Microsoft 365 GCC High Licensing

Ensure Compliance and Secure Communication with Microsoft 365 GCC High Licensing

Are you taking advantage of your Microsoft Cloud Subscription? Let's face it; many organizations don't do it because it can be confusing and difficult to understand and navigate the licensing. Organizations looking to maximize their investment should know the impacts and perks of purchasing the appropriate licensing. At Cleared System, we know this predicament, and we'll work with you throughout the process to identify the right Microsoft licensing solutions and help you meet your personalized goals.

Understanding GCC High

Microsoft Government Community Cloud (GCC) High is a cloud computing service offered by Microsoft that is designed to meet the unique compliance and security requirements of US government agencies, defense contractors, and other entities with similar requirements. In this breakdown, we will provide a detailed overview of Microsoft GCC High, including its features, benefits, and limitations.

What is Microsoft GCC High?

Microsoft GCC High is a specialized cloud computing service that is designed to meet the specific requirements of the US government, particularly the Department of Defense (DoD) and other federal agencies. This cloud service offers a more secure and compliant environment for sensitive and classified information, which requires a higher level of security and compliance than standard commercial cloud services.

Microsoft GCC High is built on the Azure Government cloud platform, which is a separate and isolated instance of Microsoft's cloud infrastructure that is dedicated to US government customers. The platform is designed to meet strict security and compliance standards, such as FedRAMP High, DISA Level 4 and 5, and ITAR.

Features of Microsoft GCC High

Microsoft GCC High provides a range of features designed to meet the specific requirements of the US government and other regulated industries, such as healthcare and finance. These features include:

Compliance: Microsoft GCC High is designed to meet the strict security and compliance standards required by the US government, such as FedRAMP High, DISA Level 4 and 5, and ITAR. This means that the service is regularly audited and assessed to ensure that it meets the latest security and compliance requirements.

Isolation: Microsoft GCC High is a separate and isolated instance of Microsoft's cloud infrastructure, which means that it is physically and logically isolated from other cloud services. This helps to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.

Access control: Microsoft GCC High provides granular access control, allowing users to control who has access to their data and applications. This helps to ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive information.

Data protection: Microsoft GCC High provides advanced data protection features, such as encryption, access controls, and auditing. This helps to ensure that sensitive information is protected from unauthorized access and disclosure.

Disaster recovery: Microsoft GCC High provides disaster recovery capabilities, including backup and replication, to ensure that data and applications can be quickly restored in the event of a disaster or outage.

Benefits of Microsoft GCC High

The benefits of using Microsoft GCC High include:

Security: Microsoft GCC High is designed to meet the strict security requirements of the US government and other regulated industries, providing a more secure environment for sensitive and classified information.

Compliance: Microsoft GCC High is regularly audited and assessed to ensure that it meets the latest security and compliance standards, reducing the risk of non-compliance and penalties.

Cost savings: Microsoft GCC High can help to reduce the costs of maintaining on-premises infrastructure and compliance, as well as the costs of managing data centers and hardware.

Scalability: Microsoft GCC High is designed to scale with the needs of the customer, allowing them to quickly and easily add or remove resources as needed.

GCC High Migration as Part of CMMC 2.0 Compliance

While you may feel skeptical whether or not GCC migration is a critical part of your CMMC 2.0 compliance, here are important reasons you may want to migrate to the cloud environment:

Accountability

CMMC 2.0 requirements can be complicated. It means you need well-defined accountability when handling CMMC compliance. This can play a vital role and make a considerable difference. The cloud type allows Microsoft to offer contractual, enabling businesses to meet and surpass the dynamic DoD regulatory requirements.

A Well-Streamlined Management

GCC and MS 365 are some of the most sought-after by businesses. However, some of their services and features don't comply with NST 800-171, CMMC 2.0, and DFARS 7012. If you invest in either GCC or MS 365 Commercial, you need to identify, disable and monitor these services. While regular monitoring can help, this doesn't eliminate the possibility of future compliance issues. It's a wise decision to move to a cloud-like GCC High. With this, management is stress-free and seamless, giving you time to focus on other vital organizational aspects.

