Tips

Tips

Office 365 and Microsoft SaaS setup and management

• Explore multiple Office 365 PowerShell management options

  Why use PowerShell for Office 365 and Azure? In some instances, it's the only way to tap into some of the hidden management settings in these Microsoft cloud products.  Continue Reading

• Using the Office 365 Recommended Configuration Analyzer

  Learn how this free PowerShell-based utility digs into your Office 365 security setup and offers guidance for administrators looking to stop the latest online threats.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft 365 E3 vs. Office 365 E3: What admins need to know

  The rumors of Office 365's death have been greatly exaggerated. Microsoft still offers an Office 365 E3 plan, but how does it stack up to the Microsoft 365 E3 plan?  Continue Reading

• Shore up defenses with help from Office 365 logs

  Logging on Microsoft's productivity platform used in conjunction with other tools can form an effective shield from malicious actors looking to find a way into your organization.  Continue Reading

• Office 365 Advanced eDiscovery goes beyond search basics

  Microsoft streamlines the efforts to find pertinent documents and other data with help from the artificial intelligence embedded in the platform's analytics technology.  Continue Reading

• Learn to configure Office 365 alerts and other security features

  More users are working from home, which makes them tempting targets for malicious actors. Take the time to fortify your environment by deploying Office 365 protections.  Continue Reading

• How to take advantage of Teams-Exchange integration

  The apps in Office 365 sometimes need a few tweaks to interact in a more seamless fashion. Learn how to combine the functionality of Exchange and Microsoft Teams.  Continue Reading

• Steer clear of trouble while following the Office 365 roadmap

  There are literally hundreds of changes coming to the collaboration platform that affect email and other services. Here's what IT can do to help ease the transition for end users.  Continue Reading

• Consider Office 365 MFA to thwart attacks

  More remote users are working on their own equipment, which opens an organization to a hack attempt. Office 365 customers can use multifactor authentication to lower this risk.  Continue Reading

• Avoid common pain points when migrating to Exchange Online

  Every Exchange Server configuration is unique, which makes a move to hosted email in Office 365 a complex undertaking, but some stumbling blocks are more frequent than others.  Continue Reading

• How to lock down rising Office 365 costs

  Avoid springing a money leak in your Office 365 tenant by keeping closer tabs on several areas and following more frugal practices.  Continue Reading

• Consider these Office 365 alternatives to public folders

  Public folders in Exchange still exist, but they're considered legacy features that haven't kept up with the times. See what Office 365 alternatives might be a better fit.  Continue Reading

• Top Office 365 MFA considerations for administrators

  A complex password only goes so far to stop a breach. Implementing multifactor authorization can help, but make sure the product you select fits your current and future needs.  Continue Reading

• Know your Office 365 backup options -- just in case

  A move to Exchange Online in the Office 365 platform removes some administrative obligations but does require more work to set up proper email protections.  Continue Reading

• Sizing up the Office 365 protection options

  Get serious about protecting your organization from ransomware and phishing attacks by taking a closer look at the leading Office 365 security offerings.  Continue Reading

• How to handle service downtime in the cloud age

  You know what happens when you assume. Don't set and forget those critical IT infrastructure services in the cloud without putting together a contingency plan.  Continue Reading

• Check Office 365 usage reports for user adoption insights

  Microsoft gives administrators access to many Office 365 reports to pinpoint ways to improve user adoption rates and tighten up potential security leaks.  Continue Reading

• How to plot out an Office 365 tenant-to-tenant migration

  IT pros in organizations on Office 365 that undergo a merger or acquisition will have their work cut out for them to successfully execute a data migration plan between tenants.  Continue Reading

• Exchange Online vs. Office 365: Which plan is a better fit?

  A switch from Exchange Server to Exchange Online might make financial sense, but it might not fit the needs of your organization. Here are some common migration mistakes to avoid.  Continue Reading

• Office 365 multiple tenants vs. single tenant considerations

  A migration to Office 365 will require the IT staff to adjust how it manages the collaboration platform, which can get complicated if more than one tenant is involved.  Continue Reading

• How to keep an Office 365 outage from ruining your day

  Stay on top of any potential problems with your Office 365 deployment through the monitoring dashboard and a break glass account to avoid Azure authentication outages.  Continue Reading

• Resolve an Outlook outage when using Office 365

  When administrators get reports about an Outlook outage, they must work quickly to identify the affected accounts, research the causes and know where to turn for support.  Continue Reading

