Microsoft 365 Information Protection & Governance Licensing Guide
Microsoft 365 Information Protection & Governance Licensing Guide
Section titled “Microsoft 365 Information Protection & Governance Licensing Guide”Overview
Section titled “Overview”In today’s evolving digital landscape, securing sensitive data and ensuring compliance is more crucial than ever. Microsoft 365 offers a wide range of features across its various license plans to help organizations protect their information and maintain regulatory standards. From advanced threat protection to data governance and insider risk management, each plan offers tailored tools to meet the specific needs of your business.
Information Protection & Governance Features
Section titled “Information Protection & Governance Features”1. Manual Sensitivity Labeling in Microsoft 365 Apps
Section titled “1. Manual Sensitivity Labeling in Microsoft 365 Apps”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Manual sensitivity labeling | User-driven classification in Office apps | Microsoft 365 E5, E3, F3, Business Premium, Office 365 E5, E3, E1, Azure Information Protection Plan 1 |
Business Value: Direct user control over document sensitivity classification for basic data protection needs.
2. Automatic Sensitivity Labeling
Section titled “2. Automatic Sensitivity Labeling”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic labeling | AI-powered classification in Office apps, mobile, SharePoint, and third-party clouds | Microsoft 365 E5 Compliance, E5 Information Protection & Governance, E3 |
Business Value: Ensures consistent data protection without user dependency through automated classification.
3. Retention Labels
Section titled “3. Retention Labels”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Manual and automatic retention labels | Data retention policies for compliance | Microsoft 365 E5, E3, F3, Office 365 E5, E3, E1, Business Premium |
Business Value: Automated data lifecycle management for regulatory compliance and storage optimization.
4. Machine Learning-Based Retention Policies
Section titled “4. Machine Learning-Based Retention Policies”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| ML-driven retention policies | Automatic policy application based on trainable classifiers | Microsoft 365 E5 Information Protection & Governance |
Business Value: Advanced, intelligent data governance that adapts to content patterns and regulatory requirements.
5. Office 365 Message Encryption
Section titled “5. Office 365 Message Encryption”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Basic message encryption | Email encryption for secure communication | Microsoft 365 E5, E3, F3, Office 365 E5, E3, F3, Azure Information Protection Plan 1 |
Business Value: Secure email communication to protect sensitive information in transit.
Insider Risk Management Features
Section titled “Insider Risk Management Features”1. Insider Risk Management
Section titled “1. Insider Risk Management”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Insider risk detection | Internal threat monitoring and detection | Microsoft 365 E5, Insider Risk Management plan |
Business Value: Protection against internal threats and data leakage risks.
2. Communication Compliance
Section titled “2. Communication Compliance”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Communication monitoring | Supervision policies for inappropriate communications | Microsoft 365 E5, Insider Risk Management plan |
Business Value: Regulatory compliance enforcement through communication monitoring.
3. Customer Key for Office 365
Section titled “3. Customer Key for Office 365”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Customer-controlled encryption keys | Enhanced data privacy control | Microsoft 365 E5, Office 365 E5 |
Business Value: Maximum control over data encryption for enhanced privacy and compliance.
4. Privileged Access Management
Section titled “4. Privileged Access Management”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Privileged access control | Just-in-time access for administrative functions | Microsoft 365 E5, Office 365 E5 |
Business Value: Reduced attack surface through controlled privileged access.
Discover & Respond Features
Section titled “Discover & Respond Features”1. Content Search
Section titled “1. Content Search”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Content search capabilities | Search across Microsoft 365 services | Microsoft 365 E5, E3, F3, Office 365 E5, E3, E1, F3 |
Business Value: Comprehensive content discovery for investigation and compliance purposes.
2. Core eDiscovery
Section titled “2. Core eDiscovery”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Basic eDiscovery with hold and export | Legal hold and data export capabilities | Microsoft 365 E5, E3, Office 365 E5, E3, E1 |
Business Value: Essential legal investigation tools for compliance and litigation support.
3. Advanced eDiscovery
Section titled “3. Advanced eDiscovery”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced eDiscovery workflow | Comprehensive investigation management | Microsoft 365 E5, eDiscovery and Audit plan |
Business Value: Streamlined legal investigations with advanced analytics and workflow management.
4. Custodian Management
Section titled “4. Custodian Management”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Custodian management | Centralized custodian tracking and management | Microsoft 365 E5, eDiscovery and Audit plan |
Business Value: Efficient legal case management through centralized custodian oversight.
5. Review Data Capabilities
Section titled “5. Review Data Capabilities”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Data review tools | Query, tag, and annotate capabilities | Microsoft 365 E5, eDiscovery and Audit plan |
Business Value: Enhanced data analysis capabilities for legal and compliance investigations.
