Question 1

Is Hornetsecurity or Keepit better for MSPs?

Accepted Answer

Hornetsecurity is usually better when the MSP already sells Hornetsecurity's Microsoft 365 security and management stack and needs backup for common M365 workloads plus Entra users and groups. Keepit is usually better when Entra ID restore depth is the proof point, including policies, app registrations, selected Intune data, BitLocker keys, and logs.

Question 2

When does Hornetsecurity 365 Total Backup fit an MSP?

Accepted Answer

Hornetsecurity 365 Total Backup fits when the MSP wants Microsoft 365 backup tied to a broader Hornetsecurity relationship, with multi-tenant management, automatic backups, unlimited storage messaging, and Entra users and groups in scope.

Question 3

When does Keepit Entra ID backup fit an MSP?

Accepted Answer

Keepit Entra ID backup fits when the client needs proof for identity objects beyond users and groups, such as roles, service principals, app registrations, Conditional Access policies, selected Intune policies, BitLocker keys, Windows LAPS, audit logs, and sign-in logs.

Question 4

What restore proof should an MSP show for Entra ID backup?

Accepted Answer

MSPs should show the restored object, restore target, test date, technician, outcome, screenshots or job evidence, and relationship details such as group memberships, role assignments, owners, licenses, and policy behavior.

Question 5

Should Microsoft 365 backup appear in a client QBR?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A client QBR should show Microsoft 365 backup health, restore-test evidence, covered workloads, excluded identity objects, retention status, and any open decisions. A green backup dashboard is not enough proof by itself.

Question 6

Should MSPs use Cove or Veeam for Microsoft 365 backup?

Accepted Answer

Use Cove when Microsoft 365 backup should sit beside server and workstation backup in one backup dashboard with included storage and simple per-user packaging. Use Veeam when Microsoft 365 backup belongs inside a broader Veeam service-provider operation with per-user licensing, restore portal needs, and usage reporting discipline.

Question 7

Should MSPs use Veeam or Acronis for Microsoft 365 backup?

Accepted Answer

Use Veeam when Microsoft 365 backup should fit a service-provider backup operation with Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, restore portal, and usage reporting discipline. Use Acronis when Microsoft 365 backup is part of a broader Cyber Protect Cloud service. Either way, define deleted-user handling, restore authorization, retention, and evidence.

Question 8

Should MSPs use Acronis or Cove for Microsoft 365 backup?

Accepted Answer

Use Acronis when the client needs Microsoft 365 backup inside a broader Acronis service mix or wants a storage option decision between Acronis Cloud Storage and Microsoft 365 Backup Storage. Use Cove when the MSP wants flat per-user Microsoft 365 backup managed from the same backup dashboard as servers and workstations.

Question 9

Should MSPs use MSP360 or Acronis for Microsoft 365 backup?

Accepted Answer

Use MSP360 when Microsoft 365 backup should fit a white-label service with storage control and per-user pricing. Use Acronis when Microsoft 365 backup belongs inside a wider Acronis protection package. Either way, define services covered, retention, restore SLA, authorization, and reporting.

Question 10

Should MSPs choose Microsoft Defender for Business or Huntress?

Accepted Answer

MSPs should treat Microsoft Defender for Business as the endpoint security base and Huntress as a managed security layer around monitoring, investigation, and response. The right choice depends less on feature lists and more on who owns alerts, remediation, reporting, and client escalation.

Question 11

Is Microsoft Defender for Business enough for MSP clients?

Accepted Answer

Defender for Business can be enough for some MSP clients if it is fully configured, monitored, documented, and tied to a clear response process. If alerts are not owned or after-hours response is vague, the license exists but the managed security service does not.

Question 12

Does Huntress replace Microsoft Defender for Business?

Accepted Answer

Usually no. Huntress commonly works with Microsoft Defender signals and adds managed review, threat hunting, and response workflow around covered activity. MSPs should scope which parts are handled by Microsoft, Huntress, the MSP, and the client instead of treating one tool as a total replacement.

Question 13

Who should own Microsoft Defender alerts in an MSP agreement?

Accepted Answer

The agreement should name the owner for Defender alert triage, after-hours escalation, remediation approval, client notification, reporting, and exception review. If the owner is not named, the MSP has a service delivery gap even if Defender is correctly licensed.

Question 14

Should MSPs choose Blumira or Microsoft Sentinel?

Accepted Answer

MSPs should choose Blumira when they need predictable pricing, faster client onboarding, multi-tenant operations, and SecOps support. Microsoft Sentinel is the better fit when the MSP has Azure security skill and wants custom Microsoft-native SIEM control.