• Learn the tricks for using Microsoft Teams with Exchange

  As Microsoft Teams gains prominence for business collaboration, administrators should investigate the integration options with their Exchange Online or on-premises Exchange setup.  Continue Reading

• Set up Office 365 alerts to keep threats at bay

  Office 365 offers administrators integrated tools to warn the IT staff about potential attacks or breaches of conduct. Find out what the options are and how to configure them.  Continue Reading

• How to tackle an email archive migration for Exchange Online

  A move from on-premises Exchange to Office 365 also entails determining the best way to transfer legacy archives. This tutorial can help ease migration complications.  Continue Reading

• Office 365 email encryption options grow for enterprise needs

  Each enterprise has different needs when it comes to preventing data leakage. Admins should be aware of the Office 365 mailbox and encryption features that help the organization meet its requirements.  Continue Reading

• New Office 365 administrators grapple with challenges

  More enterprises mulling the move to Office 365 should factor in the adjustments necessary to get the IT department up to speed to manage the platform properly.  Continue Reading

• Compliance Manager tool aims to ease security audit process

  Administrators who wrestle with compliance tasks in Office 365 and Azure workloads might find some relief with Microsoft's dashboard platform, which automates part of the process.  Continue Reading

• Set Office 365 group limits to avoid administrative hassles

  With help from PowerShell, administrators can tailor Office 365 Groups to develop common-sense restrictions on the tools and other components in the collaboration service.  Continue Reading

• Multi-geo service tackles Office 365 data residency issues

  Admins often deal with data residency requirements with separate tenants in geographic regions. A multi-geo feature looks to remove this complex setup for some Office 365 services.  Continue Reading

• Office 365 compliance features keep data locked down

  Microsoft offers tools in Office 365 to help administrators manage complicated data compliance regulations. These features can protect the business.  Continue Reading

• Don't get hung up on Office 365 Cloud PBX pitfalls

  Office 365 support for full PBX features is a game-changer, but it can be a risk if not planned correctly. See if Microsoft's cloud phone system works for your enterprise.  Continue Reading

• Cloud App Discovery spotlights shadow IT users

  Employees that use unsanctioned apps can jeopardize the business. Cloud App Discovery generates detailed reports on unapproved services to help IT mitigate risk.  Continue Reading

• Office 365 admin portal updates offer new insights

  The updated service health dashboard in the admin portal enables the IT staff to uncover more specifics when trouble hits the Office 365 platform.  Continue Reading

• Control Office 365 costs -- or pay the price

  Not every user needs every service in the Office 365 suite. Tailor subscriptions to different groups so the company only pays for what it requires.  Continue Reading

• Create an Office 365 backup policy before it's too late

  Don't get stumped by a request to recover deleted email messages in Office 365. Know what Microsoft offers, and plan ahead to stop mailbox content from performing a disappearing act.  Continue Reading

• Tricks and tools to prevent data loss in Office 365

  IT admins who skip disaster recovery or data loss prevention steps when moving to Office 365 put themselves -- and their company's data -- at risk.  Continue Reading

• Office 365 admin roles give users the power of permissions

  No matter your organization's size, it's helpful to have users handle some functions typically reserved for IT. But limit access to elevated access to reduce security risks.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft expands Office 365 MFA support, but snags remain

  Administrators can use multifactor authentication to lock down Office 365, but the newer Azure Active Directory PowerShell module that ties services together has some drawbacks.  Continue Reading

• Tricks to create Office 365 Groups from distribution groups

  Many businesses switch from distribution groups to Office 365 Groups to benefit from its advanced features. Converting from one service to another, however, is a tricky process.  Continue Reading

• Office 365 administrators must brush up on cloud skills

  Are you prepared to shift from on-premises Exchange Server to Office 365? It's a different skill set, and admins must rethink how to deploy apps and protect end users.  Continue Reading

• An Office 365 pilot can make or break a rollout

  Before moving from on-premises Exchange to Office 365, admins can set up a pilot to see if bandwidth, connectivity or incompatibilities will hinder success.  Continue Reading

• Office 365 administrators seek these new skills to stay relevant

  Some IT administrators are concerned they are not essential in the Office 365 era, but admins can prove valuable to their organization if they evolve with the times.  Continue Reading

• Add-ons secure Office 365 from advanced attacks

  Microsoft adds features to further secure Office 365 against advanced threats, such as email phishing attempts and malicious attachments.  Continue Reading

