March update: What’s new in Security for partners
Navigate to News and Announcements, Incentives and Offers, Skilling and Events, Go-To-Market, Customer Success News and Announcements Introducing Microsoft 365 E7: The Frontier Suite— The challenge isn’t building AI agents—it’s operating them securely at scale. Microsoft 365 E7 unifies M365 E5, Entra Suite, Copilot, and Agent 365, creating new partner opportunities across deployment, governance, and optimization. Join the Agent 365 AMA on March 18 and the Digital Partner Airlift for SI and CSP partners on March 31 to learn more. Microsoft is launching “Cyber Pulse,” a new Microsoft Security thought leadership series, starting with Issue 1: An AI Security Report. The report provides business and security leaders with practical insights and guidance on emerging AI security risks, with a focus on the rapid rise of AI agents and the urgent need for observability, governance, and Zero Trust security to manage them safely at scale. New small and medium-sized businesses (SMB)-focused customer pages are now available for Microsoft Purview Suite for Business Premium and Microsoft Defender Suite for Business Premium—making it easier for partners to articulate the value of integrated data protection, compliance, and threat protection on Microsoft 365 Business Premium. Unlock new attach and renewal revenue with Microsoft Defender Suite for Business Premium and Microsoft Purview Suite for Business Premium, now available as attach SKUs for Microsoft 365 Business Premium and fully integrated into the Security Business Case Builder (BCB). Start quantified, value-based security conversations. To support high-volume deals and reduce friction, we’re increasing the maximum license cap for eligible Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) promotions from 2,400 to 9,999 licenses. This update simplifies large transactions, aligns guidance across Core, Security, and Copilot, and can accelerate upsell momentum. Experience the new Partner Marketing Center Pro, which supports the activation of ready-to-use Microsoft campaigns and assets as well as customization and launch of demand generation with AI. Partners can now unlock new revenue opportunities by building Security Copilot agents and publishing them in the Microsoft Security Store. Agents published in the store are discoverable within Security Copilot and Microsoft Security products—empowering partners to reach new customers, expand solution visibility, and deliver differentiated, AI-powered security outcomes. Check out the Quick Start Development Toolkit for detailed guidance on developing your Security Copilot agent. Microsoft Sentinel Accelerator updates: Beginning March 1, 2026, Microsoft Sentinel Accelerator has increased payments (up to $60,000 1 ) and shifted from a daily ingestion model to a monthly usage model. The qualification, activation, and stabilization criteria are also updated. Partners will now qualify customers using 0–1,500 GB/month usage, earn activation at 1,500 GB/month, and receive increased activation and stabilization payment amounts designed to provide a more predictable and growth-aligned incentive experience. Download the latest IncentivesGuide for details. Security Immersion Briefings for Threat Protection and Data Security include updated delivery guidance, refreshed resources, and new briefing kits for Microsoft Defender Suite and Microsoft Purview Suite for Business Premium. The Advanced Security for Business Premium Immersion Briefing is not a standalone engagement and must be nominated through a Threat Protection or Data Security Immersion Briefing. Briefings now include localized, ready-to-use content in multiple languages, empowering partners to deliver high-value security sessions that showcase Microsoft data protection capabilities and accelerate customer intent. Incentives and Offers Microsoft Partner investments community calls Join us for interactive discussions about the latest updates in Security partner investments. These events begin with a presentation from Microsoft partner investments experts, followed by audience Q&A. Current promotions and offers related to security and compliance Strengthen data security for Copilot at lower cost: Microsoft Purview Suite for Microsoft 365 Copilot customers is now available at 50% off, so enterprise organizations can reduce costs and strengthen data security through June 30, 2026. Microsoft 365 E3, E5, Defender Suite, and Purview Suite promotions: Transition customers from on-premises solutions or upgrade from Office 365 with 10% discount promotions for new-to-E3 or new-to-E5 customers or Defender and Purview Suites on CSP three-year subscription terms through June 30, 2026. Accelerate with Microsoft 365 E5 promotion: CSP authorized partners can offer new Microsoft 365 E5 customers 15% off with this promotion, which has been extended through June 30, 2026. Microsoft Sentinel 50GB promotion: Customers can now purchase a 50GB commitment tier for Sentinel with promotional pricing through March 31, 2026. Microsoft Sentinel pre-purchase plan (P3): Get Sentinel pre-commit units (CUs) at a discounted rate and save 44% when you buy a 5K CUs plan for Sentinel. Microsoft Purview Suite for Business Premium: Customers who have licensed Business Premium