insights for both technical and non-technical users. Real-World Applications Whether you're planning a new deployment or managing an existing environment, Microsoft 365 Setup Expert can help you: Simplify and expedite deployments Reduce reliance on credentialed admins Foster collaboration across roles Streamline procurement decisions Learn more about Microsoft 365 Setup Expert Dive deeper into how Setup Expert can transform your setup processes in the full blog post at the Setup site. Find Setup Expert at setup.cloud.microsoft and start leading your organization through smarter, faster, and more collaborative deployments today!3 internal obstacles to overcome for comprehensive security
Organizations today face relentless security challenges, fending off an average of 59 data security incidents each year. 1 At an average cost of $15 million, 2 successful exploits can be devasting. To address these risks, organizations need a comprehensive defense, including committed leadership and cutting-edge tools. At Microsoft, safeguarding data, technology, and secure AI adoption is a year-round priority. In fact, Charlie Bell, executive vice president of Microsoft Security, recently underscored Microsoft’s “unique responsibility in safeguarding the future for our customers and community.” As part of meeting this responsibility, Microsoft’s advanced security solutions include Microsoft Defender XDR, a platform designed to provide holistic security against today’s complex threats. While solutions like Microsoft Defender XDR are invaluable, getting them deployed can sometimes be challenging. Organizations may face internal hurdles—conflicting priorities, resource limitations, even resistance to change—that can slow or stall implementation of essential security tools. In this article, we’ll explore three common hurdles and discuss how, by deploying Microsoft security products, you can help ensure a more secure future at your organization. 3 common internal obstacles to achieving comprehensive security 1. Reluctance to replace individual, legacy solutions In the past, organizations commonly implemented individual security tools for different, siloed areas of the organization. Today, we know this fragmented approach weakens data security. In fact, according to Microsoft’s 2024 State of Multicloud Security Risk Report, organizations using multiple individual point solutions experience 2.8 times as many data security incidents as those using fewer, integrated tools. Here's a table comparing the performance of individual point solutions vs. Microsoft Defender XDR, the industry-leading unified security platform. 3 Is sunk cost fallacy to blame? “Security is an area significantly impacted by behavioral economics." 4 Sunk cost fallacy can lead cybersecurity professionals to resist replacing existing systems, even when evidence suggests it's necessary. According to Forbes: “The biggest risk in viewing cybersecurity as a sunk cost is inaction. In other words, thinking that you are safe because you haven’t yet suffered a major breach. Remember this maxim: Everyone is vulnerable." 5 To move past sunk-cost fallacy, Forbes says decision-makers need to understand that “the implementation of robust security measures can deliver substantial value beyond just mitigating risks.” By examining ROI and a products’ impact on improving security, reducing complexity, and streamlining operations “...businesses can start recognizing cybersecurity as a driver of competitive advantage, innovation and operational efficiency,” instead of as simply a cost center 6 [Emphasis added]. As an example of the potential for ROI, a 2022 Forrester TEI study found that a composite company achieved an ROI of 242% over three years and a net present value (NPV) of $17 million from switching to Microsoft Defender. It's easy to overestimate the value of individual or legacy security solutions but the clear security advantages and proven ROI of Microsoft Defender XDR demonstrate that replacing legacy systems can be well worth the effort. 2. Concerns about ensuring secure integration If not managed carefully, integrations involving newly opened communication, authentication, or data transfer channels can introduce vulnerabilities that become attack vectors. Microsoft’s 2024 State of Multicloud Security Risk Report notes that “...misconfigured APIs were one of the leading causes of cloud data breaches in 2023.” As a unified security platform, Microsoft Defender XDR mitigates such risks through a multilayered approach, through a multilayered approach, offering centralized management (including identity access), comprehensive visibility, and stronger security controls to help prevent human error. This approach “help[s] security teams proactively detect and monitor misconfigurations so they can remediate as needed." 