Microsoft 365 Copilot has been built on top of OpenAI’s large language models since its inception in November 2023. 

Their strategic partnership has allowed millions of secured business prompts using the paid version of Copilot, and recently, through the free Copilot Chat.  

In parallel, OpenAI is investing in ChatGPT Enterprise to compete with AI lab rivals Anthropic (Claude) and Google (Gemini), and to some extent, Microsoft itself.  

As the frenemies plan the next seven years of their alliance, a substantive debate continues to surface: which service is better for businesses?

I’ve discussed with several IT leaders, and include the prevailing sentiment below.

This was validated by one particular CIO, who is one of the few that provides his organization with the option to use either ChatGPT Enterprise or Copilot (and in addition, Claude or Gemini).

What follows are the drivers that we agreed on.

Why Businesses Are Adopting
Microsoft 365 Copilot

When comparing ChatGPT Enterprise and Microsoft’s paid version of Copilot, five of the key differences highlight Copilot’s strengths, while one reflects a perceived advantage for ChatGPT.

There are five positives for Copilot: 

1. Microsoft 365 Copilot works natively in the apps where people are working (i.e. Word, Teams, etc.). It’s not another ‘place’ to go and get things done. 

2. Teams meeting transcript recap is the most popular feature, but only works with Copilot. 

3. Copilot scans the entire Microsoft 365 tenant, not just the files you upload to process (which is the case with ChatGPT). 

4. Microsoft’s security stack (i.e. Purview and SharePoint Advanced Management) can protect the data that an organization deems private, and which shouldn’t be accessible via GenAI. People can upload anything into ChatGPT without such controls (although Purview does provide some protection against shadow AI).  

5. The free Copilot Chat is a decent option for people who don’t warrant the entire license, while providing a consistent, secure enterprise standard.  

Where Users Perceive ChatGPT Has An Edge

That leaves the sixth difference as a subjective advantage in ChatGPT’s favor:

6. People tend to find its answers seem better, without being able to put a finger on why. 

Said the CIO, who kindly confirmed these exact points, “I think you have summarized this pretty well. Really, what it comes down to is ChatGPT’s responses just seem to be a lot better than Copilot.”  

Dissecting ChatGPT’s Subjective Advantage

Why does ChatGPT “seem” to provide better responses? I put ChatGPT and Microsoft 365 Copilot head-to-head using three (3) basic business prompts. 

Rather than subjectively comparing and rating their responses myself, I had a third LLM (Gemini) evaluate the outputs for objectivity.

Test Methodology  

Three of the exact same prompts were requested of both models:  

• Creative marketing 

• Strategic analysis 

• Technical document editing 

After generating the six outputs, I copied them and removed any identifying details. I then submitted the anonymized outputs to a neutral third-party AI (Gemini) for scoring. Gemini applied a four-part, 1-to-5 scoring rubric to each output, allowing for a maximum of 20 points per test and 60 points total.

Test Results

As do many humans, Gemini observed clear differences in how each system produced its responses. It scored ChatGPT at 60/60 and Microsoft 365 Copilot at 54/60. Both are high scores, and the six-point gap reflects differences in how the two systems interpret and apply instructions, not differences in underlying intelligence.

These nuances matter for understanding output quality, but they represent only one dimension of evaluating enterprise AI. To understand why the scores differed and why many organizations still prefer Copilot for productivity, security, and governance, we looked more closely at how each system approached the prompts.

Why the Scores Diverged

The most significant functional difference was ChatGPT’s ability to perfectly adhere to all rules simultaneously. 

Marketing Prompt: Completeness vs. Utility

In the marketing prompt, I asked both systems to create an invitation to a webinar provided by financial advisors for prospective clients.

Copilot’s marketing email scored lower (17/20) because its response failed to explicitly mention one of the important services in the prompt (estate planning).

On the other hand, Gemini gave ChatGPT full marks since it seemed to treat the prompt as a non-negotiable set of rules. ChatGPT’s response was longer, but more complete.

Copilot, while excellent, demonstrates a tendency to prioritize high-level utility over flawless execution of every specific constraint, which, in at least one test, led to incomplete final content.  

Strategic Analysis Prompt: Extra Customization Wins

In the strategic analysis test, both systems were pointed to a blog and asked to provide novel, high-value strategy tips. Copilot scored 19/20, and ChatGPT received Gemini’s full marks.

The final point difference was in the application of that strategy.

M365 Copilot “Provided excellent strategic concepts and an actionable checklist. This highlights its power in grounded analysis and structured business frameworks.” 

Meanwhile, ChatGPT “Achieved the final point by including an ‘Implications for Your Context’ section, which proactively connected the strategic takeaways to the user’s specific consulting business.”

ChatGPT not only analyzed the blog, gave insights, but also gave additional insights to me (the user), which again made the response much longer, but provided a surprising final layer of customized value. 

Job Description Prompt: Strategic Alignment

Finally, I uploaded a job description into both systems and asked them to interpret and improve the document.

Both AIs fulfilled the rules, but ChatGPT’s output was strategically more valuable, yielding 20/20. 

Copilot’s 17/20 score reflects that its metrics for the job role focused on process-oriented measures (e.g., SOW count), whereas ChatGPT’s metrics aligned strategically with the ultimate business goal (e.g., revenue generated and win rate).

Gemini interpreted the difference:
“This suggests ChatGPT is better tuned for strategic extrapolation, interpreting the job’s context to propose high-value edits that directly relate to executive performance metrics, making its output immediately more useful for senior HR/Recruiting teams.” 

When you look across all three tests, the strengths and limitations become clearer; and that’s where broader business considerations enter the picture.

Final Takeaways on ChatGPT vs Copilot

Content and extrapolation aren’t the only decision criteria for businesses. Clearly, Copilot’s integrations and security are top of mind for many CIOs (and especially CISOs).  

Yet users often have the final word, and often make their decisions in the shadows, so IT leaders would do well set clear guidelines for adoption: 

ChatGPT is best for: 

• Flawless creative execution. 

• Complex multi-rule tasks. 

• Executive-level communication. 

• Any deliverable where zero errors and high strategic nuance are required. 

Choose M365 Copilot for:  

• For daily productivity in all the M365 apps. 

• When responses need to be based on more than a single (open or uploaded) document. 

• Where information security and enterprise data protection are important. 

• When your organization wants freemium GenAI capabilities (with Copilot Chat for $0 and paid M365 Copilot licenses where warranted). 

But no matter which GenAI platform(s) you endorse, it is most vital to pick one (or more), fund it for authorized users, and clearly set expectations about not using public AI for work data.  

Empower Your Organization with the Right AI Strategy

Choosing the right GenAI platform is a strategic decision. eGroup can help ensure your team is using tools that drive productivity, security, and real business outcomes.

SharePoint (and OneDrive) have quietly powered collaboration for years, sometimes so quietly we forget to dig deep– but in our Fall roadshow, I teamed up with Jesus Shelby, Director of Cloud & Microsoft 365 Services, to unpack what’s new, what’s next, and how to get the most from modern SharePoint. You can also hit play on the recording here.  

