(Newswire.net — March 25, 2020) — When a growing business enlists the expertise of a third-party managed IT specialist, the initial consultation usually includes a discussion about the Cloud.
There’s plenty of buzz around Cloud migration for good reason. That’s because the platform offers to expand businesses cost-effective access to seemingly countless servers. Small and mid-sized outfits can increase or decrease their general bandwidth and monetary commitment based on need. It’s not out of the ordinary for companies to run through seasonal highs and lows. Rather than go out and invest in pricey computer networks that will probably be outdated in a few years, the Cloud offers a pay-as-you-go solution.
While that explains the “why” your business can benefit from migrating to the Cloud, it’s essential to understand the “how” as well. Microsoft offers decision-makers a pair of umbrella Cloud plans — Microsoft 365 and Office 365.
Understanding the sometimes subtle differences enables entrepreneurs and CEOs to make an informed decision about how to move forward.
Jason SImons with ICS in Houston shares insights into Microsoft Office 365.
What You Need To Know About Office 365
The Office 365 product tends to rank as the more popular of the two and is considered the standard option in some circles. That’s primarily because the Cloud suite includes popular Microsoft family business applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, among others.
Office 365 plans almost always come with little extras such as Microsoft Exchange email options and cybersecurity add-ons. These are attractive because an increasing number of industries are tasked with meeting enhanced regulatory security guidelines. The product is also broken into the following two categories.
- Office 365 Business: This type of Cloud plan is designed to offer fundamental Office 365 services for small or mid-sized outfits that have nominal needs. Ranked among the cost-lean options, it may not include all the bells and whistles a growing organization requires. One such limitation is its inability to work with Remote Desktop Services (RDS) environments, and it may not be compatible with specific applications.
- Office 365 Enterprise: With an eye on productivity, Enterprise plans emphasize ProPlus, E1, E3, and E5, which are generally not available in the trim Business option. They enjoy RDS capabilities and the E3 ranks among the most popular Office 365 Enterprise-level plans. It also delivers essential cybersecurity measures for operations with compliance needs.
While these are the most common two options, Office 365 does have niche plans for sectors such as education and non-profits with specialized licensing.
What You Need To Know About Microsoft 365
This product grouping has been kicking around since 2017 with the promise of bundling standard Office 365 options, Windows 10, and Enterprise Mobility & Security. Such plans come at an increased cost when compared to Office 365. However, many IT insiders regard this as the total Cloud solution package.
Perhaps the crucial difference is that Microsoft 365 plans incorporate a Windows 10 Enterprise licensing option. This benefit opens the door to both Windows Virtual Desktops and in the Azure platforms as well. It also can be parsed out in one of the three product categories — Business, Education, and Enterprise.
- Microsoft 365 Business: Including items such as Office 365 Business, it has an eye on Enterprise Mobility & Security. It’s generally considered an uptick from premium 365 Business, which has feature limitations.
- Microsoft 365 Education: Broken into A1, A3, and A5 licensing commitments, this plan is designed for classroom usage. The A1 license remains a one-time cost, while the others are offered as monthly installments. The classroom tool emphasizes productivity. All are considered cost-friendly, and student add-ons may be available.
- Microsoft 365 Enterprise: This delivers the standard Office 365 E3 and E5 plan benefits while tacking on Windows 10 Enterprise licensing, among other perks. Another upgrade opportunity, companies that work with this plan can effectively tap Cloud-based desktop infrastructure as well as in-house data.
Obviously, that’s a great deal of information for someone whose expertise is not necessarily in managed IT services. The essential takeaways for decision-makers come down to cost and utilizing an option that delivers on your needs today as well as emerging ones. Before locking yourself into a strategy, consider working scheduling a consultation with an IT professional with cloud experience.