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
Year 2+ · Tier extend
DEFENDExtend
MXDR Ready
Deliver continuous detection, investigation, and response at scale.
Licensing baseline
Microsoft 365 Business Premium with Defender and Purview add-ons, plus Microsoft Sentinel
Builds on DEFENDComplete
Customer value
- Designed for organisations transitioning from baseline security into continuous, enterprise-grade operations
- Real-time incident correlation across identity, endpoint, email, cloud applications, and data signals
- Access to 24/7 SOC capabilities without the cost and complexity of building an internal SOC
- Faster containment and response to high-impact security incidents
Tier readiness
0 of 11 exit criteria met
Check items off as they’re delivered.
Service components
SIEM and SOAR
Microsoft Sentinel
Centralised log ingestion, detection analytics, investigation workflows, and automated response.
Cross-Domain Detection and Response
Defender XDR Correlation
Defender XDR correlation across identity, endpoint, email, and cloud signals.
Security Automation
Playbooks and Automated Workflows
Playbooks and automated workflows to contain common attack scenarios and reduce manual intervention.
AI-Assisted Security Operations
Security Copilot Integration
Security Copilot integration to accelerate triage, investigation, and response while reducing analyst workload.
Managed Detection and Response
SOC as a Service (Optional)
SOC services including 24/7 monitoring, triage, escalation, and coordinated response, delivered as SOC as a Service.
Exit criteria
Foundations
SIEM
Detection
Response
SOC
AI
Validation
Suggested partner actions
Centralise detection and response
Customers avoid fragmented alerts across multiple portals by correlating incidents in a single operational view.
Automate high-volume, low-value actions
Playbooks handle common containment tasks consistently and immediately, reducing reliance on manual response.
Provide proportional SOC coverage
Customers choose coverage models that match their risk and budget, such as business-hours monitoring with out-of-hours escalation or full MDR.
Reduce response time under pressure
AI-assisted workflows help analysts make faster, better decisions during active incidents.
Own escalation and coordination
Clear escalation paths and response ownership remove ambiguity during high-impact security events.
Customer benefits
Advanced threats contained earlier
Reduced impact from advanced persistent threats, supply chain compromise, and targeted ransomware through correlated detection and rapid response.
Lower alert fatigue
Automation and signal correlation reduce noise, allowing analysts to focus on genuine incidents.
Predictable security operations
Continuous monitoring and defined response workflows replace ad hoc incident handling.
Enterprise SOC outcomes at SMB scale
Customers gain enterprise-level security operations without enterprise cost or complexity.
Confidence at board level
Clear evidence that threats are monitored, detected, and responded to continuously.