Recent Directions  

SharePoint’s recent advancements are foundational for how organizations manage content, reduce administrative overhead, and prepare for an AI-driven future.  

The latest possibilities we focused on include: 

• Reducing administrative burden through automation and smarter governance 

• Making your SharePoint Online (SPO) system AI-ready for Copilot and other intelligent services 

• Saving costs by tackling storage sprawl and optimizing resource usage 

• Improving compliance with advanced security and data governance controls 

• Enhancing employee experience with modern, intuitive tools 

Let’s dive into the key themes and actionable takeaways. 

Key Advancements and Upcoming Improvements 

SharePoint Advanced Management’s (SAM) and the Content Management Assessment (CMA) Dashboard 

• Automates governance tasks and prepares sites for Copilot activation 

• Provides a unified dashboard to evaluate site health, permissions, and lifecycle readiness 

• Helps identify over-permissioned sites and remediate security risks efficiently 

“If you have Copilot– even one license– you’ll have access to a subset of the SAM controls. 
They’re really the most important parts for getting more information around your SharePoint sites, your permissioning, who’s accessing what, and how things are being shared.” 

— Jesus Shelby, Director of Cloud & M365 Services

SharePoint Backup and Archive Service 

• Automates backup, integrates with Microsoft 365, and reduces manual effort 

• Quickly restores sites and files to minimize risk and impact of data loss 

• Moves inactive sites to cheaper storage, but still supports retention policies and compliance 

• Controls costs tightly with its (upcoming) file-level archive capability  

“Backup covers Exchange and content, whereas archive is really only content– your files, your SharePoint sites. Archive and backup are different; they serve different purposes.”

— Jesus Shelby, Director of Cloud & M365 Services

Intelligent Versioning 

• Automatically tracks document changes and flags significant updates 

• Minimizes storage needs by preventing redundant file copies 

• Enables easy retrieval and comparison of older versions, supporting better teamwork and rapid decisions 

• Can save up to 70% of storage consumption on sites 

“Most people aren’t even aware of how much storage these things are actually taking up. To clean them up manually is pretty onerous. Having this built into the platform is extremely helpful.”

— Jesus Shelby, Director of Cloud & M365 Services

AI File Actions and Knowledge Agents 

• Users can summarize, compare, generate FAQs, and create audio summaries from documents using AI 

• With knowledge agents, Metadata tagging is automated, improving search accuracy and enabling advanced workflows 

• AI features are enabled via the ‘AI Actions’ button (for Copilot-licensed users) 

Copilot-Connected Enterprise Image Libraries 

• PowerPoint users can pull branded images from SharePoint Organizational Asset Library or Templafy, maintaining brand consistency 

• Libraries are registered using PowerShell with CopilotSearchable flag 

Copilot-Powered Page Sections 

• AI-generated sections help authors create content faster with relevant contextual formatting 

• Improves productivity and consistency in SharePoint page development

SharePoint Agents 

• Smart assistants answer natural language questions using SharePoint site content 

• Deployed via Teams integration (or accessible via the SPO page itself) and configured with domain-specific content scopes 

Free for Microsoft 365 Copilot users or pay as you go for unlicensed users  

Hero Links for Secure Sharing (Future) 

• Generates a unique secure link per file with automatic permission settings 

• Simplifies sharing and reduces errors related to file permissions 

• Feature is enabled by default for convenience 

“Microsoft’s going to start releasing this early next year. It should simplify how people are sharing, remove confusion, and make it easier when links are going around.”

— Jesus Shelby, Director of Cloud & M365 Services

What Technologies You Need to Know
 

• Purview – Data governance and compliance management, including sensitivity labels 

• Advanced Management (SAM/CMA) – Unified dashboards and controls for site health, permissions, and lifecycle 

• Knowledge Agents – Automate metadata tagging, FAQ generation, and document summarization 

• Hero Links – Simplified, secure sharing links for files and sites 

• Intelligent Versioning – Automated version control and storage optimization 

Best Practices, Lessons Learned, and Recommendations 

• For SAM/CMA, start with a full export of your sites and configurations to assess exposure and permissions. Then, use group-based access controls to rein in unfettered access and simplify management. Leverage CMA and SAM dashboards for visibility and targeted remediation on an ongoing basis. 

• Educate users on sharing behaviors and monitor activity to maintain security 

• Enable knowledge agents to automate metadata and improve search accuracy 

• Plan for storage optimization with intelligent versioning and upcoming file-level archiving 

• Apply sensitivity labels and configure Purview for file-level protection  

• Test new features in preview and stay abreast of roadmap updates via the Message Center 

Conclusion 

SharePoint is accelerating behind the scenes, with AI, automation, resiliency, and cost controls at the forefront. Staying abreast of these new capabilities can reduce administrative burden, save costs, and empower employees with more secure collaboration tools.

Turn SharePoint Insights Into Action

Take the next step in your Microsoft 365 journey. Our experts help you map out a strategic roadmap that modernizes collaboration, governance, and AI readiness.

Giving access to third-party vendors is both a necessity and a risk. Common scenarios of developers needing access and specialized tooling, third-party service providers/consultants, or external users often need access to sensitive systems and data, and traditional VPN is cumbersome to both use and manage. Providing that access comes the potential for misconfiguration, over-permissioning, and increased exposure to threats.

Here is the challenge:

How do you enable secure, scalable, and auditable access for vendors without compromising your organization’s security posture or operational efficiency?

Microsoft’s cloud ecosystem offers a suite of solutions purpose-built for this challenge. In this post, we’ll explore three key options: Azure Bastion, Azure Virtual Desktop, and Microsoft Entra Private Access. Will discuss how each can be used to build a modern, secure, vendor access strategy that is tailored to the users’ needs and is efficient to manage for your technology team.

Azure Bastion: Secure Remote — Managed Access Without Public Exposure

Traditional remote access often relies on exposing resources (virtual machines, networks & data) to the internet via public IPs and RDP/SSH ports. This approach is inherently risky, opening the door to a variety of threats and potential lateral movement once inside the environment. Azure Bastion offers a different approach by providing secure, seamless RDP and SSH connectivity to Virtual Machines directly through the Azure portal. Doing so without exposing those VMs to the public internet.

How this helps support secure vendor access:

• Agentless Access: Vendors don’t need to install clients or manage VPNs. They simply log into the Azure portal and connect securely.
• No Public IPs Required: Bastion eliminates the need for public IPs on VMs, reducing attack surface.
• Secure access with Microsoft Entra ID: Access can be tightly scoped to specific VMs and time windows using Entra ID.
• Segmentation: Leveraging just-in-time (JIT), we can dynamically allow/disallow network access to resources internally to just the times it is needed.  Reducing the risk of lateral movement in the environment.
• Auditability: Bastion integrates with Entra ID, Defender, & Sentinel, enabling visibility into who accessed what, when, and how.

Primary Remote Use Case: A vendor needs occasional access to a production VM for troubleshooting. With Bastion, you can grant time-bound access to just that VM, without opening firewall ports or provisioning VPN credentials.