Question 15

Is Microsoft Sentinel a good SIEM for MSPs?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft Sentinel can be a good SIEM for MSPs that already have Azure, KQL, automation, and cost-management discipline. It is risky when the MSP treats Sentinel as a packaged SMB security service without pricing ingestion, retention, connector work, and incident response labor.

Question 16

How does Blumira MSP pricing compare with Microsoft Sentinel pricing?

Accepted Answer

Blumira's MSP positioning centers on per-user pricing and no per-GB overage language, which makes quoting simpler. Microsoft Sentinel uses Azure usage-based pricing with pay-as-you-go, commitment tiers, retention, and data lake meters, so the MSP has to manage cost assumptions continuously.

Question 17

What is the best Microsoft 365 SIEM for MSPs?

Accepted Answer

The best Microsoft 365 SIEM for an MSP depends on operating model. Blumira fits MSPs that need a repeatable security package around Microsoft 365 and other client sources. Microsoft Sentinel fits MSPs that need custom Microsoft-native analytics and can own the Azure build.

Question 18

What should MSPs include in a client SIEM scope?

Accepted Answer

An MSP SIEM scope should name covered data sources, alert triage, after-hours escalation, remediation authority, client approvals, reporting cadence, retention assumptions, and what work is billed separately. Without that scope, the client bought a tool, not a managed security service.

Question 19

Does Teams record all calls automatically?

Accepted Answer

No. Teams does not record anything by default. Someone must manually start recording, unless compliance recording is configured with a third-party solution.

Question 20

Can my employer record Teams calls without telling me?

Accepted Answer

With compliance recording, yes. Users see a notification that recording is in progress, but they cannot stop it. The policy is set at the admin level.

Question 21

Where do Teams recordings go?

Accepted Answer

OneDrive for non-channel meetings (in the organizer's account). SharePoint for channel meetings. Not Microsoft Stream anymore. That changed in 2021.

Question 22

How long are Teams recordings kept?

Accepted Answer

120 days by default, then auto-deleted. Admins can change this to any value between 1 and 99,999 days, or disable expiration entirely.

Question 23

Can I record a Teams call to someone's phone?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if PSTN call recording is enabled in your calling policy. The other party hears an audio notification when recording starts.

Question 24

Do guests know when I'm recording a Teams meeting?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All participants see a banner notification and hear an audio alert when recording starts or stops.

Question 25

Can I record a Teams meeting without anyone knowing?

Accepted Answer

No. Not with Teams' built-in recording. All participants are notified. Third-party screen recording software is a different matter, but that creates legal issues in two-party consent states.

Question 26

Does Microsoft have access to my Teams recordings?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft stores recordings in your OneDrive/SharePoint. Their standard data processing agreements apply. They don't use customer recordings to train AI models without explicit consent.

Question 27

What's the difference between convenience and compliance recording in Teams?

Accepted Answer

Convenience recording is manual, user-initiated, and stored in OneDrive/SharePoint. Compliance recording is automatic, policy-based, requires a third-party solution, and stores recordings in the partner's system.

Question 28

Can I prevent specific Teams meetings from being recorded?

Accepted Answer

Meeting organizers can disable recording for their meetings using meeting options. Admins can also restrict recording capabilities through meeting policies assigned to specific users or groups.

Question 29

What happens to Teams recordings when someone leaves the company?

Accepted Answer

Recordings in that user's OneDrive follow the OneDrive deletion policy for departed users. Typically deleted 30 days after the account is removed unless IT takes action. Channel meeting recordings in SharePoint are unaffected.

Question 30

What are the Microsoft 365 price increases for July 2026?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft 365 commercial pricing changes on July 1, 2026. Microsoft lists Business Basic moving from $6 to $7 per user per month, Business Standard from $12.50 to $14, M365 E3 from $36 to $39, and M365 E5 from $57 to $60. Existing customers move to new pricing at their next renewal after July 1.

Question 31

How do MSPs re-quote clients after an M365 price increase?

Accepted Answer

MSPs should export current license counts, verify renewal dates, calculate the monthly and annual delta by client, remove unused licenses, then send revised quotes before the new pricing appears on an invoice. The goal is to make the change feel reviewed, not dumped on the client.

Question 32

Which M365 plans are affected by the July 2026 price increase?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft lists price changes for several commercial plans including Business Basic, Business Standard, F1, F3, Office 365 E3/E5, Microsoft 365 E3/E5, and some standalone components. Business Premium shows no commercial list price change in Microsoft's table, though it receives packaging changes.

Question 33

How much is Microsoft raising M365 Business Basic in 2026?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft's commercial pricing table shows Microsoft 365 Business Basic increasing from $6 to $7 per user per month on July 1, 2026. That is a $1 per-user monthly increase before any CSP, regional, currency, or distributor-specific adjustments.

