In today’s fast-paced digital world, email isn’t just a tool—it’s the lifeline of business communication. Microsoft Outlook stands out as one of the most robust platforms for managing emails, calendars, contacts, and more, empowering professionals to stay organized and connected.

Whether you’re a small business owner juggling client inquiries or a corporate executive coordinating global teams, Outlook’s versatility makes it indispensable. But what happens when “Outlook won’t open” or it crashes mid-task? Frustration mounts, productivity plummets, and deadlines loom.

That’s where expert IT support like Westech comes in, ensuring you’re always up and running. In this post, we’ll dive into the key uses of Outlook and explore how Westech safeguards your workflow, drawing on proven troubleshooting from their comprehensive FAQ on why Outlook sometimes hangs.

The Power of Outlook: More Than Just Email

At its core, Outlook is an all-in-one personal information manager, seamlessly integrating email with productivity features. Let’s break down its primary uses that make it a staple in offices worldwide.

1. Seamless Email Management

Outlook’s email capabilities are legendary. It supports multiple accounts—Gmail, Yahoo, or corporate Exchange—allowing you to consolidate inboxes into one intuitive interface. Features like Quick Steps let you automate repetitive tasks, such as forwarding messages or categorizing them with color-coded flags. Imagine sifting through a flood of “Outlook won’t open” complaints from clients; with Outlook’s powerful search and filtering, you can archive, delete, or respond in seconds. Rules can even auto-sort incoming emails, ensuring urgent matters like invoice reminders never get buried. For businesses, this means faster response times and fewer missed opportunities, keeping customer satisfaction high.

2. Calendar and Scheduling Mastery

Gone are the days of double-booked meetings. Outlook’s calendar syncs effortlessly with Microsoft Teams and mobile devices, offering shared views for team coordination. You can set recurring events, send invites with RSVP tracking, and even overlay personal and work calendars. Need to block time for deep work? Color-coding and reminders make it effortless. In a hybrid work era, this feature prevents the chaos of “Outlook won’t open” errors derailing your day—because when your schedule is accessible, you’re always prepared for that virtual stand-up or client call.

3. Task and To-Do Lists for Peak Productivity

Outlook isn’t just reactive; it’s proactive. The Tasks module turns emails into actionable items with one click, complete with due dates, priorities, and progress tracking. Integrate it with OneNote for detailed notes, and suddenly, project management feels intuitive. For sales teams, this means tracking follow-ups without sticky notes; for managers, it’s oversight on deliverables. If “Outlook won’t open” strikes during a crunch, those unchecked tasks can snowball into missed deadlines. That’s why reliability matters—more on that later.

4. Contact Management and Networking

Building relationships? Outlook’s contacts store more than phone numbers—they hold company details, birthdays, and interaction histories. LinkedIn integration pulls in profiles, while distribution lists streamline mass communications. For CRM-lite functionality, export contacts to Excel or sync with Dynamics 365. In networking events, quickly pulling up a contact’s last email can seal a deal. Yet, a crashing app erases this edge; persistent “Outlook won’t open” issues can isolate you from your network, underscoring the need for uninterrupted access.

5. Advanced Collaboration and Integration

Outlook shines in ecosystems. It hooks into SharePoint for file sharing, Power Automate for workflows, and even third-party apps via add-ins. RSS feeds keep you updated on industry news, while junk mail filters learn from your habits. For remote teams, shared mailboxes foster collaboration without chaos. These integrations amplify Outlook’s value, but they also introduce complexity—add-ins gone awry are a common culprit when “Outlook won’t open” rears its head.

With over 400 million monthly active users, Outlook powers everything from solopreneur hustles to Fortune 500 operations. Its offline mode ensures you work unplugged, syncing changes upon reconnection. But as powerful as it is, technical glitches like crashes or hangs can halt momentum. Enter Westech, South Africa’s trusted IT support partner, dedicated to keeping your Outlook—and your business—humming.

When “Outlook Won’t Open”: Common Pitfalls and Quick Fixes

No one wants to stare at a frozen loading screen, especially at 9 AM on a Monday. “Outlook won’t open” is a frequent cry in IT helpdesks, often stemming from corrupted profiles, rogue add-ins, or outdated software. According to Westech’s insightful FAQ on why Outlook sometimes hangs, these issues are fixable with targeted steps. Their guide emphasizes practical, user-friendly troubleshooting to get you back online fast.