Azure Virtual Desktop: Flexible and Efficient Workspaces for External Users

Secure vendor access isn’t always as simple as providing access to a specific resource.  Sometimes, a full desktop experience or access to multiple internal resources across development, production, secure networks, etc. are required. Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) offers a secure, scalable solution. AVD provides a virtualized Windows experience that is hosted in Azure but allows vendors to work within a controlled environment that is suited to their needs– scoped only to access the resources they require, and can be fully managed by your IT team.

Why It Works for Vendor Access

• Granular Access Control: Assign access based on roles, groups, or specific tasks.
• Customization: Deliver desktops or applications that are tailored to meet the task at hand.
• Entra ID Conditional Access Secured: Enforce multi-factor authentication, device compliance, and location-based access.
• Data Protection: Enable data loss prevention with policies like clipboard restrictions, watermarking, and session recording.
• Scalability: Spin up environments for short-term projects or long-term engagements without provisioning physical hardware.  Then pay only for what you use.
• Compliance: Meet strict compliance requirements from regulatory frameworks.

Primary Use Case: A partner needs access to work inside your environment to support building or modifying a variety of resources in the cloud or on-prem. AVD allows them to work in a secure space without exposing your environment to theirs or the outside world.

Microsoft Entra Private Access: Zero Trust for Internal Apps

VPNs have been a necessary evil for a long time in the secure remote access space, but they’re increasingly being seen as over-permissive against today’s threats. They tend to grant broad network access with limited visibility or control. Some of that is due to improper configuration (I’ll get to locking that down tomorrow), and some is a limitation of the technology. Microsoft Entra Private Access offers a modern alternative as part of the overall Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) strategy. It enables secure, identity-centric access to internal apps without requiring full network connectivity.

How does this help?

• Enables Zero Trust: Access is granted based on identity, device, and real-time risk signals.
• No VPN Required: Vendors access apps through a secure reverse proxy, reducing complexity and overhead. No more VPN clients and version mismatches to maintain.
• Integrated Security: Works with the broader landscape of security solutions like Microsoft Defender, Entra ID Conditional Access, and Identity Protection.
• Improved User Experience: Seamless access via browser or Microsoft 365 productivity apps, with no need for VPN clients and multi-step processes.

Use Case: A third-party service provider (or remote employee) needs access to an internal web app. Entra Private Access allows secure, browser-based access with full audit trails.  Doing this without opening the network up for additional risks.

Final Thoughts

Each of these technologies presents a different value proposition depending on the use case. The right mix depends on your specific needs across the users themselves, alongside security, compliance, and management efficiency.

Looking for a place to start?

• Short-term access to VMs in the cloud and data center? Use Azure Bastion.
• More persistent, long-term, or specialized software required? Deploy Azure Virtual Desktops or Applications.
• Access to internal apps, but you don’t need a desktop. Leverage Entra Private Access.

The key is to move beyond one-size-fits-all solutions, put the users’ needs at the forefront, while ensuring the access itself is secured with Microsoft Entra ID Conditional Access, Privileged Identity Management, etc.

Next Steps:  Let’s Build Your Plan

I’d love to hear more about your secure remote access use cases.  From there, we can develop a plan with the right mix of technology and security to deliver modern, secure, and efficient access to your critical business partners.

Ready to Secure Your Vendor Access?

Implementing a modern, Zero Trust strategy for external partners requires careful planning and the right mix of Azure tools. Stop relying on outdated VPNs and start controlling access with identity-driven security.

The Evolution of Microsoft Sentinel

Microsoft Sentinel has been a foundational tool for building cloud-native security operations.  It started with leading the cloud-native SIEM charge, but the September 2025 announcements lay out how Sentinel will function and where it fits within Microsoft’s broader security strategy going forward.

This isn’t just a product update, this evolution matters because it redefines how security teams will detect, respond, and adapt to threats today and in the future. 

Understanding the Agentic Era

The concept of the “agentic era” refers to a transition from traditional automation to intelligent agents that can reason, act, and adapt. In short, we have and want agents that can not only alert but take actions.  In Sentinel, this means the introduction of AI copilots, natural language interaction, and context-aware recommendations. These features are designed to reduce the burden on analysts, improve detection accuracy, and accelerate response times.  Think of it this way, instead of complex queries to correlate events and data we can simply say, “what was the issue and what areas were impacted”.  Now, that doesn’t mean we don’t need security teams, but it does allow those security teams (or agents they create) to identify, react, and respond faster. 

This shift also introduces new architectural considerations. Organizations will need to rethink how they structure their data, workflows, and integrations to support these capabilities. Sentinel is no longer just a log collector. It is becoming a decision-making partner.  Sentinel Graph maps all entities and uses orchestration capabilities to help AI agents understand the relationships between assets, identities, and activities.  The Model Context Protocol (MCP) provides a structured way for AI and human analysts to query security data contextually.  Following a similar foundation to Microsoft Copilot.  

A simple example of this would be the creation of an agent that is solely focused on phishing attempts.  Taking actions to notify the user that phishing attempts have been detected against their mailbox and warning for extra caution.  However, these agents go beyond alerting. They can perform a wide range of actions to separate false positives to focus in on the real threats. 

As Chris Stegh, CTO of eGroup Enabling Technologies, explains:

“The most relevant AI Agents in SecOps are the Security Copilots. Clients with large enough SOC teams can optimize the time of those valuable professionals by providing natural-language interfaces to information that can simply reduce risk faster. Due to the cost and people involved, smaller SecOps teams might still benefit from having a managed security partner.” 

Sentinel’s Migration to the Microsoft Defender Portal

One of the most visible changes that have been announced is the migration of Sentinel into the Microsoft Defender portal. This move consolidates Microsoft’s security tools into a single interface, making it easier to correlate signals across endpoints, identities, cloud workloads, and more.  This simplifies visibility for security teams by pulling together disparate tools into one central location. 

For organizations already using Defender for Endpoint, Identity, or Cloud, this integration simplifies operations. The migration to the Defender portal is not automatic.  Organizations will need to create a plan for the migration as well as replace any legacy capabilities that will not be making the move to the new, consolidated, platform.  Businesses should plan on completing the migration by March 31^st, 2026. 

Sentinel Data Lake: Preparing for AI Workloads

Microsoft also introduced the Sentinel Data Lake, a new storage layer that separates compute from storage. The primary benefit organizations will see is reduced costs for storage, something that is a BIG benefit. 

In addition to cost savings, it will allow organizations to retain data for longer periods at that lower cost, while also enabling advanced analytics and machine learning. The result?  Significant cost reduction as well as less administrative time fine tuning storage retention. 

It’s not just about cost savings. The Data Lake is important for making those agentic AI scenarios a reality. Agents require historical context to make informed decisions. By storing years of data efficiently, organizations can support forensic investigations, compliance audits, and proactive threat hunting without overwhelming their budgets. 

Cost Optimization: New Pricing Models

Microsoft introduced new Sentinel pricing tiers designed for flThe cost savings don’t stop with optimizing storage with Sentinel Data Lake, Microsoft rolled out new pricing options for Sentinel. These include a new 50GB daily ingestion commitment tier and pre-purchase plans that offer predictable billing and volume discounts.

