MS-900 Describe Microsoft 365 pricing and support Practice Question
This MS-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe microsoft 365 pricing and support. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. A key principle to apply: microsoft 365 E5 Security add-on includes Defender for Office 365 Plan 2.. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company has 100 Microsoft 365 E3 users. They need to add advanced threat protection (Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 2) and advanced compliance (eDiscovery Premium) for all users. They want to minimize additional costs while keeping their existing E3 subscriptions. What is the most cost-effective licensing strategy?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Purchase both the Microsoft 365 E5 Compliance add-on and the Microsoft 365 E5 Security add-on
Option A is correct because Microsoft 365 E5 Security and E5 Compliance add-ons provide exactly the required capabilities (Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 and eDiscovery Premium) without upgrading the base E3 license. This approach avoids the cost of a full E5 upgrade while still covering both advanced threat protection and advanced compliance needs.
Key principle: Microsoft 365 E5 Security add-on includes Defender for Office 365 Plan 2.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Purchase both the Microsoft 365 E5 Compliance add-on and the Microsoft 365 E5 Security add-on
Why this is correct
These add-ons provide exactly the advanced compliance and security features needed without upgrading to E5.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Microsoft 365 E5 Security add-on includes Defender for Office 365 Plan 2.
✗
Upgrade all users to Microsoft 365 E5
Why it's wrong here
E5 includes the features but is more expensive than E3 plus the two add-ons.
✗
Purchase only the Microsoft 365 E5 Compliance add-on
Why it's wrong here
This add-on does not include Defender for Office 365 Plan 2; that requires the Security add-on or E5.
✗
Purchase only the Microsoft 365 E5 Security add-on
Why it's wrong here
This provides Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 but not eDiscovery Premium.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume a full E5 upgrade is the only way to get both advanced security and compliance features, not realizing that targeted add-ons can be purchased separately to minimize cost.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Microsoft 365 E5 Security add-on includes Defender for Office 365 Plan 2, which provides automated investigation and response, threat hunting, and simulation training. The E5 Compliance add-on includes eDiscovery Premium, which offers advanced analytics, review sets, and predictive coding. These add-ons are licensed per user and can be stacked onto E3 without requiring an E5 base license, making them the most cost-effective combination for organizations that already have E3.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Microsoft 365 E5 Security add-on includes Defender for Office 365 Plan 2.
Microsoft 365 E5 Compliance add-on includes eDiscovery Premium.
Add-ons allow E3 users to gain specific E5 features without a full upgrade.
Purchasing both add-ons is more cost-effective than a full E5 upgrade for these specific needs.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Microsoft 365 E5 Security add-on includes Defender for Office 365 Plan 2.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this MS-900 question in full detail.
Review microsoft 365 E5 Security add-on includes Defender for Office 365 Plan 2., then practise related MS-900 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Describe Microsoft 365 pricing and support — This question tests Describe Microsoft 365 pricing and support — Microsoft 365 E5 Security add-on includes Defender for Office 365 Plan 2..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Purchase both the Microsoft 365 E5 Compliance add-on and the Microsoft 365 E5 Security add-on — Option A is correct because Microsoft 365 E5 Security and E5 Compliance add-ons provide exactly the required capabilities (Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 and eDiscovery Premium) without upgrading the base E3 license. This approach avoids the cost of a full E5 upgrade while still covering both advanced threat protection and advanced compliance needs.
What should I do if I get this MS-900 question wrong?
Review microsoft 365 E5 Security add-on includes Defender for Office 365 Plan 2., then practise related MS-900 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Microsoft 365 E5 Security add-on includes Defender for Office 365 Plan 2.
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