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UPDATE: 22/10/2020 – Azure Information Protection is now referred to as Microsoft Information Protection as they’ve updated the product. There are also ways you can save on licensing and pricing when it comes to implementing MIP, which is something we’ve learned in our years of experience. So if you want to have a free chat or consultation, please get in touch.
With increasing cyber security threats, as well as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), having taken effect from 25 May 2018, businesses need to protect their sensitive data.
One of the ways we recommend to our clients is by using Microsoft’s Azure Information Protection (AIP) as a way of protecting and automatically encrypting sensitive information. But, a common question we get asked from unsure businesses, is the bottom line:
‘How much does Azure Information Protection cost?’
This article explains the breakdowns of pricing, as well as the effect your business will have on the price, to hopefully make it easy to understand!
How Your Requirements Affect Azure Information Protection Price
The pricing of Azure Information Protection is different for every business, and will depend on::
- The Office 365 Suite you have – If you don’t have an Office 365 subscription, you will have to choose one that includes Azure Information Protection or get AIP as a stand-alone subscription.
- Your business size – Because the price is calculated on a ‘per user’ basis, the higher the number of users, the higher the price.
- Your business requirements – This is mainly on the AIP modules you will use. The more modules you use, the higher the price.
Azure Information Protection Cost Breakdown
Azure Information Protection consists of two parts:
- The classification and labelling of data
- The encryption and rights management (RMS)
To be fully protected, you will need both.
There are several Office 365 subscriptions that include the Azure RMS option. AIP is part of the:
- Office 365 Enterprise E3
- Office 365 Enterprise E5
- Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security E3 and E5 plans.
If you have a plan that is not included above, you can still get Azure Information Protection without switching. AIP RMS is available as a stand-alone add-on that can be purchased separately.
There are three pricing groups for Azure Information Protection:
- AIP for Office 365 – £1.50 user/month
- AIP Premium P1 – £1.60 user/month
- AIP Premium P2 – £4 user/month
Azure Information Protection Business Costs
The pricing for Azure Information Protection is calculated as follows:
(Office 365 plan cost/month per user + AIP cost/month per user) x Number of Users = Total Monthly Cost.
Here’s an example:
You have an Office 365 Enterprise E3 Subscription – the price is £17.60 per user/month.
You also need the Azure Information Protection Premium P2 – the price is £4 per user/month.
The total price per user per month is £21.60.
You have 50 users, so the price will be £21.60 x 50 = £1,080 per month for all your users.
How to Buy Azure Information Protection?
There are two options when buying Azure Information Protection:
- You can get it as a stand-alone option
- You can buy it as an integral part of the Microsoft licensing suite, such as the Microsoft 365 Enterprise or the Enterprise Mobility + Security Suite.
The license for AIP can be bought in the form of a user subscription directly on the Microsoft website, through the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement Volume Licensing program or through the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider program.
Are you unsure on which Azure Information Protection package you need? Contact us and we can help determine which AIP deal is the right fit for your business needs to secure your data. Then, implement it with you.
