Answer:

Microsoft 365 Guardian includes essential Microsoft 365 licenses necessary for your organization's operations.

License Options

Business Premium Licenses

Ideal for small to medium-sized businesses, offering a balance of productivity and security features.

Enterprise E3 Licenses

Provide advanced features suitable for larger organizations requiring more comprehensive solutions.

Optional Upgrades to Enterprise E5

Available if additional functionality is needed, such as advanced security, analytics, and voice capabilities.

These licenses are bundled with pre-configured settings for security, compliance, and productivity, specifically tailored to meet the needs of mortgage companies. Microsoft 365 Guardian ensures your organization has the right mix of tools without overpaying for unnecessary features. Additionally, proactive license optimization is included to maintain cost efficiency as your business evolves.

Explore more about Guardian Productivity Insights.

Answer:

The onboarding process for Microsoft 365 Guardian is comprehensive, ensuring a smooth transition and robust setup.

Onboarding Steps

1. Comprehensive Assessment

   An in-depth evaluation of your current Microsoft 365 environment, including security, compliance, and productivity configurations.

2. Baseline Security and Compliance Configuration

   Sets up essential Microsoft 365 settings focused on identity, data, application, and device protection.

3. User and Device Setup

   Onboards all users and devices, ensuring secure access policies, proper licensing, and essential productivity tools are in place.

4. Guardian Security Insights Setup

   Configures reports to provide immediate visibility into your secure score and risk profile.

5. Licensing Optimization

   Assigns appropriate licenses to users, optimizing for cost efficiency and functionality.

6. White Glove Onboarding (Plan 3)

   Provides full account and device management for a seamless experience.

7. Training and Documentation

   Offers training for your team, including IT staff and executives.

8. Transition and Handoff

   For Plan 1, the configured environment is handed over to your IT team. Plans 2 and 3 involve ongoing management and support.

Check out the Guardian Plans Major Features for more details.

Answer:

Microsoft 365 Guardian provides comprehensive security monitoring to protect your organization from threats and vulnerabilities.

Security Monitoring Highlights

Real-Time Threat Detection

• Microsoft Defender Integration: Utilizes Microsoft Defender and other native tools to continuously monitor your environment for security events, malware, and suspicious activities.

Guardian Security Insights

• Nightly Reports: Generates detailed nightly reports highlighting critical security metrics such as unprotected devices, stale accounts, and Conditional Access policy gaps.

• Actionable Insights: Provides clear recommendations to address identified risks, helping your IT team prioritize and remediate issues promptly.

Secure Score Optimization

• Weekly Review Meetings: For organizations with over 50 users, weekly meetings help optimize your Microsoft Secure Score and address areas not covered by standard assessments.

Proactive Monitoring

• Continuous Surveillance: Ensures that your environment is constantly monitored for potential vulnerabilities, minimizing the risk of security breaches.

Learn more about our Guardian Security Insights.

Answer:

Microsoft 365 Guardian offers tailored incident response services to address security incidents efficiently and minimize their impact on your organization. For even greater protection, you can add Guardian™ Managed Extended Detection and Response (MxDR) to any plan, enhancing your security capabilities.

Incident Response Options

Plan 1: Basic Incident Response

• Notification: Security incidents are identified and forwarded to your designated admin contact for resolution.
• Self-Managed Response: Your internal IT team handles incident remediation based on the insights provided.

Plan 2: Enhanced Incident Response

• Initial Response Included: Includes the first 15 minutes of incident response during business hours at no extra cost.
• Additional Support: Any additional response time is billable at our standard rate, providing flexibility based on your needs.

Plan 3: Comprehensive Incident Response

• Unlimited Support: Offers unlimited incident response services, including after-hours support for critical incidents.
• Full Remediation: Our expert team handles all aspects of incident resolution, acting as an extension of your IT department.

Upgrade Any Plan with Guardian™ MxDR

Guardian™ Managed Extended Detection and Response (MxDR) can be added to any plan, providing 24/7 unlimited incident response and advanced cybersecurity features not included in the standard plans. Key benefits include:

• 24/7 Unlimited Incident Response: Adds continuous monitoring and immediate response for Plan 1 and Plan 2 users, ensuring protection against threats around the clock.
• Advanced Threat Management: Offers expert remediation and response to sophisticated cyberattacks.
• Access to Microsoft's DART: Provides retainer access to Microsoft’s Detection and Response Team (DART), a highly specialized group of security experts available for major security breaches. This feature is not included in any other plan without MxDR.
• Comprehensive Monitoring: Uses Microsoft Secure Score and Microsoft Defender to identify and manage risks in real time.

For more details about Guardian™ MxDR, visit our Guardian MxDR webpage.

To adapt the content for all industries, including healthcare and fintech, while removing mortgage-specific items, here's a revised version:

Microsoft 365 Guardian is designed to meet the stringent compliance requirements across various industries, including healthcare and fintech, adhering to federal, state, and industry-specific regulations like HIPAA, PCI DSS, CCPA, and GDPR.

