Office 365 (Included In Office 365 Subs) Everything included in the Free Tier; Unlimited Directory Objects; Multi-factor authentication; Free vs. For those that want barebones Azure AD offerings, you’ll be looking at three tiers: free, basic, and Office 365. Let’s go over the primary differences between the three. Email, phone, or Skype. Can’t access your account? Azure Information Protection for Microsoft 365 Empower collaboration inside and outside your organization by protecting sensitive information such as emails and documents with encryption, restricted access and rights, and integrated security in Office apps. Talk to an expert To speak to a sales expert, call 1 855-270-0615.
-->This article applies to both Microsoft 365 Enterprise and Office 365 Enterprise.
Learn how Azure ExpressRoute is used with Office 365 and how to plan the network implementation project that will be required if you are deploying Azure ExpressRoute for use with Office 365. Infrastructure and platform services running in Azure will often benefit by addressing network architecture and performance considerations. We recommend ExpressRoute for Azure in these cases. Software as a Service offerings like Office 365 and Dynamics 365 have been built to be accessed securely and reliably via the Internet. You can read about Internet performance and security and when you might consider Azure ExpressRoute for Office 365 in the article Assessing Office 365 network connectivity.
Note
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is not supported in Azure Express Route.
Note
Microsoft authorization is required to use ExpressRoute for Office 365. Microsoft reviews every customer request and authorizes ExpressRoute for Office 365 usage when a customer's regulatory requirement mandates direct connectivity. If you have such requirements, please provide the text excerpt and web link to the regulation which you interpret to mean that direct connectivity is required in the ExpressRoute for Office 365 Request Form to begin a Microsoft review. Unauthorized subscriptions trying to create route filters for Office 365 will receive an error message.
You can now add a direct network connection to Office 365 for selected Office 365 network traffic. Azure ExpressRoute offers a direct connection, predictable performance, and comes with an uptime SLA of 99.95% for the Microsoft networking components. You'll still require an internet connection for services that aren't supported over Azure ExpressRoute.
Planning Azure ExpressRoute for Office 365
In addition to internet connectivity, you may choose to route a subset of their Office 365 network traffic over a direct connection that offers predictability and a 99.95% uptime SLA for the Microsoft networking components. Azure ExpressRoute provides you with this dedicated network connection to Office 365 and other Microsoft cloud services.
Regardless of whether you have an existing MPLS WAN, ExpressRoute can be added to your network architecture in one of three ways; through a supported cloud exchange co-location provider, an Ethernet point-to-point connection provider, or through an MPLS connection provider. See what providers are available in your region. The direct ExpressRoute connection will enable connectivity to the applications outlined in What Office 365 services are included? below. Network traffic for all other applications and services will continue to traverse the internet.
Consider the following high level network diagram which shows a typical Office 365 customer connecting to Microsoft's datacenters over the internet for access to all Microsoft applications such as Office 365, Windows Update, and TechNet. Customers use a similar network path regardless of whether they're connecting from an on-premises network or from an independent internet connection.
Now look at the updated diagram which depicts an Office 365 customer who uses both the internet and ExpressRoute to connect to Office 365. Notice that some connections such as Public DNS and Content Delivery Network nodes still require the public internet connection. Also notice the customer's users who are not located in their ExpressRoute connected building are connecting over the Internet.
Still want more information? Learn how to manage your network traffic with Azure ExpressRoute for Office 365 and learn how to configure Azure ExpressRoute for Office 365. We've also recorded a 10 part Azure ExpressRoute for Office 365 Training series on Channel 9 to help explain the concepts more thoroughly.
What Office 365 services are included?
The following table lists the Office 365 services that are supported over ExpressRoute. Please review the Office 365 endpoints article to understand which network requests for these applications require internet connectivity.
How To Connect Azure Office 365
| Applications included |
|---|
| Exchange Online1 Exchange Online Protection1 Delve1 |
| Skype for Business Online1 Microsoft Teams 1 |
| SharePoint Online1 OneDrive for Business1 Project Online1 |
| Portal and shared1 Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) 1 Azure AD Connect1 Office1 |
1 Each of these applications have internet connectivity requirements not supported over ExpressRoute, see the Office 365 endpoints article for more information.
The services that aren't included with ExpressRoute for Office 365 are Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise client downloads, On-premises Identity Provider Sign-In, and Office 365 (operated by 21 Vianet) service in China.
Implementing ExpressRoute for Office 365
Implementing ExpressRoute requires the involvement of network and application owners and requires careful planning to determine the new network routing architecture, bandwidth requirements, where security will be implemented, high availability, and so on. To implement ExpressRoute, you'll need to:
Fully understand the need ExpressRoute satisfies in your Office 365 connectivity planning. Understand what applications will use the internet or ExpressRoute and fully plan your network capacity, security, and high availability needs in the context of using both the internet and ExpressRoute for Office 365 traffic.
Determine the egress and peering locations for both internet and ExpressRoute traffic1.
Determine the capacity required on the internet and ExpressRoute connections.
Have a plan in place for implementing security and other standard perimeter controls1.
Have a valid Microsoft Azure account to subscribe to ExpressRoute.
Select a connectivity model and an approved provider. Keep in mind, customers can select multiple connectivity models or partners and the partner doesn't need to be the same as your existing network provider.
Validate deployment prior to directing traffic to ExpressRoute.
Optionally implement QoS and evaluate regional expansion.
1 Important performance considerations. Decisions here can dramatically impact latency which is a critical for applications such as Skype for Business.
For additional references, use our routing guide in addition to the ExpressRoute documentation.