with Microsoft 365 Copilot Business or Microsoft 365 Copilot qualify for 50% off enhanced data protection on Purview Suite for Business Premium. This is a limited-time offer available until March 31, 2026. Security Envisioning Workshops: The Security Portfolio Performance Measure has been adjusted from 33% to 15%, lowering the baseline requirement for partner eligibility; earning cap extension criteria remain unchanged. Skilling and Events Visit the Skilling Resources page to discover the latest security skilling event calendars, playbooks, and updates, plus register for training sessions that match your business needs. For a full view of the events calendar, download the Partner Skilling Calendar on the above Skilling Resources page. For all your skilling questions, contact AskSkilling. Upcoming Security events Join the Advanced Security Growth Engine community call on March 25, 2026: Discover the latest momentum in Microsoft Security and learn how partners can accelerate growth using ASPX (AI Business Solutions & Security Insights)—our data-driven targeting platform to identify the right customers, drive adoption, and deliver measurable results. Get practical insights to sharpen your go-to-market strategy and strengthen your security business. Register now: 8:00 AM–9:00 AM Pacific Time (Americas/EMEA), 7:00 PM–8:00 PM Pacific Time (Asia) Protect Cloud, AI Platform, and Apps by Implementing Microsoft Defender for Cloud - March 10–12 (IST, GMT, PST) Implement Identity and Access Management with Microsoft Entra - March 30–April 2 (IST, BST, PST) Level Up CSP: Win with Microsoft Security (Americas, EMEA, Asia) - March 18 or March 19 (PDT, IST) Upcoming: Security Certification Weeks Being Credential Ready matters. Certifications build credibility, support Solutions Partner designations, and enable Project Ready and Sales & Tech Deal Ready skilling. Certification Weeks for Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program offer regionally delivered, live instructor-led training—now including new Pre-sales and Sales tracks—with labs, exam prep, and expert support. Cloud & AI Platforms + Security Certification Weeks April 13–17 (Asia - English, Japanese, Korean), April 13–17 (EMEA - Spanish), April 13–17 (Americas - Portuguese), April 20–24 (EMEA - German, Italian), April 20–24 (Americas - Spanish) For on-demand certification prep, visit Certification Prep On-Demand – LevelUp. Access self-paced Microsoft certification training available in English and nine local languages, along with hands-on labs and exam preparation resources to build practical skills and prepare for certification. Microsoft Security partners are invited to kick off RSAC 2026 early at the Microsoft Security Pre-Day on Sunday, March 22, featuring executive insights on AI-driven threats, emerging trends, and the future of security, plus exclusive networking, a keynote, and an evening reception. In addition, on March 23, join our Security Reborn in the Era of AI workshop for actionable guidance for building your Security Copilot agent and publishing it on the new Microsoft Security Store. Join us on March 31 for The Agentic System of Work: Discover how Copilot, Agents, and Agent 365 are shaping the next evolution of work. In this March 31 webcast, Microsoft experts will walk partners through the Agentic System of Work and what it means for driving customer value at scale. Tailored sessions are available for both SI and CSP partners, with clear guidance on how to get started and where to engage next. Register today for the session built for you. Empower your customers with the value of Microsoft Security by attending Level Up CSP: Attendees can expect to gain clarity on Microsoft Security licensing, explore Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Purview Suites, tap into go-to-market resources and skilling paths, stay current on promotions and incentives, and get actionable insights directly from Microsoft Security sales experts during live Q&A. Register now. Threat Protection and Incident Response with Microsoft Sentinel within Unified Platform: Learn how to implement end-to-end threat protection and incident response using the new unified Microsoft Defender portal. This course equips technical teams to deploy, investigate, automate, and integrate Microsoft Sentinel with the Microsoft Security suite—using a single, streamlined SecOps experience enhanced by AI, UEBA, SOAR, and Security Copilot. Please note that accessing on-demand content does not meet the criteria for earning a badge. Sign in to view the on-demand version now. Go-To-Market Discover the full portfolio of Microsoft Security Campaign in a Box assets designed to protect customers across security operations, cloud and AI platforms, data, and Microsoft 365 Copilot. These campaigns equip you with partner-ready messaging, assets, and guidance to address modern security threats, improve visibility and compliance, and deliver unified, AI-powered protection across customers of all sizes. Explore all available Security campaigns on Partner Marketing Center and choose the ones that best align to your customer needs. We are excited to announce the availability of an expanded library of compliance assets for partners that’s designed to help articulate differentiated Microsoft