Westech Offers Solutions For “Outlook Slow and Not Responding” Issues

Start with Safe Mode: Press Windows + R, type outlook.exe /safe, and hit Enter. This launches Outlook without add-ins or custom settings, isolating the problem. If it opens smoothly, an add-in is likely the villain. Disable them one by one via File > Options > Add-ins—test after each to pinpoint the faulty one. Westech notes this as a top fix, as third-party extensions (think antivirus or CRM tools) often clash with updates.

Next, repair your Microsoft 365 installation. Head to Control Panel > Programs & Features, select Microsoft 365, and choose “Repair.” This scans and mends corrupted files without data loss. For stubborn cases where “Outlook won’t open” persists, create a new profile: In Control Panel, go to Mail > Show Profiles > Add. Migrate your data gradually, ensuring a clean slate.

These steps, detailed in Westech’s resource, resolve 80% of hang-ups for everyday users. But what if DIY fixes fall short? That’s where professional intervention shines.

Westech: Your Shield Against Downtime

Westech isn’t just an IT company; they’re the unsung heroes ensuring businesses in South Africa thrive digitally. Specializing in managed IT services, they handle everything from proactive monitoring to rapid response, tailored to sectors like finance, healthcare, and retail. When “Outlook won’t open” threatens your operations, Westech’s experts step in with forensic precision.

Their approach begins with prevention. Through remote monitoring, they track Outlook performance metrics—CPU usage, update status, and error logs—flagging issues before they escalate. Imagine automated alerts for pending patches; Westech applies them during off-hours, minimizing disruptions. For businesses reliant on Outlook for client portals or internal comms, this uptime guarantee translates to tangible ROI: fewer lost hours, happier teams.

Customization is key. Westech audits your setup, optimizing add-ins and profiles for your workflow. If “Outlook won’t open” stems from network lags, they fine-tune Exchange servers or migrate to cloud-based solutions like Microsoft 365. Their support isn’t reactive—it’s predictive. Using tools like Azure Sentinel, they anticipate vulnerabilities, from phishing attempts that corrupt PST files to hardware strains causing crashes.

Client stories abound. A Johannesburg law firm, crippled by weekly “Outlook won’t open” episodes, turned to Westech. Within days, a profile rebuild and add-in purge restored seamless access, saving 20 billable hours weekly. Similarly, a Cape Town retailer avoided Black Friday meltdowns through Westech’s 24/7 helpdesk, where technicians remotely resolved hangs via secure VPN.

Beyond fixes, Westech invests in your team. They offer training workshops on Outlook best practices—leveraging rules to cut email volume by 30% or using Focused Inbox for prioritization. This empowers users to sidestep common traps, reducing ticket volumes over time.

Security weaves through it all. With cyber threats rising, Westech layers Outlook with multi-factor authentication, encrypted archives, and anti-malware scans. When “Outlook won’t open” signals a breach, their incident response team isolates and remediates, often under an hour.

Wrapping Up: Outlook Optimized, Business Unstoppable

Microsoft Outlook’s uses—from email orchestration to task orchestration—position it as a productivity powerhouse. Yet, when “Outlook won’t open” disrupts the flow, it’s more than an annoyance; it’s a business risk. Westech mitigates this with expert, proactive IT support, as outlined in their go-to FAQ on why Outlook sometimes hangs. By blending self-help steps like Safe Mode launches and repairs with their tailored services, they ensure you’re not just running—you’re excelling.

Ready to fortify your Outlook setup? Visit Westech’s site for a free consultation. Don’t let technical hiccups hold you back; with the right partner, your inbox is always open for business.

 

Leading IT company Westech has reported that none of its clients have been affected by the CrowdStrike outage. This success is attributed to Westech’s strategic decision to avoid using CrowdStrike software in their network architecture.

From a technical perspective, this choice has proven to be a robust safeguard, ensuring uninterrupted service for their clients who all experienced 100% uptime during this widespread issue over the last few days.

