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Microsoft 365 Managed Services

Managing Microsoft 365 across your organisation takes more than a licence key. DMS provides end-to-end Microsoft 365 managed services that keep your environment secure, compliant, and working efficiently — so your team can focus on what they do best.

Whether you’re a school managing Microsoft 365 across multiple sites, a business moving from a legacy platform, or an organisation that wants its M365 environment properly secured and maintained, our certified Microsoft specialists handle the technical complexity from day one. DMS is a Microsoft Solutions Partner for Modern Work — Microsoft’s designation for partners with verified expertise in deploying and managing Microsoft 365.

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Our Microsoft 365 Managed Services

Microsoft 365 Data Security

Microsoft 365 holds some of your most sensitive data — emails, files, communications, and user identities. DMS secures your environment using advanced threat detection, multi-factor authentication enforcement, conditional access policies, data loss prevention rules, and encryption across Exchange Online, SharePoint, and OneDrive. Where your licence tier supports it, we also configure Microsoft Intune for endpoint management and Microsoft Entra ID for identity and access control.

Security management is ongoing, not a one-off exercise. We advise on GDPR and Cyber Essentials alignment throughout the engagement. For schools, the DfE Cyber Security Standards require MFA, access controls, and cloud security configuration across platforms including Microsoft 365 — we can help assess where your current licence tier meets those requirements and where it doesn’t.

Microsoft 365 Licensing

Getting Microsoft 365 licensing right is more complex than it looks. The wrong licence tier means either overpaying for features your team doesn’t use, or missing tools that would genuinely improve how your organisation works.

DMS reviews your current licence allocations, maps them against actual user requirements, and recommends the most cost-effective plan for your needs. We manage renewals, additions, and compliance checks — so nothing lapses unexpectedly and you’re never paying for seats you don’t need.

We work across the full Microsoft 365 licence range: Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium, E3, E5, Education, Government, and Non-Profit plans. As a Microsoft Solutions Partner for Modern Work, we can manage licences directly through our Microsoft partnership, often at better rates than purchasing direct.

Microsoft 365 Cloud Backup

Microsoft does not provide a true backup of your Microsoft 365 data. Retention policies are not a substitute — once the retention window has passed, or if data is deliberately deleted or corrupted by ransomware, recovery without a dedicated backup solution is difficult or impossible.

DMS deploys cloud-to-cloud backup for Microsoft 365 covering Exchange Online mailboxes, SharePoint sites, OneDrive accounts, and Teams data. Backups run automatically every day, stored in geo-redundant cloud storage. Restoration is granular — we can recover a single deleted email, a full mailbox, a SharePoint library, or an entire account, depending on what is needed.

This gives your organisation genuine business continuity, not just the assumption that Microsoft is handling it.

Microsoft 365 Migration

Moving to Microsoft 365 — or migrating between tenants — carries real risk without careful planning. Data loss, email downtime, broken permissions, and missed cutover windows are common where migrations are not managed end-to-end.

DMS handles the entire process: pre-migration assessment, data mapping, user communication, staged or cutover migration scheduling, and post-migration validation. We have managed migrations from Google Workspace, on-premises Exchange Server, legacy hosted email platforms, and tenant-to-tenant migrations for organisations that have restructured or merged. Disruption is kept to a minimum throughout, with a named point of contact from start to finish.

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    Why Choose Us for Microsoft 365 Managed Services?

    Choosing a Microsoft 365 managed services partner is a long-term decision. You need a provider who understands your sector, responds quickly when something goes wrong, and takes responsibility for keeping your environment in good shape — not just at the point of sale.

    Here’s why businesses choose us as their trusted Microsoft 365 managed services provider:
    • Certified Microsoft Expertise
      Our team holds current Microsoft certifications and has hands-on experience deploying and managing Microsoft 365 across education, corporate, public sector, and non-profit environments. DMS is a Microsoft Solutions Partner for Modern Work — Microsoft’s designation for partners with verified expertise in deploying and managing Microsoft 365. When a challenge is unusual, we have the depth to resolve it, not just escalate it.
    • Proactive Monitoring and Support
      Our helpdesk operates Monday to Friday, 08:00–17:00. You speak to engineers who know your environment, not a generic support queue. 24/7 support options are available for organisations that need round-the-clock cover.
    • Security and Compliance Built In
      Security is central to how we manage Microsoft 365. Depending on your licence tier, this includes threat protection configuration, identity and access management via Microsoft Entra ID, and endpoint management via Microsoft Intune. We also advise on GDPR and Cyber Essentials alignment as part of the engagement.
    • Solutions Tailored to Your Organisation
      There is no default Microsoft 365 configuration that suits every organisation. We take time to understand how your teams work, what your IT constraints are, and what a well-functioning environment looks like for you — then we build and manage accordingly. Some clients want a fully managed, hands-off service; others want a collaborative model where their internal IT team retains day-to-day control.
    • A Dedicated Account Manager
      Every DMS client has a named account manager who knows their environment, understands their priorities, and keeps them informed. You are not passed between teams or asked to re-explain your setup every time you call.

