Microsoft 365 Services for Melbourne & Australian Businesses
Productivity, security, and compliance — purpose-built for Australian organisations. Cloud Solution IT (CSIT) designs, deploys, and manages Microsoft 365, Defender, Entra ID, SharePoint Online, Teams, Purview, and Power Platform so your business stays connected, protected, and audit-ready.
Cloud Solution IT (CSIT) delivers Microsoft 365 solutions for Australian businesses that improve productivity, strengthen security, and reduce IT complexity. Whether you need email migration, Teams deployment, SharePoint intranets, Copilot AI adoption, or end-to-end M365 security hardening, we design and implement solutions that scale with your organisation. Trusted by Melbourne SMBs and enterprises nationwide.
Our Microsoft 365 Solutions
M365 Training Melbourne
Tailored Microsoft 365 training for your team — Teams, SharePoint, Outlook, OneDrive, and Copilot. Onsite and remote delivery across Melbourne and Australia.
Explore M365 Training →M365 Migration Services
Seamless migration from Google Workspace, on-premises Exchange, or legacy systems to Microsoft 365. Zero data loss, minimal downtime, full archive preservation.
Explore M365 Migration →Microsoft Copilot Consulting
Unlock AI productivity with Microsoft Copilot for M365. CSIT assesses readiness, configures Copilot, and trains your team to get measurable value from day one.
Explore Copilot Consulting →M365 Security Consulting
Harden your Microsoft 365 environment with Defender, Entra ID Conditional Access, Intune, Purview DLP, and ACSC Essential Eight alignment. Security-first M365 deployment.
Explore M365 Security →Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) is Microsoft's cloud-based subscription platform that combines productivity apps, enterprise communication tools, cloud storage, and advanced security into a single, integrated service. For Australian businesses, it has become the default foundation of the modern workplace.
At its core, Microsoft 365 bundles the apps your team already knows — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook — with powerful cloud services that transform how your organisation collaborates, communicates, and protects its data:
- Exchange Online — Business-grade email with 50–100 GB mailboxes, calendar sharing, and mobile access
- Microsoft Teams — Chat, video meetings, file sharing, and phone calls in one unified hub
- SharePoint Online — Cloud intranet and document management replacing legacy file servers
- OneDrive for Business — 1 TB+ of personal cloud storage with real-time co-authoring
- Microsoft Defender — Endpoint protection, threat detection, and anti-phishing built in
- Microsoft Intune — Mobile device and application management for any device
- Azure Active Directory (Entra ID) — Identity, MFA, conditional access, and single sign-on
- Microsoft Purview — Data governance, compliance, DLP, and eDiscovery
- Power Platform — Low-code apps (Power Apps), automation (Power Automate)
Microsoft 365 vs Office 365: Microsoft rebranded Office 365 to Microsoft 365 in 2020, significantly expanding the platform to include security, device management, and AI capabilities. If your business is still on Office 365 licences, you are already on Microsoft 365 — the name changed, not the subscription.
Microsoft 365 Plans Available to Australian Businesses
Microsoft offers M365 in several tiers. The most common for Australian SMBs are:
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic (~$7/user/mo) — Web and mobile apps only, Teams, Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive. Best for light users and frontline workers.
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard (~$15/user/mo) — Full desktop Office apps plus everything in Basic. The most popular choice for office-based teams.
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium (~$27/user/mo) — Everything in Standard plus Microsoft Defender for Business, Intune, and Azure AD P1 security features. Cloud Solution IT's recommended plan for most Australian SMBs.
- Microsoft 365 E3 (~$47/user/mo) — Enterprise plan with advanced compliance tools, eDiscovery, and enterprise identity for organisations with 300+ users.
- Microsoft 365 E5 (~$80/user/mo) — Full enterprise security including Microsoft Sentinel SIEM, Defender for Identity, and advanced analytics. Suited to regulated industries.
As a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP), CSIT supplies M365 licences directly to Australian businesses with monthly billing, no long-term lock-in, and a single consolidated invoice covering both licences and support.
How Microsoft 365 Works
With over 2.5 million small businesses in Australia and one of the most cloud-ready economies in Asia-Pacific, Microsoft 365 has become the go-to platform for Australian organisations of every size. Here is why businesses from Melbourne to Perth are choosing — and staying with — Microsoft 365.
