It’s no secret that Microsoft owns the productivity workspace. They have shown time and time again that productivity is about more than just end-user applications. Without a stable, user-friendly interface, adoption of these apps would simply flounder. Never content to simply sit on their laurels, Microsoft began to notice the trends of the last decade. The shift to mobile users demanding the same experience across all devices led them to release per-user subscriptions of Office 365 and then Windows Enterprise. Both give users the same experience across all devices, and, as mobility continues to flourish, Microsoft is pushing to secure those users – leading to the release of the Enterprise Mobility Suite (EMS). This bundles the best of their of per-user, device-centric security and leaves no stone unturned. EMS protects the device, the user’s identity, the apps, and the files.
Microsoft took the next logical step and bundled these services together in their Enterprise Cloud Suite (ECS). Meant to be the new cloud-based platform for a modern enterprise, this suite of services offers a new way to license users. It also gave organizations the flexibility for their agreements to grow with them rather than requiring lengthy true-up calculations and resolutions on an annual basis. Less time spent on licensing means more time to focus on important tasks.
The world of mobile computing isn’t all about enabling the good. In this modern world, with its ever-advancing cyber threats, we must focus on protection. As threats evolve, so must the implements we use to protect from them. New features continue to get added to the existing platforms we’ve begun to standardize on: Office 365, Windows Enterprise, and EMS. This leads us to the new ECS – or should I say the new Secure Productive Enterprise (SPE).
Already a good starting point with the ECS suite, Microsoft has started to rebrand the components of this new SPE plan into the existing E3 and E5 titles – beginning with the already advanced capabilities of their ECS suit:
- BitLocker drive encryption and App-Locker in Windows Enterprise
- e-Discovery and advanced end-user control in E3
- Rights policies, device control, two-factor authentication, and predictive analytics in EMS
Microsoft has turned the Windows Enterprise, EMS, and ECS into:
- Windows Enterprise E3
- Enterprise Mobility Suite E3
- Secure Productive Enterprise E3
It is worth noting, Microsoft has changed the name of the Enterprise Mobility Suite to Enterprise Mobility and Security, or EMS to EMS. Some name changes are easier to get over than others. It seems only logical to call to attention to the security levels that are extensions of the ultra-popular Office 365 E3 bundle. Conforming the naming of the E3 brand into a total package across the platform components is natural – especially with new features being added with the release of E5. It opens perfectly to the new SPE E5 bundle including:
- Office 365 E5
- Windows Enterprise E5
- Secure Productive Enterprise E5
The E5 Bundle is all about more security, more enablement, and more productive experiences. New features like Equivo analytics and Exchange Advanced Threat Protection simplify the life of an admin, creating greater control and security of emailed content. Customer Lockbox and Delve Analytics conversely are meant to enrich the experience and trust end users have with the Office 365 platform. Office 365 isn’t the only platform that received an upgrade with this new naming convention. Windows Enterprise E3 includes the new Windows Defender ATP, targeting and shutting down data breaches as the happen, not after. EMS has been given a boost as well, picking up the new Azure Information Management service that allows organizations to classify documents based on a true cloud Identity. They can also join Windows 10 devices for direct authentication to your Azure Active Directory and Cloud App Security, allowing advanced predictive analysis of users cloud app access.
The common thread amongst these two new offerings, SPE E3 and SPE E5 (and the components they include) are meant to be thus: Whether you choose to bundle these services together or mix and match the individual plans, the level of protection you need and how you choose to license your organization is truly up to you. But no matter what you choose, it’s always a good idea to have a partner at the ready who understands the changes. That’s where Connection steps in – let us know how we can help.