7 Consistent, automated security with Microsoft Defender XDR Microsoft Defender XDR integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft security tools, Microsoft 365 products, and AI, delivering consistent, automated security across the entire stack. For example: Microsoft Defender XDR is embedded with Microsoft Sentinel, a cloud-native, AI-powered SIEM solution that aids Microsoft Defender XDR in addressing top cyberthreats like ransomware through: Improved visibility across domains: By ingesting data from an organization's infrastructure, devices, users, applications, and cloud environments, Microsoft Sentinel gives security teams a broad view of security threats. Enriched data with machine learning: Sentinel employs machine learning to enrich data with Microsoft threat intelligence, powering threat hunting, detection, investigation, and response across an ecosystem. Reduced alert fatigue: Filtering billions of signals, correlating them into alerts, and prioritizing incidents helps SOC teams handle alerts more efficiently, minimizing fatigue and enabling focused remediation. Microsoft Defender integrates with Azure’s Microsoft Defender for Cloud, a cloud-native application protection platform (CNAPP) that secures workloads across Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Azure Cloud Services with constant cyberthreat monitoring at the code level. This capability allows: Broad attack investigation: Security teams can investigate threats across cloud resources, devices, and identities. Workload-specific protections: Dedicated protections extend to servers, containers, storage, databases, and more. Actionable security recommendations: Defender for Cloud provides insights to improve overall security posture and prevent breaches. 3. Resource, staff, and time constraints Resource constraints, staff shortages, and time limitations are intensifying today’s already challenging cybersecurity landscape and can, understandably, impede deployments of new security products. For example: Resource constraints: Many organizations face limited budgets for security tools, technology, and personnel, leading them to continue with patchwork solutions or delay implementing critical security measures, potentially leaving gaps in security. Staff shortages: As cyber threats become more sophisticated, global demand for skilled IT and security professionals continues to grow while supply hasn’t been able to keep up. 8 When insufficient staff results in missed security tasks, reduced monitoring, and slower incident responses, organizations can be left vulnerable to risk. Limited time: Time constraints are a problem as old as time itself, but for IT teams with already heavy workloads, one more thing to do is more than stressful, it can leave systems vulnerable and increase windows of opportunity for bad actors. FastTrack resources to help you get Microsoft Defender up and running For Microsoft 365 customers experiencing any of the issues mentioned above, FastTrack for Microsoft 365 is here to help with accessible resources, automated, prescriptive setup guides, and even one-on-one assistance. Here’s how to start: 1. Visit the Microsoft 365 Setup site Review openly accessible setup resources at the Microsoft 365 Setup site. Both business and IT leaders will find value in perusing detailed Microsoft Defender setup guides, on-demand videos, and helpful blogs to plan for safe, efficient Microsoft Defender deployment workloads. 2. Sign in to the Microsoft Admin Center (MAC) and start deploying Microsoft Defender using FastTrack’s automated setup guides When you deploy Microsoft Defender XDR from the MAC using advanced deployment guides, you’re taking the most accurate, efficient, and secure deployment path possible. These automated guides combine detailed documentation with step-by-step instructions tailored specifically for your environment to give you streamlined guidance from beginning to end. Start by setting up Microsoft Defender Zero Trust security model for your organization. 3. Request assistance from FastTrack for Microsoft 365 Customers with eligible licenses can request remote, one-on-one assistance from FastTrack before, during, or even post-deployment of Microsoft Defender. Take the next step to implement unified protection Security is too crucial—and the cost of breaches are too high—to let any impediments, real or potential, delay or dissuade you from fully implementing your security investments. When you deploy Microsoft Defender, you’re protecting your organization with a unified security platform that combines multiple security functions—including endpoint, identity, and cloud security—under a single tool. Start protecting your entire digital estate today: Keep your organization, data, and users safe by implementing the comprehensive power of Microsoft Defender, the industry-leading XDR solution that reduces costs and overhead while helping you keep your organization secure across all domains from costly cybercrime. To learn more about improving your security posture with Microsoft Defender, check out our recent webinar: Supercharging your SOC: Unlock the power of endpoint security in Microsoft Defender XDR. Footnotes 1 Microsoft’s 2024 State of Multicloud Security Risk Report 2 Microsoft’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook Insight Report, 2022 3 Microsoft Defender was named an XDR leader in The Forrester Wave: XDR platforms, Q2 2024 4 3 Ways Behavioral Economics Obstructs Cybersecurity 5 Closing the cybersecurity skills gap 6 Cybersecurity As a Strategic Investment (forbes.com) 7 2024-State-of-Multicloud-Security-Risk-Report.pdf (microsoft.com) 8 Closing the cybersecurity skills gap (microsoft.com)