capabilities in compliance, security, and risk management, as well as to address customer concerns with confidence. These assets cover a broad range of topics, including security assessments, regulatory readiness, data governance, risk management, and AI compliance. Learn more below: Data Security Modern SecOps with Unified Platform Protect Cloud, AI Platforms, and Apps Advanced Identity Security Copilot Customer Success Allegis Group offers a useful example of what secure and practical AI adoption can look like in action. As they modernized operations and scaled AI, they paired Microsoft 365 Copilot and Azure AI Services with governance and security capabilities, including Microsoft Purview and Microsoft Sentinel. That combination empowered the organization to pursue productivity gains while also addressing compliance requirements and employee concerns about AI adoption. Submit your partner success story to showcase your impact, highlight your expertise, and demonstrate the measurable success you’re delivering to customers. Go to the Partner Success story submission form to get started. Follow the tag Security partner news to stay updated on monthly Security partner news.Securing and governing AI agents before deployment
April 30 | 2:00-3:00 PM (GTM +10) Join this live webinar to learn how to secure and govern AI agents before they go live. Explore how to provision agents with Entra Agent ID, manage identities and credentials, enforce least-privilege access, and prevent risks like Shadow AI and agent sprawl. Join to gain practical guidance on governing AI agents across their full lifecycle—so you can deploy with confidence. To view the session live, register here: Securing and Governing AI Agents Before They Go Live You can view previous Security for Software Development Company series sessions on demand here: Security for Software Development Company Series: Securing the Agentic EraPartner Case Study | DEFEND
Modern cloud adoption can empower organizations to deliver services efficiently, safeguard sensitive information, and withstand an increasingly complex threat landscape. Yet for public‑sector agencies, where budgets are tightly controlled and compliance obligations are high, embracing the cloud can be challenging. Maintaining security, transparency, and cost efficiency is a delicate balance: the need to move forward with modernization while proving every investment is justified and resilient. DEFEND, a New Zealand–based cybersecurity services provider, has the experience and expertise to support organizations navigating this sort of complexity. The company’s philosophy centers on partnering with clients to maximize their security investments securely, effectively, and with measurable returns. A long‑time Microsoft partner and a 2025 Microsoft Security Partner of the Year, DEFEND has been a Solutions Partner for Security since the designation launched in the program, and they were the first organization globally to earn all four Security advanced specializations. In addition to differentiating DEFEND in the market, these distinctions reflect years of technical alignment, joint workshops, and close collaboration with Microsoft engineering and partner teams. That foundation positioned DEFEND to support New Zealand's Ministry for the Environment (MfE), a central government agency working across environmental policy, national programs, and collaboration with regional and indigenous partners. Trimming tech overgrowth to strengthen and streamline security MfE sought a secure and sustainable way to modernize their cloud environment to more efficiently manage high volumes of data and wide-ranging operations. The organization operates in a landscape where information integrity and public trust carry significant weight, making resilience, transparency, and control essential components of their modernization strategy. At the same time, MfE wanted to reduce their operational overhead. With every dollar spent being rigorously scrutinized, they needed a way to pursue improvements without increasing cost or complexity. Their existing technology stack included multiple security tools and vendors, which contributed to an unnecessary operational burden and was becoming financially unsustainable. Because MfE is one of DEFEND’s longest‑standing customers, the stage was already set for deep, meaningful collaboration. The teams made a strategic decision to consolidate MfE’s security posture using Microsoft as a single vendor. “Rather than having a little bit of Microsoft here and a little bit of another vendor over there, they wanted to consolidate and leverage the Microsoft stack,” said Jono Green, Lead Microsoft Strategist at DEFEND. “Because Microsoft’s adopted Zero Trust themselves, we recognized the Microsoft capabilities aligned really well with what they wanted to do.” MfE’s existing investments in Microsoft 365 provided a strong foundation to implement that Zero Trust security—a principle that safeguards data, apps, and employees by requiring verification for each access request. DEFEND worked with MfE to outline a path to streamline their ecosystem, eliminate fragmentation, and strengthen resilience—all while remaining within budgetary constraints. Continue reading hereNetox on Microsoftin Security Partner of the Year 2025!
