Introduction

As a Microsoft partner, you know that security is a top priority for your customers. They want to protect their data, devices, and identities from cyber threats, while also enabling their employees to work productively and collaboratively. That's why Microsoft offers two powerful solutions for enterprise and mobility security: the E3 and E5 SKUS. These SKUS are bundles of products and services that provide comprehensive and integrated security for your customers' modern work environments. But what are the differences between E3 and E5, and how can you help your customers choose the right one for their needs? In this blog, we will explore the features, benefits, and customer verticals of E3 and E5, as well as the go-to-market strategies that you can use to implement security for your customers. We will also show you how you can leverage the SureStep Ambassadors for Modern Work program to get access to exclusive resources, training, and support to grow your security business with Microsoft.

E3 vs E5: What are the differences?

Both E3 and E5 SKUS include a range of products and services that cover four key areas of security: identity and access management, information protection, threat protection, and security management. However, E5 offers more advanced and sophisticated capabilities than E3, as well as some additional features that are not available in E3. Here is a summary of the main differences between E3 and E5:

• Identity and access management: E3 includes Azure Active Directory Premium P1, which provides features such as single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, conditional access, and identity protection. E5 includes Azure Active Directory Premium P2, which adds features such as privileged identity management, access reviews, and identity governance.
• Information protection: E3 includes Microsoft 365 E3, which provides features such as sensitivity labels, data loss prevention, and encryption for email and files. E5 includes Microsoft 365 E5, which adds features such as automatic classification, cloud app security, and information barriers.
• Threat protection: E3 includes Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1, which provides features such as anti-malware, anti-phishing, and safe attachments. E5 includes Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 2, which adds features such as threat investigation and response, safe links, and attack simulation. E5 also includes Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, which provides features such as endpoint detection and response, threat and vulnerability management, and automated investigation and remediation.
• Security management: E3 includes Microsoft 365 Security Center, which provides features such as security score, secure score, and security alerts. E5 includes Microsoft 365 Compliance Center, which adds features such as data governance, eDiscovery, and audit. E5 also includes Azure Sentinel, which is a cloud-native security information and event management (SIEM) solution that provides features such as data collection, analytics, and orchestration.

E3 vs E5: What are the benefits?

Both E3 and E5 SKUS offer significant benefits for your customers, such as:

• Enhanced security: E3 and E5 provide comprehensive and integrated security for your customers' data, devices, and identities, using artificial intelligence and machine learning to detect and prevent threats, and automate and streamline security operations.
• Increased productivity: E3 and E5 enable your customers' employees to work securely from anywhere, on any device, and collaborate effectively with their colleagues, partners, and customers, using cloud-based tools such as Microsoft 365, Teams, and SharePoint.
• Reduced costs: E3 and E5 help your customers save money and simplify their IT management, by consolidating their security solutions into a single vendor, and offering flexible and scalable pricing options.

However, E5 offers some additional benefits over E3, such as:

• Advanced security: E5 provides more sophisticated and granular security capabilities than E3, such as privileged identity management, automatic classification, threat investigation and response, and SIEM.
• Compliance readiness: E5 helps your customers meet their regulatory and legal obligations, by providing features such as data governance, eDiscovery, and audit, and supporting standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.
• Innovation leadership: E5 gives your customers access to the latest and most cutting-edge security features and services from Microsoft, such as Azure Sentinel, which is the first cloud-native SIEM solution in the market.

E3 vs E5: What are the customer verticals?

Both E3 and E5 SKUS are suitable for a wide range of customer verticals, such as:

• Healthcare: E3 and E5 can help healthcare organizations protect their sensitive patient data, comply with regulations such as HIPAA, and enable their staff to work remotely and collaborate securely.
• Education: E3 and E5 can help education institutions safeguard their student and staff data, adhere to standards such as FERPA, and empower their teachers and learners to work online and communicate effectively.
• Financial services: E3 and E5 can help financial services firms secure their confidential customer data, abide by rules such as PCI DSS, and enable their employees to work flexibly and productively.

However, E5 may be more appealing to certain customer verticals than E3, such as:

• Government: E5 can help government agencies protect their classified and sensitive data, comply with regulations such as NIST, and leverage advanced security features such as SIEM and threat intelligence.
• Manufacturing: E5 can help manufacturing companies protect their intellectual property and trade secrets, adhere to standards such as ISO, and utilize sophisticated security features such as endpoint detection and response and threat and vulnerability management.
• Retail: E5 can help retail businesses protect their customer and transaction data, abide by rules such as GDPR, and take advantage of advanced security features such as cloud app security and information barriers.

E3 vs E5: What are the go-to-market strategies?

As a Microsoft partner, you can use different go-to-market strategies to sell and implement E3 and E5 SKUS for your customers, such as:

• Assessment: You can use tools such as Microsoft Secure Score and Microsoft 365 Security Assessment to evaluate your customers' current security posture, identify their security gaps and risks, and recommend the best E3 or E5 SKU for their needs.
• Migration: You can use tools such as FastTrack and Microsoft 365 Migration Services to help your customers migrate their existing security solutions to E3 or E5, and ensure a smooth and seamless transition.
• Optimization: You can use tools such as Microsoft 365 Security Center and Azure Sentinel to help your customers optimize their security configuration and performance, and provide ongoing monitoring and management.
• Value-added services: You can offer value-added services such as security training, consulting, and support to help your customers maximize the benefits of E3 or E5, and differentiate yourself from the competition.

Conclusion

Microsoft's Enterprise and Mobility SKUS, E3 and E5, are powerful solutions for enterprise and mobility security that can help you grow your security business with Microsoft. By understanding the differences, benefits, and customer verticals of E3 and E5, you can help your customers choose the right SKU for their needs and use the best go-to-market strategies to sell and implement security for your customers. If you want to learn more about E3 and E5, and how to become a successful security partner with Microsoft, you can contact our SureStep Ambassadors for Modern Work today! We will give you access to exclusive resources, training, and support to help you accelerate your security business with Microsoft. To get in touch, simply email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will get you started.