Rebrand of Office 365 to Microsoft 365
To arrive at Microsoft 365 we need to understand where have we come from.
With the introduction of Business Online Productivity Suite Microsoft laid out it’s plans for it’s online services where Infrastructure and Applications were delivered from centralised data centres. The Cloud!
Business Online Productivity Suite or BPOS as it was titled was Exchange Online and Microsoft Office SharePoint Services. A limited product offering to what we see today however a good foundation. Primarily adopted by larger Enterprise organisations it can be seen in the Microsoft 365 suite today.
Office 365
In June 2011 Microsoft launched the now familiar Office 365 suite of plans. This has been confused over time by users that all are the same. The umbrella is Office 365 with sub plans, offerings, covered by the brand.
Each plan provides different product offerings, licence limitations and maximum users. Which has created some confusion in the marketplace.
The biggest misunderstanding, I come across, is the belief that a single seat, permissible across many devices, is permissible for use by many users. Office 365 has never been an equivalent to a Device CAL (Client Access Licence). It is equivalent to a User CAL (Client Access Licence). This continues today with Microsoft 365. You can answer some of your questions via our Microsoft 365 FAQ
This is further confused with who is the intended user of the Plan. This could be Home/Student, Commercial or Business or Not For Profit use, Charities as an example.
Microsoft have to work on an element of trust and does not enforce usage. To explain. There is nothing to stop a business deploying a Seat within a plan to many users, it’s messy, but not impossible. It also does not stop Businesses using Home/Student products for Commercial gain. The downside to this usage is that some elements, Exchange Online as an example, are not included in these Plans. Making Business email unavailable through the product suite.
Not For Profit
Only the Not For Profit product requires checks and balances to ensure only Charities and similar organisations can take advantage of the Donations or Discounts available. More information about Not For Profit Licencing maybe obtained from here
A further confusion came in July 2017 when Microsoft launched Microsoft 365, not the product we have arrived at today. This version was the bundling of Microsoft Office 365 Business Premium with Windows 10 Enterprise. This is now included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium, F1, F3 and E3 plans.
There is a caveat for Microsoft Business Premium seats on the Windows 10 Enterprise licences and this is.
Does not include virtualization rights, downgrade rights and other version/edition rights
The names have changed, have the prices?
No in short. The cost of the plans has remained the same however some of the plans have been expanded. This means you are paying the same for more.
So what are the new names?
Office 365 Business Essentials will be rebranded as Microsoft 365 Business Basic
Office 365 Business Premium will be rebranded Microsoft 365 Business Standard
Office 365 Business and Office 365 Pro Plus will be called Microsoft 365 Apps, with Microsoft using “for business” and “for enterprise” as labels to distinguish the two where necessary.
Why change the name?
Microsoft Office has become the standard phrase when ordering Word, Excel, Outlook etc. Microsoft Office 365 and now Microsoft 365 is much, much more than a suite of installed products and applications delivered at an endpoint, PC, Mac, Mobile or Tablet. What is seen on the device is only a small element of the product offering which is supported by an enormous investment in infrastructure.
Does it end with Microsoft 365?
Well it shouldn’t. You still need to make sure the data you create is safe. I strongly recommend you implement a Backup strategy to your implementation. This can included email, SharePoint, OneDrive and more. Information regarding Microsoft 365 Backup.
Is it Secure?
It is as secure as your password. You send your email address to many recipients, consider it public knowledge, the only element to guess is the password to gain access to all your data. MAKE IT SECURE.
Even better and more secure is to enable Two Factor Authentication. A login request from an unauthorised device, Web Browser, has to be authorised by the entry of a unique code. This is generated by an Authentication App or sent via email to the user. No code no login.
How do you buy Microsoft 365?
It is available online direct from Microsoft. You will be committing to a 12 month minimum period. This may be renewed for 12 a further month period thereafter. Perfect for organisations who can migrate, manage and support the implementation themselves.
Alternatively, you can engage with a partner who will migrate existing data, manage any changes you wish to make in the future and provide general support. Cloud Solution Partners (CSP) can manage your licencing, adjust with employee count once initial 12 months has expired. Computer Network Services Ltd is a Cloud Solution Provider.
Contact us today and see how we can help you and your business be more successful
01480 414143
Computer Network Services Ltd is located in Blackstone Road, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, we are within easy access to London, East Anglia and the Midlands.