Vahvaa Microsoft-osaamista, joka näkyy asiakkaan arjessa Netoxin ja SOL-konsernin yhteistyö on esimerkki siitä, miten Microsoft-teknologioihin pohjautuvat ratkaisut voidaan viedä käytäntöön hallitusti, liiketoimintaa tukevalla tavalla. Yhteistyö käynnistyi pienestä Microsoft Autopilot ‑kokonaisuudesta ja on kasvanut vaiheittain kattamaan päätelaitteet, Microsoft 365 ‑ympäristön, tietoturvan ja jatkuvat IT-palvelut lähes 2 000 käyttäjälle. Netoxin vahvuus on syvä Microsoft-osaaminen yhdistettynä rehelliseen ja käytännölliseen tekemiseen. Ratkaisut rakennetaan asiakkaan arjen, kustannustietoisuuden ja resurssien ehdoilla – ei raskaina projekteina, vaan toimivina kokonaisuuksina, jotka kestävät myös muutoksen. Tämä ajattelutapa, tiivis yhteistyö Microsoftin kanssa ja kyky tuoda uudet teknologiat, kuten Copilot, osaksi hallittua kokonaisuutta ovat keskeisiä syitä siihen, miksi Netox tunnetaan luotettavana Microsoft-kumppanina ja Partner of the Year ‑tason toimijana. Vahva kumppani keskisuurille ja kasvaville organisaatioille Netox tunnistaa roolinsa nimenomaan keskisuurten ja kasvavien organisaatioiden kumppanina. Kaikkea osaamista ei tarvitse – eikä kannata – rakentaa talon sisään, mutta kumppanin on oltava riittävän lähellä arkea. Netoxin koko, toimintamalli ja rehellisyys omasta ydinosaamisesta ovat mahdollistaneet luottamuksellisen yhteistyön, jossa vastuut ovat selkeitä ja tekeminen ennakoitavaa. Microsoft‑ympäristöissä Netoxin asiantuntemus kattaa koko kokonaisuuden: päätelaitteet, identiteetit, Microsoft 365 ‑palvelut, tietoturvan ja jatkuvat palvelut. Asiakkaalle tämä näkyy hallittavuutena, parempana näkyvyytenä ympäristöön ja ennen kaikkea siinä, että IT ja kyberturva tukevat liiketoimintaa huomaamattomasti taustalla. Turvallisuutta ja jatkuvuutta Microsoft-ekosysteemissä Tietoturva on ollut keskeinen osa yhteistyön kehittymistä. Netox ei rakenna erillisiä, päälle liimattuja tietoturvaratkaisuja, vaan hyödyntää Microsoftin ekosysteemin mahdollisuuksia osana kokonaisuutta. Kun identiteetit, päätelaitteet ja pilvipalvelut toimivat yhteen, syntyy ympäristö, joka kestää myös muutoksia ja kasvua. Microsoft‑ympäristön jatkuva kehitys, mukaan lukien tekoälyn ja Copilotin hyödyntäminen, edellyttää kumppanilta ajantasaista osaamista ja kykyä katsoa pidemmälle. Netoxin rooli on varmistaa, että uudet teknologiat tuodaan käyttöön hallitusti ja liiketoiminnan realiteetit huomioiden. Ei teknologia edellä, vaan asiakkaan arjen ehdoilla. Kirjoittaja: Ville Kankare, NetoxAI Is the Headline — but Readiness Is the Real Story for MSPs
AI is everywhere right now. Customers are asking about Copilot. They’re curious about automation. They want faster, smarter ways to work. And on the surface, it all feels exciting—and urgent. But when you spend time with MSPs, a different story often emerges. Behind the AI curiosity are environments that aren’t quite ready. Devices are managed inconsistently. Identity hygiene varies by tenant. Security baselines drift over time. And for MSPs, holding all of this together manually—customer by customer—simply doesn’t scale. That gap between AI ambition and operational reality is becoming one of the most important conversations MSPs can have today. Why AI Success Still Comes Down to the Basics AI doesn’t fail because of a lack of innovation. It fails because the fundamentals aren’t in place. Without secure identities, compliant devices, and consistent policies, AI initiatives struggle to move beyond pilots—or worse, introduce new risk. That’s why so many Copilot conversations eventually circle back to the same question: Are we actually ready for this? This is where MSPs play a defining role. Not as AI hype merchants, but as partners who help customers build the foundation that makes AI practical, secure, and sustainable. At the center of that foundation sits Microsoft Intune. Microsoft Intune: Essential, but How Do You Scale? Microsoft Intune is already included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium. Many customers own it. Many MSPs support it. Yet adoption and consistency remain uneven. The challenge isn’t Intune itself—it’s the operational model. Managing Intune tenant by tenant, navigating multiple portals, and maintaining consistency across customers creates friction for MSPs. It’s