Question 34

How should MSPs communicate M365 price increases to clients?

Accepted Answer

Tell clients the date, the affected licenses, their estimated monthly and annual impact, and what you reviewed before changing the quote. Keep it short. The strongest message is: Microsoft pricing is changing, we checked your tenant, and here is our recommendation before your bill changes.

Question 35

What is Microsoft 365 Business with Copilot for MSPs?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft 365 Business with Copilot combines a Microsoft 365 Business plan with Copilot Business for SMB customers. For MSPs, the useful question is not only which SKU to quote. It is whether the client has clean licensing, data access, security policy, user training, and support ownership before AI seats are added.

Question 36

Should MSPs quote Business Basic plus Copilot Business first?

Accepted Answer

Only when the client is a good fit for a narrow, web-first rollout. Business Basic plus Copilot Business can be a lower-cost entry point, but it does not replace the security, device management, and governance conversation that often points larger or riskier clients toward Business Premium with Copilot.

Question 37

When should an MSP recommend Business Premium with Copilot instead of Business Standard with Copilot?

Accepted Answer

Recommend Business Premium with Copilot when the client needs Copilot plus stronger identity, device, endpoint, and data protection controls. Recommend Business Standard with Copilot when desktop Office apps and productivity adoption are the main need and the client does not require the fuller Premium security and management package.

Question 38

What work should MSPs quote around Copilot Business?

Accepted Answer

Quote the rollout work separately from the license: tenant and license review, permission cleanup, security and governance baseline, pilot users, role-based training, support rules, and a 30, 60, or 90 day adoption review. If that work is missing, the MSP is selling an AI license while absorbing the real implementation cost.

Question 39

What is Microsoft 365 E7 for MSPs?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft 365 E7 is Microsoft's Frontier Suite that bundles Microsoft 365 E5, Copilot, Agent 365, and Microsoft Entra Suite. MSPs should treat it as a role-based bundle for users who need all of those pieces, not as a default tenant-wide upgrade.

Question 40

How should MSPs compare Microsoft 365 E7 vs E5?

Accepted Answer

Compare E7 vs E5 by user role and add-on overlap. E7 starts to make sense when the same users need E5, Copilot, Agent 365, and Entra Suite. If Copilot adoption is weak or agent governance is theoretical, keep the client on E5 and scope the readiness work first.

Question 41

What should MSPs verify before quoting Agent 365?

Accepted Answer

MSPs should verify who inventories agents, approves new agents, reviews data access, responds to agent behavior issues, and owns reporting. Agent 365 licensing should come with a governance and support scope, not only a license line item.

Question 42

What should MSPs check before quoting Microsoft 365 E7 through CSP?

Accepted Answer

Before quoting Microsoft 365 E7 through CSP, check seat counts, renewal dates, term duration, billing cadence, Teams variants, promos, distributor pricing, NCE cancellation windows, Extended Service Terms risk, and overlap with Copilot, Entra, Defender, Intune, Purview, backup, email security, and managed support scope.

Question 43

What is Microsoft 365 Archive file-level archiving?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft 365 Archive file-level archiving lets organizations move individual SharePoint files or folders into archive storage instead of archiving an entire site. MSPs should treat it as a storage governance decision because archived files may stay visible but cannot be opened until reactivated.

Question 44

Does SharePoint file-level archiving reduce storage costs?

Accepted Answer

It can reduce active SharePoint storage pressure, but archived files still count toward total tenant storage. Microsoft says archive storage is billed only when active plus archived SharePoint storage exceeds the tenant's included or licensed SharePoint storage quota.

Question 45

How long does Microsoft 365 Archive file retrieval take?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft's Message Center guidance says file reactivation is instant within seven days of archiving. After seven days, reactivation may take up to 24 hours, so MSPs should document retrieval expectations before archiving client files.

Question 46

Do archived SharePoint files appear in Copilot or normal search?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft says archived content is not used by Microsoft 365 Copilot. Archived files remain available for compliance and admin discovery paths, but users should not expect normal access, normal Copilot grounding, or ordinary search behavior until files are reactivated.

Question 47

How should MSPs package Microsoft 365 Archive cleanup work?

Accepted Answer

Package it as a paid storage assessment and roadmap task. The scope should include archive candidates, retention checks, permission review, owner approval, retrieval rules, and a client-ready decision record instead of free admin cleanup.

Question 48

What is the difference between Microsoft 365 Archive and backup?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft 365 Archive moves inactive SharePoint content into colder storage to reduce active storage pressure. Backup creates recovery points so admins can restore from deletion, corruption, ransomware, or other bad changes.

Question 49

Can Microsoft 365 Archive replace backup for MSP clients?

