Why Partners Need Baseline Management to Deliver Scalable, Secure Services?

As business productivity accelerates, so does the complexity of working in modern IT environments, especially for managed service providers (MSPs), managing dozens or even hundreds of Microsoft 365 tenants. Without a centralised and enforceable approach to secure configuration, the risk of misconfigurations, compliance gaps, and data exposure increases dramatically. For MSPs, the real challenge isn’t just securing environments, it’s doing so consistently, efficiently, and at scale.

Security threats are universal, but every organisation responds differently. What remains constant is the need to secure apps, devices, and users through clearly defined security baselines. With Microsoft reporting that its customers face an astounding 600 million cyberattacks daily, managing these baselines is no longer a convenience; it’s a strategic necessity. It enables partners to maintain control, automate routine tasks, and deliver secure, standardised services at scale. All while focusing on high-value, growth-oriented offerings to end customers. The global managed services market is projected to grow by 13% year-over-year in 2025, reaching $595 billion. With many MSPs managing over 100 tenants, the need for scalable, efficient operations is more urgent than ever. In this environment, standardisation through tools like baseline management is essential, not only for profitability but also for sustaining customer trust and delivering consistent, high-value services. 

How Baseline Management Simplifies Compliance Across Tenants?

AvePoint Elements helps partners enforce consistent Microsoft 365 security configurations across all tenants, reducing risk, boosting compliance, and uncovering new service opportunities. Its Baseline Management module centralises control of identity, device, app, and data security policies. Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA), block legacy authentication, apply compliance rules, and control external sharing, all from one interface.

Key capabilities of Baseline Management in AvePoint Elements include: 

• Define trusted configurations. Capture and replicate secure settings across clients.
• Apply baselines at scale: Enforce standard tenant settings — on demand or on a schedule.
• Detect drift. Get alerts on misconfigurations in real time. 

What’s New in Baseline Management?

The latest update to AvePoint Elements delivers enhanced flexibility and control within the Baseline Management module. To support more precise and efficient operations, we’ve introduced three powerful enhancements that enable partners to tailor baseline enforcement with greater accuracy, without sacrificing compliance or visibility.  

1. Apply Multiple Baselines per Single Tenant

You can now assign multiple baselines to a single tenant, with the ability to rank them to resolve any configuration conflicts. 

Why it matters: This feature enables layered governance. For example, partners can apply a security baseline for tenants while layering on industry-specific or department-specific policies. It’s ideal for MSPs managing customers with complex compliance requirements or diverse operational needs. 

2. In-Line Configuration Editing

Admins can now edit configurations directly from the tenant view and deploy changes instantly, without switching tools or navigating away.

Why it matters: This streamlines operations, allowing partners to make quick adjustments and push real-time updates. It reduces administrative overhead and improves responsiveness across environments. 

3. Accept Deviations

Partners can now accept deviations from the baseline for a defined period of time. These deviations can be configured as temporary exceptions or established as tenant-specific settings for long-term flexibility.

Why this matters: This gives MSPs greater control over baseline application, enabling tailored configurations that meet individual client needs without compromising compliance. It supports a more agile and responsive service model while preserving visibility and governance. 

Baseline Management Is the Foundation of Scalable, Secure Services

If you only offer backup and migration, you’re missing a bigger opportunity. Today’s customers need security-first, policy-driven governance, and AvePoint Elements helps you deliver it. With its enhanced Baseline Management, partners can define, enforce, and maintain trusted configurations for tenants faster and more effectively than ever before.

From configuration control to compliance enforcement, AvePoint’s Baseline Management is how partners scale smarter, not harder.

Ready to simplify security and scale your services?