A Complete Guide to M365 Cross-Cloud and Cross-Tenant Collaboration
In today’s corporate landscape, acquisitions and mergers are happening more regularly. Most business entities operate in dynamic contexts — they prioritize maintaining healthy partner relationships, improving customer service, and ensuring that the vendors are satisfied to boost their chances of success.
Through external collaboration, accountability, confidence, and visibility are improved. With many firms using the Microsoft Office 565, including those in the Fortune 500 category, it’s easy to see why many multi-tenant settings are cropping up.
While it is true that consolidating or migrating two environments in the on-premises world took some time but eventually got there, Microsoft Office 365, M365 services still have some issues that need ironing out. Here, we take an in-depth look at the M365 cross-cloud and cross-tenant collaboration.
What is Microsoft Office 365?
For beginners, Microsoft 365 is a bundle of services that includes Office 365 and other similar services. Using this service allows you to access your files from anywhere, secure cloud storage features, improve communication, and facilitate business continuity, amongst others.
What Are Cross-Cloud Services?
Also known as multi-cloud services, cross-cloud services enable users to advance their digital business by speeding the delivery of modern apps while simplifying its operations and retaining enterprise control. Usually offered as software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions, cross-cloud services are beneficial for any business that wants to gain access to new capabilities without necessarily having to spend a fortune.
M365 Cross-Cloud and Cross-Tenant Collaboration Scenarios
With more customers coming on board and using M365 services, they need to continue their collaborations across the boundaries. Today, many cross-cloud scenarios are enabled, with more coming in the future.
For M365, cross-cloud file sharing relies on One-time Passcode, OTP from SharePoint Online, or OneDrive. You can now collaborate with people outside your organization, create a secure guest-sharing environment, and enjoy various M365 sharing settings references. It is also possible to join meetings anonymously.
Benefits of M365 Cross-Cloud and Cross-Tenant Collaboration
The collaboration between cross-crowd and cross-tenant collaboration presents many benefits, including:
Enhanced Security
All the relevant administrators on both ends must develop cross-tenant access policies that govern tenant posting and create clear accountability for shared networks — only those authorized to connect can do so.
On the other hand, administrators will have to define which of your tenants has access to your external shared network when setting up outbound access.
It is Easier to Invite New Users
As a cross-tenant administrator, you can invite an individual or a group to work with you on your shared channel. The cross-cloud and cross-tenant collaboration remove all the boundaries; you can now request users from a different entity within your company.
The process of cross-tenant channel identification is also relatively easier regardless of your position as the administrator. When collaborating with users outside your business entity, two important components come into play; added protection and improved sharing. You can easily create and use Microsoft 365 Groups.
Advanced Collaboration Settings
Usually, B2B external collaboration settings are in charge of managing sharing in Microsoft 365. If you had any sharing settings in M365 prohibiting guest sharing, the collaboration settings in charge would override it.
Working with visitors from different organizations requires limiting the directory data that they can access. Doing this will keep them from checking who else is in the directory as a visitor.
Cross-Cloud Calendar Free-Busy Sharing and Anonymous Meeting Join
Sharing free/busy information is important for collaborating across clouds through meetings. Let your guests know in advance when you are free to take more meetings and business calls.
How to Create Secure Guest Sharing Environments
While M365 cross-cloud and cross-tenant collaboration is efficient and time-saving, creating a secure guest sharing environment where every user is protected is needed. Also, the users can only access the details you want them to.
To achieve this, consider:
Enabling Multi Factor Authentication for All Guests
Multifactor authentication is one of the best ways of protecting your network. Guests who use personal email accounts do not have any obligation to follow your organizational policies and best practices; multi factor authentication helps keep such guests in check. It minimizes the chances of anonymous users’ chances of accessing your critical data and stealing your information.
Have Clear Usage Terms for Your Guests
It is not safe to assume that all users who use your network have signed some non-disclosure agreements or any other similar legal contract. With that in mind, having clear terms and conditions for using your network will help govern the files that your guests can access. This is important for security purposes.
Creating your list of terms and conditions is not hard; simply write it out in Microsoft Word, save it in PDF format and upload it.
Consider Web-only Access for Guests
The M365 cross-cloud and cross-tenant collaboration mean that guests can access your network through web browsers and different domains. Setting up web-only access for your guests, therefore, decreases the chances of online attacks and makes it easier to manage the users.
Consider an Expert in Connecticut
The M365 cross-cloud and cross-tenant collaboration is a step closer to the future we used to talk about. In a world where corporate landscape, acquisitions, and mergers are prevalent, your business deserves the best IT services. The collaboration is excellent because it enhances your security, makes it easier to invite new users, and has access to several settings features.
As a business owner, you might not really understand the content in this piece, and if you do, you might not have enough time to handle your IT issues while attending to the other aspects of your business. At Realized Solutions, we are inspired by technology to give you impeccable IT and software development services.
Serving clients in and around Connecticut, our company relies on networks, people, and cutting-edge technology to guarantee customer satisfaction. Based on the testimonials from our previous customers, you can tell that we are good at what we do.
Find solutions to your IT problems, including ones to do with cross-cloud and cross tenant, by contacting us.
