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Assistant Director at Kaxju
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Helps identify and protect sensitive data in documents, PDFs, emails, and Teams chats
Pros and Cons
  • "We use the solution for our customers' services. It helps identify and protect sensitive data in documents, PDFs, emails, and Teams chats to prevent data leakage. It can detect and block emails containing credit card information sent outside the organization."
  • "I wouldn't recommend Microsoft Purview Information Protection for petabytes of documents as performance might be affected."

What is most valuable?

We use the solution for our customers' services. It helps identify and protect sensitive data in documents, PDFs, emails, and Teams chats to prevent data leakage. It can detect and block emails containing credit card information sent outside the organization.

Microsoft Purview IInformation Protection works well with Microsoft products and cloud-based systems like SharePoint Online and Microsoft 365. However, it has limitations with on-premises systems like NAS or SAN storage, where performance can degrade.

The tool allows for classifying and labeling documents as confidential or restricted. It can automatically tag documents based on keywords, like labeling a document with "contract" or "accounts payable" as a finance document. This helps with retention policies. The solution doesn't support classifying video and audio files yet, but I believe that's planned for the future. 

The solution helps manage documents, especially document lifecycle management with Word documents and SharePoint Online. It auto-upgrades its versions.

The product helps gain extra storage space by identifying documents that can be deleted after classification. It also helps with regulatory compliance like privacy acts.

What needs improvement?

I wouldn't recommend Microsoft Purview Information Protection for petabytes of documents as performance might be affected.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the product for a year. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

There were no glitches with the solution, but processing large volumes of documents took longer.

Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Purview Information Protection
February 2025
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Purview Information Protection. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2025.
838,640 professionals have used our research since 2012.

How was the initial setup?

No installation is needed as it's a cloud service you are onboard with. Microsoft provides detailed user guides for configuration, which makes it moderately easy to set up.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The tool's pricing is fairly low, less than 100,000 for a year.

What other advice do I have?

Copilot is an inbuilt feature that can automatically summarize Teams meetings. If using Microsoft products online, I'd rate the product an eight or nine out of ten. I'd give it a six or seven out of ten for a mix of features or non-Microsoft products on-premises. Overall, I'll go with a seven out of ten rating for the solution.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: MSP
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Mohamed Yosufdeen JMH - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Manager at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Top 10
Has a constantly improving, user-friendly UI, and connects with iOS, Mac, and Android devices
Pros and Cons
  • "The UI is user-friendly, and I have observed that it improves further each year."
  • "Microsoft can improve the affordability of Purview Information Protection by offering it at a lower cost."

What is our primary use case?

We are a Microsoft partner specializing in Microsoft Purview Information Protection which is used for digital rights management. Essentially, we integrate Microsoft Purview Information Protection into our own software products that we develop and currently deploy in various customer locations. As a small organization, we have a handful of developers who are highly productive, thanks to Microsoft Purview Information Protection. We utilize the Microsoft Purview Information Protection SDK, which is a software development kit provided by Microsoft, to integrate solutions such as SAP with the ERP, a system used by many enterprise customers. This integration allows us to maintain good communication with Microsoft as a partner, as we work alongside them on Purview Information Protection.

How has it helped my organization?

It is important for Microsoft Purview Information Protection to be able to connect with iOS, Mac, and Android devices. Microsoft Purview Information Protection is highly popular; it is a stable Microsoft product, and many customers are using it in their product environments. Moreover, extending its compatibility to all possible and popular operating systems, applications, and devices would be incredibly beneficial. It should not be limited only to Windows.

Not all customers use Microsoft platforms. Each person has their own software requirements, and it is crucial that Microsoft Purview Information Protection has the interface connectivity to ingest data from various non-Microsoft data sources as well. Only in this way can we attract more customers to use it, as not all of them want to be exclusively dedicated to Microsoft. Some may still be using legacy systems or other platforms.

