How to integrate MS Purview with on prem File servers and with M365 services (SPO, EXO, OneDrive etc.)?

Question

Hi,

Need some clarification on below points:

1- How would we configure on prem file servers as data source for MS Purview? Would it be just the way we setup on prem SQL servers with Purview using Self hosted integration runtime? If not, can you explain a little on this? Share an article if possible that talks about this.

2- In general, it is being said or stated that purview also scans and manages the data plan for M365 services as well. However, I have not seen any article or anything that explains how is it setup and how it works? I also read it utilizes MIP (Microsoft information protection), however, couldn't find any article explain how they are connected and being used in this scenario.

Would request to provide some clarification and insight in this.

Answer 1

Hi @Rakesh Singh

Greetings & Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum! Thanks for posting your query!

Thank you for your questions about integrating Microsoft Purview with on-premises file servers and Microsoft 365 services. Here is a detailed explanation of how it works with on-premises file servers and Microsoft 365 services:

How would we configure on prem file servers as data source for MS Purview? Would it be just the way we setup on prem SQL servers with Purview using Self hosted integration runtime? If not, can you explain a little on this? Share an article if possible that talks about this.

To configure on-premises file servers as a data source for Microsoft Purview, you would indeed use a self-hosted integration runtime, similar to how you set up on-premises SQL servers. The self-hosted integration runtime allows Microsoft Purview to connect to your on-premises data sources securely and extract metadata.

For on-premises file servers, you will need to ensure that the integration runtime is properly configured to access the file shares. This involves setting up the necessary permissions and ensuring that the integration runtime can communicate with both the file server and Microsoft Purview.

For more details, please refer the following documentations that might help you.

• Create and manage a self-hosted integration runtime
• Connect to and manage an on-premises SQL server instance in Microsoft Purview
• Connect to and manage Azure Files in Microsoft Purview

In general, it is being said or stated that purview also scans and manages the data plan for M365 services as well. However, I have not seen any article or anything that explains how is it setup and how it works? I also read it utilizes MIP (Microsoft information protection), however, couldn't find any article explain how they are connected and being used in this scenario.

Microsoft Purview can integrate with both on-premises file servers and Microsoft 365 services such as SharePoint Online (SPO), Exchange Online (EXO), and OneDrive. The integration allows for data governance, compliance, and protection across different environments.

To set up Microsoft Purview with Microsoft 365 services, you typically utilize Microsoft Information Protection (MIP) capabilities. MIP provides a framework for classifying, labeling, and protecting sensitive information. The integration process generally involves the following steps:

Configuration of Sensitivity Labels - You need to create and configure sensitivity labels in Microsoft Purview. These labels can then be applied to documents and emails in Microsoft 365 services to enforce protection policies.

Integration with Defender for Cloud Apps - By integrating Microsoft Purview with Defender for Cloud Apps, you can automatically apply sensitivity labels to files stored in cloud applications. This integration enhances visibility and control over sensitive data.

Data Scanning and Classification - Microsoft Purview can scan data stored in on-premises file servers and classify it based on the sensitivity labels defined. This ensures that data governance policies are uniformly applied across both on-premises and cloud environments.

Monitoring and Compliance - Once the integration is set up, you can monitor the data and ensure compliance with organizational policies and regulatory requirements.

For additional information, please refer the following documents:

Create and configure sensitivity labels and their policies

Integrate with Microsoft Purview for information protection

I hope this information helps. Please do let us know if you have any further queries.

Kindly consider upvoting the comment if the information provided is helpful. This can assist other community members in resolving similar issues.

Thank you.