• Beware of these six Office 365 cons for IT shops accustomed to on premises

  Office 365 offers many benefits, but there are plenty of cons to consider before leaping to this cloud-based productivity suite that includes Exchange Online.  Continue Reading

• Skype for Business Online PowerShell shortcuts for policy management

  Administrators can tighten controls on the Skype for Business Online structure, adjust policies one user at a time or apply changes to an entire group with PowerShell.  Continue Reading

• Access for Office 365 external users a concern for admins

  Microsoft added external access for Office 365 Groups, which means administrators must contend with confidentiality and lifecycle issues until the service matures.  Continue Reading

• Assign Office 365 licenses quickly with PowerShell

  With some help from PowerShell, IT administrators can see how many Office 365 licenses are available and dispense them to users quickly.  Continue Reading

• Office 365 reporting tool offers insights, analytics

  Microsoft's Office 365 reporting tool gives administrators flexibility with how reports are generated and ways to monitor the consumption of the cloud platform.  Continue Reading

• Key retention tools for the Office 365 administrator

  Microsoft provides powerful management tools to assist companies that require a robust Office 365 retention policy.  Continue Reading

• Office 365 planning requires a costs and needs evaluation

  Migrating to Office 365 can lift some stress off a busy IT department, but there are fiscal and technical considerations to contemplate before moving email to the cloud.  Continue Reading

• When to use OneDrive for Business vs. SharePoint Online

  With multiple options available from Microsoft for personal and corporate document storage and sharing, it's easy to get confused about which to use and when.  Continue Reading

• How to use the Search-Mailbox cmdlet with Exchange

  Administrators can find items in Exchange mailboxes using the Search-Mailbox cmdlet. Here's how to use it to its fullest potential, with an example to follow.  Continue Reading

• Office 365 single sign-on augurs complexity, setup hitches

  Office 365 SSO allows end users to log into the enterprise network with existing credentials from any device, but admins should consider security requirements before implementing SSO.  Continue Reading

• Use the admin center for some Office 365 administration

  Administrators can choose the admin center or PowerShell for Office 365 management -- the best option depends on the circumstances.  Continue Reading

• The inevitable Office 365 outage and your recovery plan

  An IT outage is an unfortunate occurrence that can wreak havoc on an enterprise. Before an outage happens, take steps to minimize interruptions to daily operations.  Continue Reading

• Create 10, 100 or more Office 365 accounts with PowerShell

  Administrators who need to create accounts for new employees can save time by using PowerShell scripts to read and import data from a CSV file straight into Office 365.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft EMS features to know in Office 365, Exchange

  The Microsoft EMS adds capabilities such as document encryption and threat detection to Office 365, but a subscription may not be necessary for every organization.  Continue Reading

• Start using PowerShell for Office 365, Exchange Online

  PowerShell allows Office 365 and Exchange Online administrators to manage the service and complete tasks quickly and efficiently through the command line.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft E5 plan supports new ATP, Skype functionality

  Microsoft's new Office 365 E5 plan offers features applicable across the organization. But some of the new functionality isn't useful to all, and some features bring controversy.  Continue Reading

• Four tools to back up Office 365 that aren't from Microsoft

  Availability and security are essential for cloud services. Use third-party tools that encrypt data and offer backup support to secure Office 365 backup and recovery efforts.  Continue Reading

• Will Groups replace Yammer for Office 365 collaboration?

  Microsoft is pushing Office 365 Groups instead of Yammer. What does this mean for the enterprise? It means choosing between the two collaboration platforms.  Continue Reading

• Third-party tools support an Exchange to Office 365 migration

  Third-party tools are available to help migrate Exchange and non-Exchange platforms to Office 365. To choose the right option, consider data protection, control and speed.  Continue Reading

• Google Apps vs. Office 365 for business email systems

  With comparable cloud-based productivity suites, Google and Microsoft compete for enterprise users. In the Google Apps vs. Office 365 for business debate, which side are you on?  Continue Reading

• Add mailboxes with an Office 365 connection via PowerShell

  Without a GUI, there are a lot of tasks that Office 365 admins need to use PowerShell for. Connect to Office 365 from PowerShell to save you and your organization time.  Continue Reading

• Use Office 365 MDM to protect your tenant

  When ActiveSync just isn't enough, learn how to enable and use Office 365 mobile device management with your devices.  Continue Reading

