Microsoft 365 technical overview of core services and identities for the IT Professional

Overview

This one-day instructor-led course provides IT professionals with a focused technical introduction to Microsoft 365, covering its core services, administrative tools, and identity framework. Delegates will gain clarity on how the platform is structured, how its services integrate, and what administrators need to manage and secure Microsoft 365 effectively. The course also introduces the growing role of AI in Microsoft 365 — including tools like Microsoft Copilot — to support better planning and decision-making.

Key focus areas include service architecture, identity and access models, administration, compliance, automation, and connectivity considerations.

Prerequisites

Delegates should have general familiarity with IT infrastructure, user management, and cloud services. No prior experience with Microsoft 365 is required.

Target audience

This course is designed for IT professionals responsible for evaluating, planning, or supporting Microsoft 365 deployments. It is especially valuable for those seeking a clear technical foundation in Microsoft 365's architecture, identity framework, and administrative tools.

Objectives

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

• Explain the differences between Microsoft 365 and Office 365
• Compare licensing plans
• Understand the core Microsoft 365 services including Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Copilot Chat, Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Purview and Microsoft Defender XDR
• Understand Microsoft Entra ID and its role in identity and access management
• Compare identity models (cloud-only and hybrid), and understand the different authentication options
• Understand why custom domains can be added to a Microsoft 365 tenant
• Understand the main admin centers, the use of PowerShell, and the admin roles that can be assigned to users.
• Explain the basic troubleshooting and monitoring tools

Outline

Overview of Microsoft 365

• What is Microsoft 365?
• Release preferences
• Benefits of Microsoft 365
• Requirements for network and client connectivity

Microsoft 365 components

• Core components
  • Microsoft Entra ID
  • Microsoft 365 Apps
  • Exchange Online
  • SharePoint
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Microsoft Copilot Chat
  • Microsoft Purview
  • Microsoft Defender XDR)
• Plus additional components

Microsoft 365 subscriptions

• Microsoft 365 plans
• The signup process
• License features

Administering Microsoft 365

• Admin centers
• PowerShell
• Admin roles

Microsoft 365 domains

• Adding custom domains

Identity models and authentication

Monitoring, troubleshooting and support

• Troubleshooting tools and resources
• SLAs and Technical support

Exams and assessments

There are no formal exams associated with this course.

Hands-on learning

There are no hands on learning activities during this course.