Compliance Features

Pre-Configured Compliance Safeguards

Includes settings tailored to meet regulations such as HIPAA, PCI DSS, and state-specific guidelines like CCPA. These configurations ensure that your organization adheres to all necessary legal standards.

Microsoft Compliance Manager Integration

Leverages Microsoft Compliance Manager (additional licensing may be required) to monitor and streamline compliance workflows. This tool offers regular reports, risk assessments, and actionable insights tailored to your compliance needs.

Data Protection Measures

Implements configurations for secure data storage, encryption, and Data Loss Prevention (DLP), ensuring sensitive data is handled according to legal standards.

Auditing and Reporting

Provides robust capabilities to document compliance efforts and respond quickly to regulatory inquiries or audits. Pre-configured reports and dashboards align with regulatory standards, aiding in audit preparations.

Industry-Specific Expertise

Incorporates compliance workflows and reporting aligned with industry regulations, including features like secure communication, sensitive data protection, and custom audit trails.

Ongoing Support and Adaptability

Keeps your Microsoft 365 environment aligned with evolving regulatory changes. For Plans 2 and 3, Access Business Technologies offers additional assistance in configuring and maintaining compliance standards.

Third-Party Integration

Supports integrations with additional compliance software at an extra cost, enabling seamless alignment with specialized industry requirements.

Discover more about Document Guardian for secure document management.

Answer:

Microsoft 365 Guardian offers varying levels of customization across its plans.

Customization Options

Baseline Customizations (All Plans)

Includes essential security and compliance configurations tailored for the mortgage industry.

Plan 2 (Enhanced Customization)

Offers optional custom configurations at an additional cost.

Plan 3 (Fully Managed Customization)

Provides unlimited customizations included in the plan.

Mortgage-Specific Adjustments

Configures workflows and compliance settings for industry-specific tools like Encompass by ICE Mortgage Technology.

Ongoing Adaptability

Adjusts configurations to meet new tools, regulatory updates, and evolving business needs.

Third-Party Integrations

Supports integration with third-party tools at an additional cost.

Learn more about our Guardian Plans Pricing.

Answer:

Microsoft 365 Guardian goes beyond typical Managed Service Provider (MSP) or Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) offerings by delivering a solution specifically tailored for mortgage companies.

Key Differentiators

Mortgage-Specific Compliance

Guardian directly addresses mortgage compliance using Microsoft tools like Compliance Manager and tailored configurations for state-specific regulations. Learn more about Guardian Security Insights.

Advanced Security and Productivity Tools

It integrates tools such as Guardian Security Insights and optional add-ons like Guardian Cloud Backup, enhancing both security and operational efficiency.

Comprehensive Licensing and Optimization

Guardian includes essential Microsoft licenses with options for upgrades, ensuring cost-effectiveness by only paying for necessary features. View the Guardian Plans Major Features.

Proactive Monitoring and Management

Offers ongoing monitoring and management of your Microsoft 365 environment, which is not typically included in standard MSP or CSP services.

Tiered Support Plans

Clear distinctions between plans allow you to choose the level of support and customization that best fits your business needs. Check out the Guardian Plans Pricing.

Microsoft 365 Guardian uniquely combines licensing, proactive configurations, and continuous monitoring to create a complete solution for security, compliance, and productivity in the mortgage industry.

Answer:

The weekly Guardian Security Insights meeting is a unique feature designed to keep your organization proactive about security and compliance.

Meeting Highlights

• Comprehensive Review

  Covers 12 actionable reports that detail critical security metrics, including MFA compliance, device health, Conditional Access policies, and stale accounts.

• Actionable Insights

  Helps your IT team interpret the reports, prioritize actions, and address potential vulnerabilities before they become issues.

• Customized Recommendations

  Provides tailored advice based on your organization's specific security posture and compliance requirements.

• Accountability and Tracking

  Establishes a regular cadence for security reviews, ensuring ongoing optimization and adherence to best practices.

This feature is especially beneficial for mortgage companies, where regulatory compliance and data security are paramount. Learn more about Guardian Security Insights.

Answer:

Microsoft 365 Guardian streamlines various IT tasks, allowing your team to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine maintenance.

Efficiency Enhancements

Automation of Repetitive Tasks

Automates processes like user onboarding and offboarding, license management, and compliance monitoring, reducing manual effort.

Proactive Risk Management

Provides tools like Guardian Security Insights to identify and address issues before they escalate, minimizing downtime and disruptions.

Simplified Compliance

Handles complex regulatory requirements through pre-configured settings and regular compliance reporting, easing the burden on your IT staff.

Consolidated Support

Offers tiered support plans that centralize assistance, reducing the need to coordinate with multiple vendors or manage disparate systems.