1M+Australian businesses using M365
2Australian data centre regions (Sydney & Melbourne)
99.9%Uptime SLA guaranteed by Microsoft
E8ACSC Essential Eight alignment built in
Australian Data Sovereignty
Microsoft operates data centres in Sydney and Melbourne. For most M365 workloads — including Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive — Australian customers can elect to store their data in Australia. This satisfies the Australian Privacy Act 1988 requirements for data residency and is critical for businesses handling sensitive personal or client information.
ACSC Essential Eight Alignment
The Australian Cyber Security Centre's Essential Eight is the baseline cybersecurity framework for Australian organisations. Microsoft 365 Business Premium and E3/E5 include native tools that directly address all eight mitigation strategies:
- Application Control — Intune app management and Windows Defender Application Control
- Patch Applications — Intune-managed automatic patching for Office apps and endpoints
- Configure Microsoft Office Macros — Defender for Office 365 macro policy controls
- User Application Hardening — Attack Surface Reduction rules in Defender for Endpoint
- Restrict Admin Privileges — Azure AD Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
- Patch Operating Systems — Windows Update for Business via Intune
- Multi-Factor Authentication — Azure AD MFA and Conditional Access policies
- Regular Backups — OneDrive versioning, SharePoint retention, and Exchange Online archive
Predictable Monthly Cost
Microsoft 365 replaces on-premises server hardware, Exchange licences, Skype for Business systems, and file server infrastructure with a single per-user monthly subscription. For most SMBs the total cost of ownership (TCO) of M365 is significantly lower than maintaining an equivalent on-premises stack — and the security posture is dramatically better.
Enabling Hybrid & Remote Work
The pandemic accelerated what Microsoft had been building for years: a platform that works equally well from the office, home, or any device. Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive give Australian businesses a secure, structured alternative to consumer tools like Dropbox, WhatsApp, and Zoom — with enterprise governance and compliance built in.
Single-Vendor Integration
Unlike piecing together separate email, file storage, video conferencing, and security tools from different vendors, Microsoft 365 is designed as a unified platform. Email, meetings, documents, identity, and security all share the same data model, administration console, and compliance framework. This reduces complexity, cuts IT overhead, and makes audits significantly simpler.
Microsoft 365 Licensing Guide for Australian Businesses
Choosing the right Microsoft 365 plan is one of the most important decisions you will make for your organisation's productivity and security posture. Get it wrong and you either overpay for features you don't use, or leave your business exposed with insufficient security controls. Here is a comprehensive breakdown of every tier available through CSIT as your Microsoft CSP.
| Plan | AUD Price | Desktop Apps | Email & Teams | Security Level | Max Users | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M365 Apps for Business | ~$12/user/mo | Yes (5 devices) | No Exchange | Basic | 300 | Teams already using another email provider |
| Business Basic | ~$7/user/mo | Web & mobile only | Yes | Basic | 300 | Light users, frontline workers, supplemental accounts |
| Business Standard | ~$15/user/mo | Yes (5 devices) | Yes | Basic | 300 | Office-based SMB teams needing full desktop apps |
| Business Premium RECOMMENDED | ~$27/user/mo | Yes (5 devices) | Yes | Advanced (Defender, Intune, AAD P1) | 300 | SMBs that need security, compliance, and device management |
| Enterprise E3 | ~$47/user/mo | Yes (5 devices) | Yes | Advanced + eDiscovery + Purview | Unlimited | Mid-market and enterprise with compliance requirements |
| Enterprise E5 | ~$80/user/mo | Yes (5 devices) | Yes | Full (Sentinel, Defender Identity, analytics) | Unlimited | Regulated industries, government-adjacent, high-security |
| Frontline F1 | ~$4/user/mo | Web & mobile only | Yes (limited) | Basic | Unlimited | Shift workers, retail, hospitality, manufacturing floor |
What is Included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium?
CSIT recommends Microsoft 365 Business Premium for most Australian SMBs because it offers the optimal balance of productivity and security at an SMB price point. Here is exactly what you get:
- Full desktop Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, Access)
- Exchange Online with 100 GB mailbox and 50 GB archive
- Microsoft Teams — chat, meetings, calls, and collaboration
- SharePoint Online — intranet and document management
- OneDrive for Business — 1 TB personal cloud storage
- Microsoft Defender for Business — next-gen antivirus, EDR, and automated remediation
- Microsoft Intune — manage up to 5 devices per user (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)
- Azure AD Premium P1 — Conditional Access, MFA, self-service password reset
- Azure Information Protection P1 — data classification and protection labels
- Microsoft Purview (basic) — data loss prevention for Teams and Exchange
CSP Advantage with CSIT: As your Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider, CSIT bundles your M365 licences with local support, consolidated monthly billing, and proactive licence management. We review your licence allocation quarterly to ensure you are not overpaying — and that every user has the right plan for their role.
