Microsoft 365 is often adopted quickly. Email is migrated, Teams is rolled out, files are moved into SharePoint or OneDrive, and productivity improves almost immediately. But in many organizations, Microsoft 365 is never fully reviewed after that initial setup.
Over time, security settings fall behind current best practices, governance rules become unclear, and licensing costs grow without a clear picture of what’s actually being used. Microsoft 365 consulting services help organizations step back, assess their environment, and ensure the platform continues to support the business as it grows and changes.
Below is an overview of what Microsoft 365 consulting typically includes, when it’s most useful, and how organizations can approach security, governance, and licensing in a more intentional way.
What Microsoft 365 Consulting Services Include
Microsoft 365 consulting focuses on configuring and managing the platform so it aligns with how an organization actually operates. While Microsoft provides powerful tools, getting long-term value from them requires planning, structure, and regular review.
Consulting services commonly cover:
- Tenant setup and configuration
- Identity and access controls
- Security and compliance settings
- Device and endpoint management with Intune
- Governance for Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive
- Integration with existing systems and workflows
- Microsoft 365 licensing alignment
These services may be delivered as a focused project, ongoing support, or a combination of both, depending on internal resources and goals.
When Microsoft 365 Consulting Makes Sense
Organizations often seek Microsoft 365 consulting support when:
- Microsoft 365 was deployed quickly without long-term planning
- Security relies heavily on default settings
- Compliance or customer security expectations have increased
- Device policies vary across users or departments
- Licensing costs keep rising without clear justification
- Internal IT teams are stretched thin
Even organizations that have used Microsoft 365 for years are often surprised by configuration drift or overlooked security gaps.
Microsoft 365 Integration: Where Issues Often Appear
Microsoft 365 works best when its services are governed together rather than managed as individual tools.
Integration challenges frequently show up in areas such as:
- Identity and authentication configuration
- File organization and permissions in Teams and SharePoint
- Connections to third-party or line-of-business applications
- Conditional access rules tied to users and devices
- Email and collaboration security controls
Without a clear integration strategy, environments can become cluttered, permissions grow overly complex, and security risks increase. Consulting helps restore structure and reduces long-term management overhead.
How Secure Is Microsoft 365?
Microsoft 365 includes strong security capabilities, but many require configuration and ongoing attention.
Basic protections such as anti-spam and anti-malware are typically enabled early. More advanced controls like conditional access, identity protection, device compliance, and data protection are often underused or inconsistently applied.
Microsoft 365 security features include:
- Identity and access management
- Multi-factor authentication and conditional access
- Endpoint and device protection
- Data loss prevention and information protection
- Threat detection and response tools
Because Microsoft regularly updates security features and recommendations, periodic reviews help ensure configurations remain effective over time.
Microsoft 365 Security Assessments
A security assessment is often the most practical first step toward improving a Microsoft 365 environment.
Infracore’s Microsoft 365 Security Assessment reviews the tenant against the Center for Internet Security (CIS) Benchmark and highlights areas where configuration gaps exist.
An assessment typically provides:
- Clear visibility into security risks
- Prioritized recommendations based on impact
- An overall view of the organization’s security posture
- Guidance on which licenses support recommended controls
- A roadmap for improving security without disrupting daily operations
This helps organizations focus on meaningful improvements instead of chasing individual settings.
Device and Endpoint Management with Intune
As work becomes more mobile, managing devices is just as important as managing user accounts.
Microsoft Intune allows organizations to control how devices access Microsoft 365, enforce compliance policies, and protect company data. An Intune configuration review looks at how devices are enrolled, secured, and managed across the organization.
Areas commonly reviewed include:
- Device enrollment and management policies
- Application and data protection settings
- Compliance and conditional access rules
- Security baselines and access controls
Well-configured device policies improve security while simplifying onboarding and offboarding.
Microsoft 365 Consulting vs Managed Services
Microsoft 365 consulting and managed services support different needs.
Consulting engagements typically focus on strategy, assessments, and project-based improvements such as tenant cleanup, security reviews, or governance design.
Managed services provide ongoing support, including administration, monitoring, policy updates, and user assistance. Many organizations start with consulting to establish a solid foundation and then move to managed services to maintain it.
Microsoft CSP Licensing and License Optimization
Licensing is one of the most confusing aspects of Microsoft 365. Security features often depend on license level, and it’s common for organizations to pay for licenses they don’t fully use.
The Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program allows organizations to work with a partner who can help manage licensing, billing, and optimization.
As part of Microsoft 365 consulting, licensing reviews often include:
- Evaluating current license usage
- Identifying unused or misaligned licenses
- Matching security requirements to license tiers
- Reducing unnecessary costs
This ensures licensing supports both security goals and budget constraints.
Why Organizations Choose Infracore
Infracore has worked with Microsoft technologies since 2003 and supports organizations at every stage of their Microsoft 365 journey.
Clients value Infracore’s:
- Practical, assessment-driven approach
- Flexible project-based and managed service options
- No long-term contracts
- Focus on long-term outcomes rather than vendor lock-in
Whether the need is a one-time assessment or ongoing support, the goal is the same: a Microsoft 365 environment that is secure, manageable, and aligned with business needs.
Planning a Microsoft 365 Project?
If you’re unsure how well your Microsoft 365 environment is configured or where security and governance gaps may exist—an assessment can provide clarity.
Infracore can help with:
- Microsoft 365 security assessments
- Intune configuration reviews
- Tenant optimization and cleanup
- Microsoft 365 integration and governance
- Licensing reviews and CSP support
Reach out to discuss your Microsoft 365 goals and determine the next best step.