ITAR and NOFORN Compliance

Businesses working with defense-related data are highly likely not to comply with ITAR guidelines. Failure to comply can lead to severe consequences. For example, Violators may pay $ 1 million per non-compliance and face up to ten years imprisonment. Organizations can take effective measures as soon as possible to avoid such pitfalls.
It can be worse if you face export license revocation and many entities have lost their licenses due to non-compliance with ITAR requirements. Such incidents can affect your reputation and subject your business to yearly audits. At Cleared System, we understand what this could mean to you and your organization, and we'll guide you throughout the process to protect you from such occurrences.

While the cloud environment offers guardrails, it isn't a turnkey CMMC 2.0 compliance/certification option. Your company is responsible for GCC High operation and configuration. If you don't know how to go about it, ensure you work with qualified experts at Cleared System for help.

Understanding GCC

Microsoft GCC is a specialized cloud computing service that is designed to meet the specific requirements of US government agencies, state and local governments, and other regulated industries. This cloud service offers a more secure and compliant environment for sensitive information, which requires a higher level of security and compliance than standard commercial cloud services.

Microsoft GCC is built on the Azure Government cloud platform, which is a separate and isolated instance of Microsoft's cloud infrastructure that is dedicated to US government customers. The platform is designed to meet strict security and compliance standards, such as FedRAMP Moderate, DoD IL4, and CJIS.

Features of Microsoft GCC

Microsoft GCC provides a range of features designed to meet the specific requirements of US government agencies, state and local governments, and other regulated industries, such as healthcare and finance. These features include:

Compliance: Microsoft GCC is designed to meet the strict security and compliance standards required by US government agencies, state and local governments, and other regulated industries, such as FedRAMP Moderate, DoD IL4, and CJIS. This means that the service is regularly audited and assessed to ensure that it meets the latest security and compliance requirements.

Isolation: Microsoft GCC is a separate and isolated instance of Microsoft's cloud infrastructure, which means that it is physically and logically isolated from other cloud services. This helps to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.

Access control: Microsoft GCC provides granular access control, allowing users to control who has access to their data and applications. This helps to ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive information.

Data protection: Microsoft GCC provides advanced data protection features, such as encryption, access controls, and auditing. This helps to ensure that sensitive information is protected from unauthorized access and disclosure.

Disaster recovery: Microsoft GCC provides disaster recovery capabilities, including backup and replication, to ensure that data and applications can be quickly restored in the event of a disaster or outage.

Benefits of Microsoft GCC

The benefits of using Microsoft GCC include:

Security: Microsoft GCC is designed to meet the strict security requirements of US government agencies, state and local governments, and other regulated industries, providing a more secure environment for sensitive information.

Compliance: Microsoft GCC is regularly audited and assessed to ensure that it meets the latest security and compliance standards, reducing the risk of non-compliance and penalties.

Access control: Microsoft GCC provides granular access control, allowing users to control who has access to their data and applications. This helps to ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive information.

Cost savings: Microsoft GCC can help to reduce the costs of maintaining on-premises infrastructure and compliance, as well as the costs of managing data centers and hardware.

Scalability: Microsoft GCC is designed to scale with the needs of the customer, allowing them to quickly and easily add or remove resources as needed.

Facts to Consider: Microsoft GCC or GCC High

When deciding between Microsoft GCC and GCC High, there are a few factors to consider:

Security and Compliance Requirements: The main factor to consider is the level of security and compliance requirements that your organization needs to meet. If you work in a regulated industry, you may need to meet specific compliance requirements that are not met by Microsoft GCC. In this case, GCC High may be the better option.

Availability: GCC High is only available to US government agencies and their authorized contractors, while Microsoft GCC is also available to state and local governments, as well as other regulated industries. If you are not a US government agency or authorized contractor, you will not be able to use GCC High.

Costs: GCC High is generally more expensive than Microsoft GCC, due to the additional security controls and compliance requirements. If your organization can meet its compliance and security requirements with Microsoft GCC, this may be a more cost-effective solution.

Features: GCC High has some additional features that are not available in Microsoft GCC, such as Office 365 GCC High and Azure Government Secret. If these services are important to your organization, GCC High may be the better option.

Work with Certified Microsoft Licensing Experts

What are your business's cloud environment needs? Are you sure of the best solutions that can cater to your personalized requirements? If not, no worries! Instead of taking shortcuts, Cleared System is here to help. We have worked with more than 120 Sub-prime and Prime contractors in the United States, and we can assist you in navigating these complex systems. Reach out to our experts today to get started.