CIO Brief: Consolidating Security Tools Around Microsoft Defender
Retrospective: this article looks back at events from September 2020, written in 2026 with the benefit of hindsight.
The short version: Many companies pay for Microsoft 365 E5 or similar licenses that include a full suite of security tools — and use only part of it. Consolidating around what you already own can save money and improve protection, if you have people to run it.
Why consolidation is attractive
Microsoft's Defender products cover email, laptops, identity and cloud apps, and they share information automatically. Companies running separate products from several vendors often pay more for less integration.
When consolidation makes sense
- You already license Microsoft 365 E5 or E5 Security.
- Your environment is mostly Microsoft: Windows devices, Microsoft 365, Azure.
- Your current tools are up for renewal.
- Your team is small, and fewer consoles help.
When to be cautious
- A specialist product clearly outperforms in an area critical to you.
- Your team has deep expertise in an existing tool.
- You run a large non-Microsoft environment.
Questions to ask your team
- Which security tools do we pay for twice — once in Microsoft licensing and again elsewhere?
- How much of our Microsoft security licensing is actually configured?
- What would we save by retiring overlapping products at renewal?
What good looks like
A tools inventory showing overlap, a plan aligned with renewal dates, and investment shifted from licenses to the people or partners who operate the tools.
The decision
Before your next security tool renewal, ask for an overlap analysis against your Microsoft licensing. The savings often fund managed detection and response.
- Microsoft Ignite 2020: The Defender Rebrand and Unified XDR Strategy Platform Changes
- How to Map the Microsoft Defender Product Family to Your Environment How-To & Hardening
- Microsoft Defender XDR Onboarding Checklist How-To & Hardening