Cuales son los pasos para migrar mi correo que tengo en Godaddy a Microsoft 365
Tengo una cuenta de correo en Godaddy con mi dominio personal, quiero comprar una licencia de Microsoft 365 y migrar mi correo hacia Microsoft 365 así poder aprovechas todos los servicios que ofrece Microsoft Mi licencia actual vence el 1 de enero del 2025 He tratado de comprar una licencia con la cuenta de correo, pero me da error porque me indica que está asociado a un proveedor externo que Godaddy. Intente migrarlo con la gente de Godaddy, me dice que debo tener un plan de licencia y el correo creado en Microsoft para que hagan la migración. Todo me indica que en Godaddy están haciendo lo imposible para entorpecer la migración. Quedo atento a su respuestaBring your users the future of secure personal computing with Windows 365
In this age of hybrid and remote work, organizations face a couple of challenging realities. One is that end users need to access their Windows experience seamlessly and securely from anywhere in order to stay productive. Another is that Microsoft’s end-of-service date for Windows 10 is coming up October 14, 2025. The good news is that by migrating to Windows 365 now, you can help your organization smoothly and effectively address each of these challenges. Windows 365 allows users to stream Windows 10 or Windows 11 from the Microsoft Cloud to their personal or corporate devices with secure and reliable access to apps and data. Admins also have the ability to access and manage settings remotely and securely, empowering all to stay productive from anywhere. Windows 365: Productivity from anywhere Windows 365 is software-as-a-service (SaaS) that creates a Cloud PC for each user, empowering them with a familiar, personalized, and secure Windows experience, regardless of location or endpoint. Windows 365 is also a turnkey Cloud PC solution for admins, meaning it’s easy to deploy and manage with integrated tools that maximize technology investments, like Microsoft Intune and the Intune Suite. Windows 10 end of support Windows 10 end of support is coming on October 14, 2025. By embracing cloud-native management and operations with Windows 365 now, well ahead of the Windows 10 end-of-support date, you’ll be able to: Achieve high ROI by fully capitalizing on the benefits of cloud-native solutions, such as enhanced collaboration and seamless hybrid work capabilities. Safeguard your organization and its data by embracing cloud-native management and operations. Support a work-from-anywhere and manage-to-anywhere environment while providing exceptional user experiences. In addition, by utilizing Windows 365, you can receive Extended Security Updates (ESU) for any Windows 10 devices that connect to a Cloud PC and run Windows 11, at no additional cost. For more details, please refer to Plan for Windows 10 EOS with Windows 11, Windows 365, and ESU | Windows IT Pro Blog (microsoft.com) A note on security with Microsoft Zero Trust Windows 365 is aligned with Microsoft’s Zero Trust strategy that’s secure by design—from the network to the application layers—and helps organizations: Mitigate risks and leaks by centralizing data and access in the Microsoft cloud, not on devices. Protect data in transit and at rest with integrated identity management and encryption. Adopt new use cases that increase velocity, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Meet industry-specific requirements with centralized, cloud-based operations and security controls from Microsoft. Achieve all of the above with minimal IT admin effort. Get started deploying Windows 365 today Embrace the future of work with Windows 365, the robust solution for organizations that need secure, reliable IT infrastructure and cloud capabilities that support hybrid work. FastTrack for Microsoft 365 is here to help With comprehensive technical and remote deployment assistance, FastTrack for Microsoft 365 can help you experience a streamlined and efficient transition to Windows 365 or upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Windows 365 deployment resources Admins with credentials Credentialed admins can start deploying Windows 365 today with the Windows 365 deployment checklist located within the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. Uncredentialed or non-admins Visit the Setup site to access Windows 365 setup guidance. Need Windows 365 deployment assistance? Customers with eligible licenses can request deployment assistance from FastTrack. Learn more and submit a request for assistance here. Learn more Windows 365 Watch an interactive demo of Windows 365
