Intro to Microsoft Consulting Services
Keeping your organization’s environment secure and compliant can be challenging. Microsoft Consulting Services (MCS) exist to bridge this gap, providing you with expert guidance to maximize the potential of your Microsoft investments—particularly in security and compliance.
At Levacloud, we specialize in Microsoft Consulting Services focused explicitly on security and compliance. This means hands-on, actionable support—real work performed directly in your environment with your IT team, not just presentations or slideshows.
Through our partnership with Microsoft, we can often help secure funding for customized workshops at no additional cost to you. These workshops allow your team to get hands-on experience, tailored specifically to your organization’s needs, enhancing your practical knowledge and capabilities.
Beyond workshops, our consulting services offerings extend into critical security areas, including policy configuration, Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rule optimization, and improving your Microsoft Secure Score. In other words, we help you actively reduce your organization’s risk and clearly demonstrate compliance with industry standards.
In this post, we’ll dive into exactly how Levacloud’s security and compliance-focused Microsoft Consulting Services can empower your organization, strengthening your security posture and optimizing your Microsoft environment to achieve results.
The Value of Microsoft Consulting Services
Microsoft Consulting Services (MCS) deliver value far beyond basic technical support or troubleshooting. When you engage with a security and compliance focused Microsoft partner like Levacloud, you gain several key advantages:
Accelerated Security and Compliance Implementation
Deploying and configuring Microsoft’s security solutions can be complex. With targeted consulting, you can accelerate these implementations significantly. Levacloud helps streamline deployment by quickly identifying gaps, prioritizing critical security tasks, and ensuring you’re fully leveraging the capabilities of tools like Microsoft Defender, Purview, and Intune.
Specialized Expertise at Your Disposal
Microsoft’s ecosystem evolves rapidly, making it challenging to keep internal skills current. Leveraging MCS gives you immediate access to specialized expertise. At Levacloud, our team continuously stays up to date with Microsoft’s latest security and compliance developments. We offer practical, in-depth knowledge to address specific challenges—without you needing to maintain all this expertise internally.
Enhanced Security Posture and Compliance
Your security posture is not just about ticking compliance boxes. It’s about proactively reducing your risk exposure. With dedicated Microsoft Consulting Services, you can significantly enhance your Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rules, improve your Microsoft Secure Score, and establish robust policies tailored to your unique environment. This results in measurable improvements in security, as well as simplified adherence to industry and regulatory requirements.
Cost-Efficiency through Microsoft-Funded Workshops
For some clients, we can help them with Microsoft funding. These funded engagements deliver practical, real-world experience directly within your own environment—at no cost to you, except your IT teams time. This makes your security enhancements not only faster and more effective but also budget-friendly.
In the next section, we’ll dive deeper into Levacloud’s security and compliance-focused consulting services, outlining precisely how our support can transform your organization’s security posture.
We’ll keep you up to date on the latest in Microsoft Cybersecurity.
Security and Compliance Consulting Services
Levacloud’s Microsoft Consulting Services are specifically designed around Microsoft security and compliance tools, providing tangible results and actionable improvements to your organization’s security posture. Here’s how we help:
Real Environment, Real Results
These funded workshops are customized, practical engagements conducted directly within your organization’s live environment—not simulations or theoretical exercises. You gain hands-on experience using Microsoft Defender, Intune, and Purview, guided step-by-step by our experts, all without additional costs. This approach ensures your team thoroughly understands each tool’s capabilities and practical applications.
Policy Creation and Optimization
Security and compliance begin with strong, tailored policies. Levacloud assists you in configuring precise, effective policies across your Microsoft ecosystem, including Conditional Access policies, compliance baselines, and data governance rules with Microsoft Purview. We help tailor these to your own needs and environment.
Enhancing Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) Rules
Attack Surface Reduction rules are foundational to securing your organization’s endpoints. Levacloud reviews and optimizes your ASR configurations, helping you proactively block known and emerging threats. By fine-tuning these settings specifically for your organization, we substantially reduce your vulnerability without impacting user productivity.
Improving Your Microsoft Secure Score
Your Microsoft Secure Score is more than just a number—it represents your organization’s overall security health. We help you pinpoint exactly where improvements can be made and guide you through implementing best practices to significantly boost this score. This approach directly translates into enhanced security, easier compliance management, and clear visibility into your security posture.
In the next section, we’ll explore real-world scenarios to demonstrate exactly how organizations like yours have leveraged these services to achieve meaningful security and compliance improvements.
Case Study
Strengthening Cybersecurity and Compliance for a Mid-Sized Bank with Microsoft Defender, Intune, and Purview
Client Overview
A mid-sized regional bank serving thousands of customers across multiple states engaged with Levacloud to improve its cybersecurity posture. The institution had already invested in Microsoft 365 security tools but was not realizing their full value due to configuration gaps and lack of internal expertise.