For organizations scaling up their Sentinel usage, these models provide more flexibility and better cost control.  For most organizations, this presents a clear opportunity to reduce costs.  Allowing for savings of 5-45% based on the tier. 

For our ThreatDefender clients, these changes allow us to offer more competitive packages by reducing your Sentinel costs in storing data.  After all, our platform is built on you owning your data without vendor lock-in.  Optimizing that cost makes managed and co-managed security even more affordable.  Whether clients are building their own SOC or partnering with a provider, understanding these pricing options is key to maximizing value. 

ThreatDefender: Accelerate Your Sentinel Journey

As a Microsoft Verified MSSP, we’ve built our ThreatDefender solution to help clients operationalize Sentinel quickly and effectively. For some, the best approach is to build their own environment with our guidance. For others, a co-managed or fully managed model delivers faster results and lower overhead. 

We offer Sentinel Optimization Workshops to assess readiness, design future-state architectures, and support migration efforts. Our managed detection and response services are built around Microsoft security with Microsoft best practices in mind.  Enabling you to own your data and access security experts to extend your team or act as your team. e extending your security team with Microsoft-certified experts.

Final Thoughts

Agentic AI is a powerful tool in the evolution of threat detection and response. It doesn’t replace your security team; it makes them better (and faster) at securing your business.  The evolution of Sentinel from a technical standpoint as well as timely cost optimizations is making this capability an affordable reality. 

Whether you are building your own Sentinel environment or evaluating a managed solution, we can help. ThreatDefender is designed to deliver 24×7 security with Microsoft Sentinel at its core. Let’s talk about how we can support your security journey and stay out in front of the evolution of these platforms. 

Secure Your Organization in the Agentic Era

Modernize your Microsoft Sentinel environment with AI-driven visibility, automation, and cost control.

Whether you’re building your own SOC or exploring managed options, our experts can help you stay ahead of evolving threats.

On October 16, 2025, we hosted Day 3 of the Fall Microsoft Virtual Roadshow, focused on Microsoft 365 productivity and security.

If you missed it, the recording is available in our Events OnDemand Library– feel free to share with your teams and watch segments on demand.

This recap summarizes hours of content into compact sections, clear recommendations, and actionable takeaways. We emphasized several cross-cutting themes: reducing administrative burden, preparing employees and technology to be AI-ready, strengthening security and compliance, and elevating the employee experience.

1. Make Every Employee & System AI-Ready

We explored how Copilot is evolving from a single assistant to an ecosystem of agents– retrieval, task, and autonomous—plus practical paths to build them with Copilot Studio and Azure AI.
Topics included Copilot Memory & Custom Instructions, license/consumption options, and the Copilot Control Center for governing lifecycle, metering, and permissions.

We also reviewed how to enable enterprise brand images for PowerPoint Copilot to keep presentations on brand.

Key Takeaways

• Prioritize an AI operating model with business sponsorship, change enablement, and technical readiness so agents deliver real value, not just demos.
• Choose the right build path per use case: Copilot prompts for quick wins, Copilot Studio for departmental agents, Azure AI Foundry for advanced patterns.
• Establish governance early with license/metering visibility, connector permissions, and agent lifecycle management.

2. Secure Data for AI with Purview, DSPM, & Adaptive Controls

We covered Microsoft’s integrated approach to Data Security, including Information Protection, DLP, Insider Risk Management, Data Security Investigations, and Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) to continually harden protections as AI usage expands.

For rollouts to stick, start from Microsoft’s deployment patterns and blueprints, and use eGroup’s eQIP model. Two resources to explore:

• Purview Deployment Blueprint
• Securing Your Data with Microsoft Purview: A Practical Handbook

Key Takeaways

• Treat labels as signals—they drive DLP, Insider Risk, DSPM, and AI grounding.
• Use DSPM + Investigations to find exposure hotspots and speed up AI-assisted triage.
• Implement secure-by-default labeling and iterate—don’t wait for a perfect taxonomy.
• Review the Secure by Default with Microsoft Purview model to modernize labeling at scale.

3. SharePoint Governance, AI-Assisted Content, & Resilient Backup

We demonstrated practical ways to prepare your tenant for Copilot and content growth using Content Management Assessment (CMA) dashboards to surface site health and over-permissioned areas; AI Actions in document libraries; Copilot-powered page sections; and enterprise image libraries for compliant AI-generated content.

We also compared Microsoft 365 Backup (first-party backup for SharePoint, OneDrive, Exchange) with third-party options.
Microsoft 365 Backup is consumption-based ($0.15/GB/month), supports rapid restore, and offers point-in-time rollback.
See: Microsoft 365 Backup Overview and Microsoft 365 Backup Pricing.

Key Takeaways

• Use CMA dashboards to remediate oversharing and prepare for Copilot.
• Turn on AI Actions to refine or generate content—always review before publishing.
• Adopt Microsoft 365 Backup for speed, coverage, and granular restore.

4. Employee Experience at Scale — Teams Phone and Teams Rooms

We examined how consolidating calling and meetings in Microsoft Teams reduces complexity and costs while improving user satisfaction.

Key updates included the Teams Phone Queues app and why Teams Rooms (MTR) remain a force multiplier for hybrid collaboration.

For planning, we recommended these resources:

• Teams Rooms & Devices Feature Comparison
• Teams Rooms Licenses (Basic vs Pro)
• Third-Party Meetings on Teams Rooms

Key Takeaways

• Standardize on Teams Phone + Teams Rooms to simplify your tech stack.
• Use the comparison and licensing guides to right-size each room.
• Enable third-party join but verify invites for executive meetings.

5. Operational Excellence: Identity Lifecycle Automation and Unified SecOps

We highlighted how Microsoft Entra ID Governance automates joiner/mover/leaver processes with Lifecycle Workflows, access reviews, and just-in-time controls—reducing tickets and access risk while giving employees day-one productivity.
See: Create Lifecycle Workflows and Understand Lifecycle Workflows.

We also discussed the Sentinel → Microsoft Defender portal transition, which unifies SIEM and XDR operations.
New workspaces are onboarding directly to Defender, and the Azure portal view will retire on July 1, 2026.

Key Takeaways

• Implement Entra ID Governance Lifecycle Workflows to automate JML and close access gaps.
• Pair identity governance with data-centric controls (labels, DLP, Insider Risk).
• Align SOC processes to the Defender portal ahead of the 2026 deadline—see Transition Your Microsoft Sentinel Environment to Defender.

What’s Next?

Day 3 underscored a simple pattern: prepare people and platforms for AI, secure the data that powers it, simplify the estate, and automate what used to be manual.
If you’d like a deeper dive or help with sequencing these steps, evaluating Copilot use cases, deploying Purview controls, modernizing Teams Phone and Rooms, or automating JML with Entra– eGroup is here to help you stay ahead and get the most from Microsoft’s latest innovation.

Build Your Microsoft 365 Roadmap for AI, Security, & Productivity

Ready to turn these insights into action? Our Microsoft 365 Roadmap engagement helps you assess your current environment, define priorities across collaboration, security, and AI, and chart a clear path forward. Transform what you learned from the Roadshow into a modernized, AI-ready strategy tailored to your organization.

