By now most companies have either heard of, considered or have moved from on-premise infrastructure, platforms or software to an increasingly cloud-based management solution. One of the most popular migrations to the cloud is to implement Microsoft Office 365, followed by Exchange Online, Skype for Business (or Teams) Online and SharePoint Online services. So, what are the differences between Microsoft 365 and Office 365? Are they the same? How do I learn the skills needed to manage services in the Cloud?

To oversimplify, Office 365 is one of the available components within the larger Microsoft 365 Cloud services. Office 365 is a subscription to the popular Microsoft Office products (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) based within the Cloud and accessible from anywhere. There are a lot of versions of this model because you can choose what you need ala carte or from specifically created plans. Please click on Microsoft’s link to learn more about Office 365 Plan Options and what they include.

Microsoft 365 is composed of 3 bundles of services working together: Office 365, Windows 10 and Enterprise Mobility + Security. The licensing plans (Enterprise, Business-SMB and Education) include options for security, compliance, mobility solutions and device management that are not a part of purchasing Office 365 alone. A single management console is used to administer all user and device settings across the platform.

As organizations move to Microsoft’s Cloud solutions, LRS Education Services can assist by sharing Microsoft’s best practices for managing the transition. By attending one of our training events, our instructors take you through the planning, deployment and administration cycle of Office 365 and Microsoft 365 services. Attendees are given a chance to develop their skills through our hands-on labs in a live Azure environment.

Whether you are looking to begin your certification track or just need to gain additional knowledge on Office 365 or Microsoft 365 services, LRS Education Services offers an opportunity for students to join in on one of our live Instructor-Led Training (ILT) classroom options: In-class or Remote. For remote students who are not able to join us in the classroom, we have a virtual connection option. This uses our online video and audio feeds to connect and interact with the instructor as well as the in-class students. For a video on how our Virtual Training option works, click on the link.

Remember that LRS Education offers a FREE Microsoft exam voucher when you enroll in any Microsoft Official Curriculum course!

Office 365 Training Content:
MS--030T00 - Office 365 Administrator – Our 5-day instructor-led training (ILT) course that targets the needs of IT professionals who take part in evaluating, planning, deploying, and operating Office 365 services, including its identities, dependencies, requirements, and supporting technologies. This course focuses on skills required to set up an Office 365 tenant, including federation with existing user identities, and skills required to sustain an Office 365 tenant and its users. It also provides an overview of planning and configuring: Office 365 ProPlus, Exchange, Teams, SharePoint, Yammer and OneDrive collaborative tools, security / compliance, and how to plan and deploy AS FS for identity federation with Office 365.

• January 27 - 31, 2020: 10am – 6pm Central. Live virtual-instructor, can connect to class from any location.
• April 27 – May 1, 2020: 11am – 7pm Central. Live virtual-instructor, can connect to class from any location.

Microsoft 365 Training Content:
If you truly are interested in receiving a high-level overview of Microsoft 365 and the services provided, I recommend taking the following 1-day course that will lead into the topics required for being Microsoft 365 Certified. LRS Education offers all classes associated with the four new Microsoft 365 Certified Associate certifications. Reach out to our LRS Education Consultants to learn more about these course options.

MS-900T01 - Microsoft 365 Fundamentals – This course is a great 1-day introduction to Azure and an overview of the differences between Microsoft 365 and Office 365. You will perform an in-depth review of Microsoft 365, including a comparison of Microsoft on-premises services versus Microsoft 365 cloud services, a review of enterprise mobility in Microsoft 365, and an analysis of how Microsoft 365 services provide collaboration. The course then analyzes how security, compliance, privacy, and trust are handled in Microsoft 365, and it concludes with a review of Microsoft 365 subscriptions, licenses, billing, and support.

• November 26, 2019: 8:30am - 4:30pm Central. Live instructor led class. May attend in-class at our LRS Springfield IL facility, or connect remotely through our virtual option.

Explore LRS Education Services:
For additional helpful Blogs from our staff and instructors, connect with us at our LRS Education Services website. You may also click here for a list of all of our Guaranteed to Run Courses, or to search our Online Course Catalog.

Feel free to call or email me for more information, discount availability, or how to apply Microsoft Software Assurance Training Vouchers (SATV)!

Happy learning,
Christopher Becher
Education Consultant
P 309.664.7670 ext. 6302
F 309.662.7282
E christopher.becher@lrs.com
LRS Education Services