The Challenge
The bank faced several key challenges:
- A Microsoft Secure Score of only 35%, indicating underutilized and misconfigured security features.
- Partial deployment of Microsoft Defender and Intune, leading to inconsistent endpoint protection and compliance enforcement.
- Underutilization of existing Microsoft 365 licensing investments.
- A need for both proactive and responsive support to address strategic improvements and day-to-day operational issues.
Our Engagement Approach
Levacloud delivered a tailored security enhancement program combining strategic enablement and technical support:
Weekly Proactive Working Sessions
- Conducted structured sessions to review Microsoft Secure Score recommendations and prioritize remediation efforts.
- Guided the implementation of best practices across Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Identity, and Defender for Cloud Apps.
- Developed and deployed Intune configuration profiles and compliance policies to standardize device posture and enable zero-touch provisioning.
Reactive Service Desk Support
- Addressed day-to-day support needs through our responsive service desk.
- Resolved endpoint onboarding issues, compliance conflicts, and policy misalignments.
- Delivered root cause analysis and escalation support to ensure rapid resolution of critical issues.
Results
Over the course of the engagement, the bank realized substantial improvements:
- Increased Microsoft Secure Score from 35% to 85%.
- Completed full rollout of Microsoft Defender and Intune across all endpoints.
- Achieved complete utilization of Microsoft 365 security capabilities under their current licensing tier.
- Established an effective operating model for collaboration between IT and Information Security teams.
Next Steps: Advancing with Microsoft 365 E5 and Purview
Building on this success, the bank is now preparing for the next phase of its security and compliance journey:
- Upgrading to Microsoft 365 E5 and enabling Microsoft 365 Copilot.
- Engaging Levacloud to implement Microsoft Purview for data lifecycle management, compliance, and insider risk reduction.
- Leveraging a Microsoft-funded engagement to accelerate the adoption of advanced capabilities with minimal additional investment.
Wondering if Levacloud can solve your Microsoft Cybersecurity related challenge? Drop us a message!
Choosing the Right Microsoft Consulting Partner
Selecting the right Microsoft consulting partner is critical for ensuring that your organization gets maximum value from your Microsoft security and compliance tools. To make sure you’re making the best choice, here are key factors you should consider:
Specialized Expertise and Certifications
Ensure your partner has specific, demonstrable expertise in Microsoft security and compliance technologies, such as Microsoft Defender, Intune, and Purview. Certifications such as Microsoft Solutions Partner designations in Security or Modern Work are reliable indicators of in-depth capability and continuous training.
Industry-Specific Knowledge
Your partner should understand not just Microsoft solutions, but also your industry’s unique security and compliance challenges. Levacloud, for instance, has deep experience working specifically in sectors like Healthcare, Education, Nonprofits and Finance—each with distinctive regulatory requirements and security concerns.
Real-World Experience and Client Testimonials
Look for a partner with tangible success stories and satisfied clients willing to share their experiences. Case studies or direct references can provide assurance that your partner not only understands Microsoft technologies theoretically but knows exactly how to apply them effectively in practical, real-world scenarios.
Hands-On, Practical Engagement
Consulting services shouldn’t be purely theoretical. Your partner should offer tangible, actionable support—like Microsoft-funded workshops conducted directly in your environment—that produce immediate, practical benefits. Levacloud emphasizes real-world, hands-on interactions, ensuring you see measurable outcomes quickly.
Ongoing Support and Optimization
Finally, your consulting partner should provide ongoing support, not just one-time implementations. Security and compliance require continual adjustments to stay ahead of threats and regulatory changes. Levacloud is dedicated to providing continuous policy optimization, ASR rule tuning, and Secure Score improvements to maintain and enhance your security posture long-term through our various service plans.
By carefully evaluating these factors, you can confidently choose a Microsoft Consulting Services partner that aligns with your organization’s needs and helps you achieve tangible, sustained improvements in security and compliance.
In our next section, we’ll outline how you can maximize the return on your investment in Microsoft Consulting Services.
Maximizing ROI
Engaging with Microsoft Consulting Services represents a strategic investment in your organization’s security and compliance posture. To ensure you see the best possible returns from this investment, consider the following practical steps:
Set Clear, Measurable Objectives
Before you start any engagement, clearly define your security and compliance goals. Objectives could include:
- Improving your Microsoft Secure Score
- Achieving compliance for standards like HIPAA or GDPR
- Reducing security incidents related to endpoint vulnerabilities
Levacloud helps you establish realistic targets that clearly demonstrate the value of your investment.