To purchase ExpressRoute for Office 365, you'll need to work with one or more approved providers to provision the desired number and size circuits with an ExpressRoute Premium subscription. There are no additional licenses to purchase from Office 365.
Here's a short link you can use to come back: https://aka.ms/expressrouteoffice365
Ready to sign-up for ExpressRoute for Office 365?
How To Connect Azure Office 365
Related Topics
See also
In the past few years, products for business like MicrosoftOffice 365 and Microsoft Azure have gotten a lot of attention, and they’redefinitively being used by more companies of all sizes each year. If you’re notin the information technology (IT) field, you may not really know what theseproducts are and what they can do for your company. This week’s blog discussessome of the unique characteristics and business options of both MicrosoftOffice 365 and Microsoft Azure, but if you want to know more specifically abouthow these products and services can improve your business, it’s time to talk tothe IT ArchiTeks team. Contact us tolearn more about our IT support andconsulting options. Whether you’re struggling to migrate your businessnetworks to the cloud or you’re unhappy with performance of your costlybusiness software suites, we can help you find cost-effective solutions thatwork for you.
Microsoft Office 365
If you’ve ever worked in an office, you have probably usedthe Microsoft Office Suite. These are your daily-use products like Word, Excel,and Power Point. In the past, you may have purchased physical disks thatcontained individually licensed software to be used on one or a few devices.More recently, you likely updated to the downloaded version of the software foreach of your business computers, and now, you’re hearing some rumblings aboutthe benefits of switching to Microsoft Office 365. In addition to allowing foreasy download online from any device, Microsoft Office 365 gives your employeesthe ability to access their documents, apps, and information from up to fivedevices. Notice we said your employees have this ability. Rather thandownloading and maintaining a license, Microsoft Office 365 allows you toestablish individual accounts for users. Once they’re set up, your employees candownload updates, customize their app preferences, and access the sameMicrosoft products on any computer or mobile device. It’s great news forincreased productivity with diminished headaches for your IT manager, and theseproducts are even better for companies that no longer have a traditional brickand mortar business since any user has access to the service center andtroubleshooting options.
Check out our July blog on the benefits of migrating toOffice 365
Microsoft Azure
If Microsoft Office 365 gave your business the flexibilityto allow employees access to business software on the go and when workingremotely, imagine if they could access ALL of your business network offsite.That’s the power of Microsoft Azure. It’s not one product or software. Instead,it’s a fully customizable, cloud-based platform and IT infrastructure tool.That sounds complicate, and it can be. Put simply, Microsoft Azure is aflexible and customizable infrastructure that can be used for safe andredundant data storage, easy communication and collaboration between employees,and better access for businesses who have remote employees around the globe.Because it is so easily customized, Microsoft Azure can be extremely beneficialfor your business, but all of the moving pieces and flexible components can bea little overwhelming if you don’t have an IT background. Don’t forget ITArchiTeks has team members who can help translate all the technical specs andIT lingo into great products that work for your business.
Check out our July blog on the benefits of migrating toMicrosoft Azure
Know Your Service Acronyms – SaaS, IaaS & PaaS
So – what is the difference between the two Microsoftproducts? Like so many things in the world of IT, it all comes down to knowingyour acronyms. Microsoft 365 is an SaaS product. Microsoft Azure is a cloudplatform that combines elements of SaaS, IaaS, and PaaS products. We’ve brokendown the definitions and descriptions of each of these for you here:
SaaS – Software as a Service
You may also hear this referred to as on demand software.Essentially, software as a service (SaaS) is a distribution model for softwarelicensing. It allows for greater flexibility and improved function as thesoftware is constantly updated and perfected by the providers of the program.This means you pay a monthly fee that includes the software itself as well asregular updates and improvements. In the case of Microsoft Office 365, youremployees will also have access to limited IT support if they experience issueswith software. Additionally, Microsoft offers user-centered tutorials and help videosand articles, so your employees can easily learn new functions of the softwareand troubleshoot issues from anywhere.
IaaS – Infrastructure as a Service
Infrastructure as a Services (IaaS) gets a little moretechnical. We recommend thinking about your current computing, storage, andnetworking tools. Does your office have an onsite room filled with serversand/or an offsite server? These can be bulky, costly to maintain, and if youdon’t have offsite backups, you may find yourself losing business if theunforeseen happens and your server room is compromised. Rather than relying ona set of physical infrastructure components (like servers) that you need tomaintain, replicate to ensure redundancy, and increase as necessary to supportyour business, a cloud-based IaaS product gives you the ability to rent justthe space and infrastructure support you need. This makes IaaS products greatoptions for businesses that are growing fast.
PaaS – Platform as a Service
Perhaps the most complex in concept, Platform as a Service(PaaS) tools offer your business the ability to develop, customize, andmaintain computer applications without first needing to have a degree incomputer science! Some PaaS products that are commonly created by businessesinclude shared calendars/task management systems. Almost every business needsthese applications, and PaaS products allow you to make one that is customizedto your needs without building a new product from the ground up. There are manydifferent uses for the PaaS functions within Microsoft Azure if you’re able totake the time to explore all of the capabilities. The IT ArchiTeks team canalso help you review and explore these solutions and how they can improve yourbusiness.
Azure Office 365 Pricing
Still Not Sure Which is Right for You? We’re Here to Help!
Azure And Office 365 Integration
If you still don’t feel 100% ready to commit to one ofMicrosoft’s new cloud-based office suites, it might be time to give ITArchiTeks a call toschedule a consultation. Our team of experts can translate the technical jargonand help you understand how these resources will benefit your business.