Well it’s a buzz now that Microsoft has its cloud being officially used by many aspects of government. This will include all aspects from DOJ, DOD, CIA, NSA, DOE, DOS, DHS, DIA, FBI, DOE, and many more. The Microsoft cloud space is such a new and invigorating space to be in because it comes with world class security, the best in mobility management, and to top it off, the government segment is completely siloed and sectioned from the commercial side of the fence, making it one of the most secure options on the tech market today. Some people say “why Azure?”, but the real question is “Why not?”. Being a Microsoft brand that has been proven over the many years, Microsoft Azure is the platform to be on to not only conduct government business, but even as a vendor trying to do business with the government, Azure is quickly becoming the standard practice.
1st Step to access Microsoft Government Cloud
If you have no clue about the above and are in the government sector, but need to get a free trial and be vetted to see if your organization qualifies for access to Microsoft Government Cloud, then start your journey with Microsoft here as they go through the vetting process with you. Once you have been granted access into a Microsoft Government tenant, then you can return here for more help and deep discounts on the Microsoft government subscriptions. In the meantime, START YOUR JOURNEY AND VETTING PROCESS WITH MICROSOFT HERE:
What are the Azure government Instances?
Azure for Government
Well there are three sure ways to get information in and out of the Microsoft Azure government cloud. One is through Azure Government, the other is through licensing through MICROSOFT 365 GCC and Office 365 GCC. By being in the Microsoft space, Im sure many have heard of the Azure, which is for commercial use, but then there is Azure for government. Azure for Government allows the building, replicating, assessment, and complete infrastructure build out of network, security, and functional operations to be done in the Microsoft cloud space. Azure for Government allows organizations to seamlessly integrate their hybrid scenario, which includes their current “on-premise” setup and utilize the virtual cloud environment. By doing this, Microsoft Azure allows full functionality including security while on the go and from virtually anywhere. Top security features such as firewalls, VPNs, IP secs, MFA, and other security functions that allow security to be at the forefront while data is replicated and secure. Though Azure for Government is a segment, before you can even look into Azure for Government, you will need to start with the basics. The basics to get into the government cloud with Azure is through licensing of MICROSOFT 365 GCC and Office 365 GCC. You can refer to the Microsoft link provided earlier in the previous paragraph – 1st Step to access Microsoft Government Cloud.
(If you already have a Microsoft government tenant and need an Azure subscription, then click this link to start your Microsoft Government Azure journey: https://techsolworld.com/product-category/microsoft-azure/ )
MICROSOFT 365 GCC and Office 365 GCC
So you are a government contracting company already doing business with the government or about to and apply for GCC with Microsoft. You get an initial email that says “you are approved for GCC”, and you think great, this satisfies what I need to conduct business with the government. Well, you may be right or wrong. With GCC, there comes the requirements for CJIS, NIST and FedRAMP. Seeing is better than saying, so review the chart below which shows how MICROSOFT 365 GCC/Office 365 GCC stacks up with the various requirements:
(If you already have an existing Microsoft Government tenant provided by Microsoft and wish to look at the pricing options that Technology Solutions Worldwide provides with a guaranteed 30-40% discount, then CLICK THIS LINK to view the subscriptions and discounts available: https://techsolworld.com/product-category/government/ )
MICROSOFT 365 GCC HIGH/Office 365 GCC High – Upgrade Process
Now that you have MICROSOFT 365 GCC/Office 365 GCC, you get some new requirements that GCC does not fit. You then have to go to GCC High. So you are thinking, how do I even start this process?? Well Microsoft keeps this entire process close to the vest. This means that in order to apply for this status, you will need to do 1 of 3 things.
1. Respond back to the email which stated that you were approved for GCC. The team will respond back to you as soon as they get to your email.
2. Open a support ticket and get to a personnel which can assist in directing your request over to the department that does the approval. Bear in mind that you cannot call the department directly. You can only email them and wait for a response. This is because of the sensitivity and security around the entire process of getting access to the government cloud.
3. Call Microsoft support and have them open a ticket over the phone to that department. However, it will all result in an email being sent to that department for their review. They will not call or speak to you over the phone or security reasons.
Beyond getting support to move from GCC to GCC High, you may ask what are the key differences? Well we have deciphered that below in this chart. Take a look to see the features and programs that GCC and GCC High applies to. Dependent on your level of involvement with the government and the type of government entity you are engaging will determine whether you need GCC or GCC High. This first diagram outlines the basic requirements of US government and how it matches up against Office 365 GCC.