Leverage Microsoft-Funded Workshops
Take full advantage of available Microsoft funding. Workshops funded by Microsoft, and facilitated by Levacloud, allow your team to directly apply security and compliance tools in your own environment at no additional cost. These hands-on experiences enable your organization to quickly gain practical knowledge, accelerating your path toward meeting your security goals without impacting your budget.
Continuous Performance Monitoring
Regularly measure and review your progress. Consistently monitor metrics such as your Microsoft Secure Score, compliance adherence, and security incident rates. Levacloud can help you maintain a clear view of your security posture, identifying new areas for improvement and ensuring continued alignment with best practices through one of our ongoing services.
Adopt a Proactive Security Mindset
Move beyond reactive security measures by proactively identifying and mitigating threats. Regular reviews and optimization of your Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rules, Conditional Access policies, and data governance practices with Microsoft Purview help prevent incidents before they occur, directly increasing your ROI.
Focus on Ongoing Optimization
Security and compliance are dynamic, not static. Continuously optimize and refine your policies and configurations based on evolving threats, regulatory updates, and changes in your operational environment. Levacloud can support you through ongoing optimization, ensuring sustained improvements over time rather than temporary fixes.
By adopting these approaches, you’ll maximize the value of your Microsoft Consulting Services, ensuring your organization’s security investments yield lasting, measurable results.
In the final section, we’ll recap the core benefits and reinforce how Microsoft Consulting Services empower your organization’s ongoing security and compliance success.
You have a pressing issue, but you’re not sure if Levacloud can help. We get it. Everyone has unique challenges they face in their IT environments. Schedule a free call today and talk us through it.
We’ll let you know how we can best support you.
Empowering Your Business
Investing in Microsoft Consulting Services specifically tailored to security and compliance empowers your organization.
By leveraging Microsoft-funded workshops, refining your policies, enhancing ASR rules, and improving your Microsoft Secure Score, you’re not simply reacting to threats—you’re proactively reducing risk and demonstrating clear compliance.
Levacloud ensures you see tangible outcomes from your investment, supporting continuous improvement tailored precisely to your environment and industry.
Ready to take the next step in securing and streamlining your Microsoft environment? Levacloud’s security and compliance-focused Microsoft Consulting Services are designed to help you achieve exactly that.
Contact us today to discuss how we can partner with you to unlock the full potential of your Microsoft security and compliance tools.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What are Microsoft-funded workshops, and how do I qualify?
Microsoft-funded workshops are practical, hands-on engagements designed to help you better understand and implement Microsoft’s security and compliance solutions directly in your own environment. Levacloud can help you determine eligibility, submit requests, and manage the approval process. Workshops are often provided at no additional cost, making them an extremely effective way to accelerate your security improvements.
2. How is the Microsoft Secure Score calculated, and how can I improve it?
Your Microsoft Secure Score measures your organization’s security posture by assessing your configuration and usage of Microsoft security tools. It provides clear recommendations to improve your security standing. Levacloud helps you interpret and implement these recommendations, such as configuring Conditional Access policies, optimizing ASR rules, and applying best practices to improve your score.
3. Does Levacloud provide ongoing support after initial implementation?
Absolutely. Security and compliance aren’t one-time tasks—they require continuous management and refinement. Levacloud provides ongoing optimization, monitoring, and strategic guidance to ensure your security posture stays robust, compliant, and adaptive to evolving threats and regulations.
4. What industries does Levacloud specialize in for Microsoft security consulting?
Levacloud specializes in delivering Microsoft Consulting Services tailored to Healthcare, Education, Manufacturing, and Finance. We have deep expertise and a strong understanding of the distinct security and compliance challenges faced in each of these sectors.
5. Can Levacloud assist with compliance, like HIPAA, GDPR, or CMMC?
Yes. Levacloud helps your organization configure and manage Microsoft tools to align with specific regulatory frameworks like HIPAA, GDPR, and CMMC. Our targeted support ensures you’re positioned effectively to achieve and maintain compliance.
6. How quickly can we expect improvements after engaging with Levacloud?
Clients typically see measurable improvements in their security posture, compliance readiness, and Secure Score within weeks of engagement. Because our approach is practical and hands-on, you’ll notice tangible enhancements right away, continuing to build over time.
7. Do we need extensive Microsoft knowledge before working with Levacloud?
No. While some familiarity with Microsoft tools is helpful, our services are specifically designed to support you no matter your starting point. Levacloud provides training and direct guidance to ensure your team quickly becomes proficient in using Microsoft security and compliance solutions effectively.
This blog post was reviewed and validated by Gareth Young, a Microsoft Security and Compliance Expert with 15 years of experience in Microsoft solutions. As the founder of Levacloud, Gareth specializes in Security, Modern Work and Security Arcitecture. He holds multiple Microsoft certifications, including: AZ-500, MS-500, SC-400, MS-101, MS-100, MS-900 as well as the CISSP certification.