Resource Optimization

Through license optimization and scalable solutions, ensures that your IT resources are used efficiently, lowering overall costs.

Learn more about Guardian Productivity Insights.

Absolutely! Microsoft 365 Guardian is designed to be scalable and adaptable, making it suitable for companies of all sizes across various industries.

Benefits for Small Businesses

Cost-Effective Plans

Offers plans that cater to smaller firms, providing essential features without unnecessary extras, ensuring you only pay for what you need.

Simplified Compliance and Security

Provides pre-configured settings that handle complex regulatory requirements, allowing small companies without extensive IT departments to maintain compliance.

Scalability

Allows you to easily upgrade or adjust your plan as your business grows, ensuring that your IT infrastructure evolves with your needs.

Easy Implementation

The onboarding process is streamlined to minimize disruption, and Plan 3 offers white-glove onboarding for a seamless experience.

Support Options

Provides varying levels of support to match your internal resources, from self-managed options to fully managed services.

Answer:

Microsoft 365 Guardian provides a comprehensive approach to business continuity and disaster recovery, combining built-in Microsoft 365 features with enhanced backup solutions to ensure your organization's data remains secure, recoverable, and operational during unexpected disruptions.

Built-In Data Protection

Retention Policies

• By default, Microsoft 365 Guardian configures data retention policies to preserve emails and files for 7 years.
• Retention periods are adjustable upon request to meet specific compliance requirements.

Document Versioning

• SharePoint and OneDrive are set to retain a minimum of 500 major versions of each document, enabling recovery of previous iterations if needed.

Deleted Items Recovery

• Emails and files deleted from user accounts can be recovered from the Recycle Bin for up to 30 days. This default retention period can be extended to match business needs.

Enhanced Disaster Recovery with Guardian Cloud Backup

For organizations requiring robust business continuity capabilities, the Guardian Cloud Backup option offers:

Comprehensive Coverage

• Backups include Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive for Business, and Microsoft Teams data, ensuring all critical data is protected.

Automated Daily Backups

• Data is backed up multiple times daily, creating frequent recovery points for minimal data loss during a disaster.

Granular Restore Capabilities

• Allows recovery of specific items, such as emails or files, without restoring entire datasets.

Independent Data Storage

• Backups are stored in Microsoft Azure data centers, separate from your live environment, providing an additional layer of protection.

Business Continuity Benefits

Microsoft 365 Guardian ensures business continuity by:

• Safeguarding Critical Data: Retention policies and backup solutions prevent data loss and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Ensuring Quick Recovery: Granular restore capabilities reduce downtime, enabling your team to return to normal operations quickly.
• Providing Disaster Resilience: Independent backup storage and multiple daily recovery points protect against accidental deletion, ransomware, and system failures.

Learn more about how Guardian Cloud Backup supports your business continuity efforts at Guardian Cloud Backup.

Answer:

Microsoft 365 Guardian is designed to seamlessly enable and support remote and hybrid work environments, ensuring productivity, security, and collaboration across your organization. Here's how:

Secure Remote Access

Comprehensive Security Measures

• Features like Microsoft Defender for Office 365, Conditional Access, and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) ensure your team can securely access corporate resources from any location or device.

Device Management

• Microsoft Intune ensures all devices connecting to your environment meet security compliance requirements, offering remote device wipe capabilities for lost or stolen hardware.

Optimized Collaboration Tools

Microsoft Teams Integration

• Facilitate seamless communication through chat, video meetings, and file sharing. Teams enables hybrid workers to stay connected and collaborate in real-time.

File Access Anywhere

• With OneDrive and SharePoint, employees can access and co-author documents securely from any device, ensuring productivity continuity across diverse locations.

Enhanced Productivity with AI Tools

AI-Driven Insights

• Leverage Microsoft 365’s AI tools to optimize workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and enhance overall productivity in hybrid settings.

Streamlined App Integration

• Microsoft 365 integrates with critical mortgage-specific apps, like Encompass by ICE, ensuring remote teams have the tools they need to work efficiently.

Simplified IT Management for Remote Work

Guardian Security Insights

• Weekly reports help organizations maintain compliance and secure remote setups by monitoring device health, application usage, and identity protection.

Centralized Management

• Guardian configurations simplify managing a dispersed workforce by centralizing account setup, device onboarding, and data access permissions.

Scalable Solutions for Any Workforce

Whether your team is fully remote, fully in-office, or hybrid, Microsoft 365 Guardian scales effortlessly to meet your workforce's needs, ensuring the same level of security and productivity regardless of the work model.

Why It Matters

Transitioning to remote or hybrid work is a challenge for many organizations. Microsoft 365 Guardian not only provides the tools needed for this shift but ensures your company remains secure, compliant, and productive during and after the transition.

For additional details or a tailored solution for your hybrid work model, contact our Guardian plan experts today or learn more at Guardian Plans.