6. Advanced Audit
Section titled “6. Advanced Audit”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced auditing | Comprehensive audit logging and analysis | Microsoft 365 E5 |
Business Value: Detailed audit trails for security monitoring and compliance reporting.
Compliance Management Features
Section titled “Compliance Management Features”1. Compliance Manager
Section titled “1. Compliance Manager”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance management | Regulatory compliance assessment and tracking | Microsoft 365 E5, E3, F3, Office 365 E5, E3, F3 |
Business Value: Streamlined compliance management across multiple regulatory frameworks.
2. Compliance Score
Section titled “2. Compliance Score”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance scoring | Quantified compliance posture measurement | Microsoft 365 E5, E3, F3, Office 365 E5, E3, F3 |
Business Value: Data-driven insights into compliance effectiveness and improvement areas.
Additional Features and Integrations
Section titled “Additional Features and Integrations”Azure Information Protection Integration
Section titled “Azure Information Protection Integration”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| AIP Plan 1 integration | Extended sensitivity labeling and protection | Multiple Microsoft 365 and Office 365 plans |
Business Value: Enhanced data protection capabilities through Azure integration.
Exchange Online Archiving
Section titled “Exchange Online Archiving”| Feature | Capability | Available Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Email archiving | Long-term email storage and retention | Office 365 E3, E5, Exchange-specific subscriptions |
Business Value: Compliance-focused email storage and retention capabilities.
Plan Comparison Summary
Section titled “Plan Comparison Summary”Microsoft 365 E5 Comprehensive Coverage
Section titled “Microsoft 365 E5 Comprehensive Coverage”Microsoft 365 E5 provides the most comprehensive coverage, including:
- All Information Protection & Governance features
- Complete Insider Risk Management capabilities
- Full Discover & Respond functionality
- Advanced Compliance Management tools
Microsoft 365 E3 Balanced Approach
Section titled “Microsoft 365 E3 Balanced Approach”Microsoft 365 E3 offers essential features including:
- Manual sensitivity labeling
- Retention labels and policies
- Content search and core eDiscovery
- Basic compliance management
Microsoft 365 F3 Frontline Worker Support
Section titled “Microsoft 365 F3 Frontline Worker Support”Microsoft 365 F3 provides foundational capabilities:
- Basic sensitivity labeling
- Retention management
- Content search
- Compliance scoring
Choosing the Right Plan
Section titled “Choosing the Right Plan”Select Microsoft 365 E5 if your organization:
Section titled “Select Microsoft 365 E5 if your organization:”- Requires comprehensive compliance and governance
- Needs advanced insider risk management
- Must handle complex legal investigations
- Wants automated data classification and protection
- Requires detailed audit and reporting capabilities
Select Microsoft 365 E3 if your organization:
Section titled “Select Microsoft 365 E3 if your organization:”- Needs essential compliance and governance features
- Requires basic eDiscovery capabilities
- Wants manual sensitivity labeling
- Needs standard compliance management tools
Select Microsoft 365 F3 if your organization:
Section titled “Select Microsoft 365 F3 if your organization:”- Requires basic compliance for frontline workers
- Needs fundamental data protection features
- Wants cost-effective compliance solutions
- Requires essential content search capabilities
Implementation Strategy
Section titled “Implementation Strategy”Phase 1: Assessment
Section titled “Phase 1: Assessment”-
Identify Compliance Requirements
- Regulatory obligations assessment
- Data sensitivity analysis
- Risk evaluation
-
Current State Analysis
- Existing compliance tools evaluation
- Gap identification
- User capability assessment
Phase 2: Feature Deployment
Section titled “Phase 2: Feature Deployment”-
Information Protection
- Sensitivity label implementation
- Retention policy deployment
- Encryption configuration
-
Governance Implementation
- Compliance manager setup
- Audit configuration
- Reporting establishment
Phase 3: Advanced Features
Section titled “Phase 3: Advanced Features”-
Insider Risk Management
- Risk policy configuration
- Monitoring implementation
- Response procedure development
-
Advanced eDiscovery
- Legal hold setup
- Investigation workflow establishment
- Analytics implementation
Conclusion
Section titled “Conclusion”Key Takeaway: Microsoft 365 offers a comprehensive suite of information protection and governance features across different license plans, enabling organizations to select the right level of compliance and data protection based on their specific needs and regulatory requirements.
Microsoft 365 E5 provides the most advanced capabilities for organizations with complex compliance needs, while E3 offers a balanced approach for standard requirements, and F3 delivers essential features for frontline workers.
The key is to align your license selection with your organization’s compliance obligations, data sensitivity levels, and operational requirements to ensure optimal protection and regulatory adherence.