Welcome to a deep dive into one of the most pressing topics in IT infrastructure today: migrating from VMware to Nutanix AHV.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably wrestling with the same questions our panel tackled recently. What’s next for VMware under Broadcom, how do you manage rising costs, and is Nutanix AHV really a viable alternative?

This post is a direct reflection of our August 2025 virtual panel discussion, where I had the privilege of moderating a candid conversation with three IT leaders who’ve lived through the migration journey. We skipped the slides and got straight to the real talk of what worked, what didn’t, and what you need to know if you’re considering a similar move.

Setting the Stage: Why This Discussion Matters

Let’s be honest – uncertainty around VMware’s future has been a cloud over the industry for two years. Licensing changes, price hikes, and shifting product features have forced organizations to rethink their virtualization strategies.

As mentioned at the start of the panel, “What is Broadcom doing with VMware? Prices are going up, licensing is changing, and product features and functionality are shifting.” The result? IT leaders are searching for alternatives that offer cost savings, simplicity, and agility.

Our goal for this session was simple: share practical advice and real-world insights from organizations that have already made the move to Nutanix AHV, or are actively evaluating it. No bashing, just realism about the state of the industry and what’s possible.

Meet the Panelists

I was joined by three customers from diverse industries, each with a unique perspective:

• Cody Reimers, Albany County Sheriff’s Department (Public Safety)
• Scott Ziegler, RPWB, Rogers, Patrick, Westbrook and Britton (Legal)
• Devin Costa, Jones Onslow Electric Membership Corporation (Utilities)

Each panelist brought hands-on experience with Nutanix AHV and different stages of adoption; some fully migrated, some running mixed environments, all with valuable lessons to share.

Decision-Making:
Why Move to Nutanix AHV?

Cost Savings and Simplicity

Cody kicked things off with the core reason for their migration:

“The biggest point was the renewal costs. We were seeing where Broadcom was going, and what the renewal costs were coming in as. What we really liked was the demo of Nutanix AHV, not only the cost savings, but also the overall management and simplicity. It still provided the same functional services we were doing.”

Devin echoed this, highlighting the licensing model:

“With Nutanix, you get AHV basically for free. We were already running Nutanix hardware, so it wasn’t an issue. Why not take advantage of that and save a little bit of money?”

Overcoming Hesitancy

Migrating critical services, especially in public safety, comes with risks. Cody admitted, “We were concerned about the sustainability and how well it would continue to operate in the event of a disaster or outage. But it was very simple to deploy. We had it up in a matter of hours and were building out the new environment. It was far easier than operating with VMware.”

Devin added, “There was really nothing that we can’t do in AHV that we weren’t already doing in VMware. So why not move forward?”

Risk Management and Planning

Scott’s firm faced not only VMware costs but also hardware renewal. “Our PowerEdge servers were long in the tooth, about six years old, and starting to show their age. We needed to expand, and were running out of memory. Migrating to AHV meant we could consolidate and simplify,” Scott shared.

The migration was carefully planned to minimize downtime. “From the user’s perspective, there was never any downtime. We migrated 120 VMs, and the staged rollout was pretty painless. I expected it to be a lot worse,” Scott said. He credited the Nutanix Move tool and expert support for the smooth transition.

Devin and Cody both emphasized the importance of disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity. Nutanix’s native DR functionality allowed for live disaster testing and seamless failover, critical for organizations that operate 24/7.

Day Two: Life After Migration

Performance and Stability

One of the most immediate benefits was improved performance. Scott reported, “Citrix logins went from 30 seconds to under 20 seconds internally, which is crazy. We’ve never had that fast before. External users saw similar improvements, and nothing changed on the network side.”

Devin agreed, “End users expressed how much faster it was and how much quicker it responded. It was a game-changer. When end users say, ‘Hey, this is working fast,’ you know you’re doing something right.”

Operational Efficiency

Patch and firmware lifecycle management became dramatically simpler. Cody described, “It has saved hours upon hours of my life. Now I just go into Prism Element or Prism Central, run my updates, and it does everything autonomously. I don’t have to do each individual host one at a time. It handles it all. It has saved hundreds of hours.”

Devin added, “We do a lot of it during the day. We don’t have to schedule time after hours. We get so many man hours back in our day.”

Disaster Recovery and Data Protection

Cody shared his experience moving from Zerto to Nutanix DR services. “I had a lot of challenges with Zerto. When I built DR into Nutanix, it was very straightforward. It gives you the ability to test a failover without actually performing a failover and tells you why it’s failing without causing any impact. Everything remained operational throughout that time period.”

Network mapping and IP changes were handled smoothly, with Nutanix offering both manual and automatic options. “You tell it what VLAN or subnet you want, and it will move it there and automatically assign as long as you have those features in place,” Cody explained.

Regarding Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO), Cody found Nutanix competitive. “We didn’t notice any significant changes. Nutanix DR can go down to one-minute RPOs, and there are three different types of DR strategies—async, near sync, and metro sync—so you can craft it to what you need.”

Unified Storage and Infrastructure

Scott’s firm moved away from NetApp to Nutanix Unified Storage. “Sometimes it felt like you needed a PhD to operate NetApp. We didn’t need high IO for files, so why spend tons of money on NetApp when we can get what we need and still get good performance out of Nutanix?”

The migration resulted in significant savings in rack space and power. “We saved about 14U in rack space. It’s crazy how much space is in our rack now. We were looking at having to upgrade our PDU because we had too much stuff, and now we can stick with what we’ve got,” Scott said.

Cloud Integration and Future Plans

Devin’s organization is leveraging Azure VMware Solution (AVS) as a DR target, with plans to expand cloud integration. “We’re on the East Coast of North Carolina, affected by hurricanes. AVS seemed like a good fit. We can have our secondary systems up and running in the cloud environment, alleviating downtime. We have outage management systems that have to be up 24/7, 365,” Devin explained.

Scott mentioned their use of Nutanix Files today and is interested in extending those capabilities into Azure. With Nutanix Files now running natively in Azure, he can seamlessly replicate file data from his on-premises Nutanix Files deployment to Nutanix Files in Azure. This provides a consistent management experience across environments and supports scenarios such as cloud-based disaster recovery, data mobility, and long-term workload modernization.

Key Takeaways and Advice

As we wrapped up, I summarized the common themes:

• Flexible IT infrastructure that grows as needed
• Seamless adoption and simplified management
• Cost savings and predictable licensing
• Deeper automation and operational efficiency
• Integrated disaster recovery and business continuity

Each panelist shared their next steps:

• Cody: “A little bit of it all – adding security and additional workloads.”
• Scott: “We’re kind of done. Nothing left to do other than maintenance, so now I can sleep well at night.”
• Devin: “We recently purchased Data Lens for visibility into our file system. Excited about Nutanix Files in Azure and new DR strategies.”

Conclusion

Migrating from VMware to Nutanix AHV is not just a technical shift, it’s a strategic move that can deliver cost savings, operational simplicity, and future-proof flexibility. The experiences shared by Cody, Scott, and Devin demonstrate that with careful planning, expert support, and the right tools, organizations can navigate the migration with minimal disruption and maximum benefit.