Microsoft Purview Information Protection has significantly enhanced the security of our file system. All files within Microsoft Purview Information Protection can only be accessed by authorized users, preventing any unauthorized external access. This ensures Purview safeguards the organization's confidential data, improves the handling of critical data, and also allows us to assist other organizations in implementing Purview technology and automating encryption within their information systems. Thus, not only are we benefiting from this technology, but all our other customers as well. Microsoft Purview Information Protection is instrumental in securing their data, business files, and overall information through encryption and thorough tracking of file access and any attempted unauthorized access within the Purview ecosystem.

For our internal purposes, we are not using Purview for real-time compliance. However, our larger customers are using it for their internal complaints. We are aware of this because we interact with them and have learned that they heavily rely on Purview for managing complaints and other matters. Therefore, they want to safeguard their confidential information in accordance with their organizational requirements.

Microsoft Purview Information Protection can significantly reduce response time. Based on my knowledge, I can affirm that it offers excellent tracking capabilities and provides various insights. For instance, it enables tracking the file's movement within the organization, ensuring well-defined travel. Additionally, if an insider attempts to send the file to an external party without the company's knowledge, we can still track it. Consequently, it greatly aids in reducing response time or, at the very least, detecting issues early to take appropriate action.

All enterprises need to invest in their security, and Microsoft Purview Information Protection is beneficial in saving time and valuable information, while also ensuring data protection. With Purview, both time and information are safeguarded. Without Purview, all information remains accessible to anyone, and it can be shared externally without any restrictions, making it impossible to track data movement without software like Purview in place. Consequently, if an incident occurs, it would require significantly more time and effort to investigate the cause and identify how critical business information got leaked. Therefore, I can confidently say that Purview undoubtedly saves time for any organization.

What is most valuable?

The UI is user-friendly, and I have observed that it improves further each year.

What needs improvement?

Microsoft can improve the affordability of Purview Information Protection by offering it at a lower cost. This could be in comparison to the current pricing for enterprise customers and also for individual users. Providing an option for individuals to purchase Purview technology at a reduced cost would be beneficial. For instance, if I, as an individual, want to have Microsoft Purview Information Protection, it should be available at a more affordable price. Creating a separate low-cost version specifically tailored to individual users and a separate higher-cost version for enterprises would make the product more accessible and appealing. This approach could make Purview more popular, encouraging more individuals to start using and exploring its services.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Microsoft Purview Information Protection for five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Microsoft Purview Information Protection is a stable solution with few bugs. The solution undergoes thorough testing with beta versions and is experimented with by a closed group of testers before its release to the public.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Microsoft Purview Information Protection an eight out of ten.

I only have experience working with Azure Cloud, but it is a good idea and important that Microsoft Purview Information Protection is capable of extending data protection across multi-cloud platform environments, including AWS and Google Cloud platforms.

Microsoft Purview Information Protection does not require maintenance from our end.

Potential users should evaluate Microsoft Purview Information Protection. The solution is simple and straightforward. Microsoft offers extensive documentation on its website, including public spaces and community sites. Therefore, numerous questions from various customers are likely to arise. Both Microsoft developers and other people associated with Microsoft are eager to respond to these inquiries. For those who wish to evaluate the solution, I recommend joining the Microsoft community and actively participating by asking questions. There are many people available to provide answers, not only from Microsoft but also from other customers and partners who may have encountered similar issues. By being engaged in the community and regularly consulting the Microsoft documentation, we can start anywhere in the community to seek help, even if we have seemingly basic questions about the solution. People within the community will be more than happy to come forward and provide the necessary clarifications to help.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor. The reviewer's company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Purview Information Protection
February 2025
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Purview Information Protection. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2025.
838,640 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Cloud Solution Architect at Skittlebomb
Real User
Top 20
Enhances our organization's security and prevents sensitive data from being shared externally
Pros and Cons
  • "Before using it, we had a lot of unlabeled data, and the tool helped us quickly and accurately label a large number of documents."
  • "There is room for improvement with the policy tips feature."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use it for data labeling, specifically for labeling documents and emails.

How has it helped my organization?

