Managed Microsoft 365: Operated by certified experts
Claranet takes care of the operation of your Microsoft 365 environment: from Entra ID and Exchange Online to Teams and SharePoint. Three clearly defined service packages (Bronze, Silver, Gold), certified Microsoft specialists and German-speaking support. Your IT team remains free to focus on strategic tasks.
Why have Microsoft 365 operated as a managed service?
Microsoft 365 is the central work platform in German companies, with over 300 million monthly active users worldwide (source: Microsoft, Q1 2025). Secure, compliance-compliant operation requires specialist expertise that many IT departments are unable to provide in full.
Increasing operational complexity
Microsoft 365 changes every month: new features, security policies, API updates. Without dedicated specialists, there is a risk of configuration errors and a growing backlog of support tickets.
Security and compliance risks
The GDPR and BaFin require an active security configuration. Safe Links, PIM and DLP policies remain ineffective without ongoing maintenance.
Missing certifications
Certified Microsoft 365 specialists represent a niche market: recruitment cycles for M365 security and compliance roles are significantly longer than the IT average. Recruitment and retention take up time and budget that are lacking in day-to-day operations.
Unclear responsibilities
Traditional outsourcing contracts do not specify what constitutes an incident, a change or exceptional work. This leads to delays in response and rising costs.
Authorisation chaos
Manual access reviews are not scalable: permissions that have grown unchecked remain undetected until the reviewer or auditor finds them. Without automated governance reporting, there is a lack of traceability in the event of an incident.
Scaling as the business grows
Growth and M&A bring new tenants, licensing models and compliance requirements. Without a flexible operating model, integration is delayed and licensing costs spiral out of control.
This is exactly where Claranet’s Managed Microsoft 365 Services come in: with qualified experts, in-depth advice, clear agreements and detailed reporting.
An overview of Managed Microsoft 365 service packages
Four steps to managed Microsoft 365 operations
Consultation and assessment
Claranet analyses your existing Microsoft 365 environment, assesses its current operational status and identifies opportunities for optimisation. We also take note of your specific requirements regarding SLAs, responsibilities and add-ons, and recommend the most suitable service package.
Service Design and Contract
Service Level Agreements, handover processes and responsibilities are set out in writing for each workload, specifying response and resolution times. Additional service modules and individual requirements are taken into account where necessary and set out in the contract.
Onboarding and Transition
A structured handover of operations, including full documentation of your M365 environment. Claranet sets up all internal service processes and carries out an initial audit.
Stability and optimisation
Continuous operation in accordance with agreed SLAs, regular service reviews and proactive recommendations. Claranet provides information on relevant Microsoft updates, new security threats and opportunities for optimisation.
The benefits of choosing Claranet as your Microsoft 365 Managed Service Provider
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Certified Microsoft Expertise
Benefit from certified specialists for all Microsoft 365 workloads and direct access to Microsoft resources, technical information and roadmaps.
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Clear operational rules
Defined SLAs, clear performance limits and transparent quotas provide clarity on response times, responsibilities and usage.
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Focus on security
Claranet supports the secure and compliance-compliant operation of your Microsoft 365 environment. Through regular service reviews, health checks and recommendations for improvement measures, potential for optimisation is identified at an early stage.
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Compliance Support
Data storage, support and data routing take place entirely in Germany. With the Gold package, we also support industry-specific compliance requirements such as BaFin and NIS2.
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Scalability to suit your needs
Scale user numbers, features and service levels as required, without changing your contract and with extensions that can be activated whilst the system is running.
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Transparent service
Monthly reports and service reviews provide a clear overview of status, usage and actions taken; from the Silver package onwards, these are supplemented by real-time reports and Threat Explorer.
Talk to our Microsoft 365 experts
During a free initial consultation, we’ll analyse your current Microsoft 365 environment and discuss which service package is right for your business. Cloud-neutral, with no pressure to buy.