Whether you’re facing rising VMware costs, seeking to simplify your environment, or planning for cloud integration and disaster recovery, Nutanix AHV offers a compelling alternative. As I concluded, “Not every workload is made for Nutanix, just like not every workload is made for the cloud. The key is understanding your environment, evaluating your options, and crafting a migration strategy that fits your needs.”

If you’re considering a migration, hands-on workshops and modernization assessments can help you understand what makes sense for your organization. The journey may be complex, but with the right partners and insights, it can be transformative.

Ready to Explore Your VMware to Nutanix AHV Migration?

Discover how eGroup can help you simplify infrastructure, reduce costs, and modernize your virtualization strategy with confidence.

During our Fall Microsoft Virtual Roadshow, we spent several hours diving into the realities of Data & AI transformation. Our six-part discussion focused on practical strategies, real-world challenges, and most importantly, the people side of transformation.

If you missed the live sessions, the recordings are available– and if you want a summary of what we discussed, then read on and learn how you can take the next step in your AI journey.

Part 1: AI Today– Moving From Learning to Action 

We kicked off the afternoon by acknowledging a simple truth: AI is no longer just hype, it’s here to stay, but the “magic” is evolving. Organizations are moving from curiosity to experimentation, and the real value comes when technology is grounded in business process improvement, not just deployed for its own sake. 

What We Discussed: 

• The evolving landscape of AI– moving past the initial hype. 

• Why process-driven use cases matter more than technology alone. 

• Data modernization as a critical companion to AI adoption. 

• The importance of managing expectations and embracing continuous improvement. 

Key Takeaways: 

• AI is a journey, not a destination. Progress happens in stages. 

• Success depends on aligning technology with real business needs. 

• Use cases drive value; don’t deploy AI just for the sake of it. 

• Mix and match tools. Sometimes automation is the answer. 

How eGroup Can Help: 
We offer AI education, strategy workshops, and hands-on training to help you move from learning to action. Let’s map your AI journey together and align technology to your business goals. 

Part 2: AI Strategy & Enablement 

With the landscape set, we shifted to what it takes to make AI work for your organization. Leadership sponsorship, pragmatic governance, and a clear strategy are critical. 

What We Discussed: 

• The essentials for AI success: responsible principles, leadership, and technical readiness. 

• Our five-step blueprint for launching AI: charter, Copilot Chat, Center of Excellence, use case inventory, and ROI measurement. 

• The role of executive sponsorship and cross-functional councils. 

• Building a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Leadership and governance are critical for sustained AI success. 

• Responsible AI is built with Microsoft tools– privacy, fairness, inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability. 

• Quick wins and honest communication build trust and momentum. 

• Start small, celebrate success, and reinvest in longer-term projects. 

How eGroup Can Help: 
We’ll help you establish your AI charter, build a Center of Excellence, and deploy Copilot Chat to drive safe, effective adoption. Our team supports strategy, governance, and user enablement for long-term results. 

Part 3: AI Readiness & Organizational Change 

No technology succeeds without people. This session, led by our OCM practice leader, Hayley Meese-Cherry, focused on the human journey, addressing excitement, skepticism, and the need for ongoing enablement. Change management isn’t just training; it’s about nurturing employees through the transition and reinforcing new behaviors. 

What We Discussed: 

• Assessing readiness across technology, proficiency, funding, and human capital. 

• The emotional journey of AI adoption– addressing excitement, fear, and skepticism. 

• Role-based learning, champion networks, and ongoing reinforcement. 

• The difference between change management and training. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Change management is about nurturing employees, not just training. 

• Involve employees early; champions drive grassroots adoption. 

• Tailor learning to roles and pain points for maximum relevance. 

• Continuous improvement and feedback loops sustain momentum. 

How eGroup Can Help: 
Our Organizational Change Management team helps you assess readiness, build champion networks, and design reinforcement programs for lasting AI adoption. We guide your people through every step of change. 

Part 4: Security, Compliance & Trust in the AI Era 

Security remains top of mind as organizations embrace AI. We explored practical steps to secure data, retrain users, and deploy solutions without waiting for perfection. The message was clear: bad data leads to bad AI, and security demands ongoing attention, not a one-time fix.

What We Discussed: 

• How AI honors existing security settings. Secure environments result in secure AI. 

• The importance of retraining users to prevent security risks. 

• Deploying AI while securing content– don’t wait for perfection. 

• Data governance, Purview label policies, and SharePoint management. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Bad data leads to bad AI. Clean, govern, and protect your data sources. 

• Security is a journey; Hybrid approaches balance protection and productivity. 

• Copilot and custom agents offer different security models (exclusion vs. inclusion). 

• Multiple layers of agent security: access, content, permissions. 

How eGroup Can Help: 
We’ll help you implement Purview, secure your Microsoft 365 environment, and deploy Copilot Chat and custom agents safely. Our security assessments and user training build trust and compliance. 

Part 5: Capturing Data Intelligence 

Next, we turned to Microsoft Fabric, a unified platform for data modernization, analytics, and AI. The focus was on iterative, process-centric approaches that deliver business value quickly and avoid the pitfalls of massive, stalled projects. 

What We Discussed: 

• Microsoft Fabric, a unified platform for data modernization, analytics, and AI. 

• Iterative, process-centric approaches for real business value. 

• Pragmatic governance: lean teams, business ownership, and quick decision-making. 

• Tips for right-sizing Fabric capacity and optimizing costs. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Centralize and streamline data for efficiency and trust. 

• Iterative development delivers value quickly and avoids project fatigue. 

• Governance should be pragmatic, engaged sponsors, and right-sized councils. 

• Data projects must show business value to justify investment. 

How eGroup Can Help: 
Let us guide your data modernization journey: design, implement, and govern your Fabric environment for rapid, measurable business impact. 

Part 6: Modern AI Solution Architectures 

We wrapped up the day by looking at the evolving world of AI solution architectures. The takeaway? There’s no one-size-fits-all. Organizations need to mix and match technologies (Copilot, custom agents, automation, and Azure AI services) based on their unique business needs.

What We Discussed: 

• The evolving landscape of AI solution architectures: generative AI, custom agents, automation, and Azure AI services. 

• Evaluating use cases carefully. Technology should fit the problem. 

• Options for building and buying AI solutions: Copilot, Copilot Studio, and Azure AI Foundry. 

• Cost management strategies: consumption models, licensing, and agent deployment. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Rapid change requires ongoing evaluation and resource allocation. 

• Mix and match AI technologies to fit your unique business needs. 

• Calculate ROI based on licensing the right technology, not always AI. 

• Use cases rule: Ground every solution in real business process improvement. 

How eGroup Can Help: 
Ready to build your AI recipe? We offer consultative sessions to help you discover use cases, design solution architectures, and implement the right mix of AI and automation for your organization. 

Turning Insight into Action

The 2025 Fall Microsoft Virtual Roadshow Day 2: Data & AI brought together leaders, technologists, and change champions united by one goal: to turn innovation into impact. Across every session, one theme echoed: AI transformation succeeds when data, people, and strategy move together.