MICROSOFT 365 COMMERCIAL VS MICROSOFT 365 GCC/OFFICE 365 GCC
This is the first step in the government tenant access provided by Microsoft into the government cloud. In order to gain access, an organization will need to prove they are either in the government sector or a direct contractor of the government in order to apply and get approved for the access into this level of government cloud.
The areas of security and policies this level of licensing covers are FedRamp Moderate, HIPAA/HITECH, FBI CJIS, DFARS, DoD SRG level L2, NIST 800-53. Depending on the level of access needed, this could possibly cover CUI/CDI and NIST 800-171. If the level of access is not enough to operate or conduct business with the branch of government your organization is handling, then the next step would be to follow the instructions listed in this article under MICROSOFT 365 GCC HIGH/Office 365 GCC High – Upgrade Process.
For more visual detail concerning the difference between Microsoft 365 Commercial and Microsoft 365 GCC/Office 365 GCC, the comparison chart below gives a more in-depth look between the Microsoft 365 commercial product and this GCC product line.
In this next chart it shows the differences between Office 365 GCC and Office 365 GCC High including the programs that each qualify or do not qualify for.
(If you already have an existing Microsoft Government tenant provided by Microsoft and wish to look at the pricing options that Technology Solutions Worldwide provides with a guaranteed 30-40% discount, then CLICK THIS LINK to view the subscriptions and discounts available: https://techsolworld.com/product-category/government/ )
MICROSOFT 365 GCC/OFFICE 365 GCC VS MICROSOFT 365 GCC HIGH/OFFICE 365 CC HIGH
Microsoft 365 GCC /Office 365 GCC is the base requirement to get access and handle government data. As a contractor with the government, this is the bare minimum requirement. This access gives access into the Federal Space, SLG, Tribes, and DIB. This access also comes with FedRAMP High, HIPPAA/HITECH, FBI CJIS, DFARS, CUI/CDI, DoD SRG Level 2, NIST 800-171, NIST 800-53, and NERC / FERC. This subscription grants access into the Azure Government cloud and all data in this platform is stored there completely different from commercial data. This does provide full access into the Azure Government cloud. It is a more secure network to allow storage and access to government requirements for data storage.
(If you already have an existing Microsoft Government tenant provided by Microsoft and wish to look at the pricing options that Technology Solutions Worldwide provides with a guaranteed 30-40% discount, then CLICK THIS LINK to view the subscriptions and discounts available: https://techsolworld.com/product-category/government/ )
MICROSOFT 365 DOD/OFFICE 365 DOD
The next level after MICROSOFT 365 GCC HIGH/Office 365 GCC High is Microsoft 365 DOD. This is the highest level of security and covers everything in GCC High, but takes security up to a whole other level as these licenses deal with the Department of Defense.
Microsoft 365 DOD and Office 365 DOD are limited access licenses which only allow access to information by US based restricted personnel.
These license ideally cover FedRamp High, HIPAA, HITECH, DFARS, ITAR, EAR, CUI, CDI, DOD SRG LEVEL 5, NIST 800-171, NIST 800-53, NERC, FERC, including the Azure Government Cloud access. The comparison chart below clearly defines each level and the access that the licenses come with.
(If you already have an existing Microsoft Government tenant provided by Microsoft and wish to look at the pricing options that Technology Solutions Worldwide provides with a guaranteed 30-40% discount, then CLICK THIS LINK to view the subscriptions and discounts available: https://techsolworld.com/product-category/government/ )
MICROSOFT PARTNER – PRICING ADVANTAGE
Pricing List for Microsoft Government Subscriptions:
Subscriptions are monthly/annually with Microsoft – TechSolWorld – subscriptions are purchased annually for the cost savings.
Below is Monthly per user per month cost
Office 365 GCC G1/Office 365 GCC High G1 – Microsoft MSRP: $8.00 – TechSolWorld: $6.40
Office 365 GCC G3/Office 365 GCC High G3 - Microsoft MSRP: $20.00 – TechSolWorld: $16.00
Office 365 GCC G5/Office 365 GCC High G5 – Microsoft MSRP: $35.00 – TechSolWorld: $28.00
Microsoft 365 GCC G3/Microsoft 365 GCC High G3 – Microsoft MSRP: $32.00 – TechSolWorld: $25.60
Microsoft 365 GCC G5/Office 365 GCC High G5 - Microsoft MSRP: $57.00 – TechSolWorld: $40.00
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