The Information Technology (IT) industry has undergone tremendous changes in the past decade, with cloud collaboration finding accelerated adoption in recent years.
While adoption of cloud was an active choice for many organizations, it cannot be said for many others for whom the switch was brought on by external factors – such as a global pandemic and the rapid changes it made to workplaces worldwide.
In this article, we bust a few myths (that are way too common) surrounding cloud collaboration governance in general and Microsoft 365 governance, in particular. Many organizations continue to believe some or all of these myths, but it is important to break them down and look at them with the knowledge and technological aid at our disposal in 2024.
Myth 1: Monitoring Microsoft 365 is unnecessary
This is perhaps one of the most common misconceptions about Microsoft 365 adoption. M365 environments are dynamic, with users constantly creating, modifying, and accessing data round the clock. Without proper monitoring, organizations open themselves up to risks such as data breaches and compliance violations and perhaps the most direct and painful of all: sprawl. Lack of monitoring can also lead to performance issues going completely unnoticed. From a security perspective, continuous monitoring helps identify unauthorized access attempts, and potential security threats in real-time, allowing timely intervention.
Myth 2: It is solely procurement department’s duty to manage Microsoft 365 licenses
Another common misconception is that managing Microsoft 365 licenses falls purely under the purview of the procurement department. While it is true that procurement plays a crucial role in acquiring licenses, effective license management requires collaborative efforts across multiple departments - mainly IT, Finance, and even the HR department.
Our blog on identifying and including all relevant stakeholders in your Microsoft governance is a helpful resource if you want to know more about the art of successful M365 adoption. A collaborative approach to license management is essential for maximizing ROI and minimizing risks to the company data.
Myth 3: No need to worry about backups as Microsoft 365 takes care of it
Recovering lost data would easily take weeks if not months, depending on the size of the data. For larger organizations, the number of mailboxes and SharePoint environments can add up significantly. While organizations have had to largely rely on third-party backup solutions till now, Microsoft recently made some advancements in this regard.
During Microsoft Inspire 2023, Microsoft announced the introduction of Microsoft 365 Backup and Microsoft 365 Archive to help customers manage their content at scale and prevent them from having to endure a long recovery phase after unforeseen data loss. The M365 Backup, supposed to reach General Availability by mid 2024, can be accessed directly in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Microsoft 365 Backup provides the following capabilities:
- Backup all or select SharePoint sites, OneDrive accounts, and Exchange mailboxes in your tenant.
- Restore OneDrive accounts, SharePoint sites, and mailbox items to a prior point in time for your entire tenant.
- Search or filter content in your backups using key metadata such as site names, owners, subject, creation/modification dates, and event types restore point date ranges.
While Microsoft’s new Backup capabilities is definitely good news for the end user, backup vendors point out that there are still many aspects of backup that Microsoft does not yet cater to. For example, data protection solution Keepit makes a distinction between 'backup' and 'true backup' to explain this point further.
Myth 4: Having a governance strategy is optional
Some organizations still consider governance as an optional component of their Microsoft 365 adoption. Without a governance strategy in place, organizations risk inefficiencies of varying degrees, security breaches, and compliance violations.
A comprehensive governance strategy lays down concrete policies, processes, and controls to guide how Microsoft 365 is used and managed within the organization. M365 governance is no longer a nice-to-have, but a must. Time and again, organizations keep paying the price for not or only barely staying in control of their cloud collaboration. By proactively managing their Microsoft 365 environment, organizations can improve productivity, enhance security, and mitigate risks.
Myth 5: Setting up Microsoft 365 governance is tough
It is easy to feel overwhelmed – and rightly so - by the idea of implementing governance for a platform as comprehensive and dynamic as Microsoft 365. Concerns about complex configurations and the sheer scale of it all can deter organizations from taking up the task in the first place. Solutions such as Rencore Governance empower users to be more efficient, cost-effective, and secure through effective cloud collaboration governance.
Conclusion
Not every myth we talked about here is dangerous in equal measure, of course. What is far more dangerous is assuming none of these are a big deal. By embracing continuous monitoring, collaborative license management, robust backup solutions, and a comprehensive governance program, organizations can maximize the value of Microsoft 365 while minimizing risks and ensuring compliance.
If you’d like to explore the capacities of Rencore Governance, you can now try it out for yourself!