From foundational readiness to modern solution architectures, eGroup and Microsoft continue to help organizations harness the full power of AI through secure, scalable, and human-centered approaches.

Ready to move from insight to execution?

Whether you’re just starting your AI journey or looking to accelerate adoption, eGroup is here to help. From strategy and governance to technical implementation and change management, our team brings the expertise and practical experience to guide you every step of the way. 

We recently hosted a four-part virtual roadshow focused on helping IT leaders build, secure, and modernize their Microsoft Azure environments. The goal wasn’t to just showcase every new feature, it was to have meaningful conversations about what works, what’s changing, and what’s next. 

Each session tackled a different challenge, but they all shared a common theme: strategies that work. Whether you’re just getting started with Azure or refining a mature deployment, these are the conversations that matter. 

If you missed the live sessions, the recordings are available. Below is a recap of each part, along with key takeaways and an opportunity for continuing the conversation. 

Part 1: Azure Cost Management: Beyond the Billing Dashboard 

We opened the roadshow with a foundational session on how to architect Azure environments for long-term success. This wasn’t about lift-and-shift, it was about aligning platform choices with business outcomes. 

We walked through: 

• The decision tree for Infrastructure (IaaS), Platform (PaaS), and bare metal (BMaaS) workloads. 

• How to navigate turbulence in the market with changes in VMware. 

• How to use the established frameworks combined with a methodology for planning to ensure business outcomes stay at the forefront of decision-making. 

• Why the small things like governance, tagging, and FinOps discipline should start on day one, not year two. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Azure success is less about what you move, more about how you operate. 

• Platform choice isn’t static, reassess as your business evolves. 

• Visibility and a foundation for automation build predictable clouds. 

Part 2: Azure Innovation: Building What’s Next 

In part two, Kai Andrews led a deep dive into Microsoft Fabric:  a single platform for data ingestion, transformation, storage, analytics, and AI. For organizations drowning in spreadsheets and disconnected reporting tools, Fabric offers a way out. 

We covered: 

• How Fabric consolidates tools like Data Factory, Power BI, Synapse, and OneLake. 

• The cost model: one capacity, one price, scalable up or down. 

• Why iterative development and pragmatic governance are key to successful data modernization. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Fabric simplifies architecture and accelerates time-to-value. 

• Copilot is now available across all capacity tiers, making AI more accessible. 

• Governance doesn’t have to be bureaucratic; it just needs to be intentional. 

Part 3: Azure Security: What CISOs Actually Care About 

Security was the third topic and is arguably the most urgent. We focused on how to move beyond disparate, somewhat connected, solutions and how we can adopt a platform to build a proactive, integrated-by-default, security solution by leveraging the expertise of a Microsoft Validated Security Solution Partner (ThreatDefender). 

Highlights included: 

• Entra, Defender, and Sentinel as the backbone of cloud security operations. 

• Zero Trust architecture in practice: identity, conditional access, and data protection. 

• Going beyond networks and MFA with how Purview supports compliance through automated classification and policy enforcement. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Security tools are only as good as the visibility they have. 

• Integration matters: visibility without correlation leads to missed threats. 

• Integration in disparate tools is costly: From personnel costs to critical gaps in coverage. 

Compliance isn’t just about checkboxes; it’s about confidence. 

Part 4: Azure Governance: From Chaos to Clarity 

We wrapped Day 1 of the Roadshow with a session on modern desktops; specifically, an ongoing trend towards changing strategies between managed endpoints and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI). Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), Windows 365, and Intune all provide viable options. However, the conversation centers around successful flexibility, cost, and user experience. 

We explored: 

• Why some organizations are moving away from legacy VDI toward cloud-managed endpoints with Microsoft Intune. 

• Practical considerations and pros/cons in the Endpoint, Windows365, and Azure Virtual Desktop solutions. 

• The role of Intune in managing both corporate and BYOD devices across distributed teams. 

• How Nerdio provides an opportunity to simplify desktop management and scale. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Desktop strategy is now a cloud conversation. 

• Windows 365 offers predictable cost and simplicity for dedicated users. 

• Nerdio can reduce AVD compute costs by 60%+ in the right scenarios. 

Final Thoughts 

The Azure platform is broad, but full of opportunity. These four conversations (building for success, data, security, and endpoints) are where most organizations find challenges with evaluating their posture, upskilling their teams, and making meaningful progress. If any of these topics struck a chord, let’s have a conversation that centers around your goals. 

Whether you’re planning a migration, launching a new initiative, or just trying to clean up what’s already there, we’re here to help.

Our CIO advisory practice has helped many IT teams with Incident Response (IR) Planning and Tabletop Exercises, where we help evaluate the IR team and the IR plan by walking them through several types of realistic incidents.  

From ransomware attacks to account or data security compromises, every decision during an incident matters. The difference between a few days of disruption and a full-blown business continuity crisis comes down to preparing carefully so you know how to respond, who you involve, and when you engage them.

The Risks of Handling IR Yourself (or worse, figuring it out as you go)

For many small and mid-sized IT organizations, the first instinct after discovering a potential breach is to lock things down and start triaging internally. That’s understandable– your team knows your systems best.

But this DIY approach can quickly create blind spots:

• Evidence Gets Destroyed Inadvertently. Teams isolate or rebuild systems before forensics data can be captured, eliminating critical clues that could prove the scope or source of compromise.
• Insurance Coverage Becomes Complicated. Most cyber insurance policies require that specific vendors be engaged, that notice be given within a short window, and provide specific guidance and services like forensics or engaging law enforcement. DIY containment before notifying the insurer can put coverage at risk.
• Legal Exposure Increases. Notifications to regulators, customers, or affected individuals must be precise, crafted to reduce risk, and follow what can be stringent and complicated regulations. Without coordination with legal and privacy counsel, statements made during a breach can create lasting liability.  Making sure you establish basic protections like attorney-client privilege is crucial.
• The Response Burns Out Your IT Staff and Complicates Activating Your Business Continuity Plan. Incident response is exhausting. Pulling the same small team that runs your production environment into 24/7 incident mode leaves no one focused on helping the business maintain operations or follow any operational continuity plans.

Even the most capable IT teams are rarely equipped to manage the full scope (legal, technical, regulatory, and reputational) that comes with a serious incident.

Have a Real Incident Response Plan

Having a solid Incident Response Plan (IRP) is the most important step you can take to avoid the risks of improvising.  Yet, many times organizations either lack a plan or have a document that hasn’t been meaningfully updated or tested recently. A modern IRP needs to be a living, operational playbook. It should define:

• Who declares an incident and who leads the response
  This eliminates confusion about who is in charge and provides clarity as to when the IR process is activated.
• When to involve outside partners and experts
  You wouldn’t perform your own audit or litigation defense without external expertise. A cybersecurity incident response is not much different in that it is also a legal, operational, and financial event that benefits from expertise and an objective perspective. The plan should list your incident response vendors, cyber insurance contacts, managed security provider, and legal counsel, with 24/7 contact information.
• Clear escalation paths
  Not every alert is a crisis, but when one is, you need a fast and predictable chain of communication with secondary and tertiary incident managers. (This is especially important when the ransomware attack happens on that 3-day holiday weekend.)
• Communication protocols
  Who speaks to executives, regulators, customers, or the press, and what guidance exists for staff about what not to share.
• Testing and tabletop exercises
  Annual or semiannual tests reveal gaps, strengthen relationships, and build confidence among the team.

