Microsoft 365 Business Premium is more than email and Office apps

For many Olympia small businesses, Microsoft 365 begins with Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, OneDrive, and SharePoint. Microsoft 365 Business Premium adds security, identity, and device-management capabilities that can make day-to-day technology more consistent and easier to protect.

The value is not in simply buying licenses. It comes from configuring the tools around the way your business works: who can access what, how computers and phones are secured, what happens when a device is lost, and how you respond when a suspicious email arrives.

RD Computer Solutions helps small organizations across Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, and the South Sound use Microsoft 365 in a practical, security-focused way. Request a free IT consultation if you would like to review your current licensing, security settings, or device-management approach.

What Business Premium can provide

Microsoft 365 Business Premium is designed for small and midsize organizations and supports up to 300 users. Depending on your tenant configuration and licensing, it combines productivity tools with security and management capabilities such as:

• Microsoft Intune Plan 1 for device and application management
• Microsoft Defender for Business for endpoint protection
• Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 for email and collaboration protection
• Microsoft Entra ID P1 for identity and access controls
• Microsoft Purview capabilities for information protection and data-loss prevention for email and files

Microsoft documents the included capabilities and licensing details in its Business Premium security guidance. Features, eligibility, and licensing can change, so it is worth confirming what applies to your organization before planning a rollout.

Start with identity: protect the front door

Most business technology risk begins with an account. A compromised Microsoft 365 account can expose email, cloud files, invoices, contacts, and connected applications.

A practical identity baseline includes:

• Multi-factor authentication for every user
• Strong, unique credentials and secure account-recovery methods
• Removal of old accounts and access when an employee leaves
• Least-privilege administration, so routine users do not have unnecessary rights
• Conditional Access policies that reflect your business risk and licensing

Microsoft Entra ID P1 is included with Business Premium. It can help organizations apply more consistent access policies than a collection of one-off exceptions. The goal is not to make work difficult; it is to make unauthorized access significantly harder.

Use Intune to manage the devices that access your data

Employees work from laptops, mobile devices, and sometimes personal devices. Without clear standards, a business can struggle to know which devices are current, encrypted, patched, or still authorized to access company information.

Microsoft Intune can help manage Windows, macOS, iOS/iPadOS, and Android devices. A good deployment typically covers:

• Device enrollment and inventory
• Encryption and screen-lock requirements
• Security updates and supported operating-system versions
• Configuration of Wi-Fi, VPN, and business applications where needed
• Policies that protect company data in mobile apps
• A documented process for replacing, retiring, or wiping a lost device

Business Premium customers are licensed for full Intune capabilities across supported platforms, not only Windows. The right policies should be selected deliberately; overly strict policies can frustrate users, while loose policies can leave company data exposed.

Put Defender to work before an incident becomes downtime

Microsoft Defender for Business adds endpoint security for small and midsize organizations. It is built to help identify and respond to common threats such as ransomware, malware, phishing-related activity, and suspicious device behavior.

Defender is most useful when it is configured and monitored. That means deciding which alerts matter, verifying that devices are properly onboarded, reviewing exposure and update status, and knowing who responds if a serious alert appears. Security software is important, but it does not replace an operating process.

Improve email and file protection

Email remains one of the most common routes into a business. Business Premium can support stronger protection for email and collaboration, while SharePoint and OneDrive give your team a structured way to store and share files.

Practical work often includes:

• Reviewing anti-phishing and anti-spam protections
• Reducing unsafe forwarding and sharing settings
• Protecting sensitive files with appropriate permissions
• Establishing a secure method for sharing information outside the company
• Training staff to recognize and report suspicious messages

For a broader starting point, use our Microsoft 365 security checklist for small businesses.

A license is not a security plan

Business Premium provides valuable capabilities, but it is not an automatic security program. Common gaps include unlicensed or unmanaged devices, inconsistent MFA, former employees with lingering access, untested backups, and security alerts nobody owns.

A practical rollout should begin with a short assessment:

1. Inventory users, devices, admin accounts, and critical applications.
2. Confirm MFA, recovery methods, and account-lifecycle processes.
3. Set a manageable device standard and enroll the devices that access company data.
4. Review Defender and email-protection settings.
5. Document backup, incident response, and vendor contacts.
6. Revisit the environment as staff, devices, and services change.

Get Microsoft 365 support that fits your business

RD Computer Solutions brings more than 30 years of hands-on business technology experience to Microsoft-focused small businesses in the South Sound. We help organizations make better use of Microsoft 365, improve security, manage devices, and receive dependable ongoing support.

If you need help evaluating Business Premium or improving an existing Microsoft 365 environment, request a free IT consultation. For ongoing support, see our managed IT services for Olympia small businesses.

Frequently asked questions

Does Business Premium include Intune?

Yes. Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes Intune Plan 1. The value comes from planning and maintaining policies that match your devices, applications, and users.

Does it include Microsoft Defender?

Business Premium includes Microsoft Defender for Business for endpoint protection and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 for email and collaboration protection. Organizations may need additional products or configurations for more advanced requirements.

Does Business Premium include Entra ID P1?

Yes. Microsoft Entra ID P1 is included with Microsoft 365 Business Premium. Licensing and feature availability should always be confirmed for the organization’s current subscription.

Can it manage Apple and Android devices?

Intune supports management across Windows, macOS, iOS/iPadOS, and Android. The right approach depends on whether devices are company-owned or personal and what company data they access.