Microsoft 365 Long Anticipated Price Increase

by | Aug 7, 2021 | Uncategorized

Office_365_(2010-2013)

Microsoft 365 apps and services long anticipated price increas is coming the first quarter of 2022. 
Microsoft · Tekmar Solutions, Inc.

Tekmar became a Microsoft partner in the late 1990s. We were an early adopter of what became Office 365 in 2010 as part of a Back Office Suite to be part of our legendary Small Business Server offering.  We started selling it in 2011 as a stand alone replacement for the boxed product offering.  The TSI Spreadsheet Analysis that we still use today was clear, the best value was to be found in the subscripton model.

New pricing

The pricing changes we are announcing today will go into effect in six months. On March 1, 2022, we will update our list pricing for the following commercial products: Microsoft 365 Business Basic (from $5 to $6 per user), Microsoft 365 Business Premium (from $20 to $22), Office 365 E1 (from $8 to $10), Office 365 E3 (from $20 to $23), Office 365 E5 (from $35 to $38), and Microsoft 365 E3 (from $32 to $36). These increases will apply globally with local market adjustments for certain regions. There are no changes to pricing for education and consumer products at this time.

Additional Information

In the article the authors discuss three areas that make Microsoft 365 a better value than it was then.  Communications and colaboration, Security and Compliance and lastly AI and automation.  These cornerstones make the office suite invaluable in todays world.

 

Training people to watch for danger signs.

People want to be safe computer users.  Day to day concerns make it easy to forget caution. Following the manufacture documentation threads and open-source notes on software and hardware is essential.  Not doing so is reckless at best.  Tekmar Solutions fills the gap supporting business and home users.

Passwords Complexity. 

Tekmar starts out all new clients with a simple easy to remember password mantra for all our threat protection clients.  The phrase mantra is good.  A Password Manager is better with today’s number of authentications needed.

Updating software continuously.

Use an update service with monitored results. Browsers, databases and integration service software such as Java need to be regularly updated.

Maintain a graduated hardware replace schedule.

Computers are costly but not upgrading is more expense in terms of lost productivity.

Updating firewalls and other network devices.

Use a real hardware firewall. Update it regularly.

Maintaining state of the art anti-virus and anti-malware tools.

Maintaining start of the art Anti-virus and anti-malware tools is more that buying it. We need to have it installed and we need to monitor it – that is key to threat protection.  

Getting an outside assessment from a professional security provider regularly

An outside assessment is called for because security is so important. Without an out side assessment companies are basically open complacency that is the ground of attacks that you have heard about. Like the breach of Global giant Target or the smaller breach of ABC board here in Greensboro.

Have a standard and clear BYOD policy.

A good well crafted BYOD, Bring Your Own Device policy is a dual layer of protection. Employees and the company are protected with a simple well thoughout policy. 

Use outside monitoring service.

The promise of information technology is reducing costs.  Small and medium sized businesses must maintain fully functional systems without a fully staffed IT department. Yet providing constant analysis of traffic in and out of your system is difficult.

 

hardware-solutions-are-not enough

Security problem or need system support?

If you have:

  • a security problem,
  • technology question,
  • configuration issue,
  • had a network intrusion, malware or
  • item place in quarantine,

call the Tekuser Service Desk at (336) 373-110(5).

Or submit a request by clicking the get help button below.

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