What to Do Now

You can’t prevent every incident, but you can significantly strengthen your response capabilities by taking these steps before you need to respond to an attack:

• Reach out to Cyber and IR vendors. Confirm your coverage and responsibilities now. Make sure you understand the engagement process and establish contingency agreements ahead of time.  (No one wants to be negotiating contracts during an incident when time is of the essence.)
• Create a realistic incident response plan. Train people on their responsibilities and test the plan with a tabletop exercise.  Include your executives in this process so they are not surprised when asked to make decisions.
• If you don’t have a 24/7 SOC, explore using an MSSP to provide round-the-clock MXDR monitoring and mitigation response expertise. They can also help ensure you have technical controls in place to avert incidents in the first place.
• Review, refresh, and evaluate the plan at least annually or as significant changes happen in the technology environment. (On-premises and Cloud response plans are typically quite different.)

Don’t Wait to Find Out the Hard Way

If there is one message to take away from all this, it is that incident response is not a time for improvisation. The pressure, complexity, and risk are simply too high. Every organization, especially mid-sized enterprises without dedicated IR staff, needs a well-defined plan, trusted partners, and the discipline to follow it.

Your IT team’s expertise is invaluable, but it shouldn’t stand alone. Surround it with the right ecosystem of internal and external partners, and you will be in a much better position to bring speed, confidence, and expertise to bear when it matters most.

Be Ready Before It Happens

Ensure your organization can respond confidently under pressure. Strengthen your team’s readiness with an Incident Response Tabletop Exercise or speak directly with our cybersecurity experts to build your plan.

Shaping Your AI Future: C-Suite Leadership Can Drive Sustainable Value  

While the promise of AI is significant, realizing its potential requires more than technology. Success depends on intentional leadership across five key facets of AI. By getting in front of these factors, C-level leaders can shape how AI affects their future, not just react to it. 

The Five Pillars of GenAI Maturity 

To guide your organization through successful GenAI adoption, consider five interconnected pillars that define AI maturity:  

1. Culture & Leadership 

2. Business Alignment 

3. Technology & Tools 

4. Data Management 

5. Governance & Risk 

Each of these areas presents unique challenges and opportunities, and the C-suite’s role in shaping them is irreplaceable. 

1. Culture & Leadership Set the Tone for AI Adoption 

AI is as much a cultural shift as it is a technological one. Early AI maturity is often driven by a strong CxO predisposition. A clear, visible commitment from the C-suite signals that data and AI are strategic priorities. CEO Dana Anderson from WSIPC illustrates the importance of top leadership.  

Leadership and employee opinions of AI are mismatched. Democratizing access to AI tools helps lower fear and resistance among staff. Upskilling initiatives, led by HR and supported by leadership, empower a workforce ready to embrace AI.  

2. Align for Quick Wins and Lasting Value 

Over time, the most successful GenAI initiatives are tightly aligned with business priorities and metrics, but in the experimental stages, experience and AI literacy are as valuable. 

 Start with internal use cases that deliver immediate value—such as AI assistants to reduce helpdesk volume or automated report generation to save analyst time. These “quick wins” build organizational confidence and buy-in, creating momentum for more complex projects. And when results fall short of expectations, treat them as learning opportunities, not failures, to encourage continued innovation and engagement. 

Said VP of IT Rich Mitton at Mathis Home, of his first AI investment, a sales chatbot, “I’m glad we started; it’s important to take a step forward so that you can learn from that. It’s given us the opportunity to really believe bigger, probably even more than we did when we started the process.” Their full case study is here AI-Powered Sales Copilot Transforms Mathis Home’s Retail Process 

3. Choose Technology Wisely and Be Ready for Change 

While the allure of GenAI models is strong, not all business problems require GenAI; sometimes simpler automation or other AI solutions are more appropriate.  

Start with sanctioned, enterprise-ready tools to reduce risk and shadow IT, and invest in building in-house expertise. As your organization’s maturity grows, consider AI agents that support your evolving business strategy. Prepare for frequent change—the AI landscape is advancing rapidly, and adaptability is key. 

Said CIO Sujan Turlapaty from Verdantas, “We are trying to balance the rapid advancements happening in AI. It’s sometimes overwhelming, but it’s also exciting because it provides new opportunities.” 

4. Data Management is Foundational for Reliable AI 

Data is the lifeblood of AI. Yet, surveys indicate that about 70% of organizations report their data is not ready or only somewhat ready for AI solutions. Siloed, poor-quality data can undermine even the most sophisticated AI initiatives. Executives must champion data initiatives at the highest level—prioritizing investment in data integration, quality, and stewardship. Assigning data owners, building data catalogs, and promoting data literacy across the organization are critical steps.  

Remember, not all data needs to be perfect; focus first on the data that powers your highest-value AI use cases to accelerate time-to-value. Use AI agents to focus on specific, curated data, instead of relying on broad Copilot searches covering the entire Microsoft 365 data estate. 

5. Governance & Risk Management 

AI governance is likely to come with time, but starting now is non-negotiable. Establish clear policies and governance structures, with an executive sponsor empowered to make tough decisions.  Include business leaders in these processes to ensure AI aligns with organizational goals and values.  

Promote awareness of data literacy and risk management throughout the organization. Effective governance will allow you to harness AI’s benefits while minimizing unintended consequences, helping to build trust both internally and externally. 

Practical Steps for the C-Suite 

1. Lead by Example – CxO engagement sets the tone for the entire organization. Be a visible champion. Promote a culture of experimentation. Treat setbacks as learning opportunities and celebrate successes to build momentum. 

2. Democratize AI– Offer GenAI tools to all to unlock value and spark ideas. 

3. Develop a Roadmap – Move from ad-hoc pilots to a strategic plan. Define your vision, prioritize use cases, and align resources. 

4. Invest in Data – Make data readiness a top priority. Assign data stewards, build catalogs, and curate the data that drives high-impact AI initiatives. 

5. Strengthen Governance – Start with guidelines, evolve to enforcement. Involve business leaders in governance structures to ensure alignment and accountability. 

Conclusion – The Future Is Yours to Shape 

The most crucial step is the first one. Just getting started can yield insights and value, helping your team learn and adapt as AI evolves. 

The journey may be complex, but with intentional leadership, your organization can realize the promise of AI. By focusing on culture, alignment, technology, data, and governance, you can ensure that GenAI becomes a source of sustainable value and competitive advantage.  

AI will change the world—but C-level executives have a unique opportunity to shape how it supports their mission. 

Ready to Lead Your AI Journey?

Empower your leadership team to move from AI experimentation to enterprise-scale success.

Partner with eGroup to build your GenAI roadmap– aligned with business value, data readiness, and governance maturity.