Managed Service Provider Westech’s proactive and informed approach underscores the importance of carefully selecting and managing cybersecurity tools to mitigate risks associated with software vulnerabilities and outages.

The recent CrowdStrike outage, possibly the largest internet outage recorded in history, began on July 19, 2024, has caused significant disruptions worldwide due to a faulty Windows update that led to the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) on numerous machines.

This issue has impacted various sectors, including airlines and financial services, causing widespread concern and a surge in related Google searches. It is reported in a recent CNN article that costs from the global outage could top $1 billion.

Need immediate IT Assistance to get your IT Setup working for you? Contact Westech.

Summary of CrowdStrike Outage

The reported CrowdStrike outage refers to a recent service disruption experienced by CrowdStrike, a leading cybersecurity company. The outage is said to have been caused by a combination of factors, including a software bug and a high volume of traffic, which overwhelmed their systems.

“The latest version of its Falcon sensor software was meant to make CrowdStrike clients’ systems more secure against hacking by updating the threats it defends against. But faulty code in the update files resulted in one of the most widespread tech outages in recent years for companies using Microsoft’s (MSFT.O), opens new tab Windows operating system. (Source – Reuters) ”

Companies could have avoided this outage by implementing robust testing and quality assurance processes, ensuring scalable infrastructure, and having a comprehensive disaster recovery plan in place. To mitigate risk, consult a professional IT company like Westech to discuss a monthly IT SLA to manage your IT infrastructure.

Impact of CrowdStrike Outage

The CrowdStrike outage has caused significant disruptions to various industries, including, widespread internet outages, affecting over 200,000 websites and services, including major companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. Business operations impacted, companies like Akamai, AWS, and Salesforce experienced service disruptions, affecting their customers’ operations.

The outage raised concerns about the reliability of cloud-based security services. Estimated losses for affected companies are still being calculated, but expected to be substantial.

The issue affected not only personal computers but also servers, disrupting various industries such as airlines and financial services. Companies could have avoided this outage by not relying solely on CrowdStrike software for their cybersecurity needs and instead implementing a diversified network architecture with multiple layers of protection and backup solutions.

For detailed information, you can refer to articles on InvestorPlace and this article – 7 Things to Know About the CrowdStrike Outage.

Setup an appointment with Westech to get your IT infrastructure set up correctly with failover and backup solutions in place to mitigate risk. Ensure you have a plan ready for the unlikely event of a global internet outage.

Please note that the links provided are subject to change, and the information may not be up-to-date.

The outage has the world searching Google for answers in an attempt to get immediate assistance. Here are the top 10 most searched keywords related to the CrowdStrike outage.

1.⁠ ⁠CrowdStrike outage
2.⁠ ⁠Blue Screen of Death
3.⁠ ⁠BSOD fix
4.⁠ ⁠CrowdStrike update issue
5.⁠ ⁠Windows update BSOD
6.⁠ ⁠Internet down CrowdStrike
7.⁠ ⁠Cybersecurity outage
8.⁠ ⁠CrowdStrike fix
9.⁠ ⁠Windows critical error
10.⁠ ⁠Global internet outage

For immediate assistance and to get an alternate solution for you business, contact Westech to setup an appointment.

In today’s fast-paced business environment, efficient data management and seamless collaboration are critical for success. OneDrive for Business, a key component of Microsoft 365, offers robust cloud storage and collaboration tools designed to enhance productivity and streamline operations. As a leading IT company providing top-tier IT support in Cape Town and Johannesburg, Westech is here to guide you on how to harness the full potential of OneDrive for Business.

What is OneDrive for Business?

OneDrive for Business is a cloud storage service designed for organizations, allowing employees to store, share, and sync work files securely. It integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft 365 applications, providing a unified platform for collaboration and data management.

Why Choose OneDrive for Business?

• Secure Storage: Protect your data with advanced security features, including encryption and compliance with industry standards.
• Collaboration: Work together in real-time with co-authoring in Office apps.
• Accessibility: Access your files from any device, anywhere, at any time.
• Integration: Seamlessly integrates with Microsoft 365 tools like Teams, SharePoint, and Outlook.

