Deployment Guides
Step-by-step deployment for the full Microsoft 365 security stack
Product guides
MDE · MDO · MDI · Intune · more
Checklist steps
Interactive progress tracking
Pitfalls documented
With fixes for each
Validation checks
Post-deployment testing
Quarter 4 · Tier complete
DEFENDComplete
Unified Security and Compliance
Create a unified, governed environment suitable for continuous monitoring and response.
Licensing baseline
Microsoft 365 Business Premium plus Microsoft Defender Suite and Microsoft Purview Suite
Builds on DEFENDSecurity
Customer value
- A single service tier covering both security and compliance requirements
- Simplified commercial model with clearer cost predictability
- Reduced operational friction between security, IT, and compliance stakeholders
- Improved confidence that controls are consistent and aligned across the environment
Tier readiness
0 of 8 exit criteria met
Check items off as they’re delivered.
Service components
Combined Security and Compliance
All DEFENDSecurity and DEFENDCompliance Capabilities
All capabilities delivered as part of DEFENDSecurity and DEFENDCompliance, including advanced identity protection, endpoint detection and response, email security, insider risk management, audit, and data lifecycle controls.
Unified Posture Visibility
Microsoft 365 Lighthouse Integration
Centralised baseline visibility and reporting using Microsoft 365 Lighthouse to support cross-tenant governance and consistency.
Commercial Optimisation
Combined Defender and Purview Suite
Use of the combined Defender and Purview add-on option where appropriate to reduce per-user cost compared to separate suite purchases. Indicative pricing is typically in the mid-teens per user per month and varies by region and agreement.
Exit criteria
Coverage
Signal Quality
Governance
Operations
Reporting
Suggested partner actions
Deliver a single, joined-up onboarding experience
Customers avoid fragmented deployments and duplicated effort across security and compliance tooling.
Provide role-appropriate visibility
Dashboards and reporting are tailored for technical leads, business owners, and compliance stakeholders, avoiding one-size-fits-all reporting.
Reduce coordination overhead
Security incidents, compliance issues, and audit requests are handled through a single operating model rather than separate, disconnected processes.
Embed continuous review and improvement
Quarterly reviews focus on posture trends, risk reduction, and readiness rather than static configuration checks.
Customer benefits
Broader risk coverage
Protection against malware, phishing, ransomware, insider misuse, and unmanaged compliance gaps through integrated controls.
Reduced tool sprawl
Fewer overlapping tools and consoles, lowering complexity and operational overhead.
Improved operational efficiency
Security and compliance activities reinforce each other rather than competing for attention or resources.
Stronger assurance posture
Clear evidence of joined-up governance, monitoring, and control for customers, auditors, and regulators.
Clear progression to advanced operations
Establishes a stable foundation for DEFENDExtend where security and compliance signals can be correlated and acted on at scale.