Managed Microsoft 365 service packages. Full details
SUITABLE FOR
IT teams with in-house M365 expertise and a need for ad hoc support
FOCUS
- Support as required
- Regular tenant checks
IDENTITY & ACCESS
Advisory / support as required
OPERATIONS
Not included
SECURITY
Advisory / support as required
COMPLIANCE & GOVERNANCE
Advisory / support as required
REPORTING & INSIGHTS
Not included
SERVICE MANAGEMENT
By agreement
LICENCE BASIS: No minimum requirement
BILLING: Quota-based
SUITABLE FOR
Organisations without in-house M365 expertise that require stable, basic operations
FOCUS
- Basic administration
- Reactive support
- Stabilisation of operations
IDENTITY & ACCESS
- User, licence & group management
- MFA, passwordless sign-in, CA (basic)
Entra P2 from Silver upwards ↑
OPERATIONS
- Exchange, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive
- M365 Apps & Tools
SECURITY
- Anti-spam, anti-phishing, anti-malware
- Safe Links & Attachments (Defender P1)
Defender P2 from Silver upwards ↑
COMPLIANCE & GOVERNANCE
Not included
REPORTING & INSIGHTS
- Basic security & usage reports
Advanced reporting from Silver upwards ↑
SERVICE MANAGEMENT
By agreement
LICENCE BASIS: M365 Business or Enterprise E3
BILLING: Price per user
SUITABLE FOR
Organisations focusing on proactive security, governance and further development
FOCUS
- Comprehensive support
- Security and compliance
- Strategic development
IDENTITY & ACCESS
- Entra P2: PIM & Risk-based CA
- Access Reviews & ID Protection
- Custom Security Attributes
OPERATIONS
- All features from Bronze
- SharePoint Advanced Management
- Teams Premium & Viva
SECURITY
- Defender P2: Attack Simulation
- Defender for Cloud Apps & Identity
- Privileged Access Management
COMPLIANCE & GOVERNANCE
- Purview: DLP, Retention, Labels
- eDiscovery & Audit Premium
- Insider Risk Management
REPORTING & INSIGHTS
- Secure Score & Threat Explorer
- Data Governance & Advanced Alerts
SERVICE MANAGEMENT
- Monthly reporting & regular meetings
- Strategic consultancy
LICENCE BASIS: E3 + E5 Security + E5 Compliance
BILLING: Price per user
SUITABLE FOR
Organisations with particularly demanding or regulated requirements
FOCUS
- Customised services
- Regulated environments
- Special regulatory issues
IDENTITY & ACCESS
- Entra P2: PIM & Risk-based CA
- Access Reviews & ID Protection
- Custom Security Attributes
OPERATIONS
- All features from Bronze
- SharePoint Advanced Management
- Teams Premium & Viva
SECURITY
- Defender P2: Attack Simulation
- Defender for Cloud Apps & Identity
- Privileged Access Management
COMPLIANCE & GOVERNANCE
- Purview: DLP, Retention, Labels
- eDiscovery & Audit Premium
- Insider Risk Management
REPORTING & INSIGHTS
- Secure Score & Threat Explorer
- Data Governance & Advanced Alerts
CUSTOMISED SERVICE SUPPORT
- Increased frequency of health checks
- Strategy review & customised topics
- DORA, NIS2, BAFIN, ISO 27001
- Support with regulatory special audits
LICENCE BASIS: E3 + E5 Security + E5 Compliance
BILLING: Price per user
Frequently Asked Questions about Managed Microsoft 365
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Managed Microsoft 365 means that Claranet takes full responsibility for the operation of a company’s Microsoft 365 environment. This includes the day-to-day administration of Entra ID (user accounts, permissions, identity), Exchange Online (email infrastructure), SharePoint, Teams, as well as security and compliance configurations in Microsoft Defender and Purview. The managed service provider handles change requests, responds to incidents and provides regular reports on the status of the environment. This relieves the customer’s in-house IT team of routine tasks, allowing them to focus on strategic projects.
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The three packages differ in terms of the scope of workloads, the level of security and the scope for customisation. Bronze covers the basic operation of Entra ID, Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams and Defender for Office 365 Plan 1, and is suitable for organisations wishing to reliably outsource their M365 administration. Silver expands the portfolio to include complex security areas: Privileged Identity Management (PIM), Defender for Office 365 Plan 2, Microsoft Purview (DLP, retention, eDiscovery) and advanced reporting. Gold includes everything from the Silver package and addresses specific requirements such as BAFIN compliance, KRITIS regulations or more frequent audit cycles for regulated sectors and organisations with specific governance requirements.
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For the Bronze package, we recommend at least Microsoft 365 Business Premium or Microsoft 365 E3. It is also possible to use Microsoft 365 Business Standard, although the range of features will be correspondingly reduced. For the Silver and Gold packages, we recommend Microsoft 365 E3 in combination with Microsoft 365 E5 Security / E5 Compliance or a Microsoft E5 licence in order to take full advantage of the full range of features. Individual features such as Privileged Identity Management (PIM), Microsoft Purview and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 are included in Microsoft 365 E5. It is also possible to use Microsoft 365 Business Premium, but with functional limitations. Claranet can help you choose the right licensing for your requirements and advise you on potential optimisations in terms of functionality and costs.
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Yes. We regularly review together whether the agreed scope of services still meets your current needs. Adjustments are made where necessary. If the Microsoft 365 licences are also procured through Claranet, they are invoiced according to your current licence requirements for each billing period.
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The Managed Microsoft 365 Advisory Package is an hourly allowance for ad hoc, on-demand support from Claranet experts, without ongoing managed operations. Unlike the Bronze, Silver and Gold packages, with the Advisory Package Claranet does not assume ongoing operational responsibility for your Microsoft 365 environment. Operations remain entirely with the customer’s in-house IT team.
The Advisory Package is aimed at organisations that have a well-functioning in-house IT department with Microsoft 365 expertise, but who wish to draw on external specialist expertise from time to time, for example for complex configuration tasks, security reviews, project support or preparation for new Microsoft features.
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Microsoft Support deals exclusively with issues relating to the Microsoft 365 platform itself. A managed service provider such as Claranet also manages the entire configuration within the customer’s tenant: identity and access management, security policies, compliance configuration, licence optimisation, permissions reviews and the user lifecycle. In the event of a fault, Claranet also handles the escalation to Microsoft. The customer has a single point of contact rather than having to deal with multiple points of contact.
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Yes. It is possible to switch packages whilst the service is active, without having to draw up a new contract. When upgrading to a higher-tier package, additional workloads and security features are incorporated as part of the defined onboarding process.