time‑consuming, error‑prone, and difficult to turn into a repeatable service. And yet, Intune is critical. It’s the control plane for users, devices, access, and security—everything AI depends on to work safely at scale. Without Intune done right, AI readiness remains theoretical. Why the Partnership Matters: Microsoft Intune and AvePoint Elements This is why our partnership with Microsoft matters so much. Microsoft Intune provides the foundation. AvePoint Elements makes it scalable for MSPs. AvePoint Elements acts as the MSP operating layer on top of Intune—helping partners standardize, automate, and manage Intune across multiple customer tenants from a single platform. For MSPs, that translates into something very tangible: Less manual effort and portal hopping Consistent Intune baselines across customers Automated user and device lifecycle management Reduced drift, better efficiency, and healthier margins Instead of Intune being “work you absorb,” it becomes something you can package, repeat, and build a business around. From One‑Time Setup to Ongoing Value What we’re seeing with leading MSPs is a mindset shift. Intune is no longer treated as a one‑off deployment. It becomes a managed service—part of a broader story around security, governance, and AI readiness. That might mean standardized Intune onboarding, continuous device and identity hygiene, or positioning Copilot readiness as an ongoing engagement rather than a project. The outcome is powerful and familiar to MSPs who’ve made this transition before: Predictable recurring revenue Operational scale without linear headcount growth Stronger customer trust A clear path from security to AI enablement The Moment for MSPs Customers don’t just want access to AI. They want confidence that it’s being deployed responsibly. MSPs who can provide that confidence—by grounding AI adoption in strong Intune foundations—will stand out in the next phase of the market. That’s exactly what the partnership between Microsoft Intune and AvePoint Elements is designed to enable. A Note for MSP Partners If you’re an MSP thinking about how to: Scale Microsoft Intune delivery Reduce operational friction And turn AI readiness into a repeatable service This is a conversation worth leaning into now. Because in the age of AI, the partners who win won’t just deploy new tools—they’ll make them work in the real world. Join us for “From Copilot to Catalyst: How MSPs Turn AI Readiness Into Recurring Revenue” and explore how Microsoft Intune and AvePoint Elements work better together—helping you turn AI readiness into real, sustainable growth.From Copilot to Catalyst: How MSPs Turn AI Readiness Into Recurring Revenue
AI interest is surging—but most customers aren’t ready to scale it securely or successfully. Gaps in device management, identity hygiene, data governance, and operational consistency often stall AI initiatives before they deliver real value. For Managed Service Providers, this challenge creates a powerful opportunity. In this webinar, you’ll learn how MSPs are using Microsoft Intune as the foundation for helping manage and secure devices, and extending it with AvePoint Confidence Platform: Elements Edition to standardize, automate, and scale AI-ready environments across customer tenants. Together, they enable MSPs to move beyond one-off AI projects and deliver AI readiness as a repeatable, revenue-generating managed service. This session focuses on turning AI demand—starting with Copilot—into a long-term services motion that improves margins, reduces operational friction, and positions your MSP as a trusted AI partner. In this webinar, you will learn how to: Turn AI readiness into recurring revenue Learn how MSPs are packaging AI readiness—starting with Copilot—into repeatable, high-margin managed services customers renew and expand. Scale securely without adding overhead See how Microsoft Intune, extended with AvePoint Confidence Platform: Elements Edition, enables standardized, automated delivery across multiple customer tenants. Move from AI pilots to real outcomes Get a practical blueprint to replace one-off AI projects with scalable services that position your MSP as a trusted AI partner. Register now: From Copilot to Catalyst: How MSPs Turn AI Readiness Into Recurring Revenue