Efficient Use of OneDrive for Business: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Setup and Configuration

Initial Setup:

• Sign In: Use your Microsoft 365 credentials to sign in to OneDrive for Business.
• Sync Files: Install the OneDrive sync app on your devices to sync files across your desktop and the cloud.

Configuration:

• Organize Files: Create a structured folder system to keep your files organized.
• Set Permissions: Manage access permissions to control who can view or edit your files.

2. Optimizing File Storage and Access

Use Files On-Demand:

• Save space on your device by accessing files online without downloading them.
• Mark important files as “Always keep on this device” for offline access.

Version History:

• Track changes and restore previous versions of files easily.
• Use version history to recover files from accidental deletions or unwanted edits.

3. Enhancing Collaboration

Co-Authoring:

• Collaborate in real-time on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
• Use Office apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for seamless co-authoring.

Sharing Files:

• Share files and folders with colleagues, clients, and partners with customizable permissions.
• Use secure links to ensure only authorized users can access shared content.

Integrate with Teams:

• Use OneDrive within Microsoft Teams for streamlined file sharing and collaboration.
• Access, share, and co-author files directly from Teams channels and chats.

4. Leveraging Advanced Features

Automate Workflows with Power Automate:

• Create automated workflows to streamline repetitive tasks.
• Use templates or build custom workflows to connect OneDrive with other apps and services.

Utilize Search and Discovery:

• Use Microsoft Search to find files quickly based on keywords, content, or metadata.
• Discover relevant documents and insights with AI-powered search capabilities.

5. Ensuring Security and Compliance

Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA):

• Add an extra layer of security to protect your OneDrive account.
• Use MFA to ensure only authorized users can access your files.

Compliance:

• Ensure compliance with industry regulations and standards.
• Use built-in compliance features to manage data retention, eDiscovery, and audit logs.

Partnering with Westech for Optimal OneDrive Usage

As a trusted IT company providing comprehensive IT support in Cape Town and Johannesburg, Westech is your partner in maximizing the benefits of OneDrive for Business. Our services include:

• Consultation: Tailored advice on setting up and configuring OneDrive for your specific business needs.
• Implementation: Seamless integration of OneDrive with your existing IT infrastructure.
• Training: Comprehensive training for your team to ensure they leverage OneDrive’s full capabilities.
• Support: Ongoing IT support to address any issues and ensure smooth operation.

OneDrive for Business is a powerful tool for enhancing productivity and collaboration within your organization. By following the steps outlined in this guide and partnering with Westech, a leading IT company in Cape Town and Johannesburg, you can unlock the full potential of OneDrive for Business. Trust Westech to provide the expertise and support needed to optimize your IT infrastructure and drive your business forward.

For more information on how Westech can help you with OneDrive for Business and other IT support services, contact us today!

Countdown to the End: Microsoft Ceases Windows Server 2012 Support on October 10, 2023

Here’s What You Need to Be Aware Of

• With Microsoft’s looming deadline, Windows Server 2012 will no longer receive security updates after October 10, 2023.
• To ensure robust security and continued support, consider migrating to Windows Server 2022 or investing in Extended Security Updates (ESUs) for Windows Server 2012.
• ESUs offer an additional three years of security updates, renewable annually until October 13, 2026.
• Admins shifting their databases and applications to Azure Virtual Machines will gain access to complimentary ESUs for three years post the support cutoff.

As October fast approaches, it serves as a crucial reminder of Microsoft’s imminent withdrawal of support for Windows Server 2012. This move isn’t unexpected, as Microsoft issued an early warning at the start of this year. The announcement stipulates that the extended support for all editions of Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 is officially concluding on October 10, 2023.

Although mainstream support for Windows Server 2012 ended back in 2018, Microsoft generously extended the deadline to provide users with ample time to transition to supported versions of Windows Server.

Post-October 10, Microsoft will cease delivering both security and non-security updates, bug fixes, technical assistance, and online technical content updates for these Windows Server editions. Continuing to utilize these unsupported versions well past this date means you’ll forfeit Microsoft’s technical support, potentially jeopardising the stability of any outdated servers.”

More information on this can be found on the Microsoft product Support website here and the official announcement here.