• Azure ExpressRoute offers new Office 365 connection

  The ExpressRoute feature can benefit organizations that want to maintain a high level of reliability and traffic management. Is it right for you?  Continue Reading

• Prep for Office 365 services in your organization

  After your IT shop has prepped its environment for an Office 365 migration, choose a remediation plan based on your migration approach.  Continue Reading

• Transition to Office 365 to boost productivity

  A move to Office 365 will make your organization more productive if you include these areas in the planning stages.  Continue Reading

• How to make the most of a free Office 365 trial

  Using a free trial of Office 365 gives you some cloud exposure and experience as well as a head start over peers.  Continue Reading

• How to adjust to the new Office 365 email retention policy

  With Microsoft's change to its default email retention policy, Exchange admins must collaborate with other departments to test how it will fit in their organization.  Continue Reading

• Meet compliance needs with an inactive mailbox

  Organizations that want to preserve mailboxes in Office 365 without incurring additional costs should evaluate inactive mailboxes.  Continue Reading

• Switch authentication modes during a disaster recovery

  Converting authentication modes is a rare thing admins need to address, but it must be fixed right away when it happens -- and Microsoft's documentation on it is incorrect.  Continue Reading

• Shared mailboxes give productivity a lift

  With a number of possibilities for use, groups can be creative in how they choose to incorporate Office 365 shared mailboxes in their work.  Continue Reading

• AD FS extranet lockout feature boosts Office 365 security

  AD FS extranet lockout can protect organizations from denial-of-service and brute-force password attacks.  Continue Reading

• ADFS 2012 R2 changes give Office 365 users a huge advantage

  The changes and features in the latest version of ADFS are attractive for Exchange admins looking to use it with Office 365.  Continue Reading

• Office 365 Video puts MS Enterprise Social in limelight

  Office 365 Video gives enterprises a new, easy way to post and view videos while providing control over who can access them.  Continue Reading

• Must-know apps for Office 365 and Exchange

  As Office 365 increases in popularity, admins should get to know these apps and how they work with each organization.  Continue Reading

• Configure claim rules for greater Office 365 access control

  Customized claim rules can be an important way to help your organization handle and enforce its Office 365 access policies.  Continue Reading

• Configure Azure MFA to access Office 365 from anywhere

  If end users want access to Office 365 and Exchange from anywhere, Azure Multi-Factor Authentication service is the answer.  Continue Reading

• Set rules with Office 365 message classification

  Message classifications are some of the handiest tools Exchange Online admins can have in their toolkits.  Continue Reading

• MigrationWiz can make Office 365 migrations whiz by

  Native tools are useful for Office 365 migrations, but sometimes a third-party utility can simplify the complicated task of moving data.  Continue Reading

• Control access to Office 365 with ADFS policies

  When it comes to granular access control for Office 365, ADFS Client Access Policies may be the answer your organization needs.  Continue Reading

• Migrate Office 365 tenants with a hybrid Exchange Server

  Once organizations have three important factors in place, admins have the power to complete Office 365 migrations with hybrid Exchange.  Continue Reading

• Prerequisites for an Office 365 tenant migration

  To better understand tenant-to-tenant migrations after a company merger or acquisition, dig deeper into prerequisites and native tools.  Continue Reading

• Choose the best way to include signatures in Office 365

  When you move to Office 365, you lose some of the signature management capabilities you've become accustomed to with on-premises Exchange Server. Here are two options for getting signatures back.  Continue Reading

• The best way to configure Alternate Login ID

  Learn the prerequisites and general configuration steps before using Alternate Login ID to speed up an Office 365 install.  Continue Reading

• Configure Office 365 authentication with PowerShell

  Admins can use this step-by-step process to configure MFA with Azure Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell.  Continue Reading

• Learn why Alternate Login ID is Office 365's hidden gem

  Not familiar with the Alternate Login ID feature? You should be. It could save you valuable time during an Office 365 migration.  Continue Reading

• Secure Office 365 with the Client Access Policy Builder

  Are you worried that giving users access to email outside the office is a security issue? Then it's time to implement Client Access policies.  Continue Reading

• How to configure Office 365 MFA

  Using MFA is a must for cloud-based accounts. Help your end users set up Office 365 MFA.  Continue Reading

• Lessons learned from an Office 365 migration

  Office 365 migrations take time and careful research, but even then, some mistakes are inevitable. Find out what one expert learned during his company’s move to Office 365.  Continue Reading