Working remotely as a team is really important right now, with so many of us sitting in different places instead of the office.
SharePoint is a tool which helps you do just that. It works with Microsoft Office 365 to connect your team and allow them to create, safely store and share documents online.
Why use SharePoint?
Using SharePoint you can set up team sites for projects, where your people can collaborate on documents. It also allows you to create an intranet for your business. This is a great way to stay connected with what’s happening, where and with whom.
Plus, you can share news with colleagues and access forms, lists and libraries of information. That’s vital when we can’t all be in the same room.
There’s also a mobile app, so your team can stay updated on group news when they’re not at their big screen.
And because it’s all cloud-based, you can access everything you need in one central place. This is perfect whether your team is working from home, back in the workplace or have a hybrid setup.
SharePoint Server vs. SharePoint Online
At the moment, you can still use the old-fashioned SharePoint as well as the newer, cloud-based SharePoint Online.
The two were originally very similar. But these days, SharePoint Online has a number of security advantages which put it out in front as far as many businesses are concerned:
1) Built-in security graph
Microsoft has created a graph-based intrusion detection system for SharePoint Online that allows them to rapidly detect any unauthorised access.
They do this by applying advanced data analysis algorithms to terabytes of telemetry information gathered daily. This information can also be accessed by Office 365 security teams to aid proactive threat mitigation efforts.
You can also view some of this data through the threat management section of the Office 365 security and compliance portal.
2) Unified audit log
Another advantage of using SharePoint Online is that Office 365 provides a unified audit log, which is accessible and searchable through the online interface.
This can be done via the audit log in the Office 365 security and compliance centre, PowerShell or the Office graph API.
Office 365 allows you to track hundreds of events, such as events related to external sharing and offline synchronisation. It also allows for a holistic view of the SharePoint Online tenant (that’s the whole Office 365 suite attached to your domain).
3) Data mining policy
As opposed to many other cloud-based platforms, SharePoint online does not allow data mining or access to data for any type of advertising.
This means there is an increase in privacy and security and the risk of misuse of information is eliminated.
4) Anti-malware protection
In SharePoint Online, anti-malware protection is provided automatically (using the Microsoft anti-malware engine) for files that are uploaded and saved to document libraries.
If a file is found to be infected, a property is automatically set so users can’t download the file from the browser or sync it on OneDrive.
5) Encryption of data
Microsoft also provides some of the strongest and most secure encryption protocols available to protect your data from unauthorised access.
Two types of data encryption are used:
- Disk encryption – on the disk encryption level, BitLocker is used to secure data.
- File encryption – on a file level, every file is secured with a unique key that uses an advanced encryption standard with 256-bit keys.
SharePoint Online – remote working made easier and more secure
These advanced security processes on top of the ease and accessibility which SharePoint Online provides makes it the ideal solution for many companies. Especially those who are looking to set themselves up to handle distance or hybrid working because of the coronavirus pandemic.
It’s also ideal for businesses which want to be prepared for anything else which the world might throw at them in future.
Is this a solution your company might benefit from?
Contact us today to chat about it.
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