The automated labeling feature in Microsoft Purview Information Protection has greatly enhanced our organization's security. By ensuring correct labeling of documents and emails, we effectively prevent sensitive data from being shared externally. This feature has strengthened our data protection measures and instilled confidence in managing access to our sensitive information within the organization. Microsoft Purview has saved me time, especially with the auto-labeling feature. It spared me from manually labeling extensive amounts of data. Quantifying the time saved is tricky since it is more of a day-to-day tool once implemented, rather than a specific time-saving task.

What is most valuable?

The automated labeling feature in Microsoft Purview Information Protection has been incredibly valuable for us. Before using it, we had a lot of unlabeled data, and the tool helped us quickly and accurately label a large number of documents. This saved us time and ensured our data was properly categorized and protected.

What needs improvement?

There is room for improvement with the policy tips feature. It seems inconsistent, working well in some web applications but not as effectively in desktop applications. The experience is a bit hit-and-miss, so refining the policy tips functionality across all platforms would be a valuable enhancement.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been working with Microsoft Purview Information Protection for four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Overall, I find the product to be very stable, especially with the essential features. However, there are some instances, like the policy tips, where it doesn't feel entirely right to me since there is a slight instability in certain aspects. Nonetheless, the critical features remain stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability has been good. We haven't encountered any issues with two or three million documents.

How are customer service and support?

I would rate Microsoft's technical support as a five out of ten. The main issue for me is difficulty in getting a technical person right away when raising a ticket. It often involves explaining the issue multiple times before reaching the right person, which can be frustrating.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

From a technology standpoint, the initial setup was easy, but user adoption was a challenge. There was a need for extensive user training and communication to familiarize everyone with the labeling behavior. As users adapted, the system started understanding the changing user behavior better.

What was our ROI?

Microsoft Purview has helped us avoid potential financial issues, especially in terms of GDPR fines, by ensuring full compliance with regulatory requirements. It is more about preventing problems than directly saving money, but it is valuable nonetheless.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing and licensing for the product are quite expensive. Some advanced features are included in the E5 licensing, and it might be beneficial to see some of those features integrated into E3 to make it more accessible.

What other advice do I have?

Microsoft Purview, along with Information Protection tools, has been great for meeting rules like GDPR and HIPAA. We use features like sensitive information types, auto-labeling, and trainable classifiers to easily identify and manage data. If we need specific info, like PII data, the tool helps us quickly find and extract it. For us, it is very important that Purview Information Protection stops our sensitive corporate secrets and personal data from going into AI models. Before jumping into AI tech, we want to be sure all the safeguards are in place. Keeping our data secure within our system is crucial, and having everything set up right is a top priority for us. Microsoft Purview integrates seamlessly with the productivity and security tools we regularly use. It is essentially a one-stop solution for me. While we might have adopted a boundary-level technology, I wouldn't say it's necessary because the current tooling covers our needs well. Having a single solution for information protection is crucial for our operations. It is a complex task, and having everything under one umbrella is much easier for me than dealing with different solutions for different types of data. It simplifies things and works well for our needs. Overall, I would rate Microsoft Purview Information Protection as an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer2084205 - PeerSpot reviewer
Security Consultant at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Consultant
Top 20
We can label content by sensitivity and restrict access, but third-party integration needs improvement
Pros and Cons
  • "We can restrict access or specify who can see sensitivity labels, which can be based on the classification level. We can encrypt restricted content and limit who can see that from an internal view, too, so Purview is a powerful tool."
  • "Our primary concern is third-party application visibility. Many people choose other DLP tools, as they can search the Office 365 suite and detect sensitive information across thousands of other apps. The product is weak compared to the competitors on the DLP front, but the classification is good; the tool needs a bit more maturation."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case is for applying sensitivity labels to sensitive content, including in emails, OneDrive, and SharePoint. 

How has it helped my organization?