Add-On Licences Worth Knowing
- Microsoft Copilot for M365 (~$60/user/mo) — AI assistant embedded in Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Requires M365 Business Standard or higher.
- Microsoft Defender for Business (~$4/user/mo) — Available as a standalone for organisations not on Business Premium.
- Exchange Online Archiving (~$5/user/mo) — Unlimited archive mailbox for compliance-heavy environments.
- Microsoft 365 Backup — Native backup for SharePoint, OneDrive, and Exchange. Available as an add-on for organisations requiring point-in-time restoration beyond built-in retention.
- Azure AD Premium P2 — Adds Identity Protection and Privileged Identity Management for highest-security environments.
Why Choose CSIT for Microsoft 365?
There are hundreds of IT companies in Australia that claim to support Microsoft 365. Here is what makes CSIT different — and why Melbourne businesses choose us to implement, secure, and manage their M365 environments.
Microsoft Certified Consultants
Our consultants hold active Microsoft certifications across M365, Azure, Dynamics 365, and Security. We are not generalists — we are M365 specialists who live and breathe the Microsoft ecosystem daily.
Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP)
As a Microsoft CSP partner, Cloud Solution IT can supply your licences, support, and services under a single monthly agreement. One invoice, one point of contact, and priority access to Microsoft support escalations.
Australian Compliance Expertise
We understand the Australian Privacy Act, ACSC Essential Eight, and industry-specific obligations for healthcare, legal, construction, and financial services — not generic global compliance frameworks.
End-to-End Ownership
From initial licence procurement through migration, security configuration, SharePoint build, and ongoing managed support — CSIT owns the entire engagement. No finger-pointing between vendors.
Fixed-Price Project Delivery
We provide clear, fixed-price quotes for migrations and implementations. No hourly rate surprises. You know exactly what you are paying before we start, and we deliver what we scope.
Local Melbourne Team, National Reach
Headquartered in Melbourne CBD, CSIT supports clients remotely and on-site across Victoria, NSW, QLD, WA, and SA. Real people answering your calls — no offshore helpdesks or ticket queues.
Industries We Serve
Cloud Solution IT has delivered Microsoft 365 engagements across a broad range of Australian industries:
- Professional Services — Accounting, consulting, and advisory firms requiring strict document control and data governance
- Legal — Law firms with matter management integration, records management, and eDiscovery requirements
- Construction & Engineering — Project-based teams needing mobile-ready collaboration and field-to-office connectivity
- Healthcare — Medical practices and allied health providers with patient privacy obligations and HIPAA-adjacent compliance
- Not-for-Profit — NFPs benefiting from discounted Microsoft pricing and donor management integrations
- Education — RTOs and private schools using M365 for student management, learning tools, and compliance
- Real Estate & Property — Agencies and property managers using Teams, SharePoint, and Dynamics 365 for client and property workflows
- Manufacturing & Logistics — Business Central ERP integrated with M365 for finance and operations
Implementation Process
- Step 1 — Free Assessment: We review your current environment, identify gaps, and provide a written report with prioritised recommendations. No cost, no obligation.
- Step 2 — Proposal & Scoping: We deliver a fixed-price proposal covering licences, implementation, and support. Clear deliverables, timelines, and pricing.
- Step 3 — Migration & Implementation: Our consultants execute the migration or implementation with weekly status updates and zero-disruption go-live planning.
- Step 4 — Training & Adoption: We train your team on the new tools so they actually use them. Adoption drives ROI.
- Step 5 — Managed Support: Ongoing support, licence management, security monitoring, and quarterly reviews to keep your M365 environment optimised.
Frequently Asked Questions — Microsoft 365 in Australia
What is the difference between Microsoft 365 and Office 365?
Microsoft rebranded Office 365 to Microsoft 365 in April 2020. The change was not just cosmetic — Microsoft significantly expanded the platform to include security tools (Defender), device management (Intune), identity services (Azure AD), and the Power Platform. If you are currently on an Office 365 plan, you are already using Microsoft 365 under the old name. Cloud Solution IT can review your current licences and ensure you are on the right modern plan.