Contact Westech to get support for your Microsoft products. We offer in-house and outsourced IT support. Book an IT Audit to find out what your IT infrastructure has, does not have and find out how Westech can help offer you a fully managed IT solution.

A formal disaster recovery strategy is essential for companies to ensure the safety of their data and applications when outages, planned or unplanned, occur. In addition, the vast surge in data has resulted in many companies looking to the cloud as a cost-effective solution to store, manage, and secure data that is generated daily on a global scale.

This is where Microsoft Azure Backup and Site Recovery services play a vital role in helping companies achieve these goals while preventing costly downtime. In addition, the platform is frequently used for secure archiving and disaster recovery.

What is Microsoft Azure?

The Microsoft Azure cloud platform is a collection of more than 200 products and cloud services, including analytics, storage, and networking, that assist businesses in building and managing applications across multiple clouds or on-site. Users can choose which of these services they need to develop and scale new applications or to run existing applications in the public cloud and only pay for what they use on a subscription-based model.

Microsoft Azure for Disaster Recovery and Backup

While Azure offers many different products and services under its various categories, it can also be used as an economical alternative to private data centres. This reduces companies’ reliance on local servers and storage as Microsoft Azure has a presence in over 60 regions worldwide, in 140 countries.

Privacy and Security with Azure

Increasing regulatory compliance requirements are no longer an issue for cloud subscribers to Azure. Microsoft has addressed these concerns by creating an online trust Centre and will only use customer data where agreed to and never disclose customer data to government agencies unless compelled by law.

Azure Solutions for all Industries

Microsoft Azure provides opportunities for all types of businesses to overcome industry-specific challenges through its proven groupings of products and services.

Outsourced IT Services and Azure

Microsoft Certified IT partners not only utilise Azure to manage their clients’ existing solutions but also to offer new customised solutions.

Westech is a highly experienced IT company in South Africa that has been operating since 1994. As a certified Microsoft partner, Westech assists companies in taking advantage of Azure to meet their strategic IT goals.

By outsourcing your IT to Westech will deliver many benefits to help your business increase productivity, cut costs, and access the latest technology – all delivered by a highly knowledgeable and professional IT team.

Westech has a national footprint of IT companies in South Africa. Contact one of Westech’s regional IT offices for further information or assistance:

• Westech IT company in Johannesburg
• Westech IT company in Pretoria
• Westech IT company in Midrand
• Westech IT company in Cape Town
• Westech IT company in Durban

Microsoft Office 365 is used for communication and collaboration by over a million companies worldwide, making it a significant target for cybercriminals. As a result, cybersecurity incidents are on the rise, causing substantial data loss, resulting in downtime and financial losses for businesses.

Therefore, companies must implement a robust data protection strategy to ensure that data is not permanently lost. An effective data protection strategy should cover four main areas; employee awareness, security, data backups, and insurance. But what is the difference between backing up Microsoft 365 data and Data Retention?

Data Protection Strategy – IT Backups vs Retention

One of the most critical pillars in a Data Protection Strategy relates to data backup solutions. If all other security initiatives fail, a backup should be protected from deletion – whether accidentally or maliciously. Reliable backup solutions will have the following attributes:

• Sufficient storage capacity
• Automated backup capabilities
• Data retention policies

The terms “backup” and “retention” have different connotations, depending on your role in a company. Initially, backups were a method of retaining the last copy of content if all other copies were lost. IT Technicians understand this to mean that they can recover the content. Regarding “retention,” IT Technicians understand that this refers to a stipulated timeframe for how long the data must be kept. However, from a legal perspective, “data retention” is regarded as the necessity to keep data if there is a legal requirement for it in the future.

While Microsoft 365 can be used for data retention, a good cloud strategy will ensure quick, easy, and reliable access to stored data. Microsoft 365 stores data in several places:

• SharePoint and OneDrive sites – in the Preservation Hold library
• Email and Public folders – in the Recoverable Items folder
• Teams – in the Exchange Recoverable Items folder
• Microsoft 365 Groups – the group mailbox in the Exchange Recoverable Items folder and site content in the Preservation hold library.

