Maximize SharePoint Storage: Choose the Right SKU

SharePoint, Microsoft's powerful collaboration and document management platform, offers a range of storage plans to accommodate diverse business needs. Choosing the right storage SKU, or Service Plan, ensures your organization leverages SharePoint's capabilities optimally without overspending. Let's delve into the key SharePoint storage plans and understand their features to help you make an informed decision.

SharePoint's storage plans primarily revolve around three core SKUs: E1, E3, and E5. Each plan builds upon its predecessor, offering supplemental features and more extensive storage. However, the choice depends not merely on storage capacity but also the collaboration and security features your organization requires. Here's a detailed look at each SKU:

SharePoint Services Plans

SharePoint Services Plans are designed for teams and small to mid-sized organizations. They provide robust collaboration and communication features, along with extensive data storage. Let's explore the two primary services plans:

SharePoint E1

SharePoint E1 is an entry-level plan designed for teams seeking basic collaboration features and a comprehensive document management system. It includes 1 TB of SharePoint storage and unlimited personal cloud storage via OneDrive. Plus, it offers various productivity tools, such as Outlook and Word, to streamline work processes.

However, it lacks some advanced security and compliance features found in higher-tier plans. Therefore, E1 is ideal for teams with minimal security concerns or regulatory compliance needs, focusing more on immediate collaboration and productivity gains.

SharePoint E3

SharePoint E3 builds upon E1, delivering additional collaboration, communication, and security features. It offers a more extensive 1 TB user-based site collection license, enabling larger teams to work together seamlessly. E3 also provides email encryption and data loss prevention features, adding an extra layer of security for sensitive information.

Moreover, E3 includes advanced communication tools, like Microsoft Teams and Yammer, fostering better collaboration and cross-company communication. It's an excellent choice for growing teams requiring more robust collaboration and enhanced security features.

SharePoint Advanced Plans: E5 and Gold & Premium

For enterprises requiring more stringent security and compliance features, advanced SharePoint plans cater specifically to these needs. These plans are scalable, offering extensive storage and expansive security and compliance features to address complex organizational requirements.

SharePoint E5

SharePoint E5 is an advanced plan that builds upon the E3 platform, providing additional security and compliance features. It includes 1 TB user-based site collection license, email encryption, data loss prevention, and advanced data governance tools. E5 also offers escalation and remediation support for regulatory compliance issues and critical incident resolution.

However, E5 requires a Microsoft 365 E5 subscription, making it a more significant investment than E1 or E3 plans. For enterprises stressed by strict regulatory compliance or frequent data benchmarking, the E5 plan delivers the advanced security and compliance features necessary to meet these challenges.

Gold & Premium Subscription

The Gold and Premium subscriptions are tailored for enterprise organizations needing maximum control over their data and collaboration platforms. They provide unlimited SharePoint storage, access to all Microsoft 365 features, and offer advanced security and compliance tools, such as Customer Key and Azure Information Protection.

Furthermore, Gold and Premium subscriptions come with closer customer support, providing priority access to Microsoft support teams for faster incident resolution. These high-end plans represent a substantial investment but deliver unparalleled data control, security, and support for large enterprises.

Choosing the right SharePoint storage SKU involves assessing your organization's storage, collaboration, and security needs. By understanding the unique features and limitations of each plan, you can select the optimal SharePoint storage solution to drive productivity and security in your organization.