How much does Microsoft 365 cost in Australia?
Microsoft 365 pricing in Australia ranges from approximately $4/user/month (Frontline F1) up to $80/user/month (Enterprise E5). The most popular plans for Australian SMBs are Business Basic (~$7), Business Standard (~$15), and Business Premium (~$27). All prices are per user per month and exclude GST. As a Microsoft CSP, CSIT supplies licences at competitive rates with monthly billing and no lock-in contracts. Contact CSIT for a tailored quote based on your team size and requirements.
Can CSIT migrate our email from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365?
Yes. CSIT performs full Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 migrations, including email, calendar, contacts, and Google Drive to SharePoint/OneDrive data migration. We plan each migration carefully to ensure zero email downtime during the MX record cutover. Most Google Workspace to M365 migrations for teams of under 50 users are completed within 1–2 weeks from kickoff to go-live.
How long does a Microsoft 365 migration take?
Migration timelines depend on the size of your organisation, the complexity of your current environment, and the volume of data being moved. As a general guide:
- Under 20 users: 3–5 business days for planning and execution
- 20–50 users: 1–2 weeks
- 50–200 users: 2–6 weeks
- 200+ users or complex hybrid environments: 6–16 weeks
CSIT follows a structured migration methodology — Discovery, Planning, Pre-migration, Migration, Cutover, Hypercare — to minimise disruption at every stage.
Is Microsoft 365 compliant with the Australian Privacy Act?
Microsoft's Australian data centres in Sydney and Melbourne allow most M365 data — including Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive — to be stored within Australia. Combined with Microsoft Purview for data loss prevention, sensitivity labels, and access controls, M365 can be configured to meet Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act) obligations. Cloud Solution IT can conduct a compliance gap assessment and implement the necessary controls to ensure your M365 environment is Privacy Act compliant.
What is the difference between Microsoft 365 Business Premium and E3?
The key differences are scale and compliance depth. Business Premium is capped at 300 users and includes Defender for Business (SMB-grade security) and Intune. E3 is for unlimited users and adds enterprise-grade compliance tools — including Microsoft Purview eDiscovery, Compliance Manager, and advanced information governance. E3 also includes Azure AD P1 natively and allows unlimited storage archiving. For most Australian SMBs under 300 users, Business Premium is the better value. For larger organisations or those in regulated industries, E3 or E5 is appropriate.
Do I need a Microsoft partner to set up Microsoft 365?
Technically, no — you can purchase M365 directly from Microsoft and configure it yourself. However, most Australian businesses benefit significantly from working with a Microsoft CSP like CSIT for several reasons: correct initial configuration avoids costly mistakes, security settings like Conditional Access and Defender policies require expertise to implement correctly, data migrations require careful planning to avoid data loss, and ongoing managed support ensures your environment stays optimised and secure. Cloud Solution IT's free assessment helps you understand exactly what is involved before committing to any engagement.
What happens to our data if we cancel our Microsoft 365 subscription?
When a Microsoft 365 subscription expires, your data is retained in a disabled state for a grace period (typically 30 days for monthly subscriptions, 180 days for annual). After that, Microsoft permanently deletes your data. CSIT strongly recommends all organisations maintain a data export strategy — whether through Microsoft 365 Backup, Azure Blob storage, or a third-party backup solution — so that your business data is never solely dependent on an active Microsoft subscription. Cloud Solution IT can implement an appropriate backup and export strategy as part of your M365 managed services agreement.
Can CSIT manage our Microsoft 365 environment on an ongoing basis?
Yes. Cloud Solution IT offers Microsoft 365 Managed Services that include: licence management and quarterly licence reviews, security monitoring and Secure Score improvement, helpdesk support for M365 issues (Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive), Intune device management, user provisioning and offboarding, and proactive alerting via Microsoft Defender and Sentinel. Our managed service agreements are flexible — we can manage your entire M365 environment or supplement your internal IT team for specific functions.
Get a Free Microsoft 365 Assessment
Not sure which M365 plan is right for your business? Our certified consultants will review your current environment, identify security gaps, and give you a clear roadmap — at no cost and with no obligation.
Book Your Free Assessment →For more information on Microsoft 365 plans, visit the official Microsoft 365 page or learn about our Managed IT Services.
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