Data Protection Strategy – Employee Awareness

Employees can either help protect data assets or become a breach point for exposure if they are not adequately educated about cybersecurity. Specialised survey and regular awareness training will help to:

• Identify training gaps
• Recognise suspicious cyber-activities
• Harmonise IT security policies and procedures

Data Protection Strategy – Security

Microsoft 365 provides a few tools that allow the first line of defence against cybercrime, namely:

• Microsoft 365 Defender
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
• Third-party Firewalls
• Third-party Intrusion Prevention Systems

Ultimately, a backup solution should have multiple recovery options and the ability to integrate it with the business’s existing IT infrastructure seamlessly. All Microsoft 365 plans offer a form of protection and security using Defender Antivirus. The Microsoft 365 Business Premium Plan also offers additional threat and data protection and device management to protect the company from unauthorised access and cyber threats.

Cyber Insurance Cover

While having sufficient security and backup plans is essential, the question must be asked what happens if a threat still manages to get through. Data and IT systems are critical to businesses. In the event of a cyber-attack, crashed or stolen hard drive, the business must recover quickly to prevent financial losses. Westech has partnered with iToo, delivering specific IT insurance that covers damages and costs resulting from privacy or network security breaches. It also provides access to our expert team and resources to ensure a fast and efficient recovery solution.

Westech, an IT support company in South Africa, is a certified Microsoft Partner offering you our experience and tested backup solutions to avoid future disasters. Contact one of our offices below for a reliable solution to securing your Office 365 domain.

• IT Support Johannesburg
• IT Support Cape Town
• IT Support Durban

Once one of the most widely-used web browsers since its establishment in 1995, support for Microsoft Internet Explorer was finally discontinued on 15 June 2022. The end of support for Internet Explorer means that, while it will remain a working browser, security updates will not be provided, resulting in the browser not being protected from any new threats.

Why Has Microsoft Ended Support for Internet Explorer?

Microsoft initially bundled Internet Explorer with Windows OS as its default browser, leaving Window’s global users with no other alternatives. This perceived monopoly resulted in a serious investigation; however, Internet Explorer remained a popular browser until 2002.

Microsoft released 11 versions of Internet Explorer over the years to add functionality. However, eventually, the quality of the product deteriorated significantly enough to plague users with a slow browser speed and the inability to experience modernised websites entering the market. In addition, the increase in experienced hackers resulted in the browser’s weaknesses being exploited, resulting in significant security threats.

Existing Users of Microsoft Internet Explorer

What does the end of Internet Explorer mean for people still using it? Well, even if you no longer use the App, it can be a security risk just by being installed on your device. So to prevent becoming a cyberattack statistic, uninstall the App and install Microsoft Edge, an alternative to Chrome, Firefox and Safari.

What is Microsoft Edge?

Microsoft Edge is a cross-platform web browser initially released with Windows 10 in 2015 and later to Android and iOS platforms in 2017. It is based on Chromium, which is a free and open-sourced software.

What are the Benefits of Using the Microsoft Edge Browser?

• Speed

A leaner Microsoft browser has resulted in a better response time which assists the browser’s page in loading much faster than previously.

• Install Chrome-Compatible Add-Ons

You can install any Chrome-compatible add-ons in Edge because it is built on the same Chromium code used by Google’s browser.

• Android and iOS Support

As a cross-platform web browser, Microsoft Edge is also available for Android and iOS devices, simplifying data synching.

• Easy Microsoft Product Integration

Edge integrates easily with other Microsoft products on both Windows 10 and 11.

• Personalised Content

On start-up, Microsoft Edge shows the My Feed page, which is a selection of information based on your browsing history and personal data. This can easily be customised or, if you prefer, switched off to show another start-up page of your choice.

• Privacy Control

With Microsoft Edge, you can determine your privacy tier by choosing between Basic, Balanced and Strict, with an option to select Exception for sites that need to use tracking cookies.

• Tab Versatility

Tabs help navigate your way around the web and are usually found at the top of the screen. However, Edge allows you to organise them vertically down the left side of your screen or put inactive tabs to sleep – which keeps your browser running smoothly.