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    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

    What is Microsoft 365 managed services?
    Microsoft 365 managed services means outsourcing the ongoing administration, security, licensing, backup, and management of your Microsoft 365 environment to a specialist provider. Rather than handling this in-house, your organisation works with a certified partner who monitors your environment, manages licences, configures security, performs backups, and supports your users — typically for a fixed monthly cost per user.

    Does Microsoft 365 include backup?
    No. Microsoft 365 includes retention policies, but these are not a true backup. Once the retention window has passed, or if data is deliberately deleted, corrupted by ransomware, or removed by a third-party application error, recovery without a dedicated backup solution is difficult or impossible. DMS deploys a dedicated cloud-to-cloud backup covering Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams, with automated daily backups and granular item-level recovery.

    What types of organisations can benefit from Microsoft 365 managed services?
    Any organisation that relies on Microsoft 365 for email, document management, communication, or collaboration — regardless of size or sector. If your team uses Microsoft 365 and you want it managed securely, efficiently, and without the overhead of doing it in-house, the service is relevant to you.

    How does DMS ensure data security in Microsoft 365?
    DMS secures Microsoft 365 environments using advanced threat detection, multi-factor authentication enforcement, conditional access policies, data loss prevention rules, and encryption across Exchange Online, SharePoint, and OneDrive. Where your licence tier supports it, we also configure Microsoft Intune for endpoint management and Microsoft Entra ID for identity and access control. Security management is ongoing, aligned with GDPR and Cyber Essentials.

    Can DMS manage a migration to Microsoft 365?
    Yes. DMS manages end-to-end migrations to Microsoft 365 from Google Workspace, on-premises Exchange Server, legacy hosted email platforms, and tenant-to-tenant migrations. The process covers pre-migration assessment, data mapping, cutover scheduling, user communication, and post-migration validation. We aim for zero data loss and minimal disruption to day-to-day operations throughout.

    What does the Microsoft 365 licensing service include?
    The licensing service includes a full review of your current licence allocations, a comparison against actual user needs, a recommendation for the most cost-effective licence tier, and management of renewals and additions. We work across the full Microsoft 365 range — Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium, E3, E5, Education, Government, and Non-Profit plans — and can manage licences directly through our Microsoft Solutions Partner for Modern Work relationship.

    How often are Microsoft 365 backups performed?
    DMS runs automated daily backups of your Microsoft 365 data, covering Exchange Online mailboxes, SharePoint sites, OneDrive accounts, and Teams data. Backups are stored in geo-redundant cloud storage. Restoration is granular — individual items, full mailboxes, SharePoint libraries, or entire accounts can be recovered depending on what is needed.

    How do you tailor Microsoft 365 services for different organisations?
    We start with a structured conversation to understand your workflows, user needs, security requirements, and any compliance obligations specific to your sector. From there we configure Microsoft 365 to match — setting up the right applications, permissions, security policies, and integrations for your environment. Ongoing management is also tailored: some clients prefer a fully managed, hands-off service; others work in a collaborative model where their internal IT team retains control of day-to-day tasks.

    Can DMS help us deploy Microsoft 365 Copilot?
    Yes. DMS can advise on Microsoft 365 Copilot licensing requirements, readiness assessment, and deployment as part of our managed services. Copilot requires Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 as a baseline licence. If your organisation is considering Copilot, contact us to discuss whether your current environment is ready and what the right approach looks like.

    What is the difference between Microsoft 365 managed services and standard IT support?
    Standard IT support typically covers helpdesk requests and break-fix issues. Microsoft 365 managed services go further — proactively managing your M365 environment, configuring and maintaining security policies, monitoring for threats, managing licences, performing daily backups, and handling migrations. It is a more comprehensive, ongoing service rather than a reactive one, and is usually priced per user per month.

    Talk to a Microsoft 365 specialist