Microsoft FastTrack Security Assessment: Move Forward Securely to Microsoft 365

In today’s globalized market there is a persistently growing myriad of security risks that enterprise organizations are faced with daily. As security is a concern for all, why not learn how to assess, plan and mitigate these risks with a Security Assessment.

Why a Microsoft Security Assessment?

The Microsoft Security Assessment offering is a three-day session that has been designed to help:

• Assess whether there are active threats.
• Prioritize security recommendations based on the assessment findings.
• And to build actionable roadmaps for the implementation of Microsoft 365.

Not only are the Microsoft Security Assessment suggestions tailored to each organization’s IT and business context; but the deployment of recommendations essentially protects infrastructure, applications, operations, and people. Thus, organizations are empowered to transform in our mobile-first, cloud-first, digitalized world securely.

What is Microsoft FastTrack?

With the support of Microsoft engineers and Microsoft FastTrack Ready Partners, such as Steeves and Associates, Microsoft FastTrack is a service that helps your team implement cloud-based 365 solutions. You’re given access to a suite of best practices, tools, remote assistance, and resources to help accomplish your transition to Office 365, Windows 10, or Enterprise Mobility + Security (EM+S). You also have access to FastTrack support for the entire lifetime of your Microsoft 365 subscription.

In 2018, Steeves and Associates became an inaugural Microsoft FastTrack Ready Partner, one of only 100 Microsoft Partners globally.  This means Steeves and Associates are able to provide an even smoother customer journey to cloud services, through effective user-adoption guidance, best practice planning strategies and onboarding support. Ensuring your organization remains on time and on budget.

Microsoft FastTrack Security Assessment: What’s Included?

To effectively help customers assess limitations in their IT security environment, reveal a prioritized list of issues, and help to provide specific guidance on minimizing risks; the Microsoft FastTrack Security Assessment is divided into three sections: 

Phase 1 – Pre-engagement:

• Typically, two weeks before any onsite activities, customers receive a pre-engagement call.
• The purpose of the call is to introduce the customer to the Microsoft Security Assessment, discuss the upcoming activities, align expectations and establish timelines.
• At the end of the call, the customer will be provided with the Microsoft Security Assessment questionnaire and is asked to respond to the questions in time for phase 2.

Phase 2 – Preparation for onsite activities:

• The customer is required to have completed the Security Assessment questionnaire.
• Customers should also have completed technical preparation for assessment modules, discussed during the call.
• An onsite visit is then arranged to occur on a day that suits all parties involved.

Phase 3 – Onsite activities:

• The Microsoft Security Assessment begins with a kickoff meeting.
• The customer’s requirements and strategy are then discussed.
• The following assessment modules are completed: Secure Score, Shadow IT, Windows Security, and Attack Simulator.
• And finally, a report including results and recommendations is generated and given to the customer.

Microsoft Security Assessment: Benefits & Outcomes

For all Microsoft Security Assessments, the goals are:

• To gain a thorough understanding of the customer’s business and technical requirements, plus how they drive security objectives.
• To share knowledge; provide recommended practices and deliver training on the assessment tools.
• To analyze and prioritize the customer’s security positioning.
• To provide an actionable Microsoft 365 security roadmap based on customer security objectives, requirements, and security status.

The Microsoft Security Assessment is a stress-free way to strengthen the security of an organization’s network. Ultimately, the roadmap helps customers to focus their objectives and requirements and clearly see the prioritization of key feature implementation tailored to their individual IT and business setting.

Road Mapping Security with Your Microsoft FastTrack Partner

Microsoft 365 certainly enables organizations to digitally transform; by unifying productivity and enterprise security tools into a single suite, it allows modern workplaces to have secure corporate data and manage risk online. But the transition to this system can often seem like an overwhelming leap.

Luckily, Steeves and Associates, or your Microsoft FastTrack Partner of choice, are here to lend a helping hand.

By working with a Microsoft FastTrack Partner, like Steeves and Associates, you’re more likely to have a successful and secure deployment of your roadmap. You’re given access to even more in-depth knowledge of the Microsoft tools and best-in-class solutions to fill in any gaps when optimizing your implementation.

How to Get Started With a Microsoft Security Assessment?

As a Microsoft FastTrack Ready Partner, Steeves and Associates are still able to assist with your implementation and deployment. With equal expert knowledge, they can provide best practice advice for a minimal cost. Please get in contact today to find out how we can help you on your journey to Microsoft 365.

What Else Can I Receive Through the Microsoft FastTrack Program?

A Microsoft Security Assessment is not the only benefit of the Microsoft FastTrack Program. Microsoft FastTrack also provides your business with the following:

• Ongoing access to a FastTrack specialist; they could be Microsoft employees or an approved partner.
• Guidance for onboarding and adoption of a plethora of Microsoft solutions.
• Guidance for supported services.
• Email and data migration (with 500+ seats).
• Access to best practices, self-serve tools, resources, and remote adoption workshops.

By joining the Microsoft FastTrack Program you’re essentially being supported to ensure a smooth transitioning to Microsoft Cloud solutions, however, some aspects of the migration will still be at the discretion of you and your team i.e. project management and on-site readiness training

The Benefits of Working with a Microsoft FastTrack Partner

By working with a Microsoft FastTrack Partner, like Steeves and Associates, you’re guaranteed additional support and resources, to provide an even smoother and successful deployment. You’re provided with enhanced components for cloud adoption success, i.e.:

• best practice planning strategies
• onboarding support
• user-adoption guidance

All the while even further reducing the time-to-value plan of action.

Steeves and Associates will work with you to devise an optimal Microsoft Security scenario for your organizations, taking into consideration both your existing IT processes and organizational structure.

Are you ready to take part in a Microsoft Security Assessment and find out what FastTrack services can do for transitioning your company to Microsoft 365? Get in touch with Steeves and Associates today!

Steeves and Associates

Steeves and Associates are the first Microsoft Cloud Partner in Canada and the premier Partner of choice for medium-to-large size organizations. As the Hybrid Data Center, Cloud Productivity and Identity Specialists we are a leader, early adopter and implementer of Microsoft technologies with a reputation for innovation, quality, and in-depth expertise.

Known as the “Trusted Go-to-Partner” by both clients and vendors, Steeves and Associates deliver a senior team of enterprise consultants who average 25 years of experience integrating, implementing and migrating Microsoft solutions into a myriad of complex enterprise environments. Considered to be amongst the best in the industry, you are in working with the right resources to get your questions answered when you need it most with Steeves and Associates.

Considered to be among the best in the industry, Steeves and Associates deliver senior Microsoft technologists with experience integrating, implementing and migrating Microsoft solutions into a myriad of complex enterprise environments.