Westech is a Silver Microsoft Partner, which means that we have undergone rigorous training and certification to be able to offer the best Microsoft solutions and services to our clients. We also offer a wide range of IT support services across South Africa and Gauteng, including;

• IT support in Cape Town
• IT support in Durban

Contact Westech for friendly, professional, and reliable IT support services.

Microsoft Defender Antivirus is just one of the services that Microsoft has made available on their Microsoft 365 upgrade for Windows 10, Windows 11, and versions of Windows Server. This antivirus protection offers significant threat resistance from the Microsoft cloud infrastructure to provide ongoing detection, prevention and response for emails, apps, identities, and endpoints. It is applicable to Microsoft Business and Microsoft Enterprise.

What Protection does Microsoft Defender Antivirus Offer?

As a business or enterprise user, Microsoft 365 uses Microsoft 365 Defender to protect devices against software pre- and post-breaches such as spyware, viruses, and malware. Furthermore, Microsoft 365 Defender can automatically be able to prevent the attack and heal the affected entry points.

Defender for Endpoint further extends an existing antivirus protection installed on the endpoint. The user can benefit from running Microsoft Defender alongside another antivirus solution.

• Microsoft 365 Defender – leverages the Microsoft 365 security portfolio to automatically analyse threats and provide the information on a single dashboard.
• Microsoft Defender for Office 365 – assists companies in securing their enterprise with a set of prevention, detection, investigation, and hunting features to protect email and Office 365 resources.
• Microsoft Defender for Endpoint – delivers preventative protection, post-breach detection, automated investigation, and response for company devices.
• Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps – a comprehensive cross-SaaS and PaaS solution bringing enhanced visibility, data controls, and threat protection to all cloud apps.

IT security professionals can now use the integrated Microsoft 365 Defender solution to hunt for threats across endpoint and Office data, analyse each threat’s full impact, and establish how it entered the environment.

The Microsoft 365 Defender portal brings related information together and has afforded quicker access to information in a simple layout for ease of use.

What’s New in Microsoft 365 Defender?

• Implementation of automated capabilities such as investigations and remediations which includes manual email remediation enhancements.
• Alert queue to quickly view alerts.
• Attack simulation training to run realistic threat scenarios.

How Microsoft 365 Defender Benefits IT Technicians

Microsoft 365 Defender for Office 365 will allow IT technicians to define threat protection policies and set them to the appropriate levels. It also provides real-time reports to enable IT technicians to monitor performance, investigate, analyse, and prevent threats. Furthermore, the automated investigation and response capabilities save time and effort – which is critical when investigating a potential cyber-attack.

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is only included in certain subscriptions, but Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 or Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 may be purchased as an add-on to specific subscriptions.

Westech, a preferred IT company in South Africa, offers onsite and outsourced IT support and service solutions for small, medium, or larger businesses. As a Microsoft partner, Westech is an expert in tailoring software solutions for many different types of companies and offers a comprehensive range of software.

To establish if your business’s IT infrastructure remains efficient and cost-effective, contact Westech to undertake a comprehensive IT audit. Our IT audit will ensure that IT downtime is limited, productivity improved, and security optimal.

Westech is a Silver Microsoft Partner in South Africa that has provided reliable IT support services to companies across South Africa since 1994.

What is a Microsoft Silver Partner?

A Microsoft Silver Partner is a company that provides Microsoft-related products or services while taking part in the Microsoft Partners Network. The Silver Certification is awarded on one of the Microsoft competencies after achieving several stipulated requirements and milestones in training, performance, quality of service and customer care. In this way, Microsoft acknowledges IT companies that provide exceptional Microsoft services and support.

Why Choose a Microsoft Silver Partner?

Microsoft has strict requirements for its partners, which entail all staff passing the Microsoft training courses. As a client of Westech, you can be assured that you will be putting your business into the hands of experienced professionals who know what they are doing.

In addition, any problems that you may experience with a Microsoft product will be fast-tracked to ensure a quick resolution. As a Microsoft Partner, you will also have immediate access to advice and support centres for the entire Microsoft product range.

Find out more here about working with Microsoft Partners in South Africa.

For further information on our services, contact a Westech IT Technician and book a meeting to appoint Westech as your IT Company in South Africa.