Knowledge base

September 15, 2023

Introducing Alerts and Notifications in Microsoft 365 Lighthouse

Microsoft 365 Lighthouse continues to innovate and has now introduced a new feature: alerts and notifications. This allows users to take immediate action as soon as something happens. As a cloud-based platform, Lighthouse helps Managed Service Providers (MSPs) manage multiple Microsoft 365 customer clients on a larger scale.

Multi-tenant alarms

The main new feature of Microsoft 365 Lighthouse is multi-tenant alarms. This feature allows MSPs to configure custom alarms for a variety of situations and target them to specific tenant groups. In addition, these alarms can be seamlessly integrated with external ticketing systems, further enhancing their versatility and ease of use.

There are many functions and features of Microsoft 365 Lighthouse that are related to alerts and notifications. One such option is the use of predefined and customized alerts. By default, Lighthouse includes a number of sample types of alerts that MSPs can modify as they see fit. In addition, MSPs can also create custom alert rules. These rules can select specific tenants by name or use labels to organize tenants into management groups.

Available alarm types

Microsoft 365 Lighthouse also has a wide range of available alert types, including alerts related to risky user behavior, devices without antivirus protection, baseline deviations, non-compliant devices, security incidents, and active threats on devices.

Lighthouse also allows MSPs to choose which tenants the alerts should apply to: all tenants, specific tenants, or tenants grouped by labels. These alarms can be configured to notify users, groups within the tenant, or external e-mail addresses.

Alert page

In addition, Lighthouse provides an alert page where MSPs can view and manage alerts. This page provides a historical view of the resolution rates of alerts and allows a deeper examination of each alert.

In short, the new multi-tenant alerting feature in Microsoft 365 Lighthouse is a valuable addition to the platform. It provides MSPs with the tools they need to proactively monitor their customers’ tenants and respond quickly to any issues.

Not only does Microsoft 365 Lighthouse allow MSPs to control the status and severity of alarms, but they can also assign alarms to specific users. This allows for more efficient tracking of potential security incidents and risk behaviors. MSPs can also add comments to the alarm, which can be useful for notes or for tracking troubleshooting steps.

In addition, Lighthouse provides a complete record of the history of each alarm. Here MSPs can see when the alarm was initiated, view any added comments, and view an audit log of updates made to the alarm. This ensures transparent and auditable management, maintenance and troubleshooting.

In summary

Microsoft 365 Lighthouse’s multi-tenant alarm features are a valuable addition to the platform. They provide MSPs with the tools they need to proactively monitor their customers and respond quickly to potentially risky situations. Through extensive alarm configuration capabilities, targeted approach, integration with third-party ticketing systems, and comprehensive monitoring and management tools, Microsoft 365 Lighthouse takes MSP management to the next level.

All these features are designed to help MSPs streamline their management processes. The variety of alarm types available and the flexibility in configuring them means MSPs can get exactly the information they need, when they need it. An immediate response can also be initiated, improving the security level.

Including links to affected users or devices in the alert notifications also facilitates a quick response. This means that MSPs can immediately proceed with any solutions or actions that are needed, without taking additional time to look up the relevant data.

In short, Microsoft 365 Lighthouse’s multi-tenant alarm features provide MSPs with a powerful toolset for monitoring and managing multiple clients. By providing MSPs with the tools they need, they can anticipate and respond quickly to potential problems. In doing so, Microsoft 365 Lighthouse offers unique advantages in terms of scalability, efficiency and security.

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