Accepted Answer

No. Archive is a storage lifecycle tool, not a point-in-time recovery plan. It can help with inactive SharePoint storage, but clients still need backup scope, restore testing, and recovery ownership.

Question 50

Are retention policies and legal hold the same as backup?

Accepted Answer

No. Retention and legal hold preserve content for policy, compliance, or legal discovery. Backup is built around recovery. MSPs should scope these separately so clients do not mistake preserved data for a tested restore path.

Question 51

When does Microsoft 365 Archive reduce SharePoint storage cost?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft 365 Archive can reduce cost when archived plus active SharePoint storage exceeds the tenant's included or licensed SharePoint quota. If the tenant is still under quota, archiving content may not create additional archive storage charges.

Question 52

What should MSPs define before quoting Microsoft 365 Backup?

Accepted Answer

Define protected sites, OneDrive accounts, and mailboxes; restore point expectations; excluded data; approval rules; recovery labor; and restore test cadence. The backup line item should include the work required to prove recovery, not just storage.

Question 53

Should MSPs use Microsoft 365 Backup or third-party backup?

Accepted Answer

Use Microsoft 365 Backup when the client needs native SharePoint, OneDrive, and Exchange recovery, accepts one-year retention, and wants data kept inside Microsoft. Keep third-party backup when the client needs longer retention, broader workload coverage, separate storage control, or stronger MSP reporting.

Question 54

When is Microsoft 365 Backup good enough for MSP clients?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft 365 Backup can be enough for clients with straightforward SharePoint, OneDrive, and Exchange recovery needs, one-year retention requirements, and no need for separate non-Microsoft backup storage. MSPs should still test restore behavior and document client approvals before replacing an existing backup service.

Question 55

What restore tests should MSPs run before changing M365 backup?

Accepted Answer

Run at least one SharePoint or OneDrive restore and one Exchange restore. Document the restore point, destination choice, approval owner, elapsed time, affected permissions or metadata, and whether the result matched the client-facing RTO and RPO language.

Question 56

Why would an MSP keep third-party Microsoft 365 backup?

Accepted Answer

Third-party backup still matters when the MSP needs longer retention, separate administration, non-Microsoft storage control, broader SaaS coverage, partner reporting, or one recovery workflow across many backup services. The tool should match the client promise the MSP is willing to own.

Question 57

What should be in a client scope for Microsoft 365 Backup?

Accepted Answer

The scope should name protected workloads, excluded data, retention expectations, restore approval rules, RTO and RPO language, recovery labor, test cadence, storage billing assumptions, and who pays for after-hours restore work. If those details are missing, the backup quote is not finished.

Question 58

How often do Business Central Dual Use Rights keys need to be replaced?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft says Business Central online customers running on-premises Business Central through Dual Use Rights must download and replace the DUR license key every six months. MSPs should treat that as recurring license administration with a named owner, reminder, verification step, and documented next due date.

Question 59

Where do customers download Business Central Dual Use Rights keys?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft documents the Dual Use Rights key download path in the Microsoft 365 admin center under Billing, Your products, the relevant Dynamics 365 service, and Registration Keys. The MSP still needs to control privileged access, store the key securely, and document who downloaded it.

Question 60

What should an MSP include in a Business Central DUR key rotation scope?

Accepted Answer

Include exposed-client discovery, subscription confirmation, admin access review, key download, secure storage, planned import, server instance restart if required, post-change validation, documentation, and the next six-month reminder. If an ERP partner owns the application, include the handoff in the scope.

Question 61

Who should own Business Central Dual Use Rights key rotation?

Accepted Answer

Assign one accountable owner for the process and one backup. The client business owner should confirm the subscription and business dependency, while the MSP or ERP partner should own the technical download, import, verification, documentation, and reminder if that work is in scope.

Question 62

What Intune features are being added to Microsoft 365 E3 and E5 in 2026?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft says M365 E3 gets Defender for Office Plan 1, Intune Remote Help, Intune Advanced Analytics, Intune Plan 2, Copilot Chat enhancements, and Copilot Chat Analytics. M365 E5 adds those capabilities plus Security Copilot, Intune Endpoint Privilege Management, Microsoft Cloud PKI, and Intune Enterprise Application Management.

Question 63

When do the Microsoft Intune changes roll out to existing customers?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft says packaging changes begin rolling out in June 2026, customers get at least 30 days notice in Message Center, and the rollout is complete by August 1, 2026. Pricing changes take effect July 1, 2026, and existing customers stay on current pricing until renewal.

Question 64

Does Microsoft still sell Intune Suite and add-ons separately?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Microsoft says the capabilities are also available as add-ons or as part of the Intune Suite. That matters for customers who already buy those tools separately or only need a narrow slice of the stack.

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