Purview Information Protection helped to reduce the number of solutions we need to interact with each other, and it's very valuable to have in small to mid-sized organizations; that's where it shines the brightest. The effect on the complexity of data governance depends on the organization; if a company is only concerned about PII and Office 365 apps, then they don't need other services such as DLP tools, data classification tools, discovery tools, etc. Those can all be eliminated because Purview is a catchall product; you can classify data using sensitivity labels and integrate that with DLP. You can write DLP rules or policies based on what's specified in the sensitivity labels, so separate apps and tools could be unnecessary depending on the organizational requirements.   Reduced Number of Solutions/Complexity of Data Governance

The solution provides good visibility into our estate and is very helpful for gaining visibility into a client's Office 365 estate.  Visibility Into Estate

Purview enables us to show compliance in real time, though I have yet to be in a meeting with a compliance regulator.  Show Compliance in Real Time

The product helped reduce our time to action on insider threats, and it's great for that. We can specify who has access to specific labels, so if a group like HR doesn't have access, they won't be able to see the content. In terms of insider threat, Purview is a powerful tool.  Reduced Time to Action-Insider Threats

The solution is great for helping us stay on top of compliance; we can go through the compliance manager section in the app and use a risk assessment template. Purview recommends actions, so going through a cybersecurity framework is huge for compliance. It's also pretty straightforward to use.  Stay On Top Of Compliance

What is most valuable?

We can restrict access or specify who can see sensitivity labels, which can be based on the classification level. We can encrypt restricted content and limit who can see that from an internal view, too, so Purview is a powerful tool.

Purview delivers data protection across multi-platform and multi-cloud environments, including AWS and GCP, which is essential. It's definitely a meaningful integration. DLP Across Multi-cloud, Multi-platform Environments- Importance

The solution lets us connect to iOS, Mac, and Android devices, plus data from other SaaS apps. This is vital, as employees are not just accessing MS suite applications; they're typically going all over the internet using web-based or desktop apps. There's value in looking at Microsoft apps, but it's essential to see the whole landscape rather than just the 365 suite. Connect to iOS, Mac, Android Devices and SaaS apps- Importance

Purview's native and integrated compliance across Azure Dynamics 365 and Office 365 is good, and the classification is reasonable. Native and Integrated Compliance Across Other Microsoft- Importance 

The fact that Purview was built to take into account critical regulations from around the world is essential. It's necessary, as the more information we can protect, the better. Takes Into Account Critical Regulations- Importance

Regarding DLP for remediating policy violations, the product is excellent; we can alert on policy violations, block and so on. The current capabilities are typical, but we can get pretty deep in finding and specifying remediation outcomes using Boolean Logic. So, if content contains X, X, and X, we can trigger specific actions. The solution is beneficial in this regard, and the UI is easy to navigate.  DLP-Remediating Policy Violations- Importance

Purview's DLP is very good for educating users on how best to handle sensitive data, and it comes in the form of policy tips and email notifications. Policy tips are great; this capability alone is fantastic for spreading cybersecurity and data protection awareness. When the policy tips are implemented, it reinforces our organizational standards, which is excellent.  DLP-Educating Users On Handling Sensitive Data 

What needs improvement?

Our primary concern is third-party application visibility. Many people choose other DLP tools, as they can search the Office 365 suite and detect sensitive information across thousands of other apps. The product is weak compared to the competitors on the DLP front, but the classification is good; the tool needs a bit more maturation.

I want to see Microsoft being more flexible; Purview is excellent for an MS environment, but we can't use the DLP capabilities with third-party products, so it's limited there. We can use other tools for that, but it would be good if Microsoft implemented that.

I want to see more robust reporting capabilities; reporting in dashboards and navigating through alerts can be laborious. If Microsoft could develop the reporting, the product would be more beneficial.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been using the solution for about a year and a half.

How are customer service and support?

I reached out to technical support once and didn't get a response. The tool is easy to use, and you don't need much background information to navigate the tenant, but the one time I reached out, they didn't get back to me. Therefore, I can't rate them as we've never interacted.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The product is affordable, and our clients agree. Sensitivity labels come with the MIP license at an additional $2 a month per user, an excellent deal for auto-labeling capabilities.

What other advice do I have?

I rate the solution seven out of ten. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Microsoft Purview Information Protection Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: February 2025
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Microsoft Purview Information Protection Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.