A short list you can work through.
Security, recovery and spend reviewed together. Start with the issues that need attention, with the affected resources and reasons laid out.
Meet Dex. Your virtual IT & security worker.
Know what to fix.
And how to fix it.
Dex reviews Microsoft 365 and Azure each week, connects the findings, and gives you a prioritised action plan.
Less time sorting findings. More time putting the right fixes in place.
Always read only. You stay in control.
Early pilot for businesses and the IT people who support them.
DEX / WEEKLY REVIEW02 OCT 2026
YOUR NEXT MOVES
Start with what matters.
Selected client findingsAzure
01SECURITYClient portal firewall in Detection modeValidate the rules before enabling blocking.
02RECOVERYAzure Backup stopped on four running serversConfirm coverage and test recovery.
03RELIABILITYProduction database with several resilience gapsReview backup history, standby and monitoring.
Security & access
Backups & availability
Costs & licences
MICROSOFT 365 + AZURE
WHY DEX
You have the tools.
Who owns the review?
Azure Advisor, Defender and Secure Score provide useful recommendations. Someone still needs to review them, check the surrounding setup, decide what matters, and follow up.
That is the work Dex takes on.
The connections between findings.
A production database with short backup history, no standby and no Azure Monitor alerts deserves a combined review. The recommendations make more sense together.
A review that keeps going.
Track open findings and upcoming certificate expiry week by week. See when issues first appeared and what has been marked resolved or accepted.
You pay for the regular review work. Sorting the findings, adding context, writing next steps and keeping the outstanding work visible.
About Microsoft’s tools: Azure Advisor · Microsoft Secure Score
FROM A REAL CLIENT REVIEW
A finding is useful
when you can act on it.
These examples come from one Azure review. Each one connects a specific configuration to a practical consequence and a next step.
Anonymised client review
Client names and resource identifiers removed.
SECURITY / APPLICATION GATEWAY01 / 03
Protection was installed.
Blocking was not enabled.
The live application gateway in front of client portals used a Web Application Firewall policy in Detection mode. Its managed rules logged matching requests without blocking them.
WHEREClient portals
WHAT DEX FLAGGEDDetection mode
WHY IT MATTERS
A firewall being present does not establish that its rules are blocking suspicious requests. Confirm whether Detection mode is intentional and what other protection exists.
THE NEXT STEPS
Microsoft’s explanation of Detection mode
- Check why Detection mode is in use.
- Review rule matches, false positives and required exceptions.
- After validation, enable Prevention mode and verify the results.
RECOVERY / AZURE BACKUP02 / 03
The servers kept running.
Their Azure backups had stopped.
Four running virtual machines had stopped receiving Azure backups. Their last recorded backups were in May or August 2026.
AFFECTED4 running servers
LAST AZURE BACKUPSMay or August 2026
WHY IT MATTERS
A running server is not necessarily recoverable. If another system is not backing it up, recent data and changes may be missing from the available recovery points.
THE NEXT STEPS
- Confirm recovery requirements and any alternative backup coverage.
- Restore the required backup schedule and check successful runs.
- Test a restore so recovery is demonstrated.
The finding concerns Azure Backup. It does not establish that every backup method was absent.
RELIABILITY / PRODUCTION MYSQL03 / 03
One production database.
Several gaps to review together.
A MySQL database holding nearly 2 TB ran on one burstable CPU, kept three days of backups, had no standby, and had no enabled Azure Monitor alert covering it.
BACKUP HISTORY3 days
STANDBYNot enabled
WHY IT MATTERS
Capacity, recovery and availability need to fit the same workload. A lightly used archive and a busy customer database have different requirements. Reviewing each setting alone misses that context.
THE NEXT STEPS
- Confirm the workload, recovery window and acceptable downtime.
- Check CPU usage and credits, storage headroom and existing monitoring.
- Review sizing, backup retention and standby against those requirements.
The configuration warrants review. Database size alone does not prove that the CPU tier is inadequate.
Selected findings from the client’s register, shown before remediation.
ACROSS YOUR MICROSOFT SETUP
Security and spend
belong in the same review.
Earlier reviews also found unnecessary mailbox access, unused Azure resources and licences left assigned after people had left.
Tell us what keeps slippingMICROSOFT 365 / APP ACCESS
A finished migration. Full mailbox access left behind.
Old migration apps retained read and write access to mailboxes. Confirm the apps are retired, then revoke the permissions they no longer need.
AZURE / UNUSED RESOURCES
About $200 a month in unused resources.
A separate review found empty App Service plans among the unused resources still generating charges. Check dependencies before removing them.
MICROSOFT 365 / LICENCES
People had left. Their paid licences remained.
Confirm offboarding and data retention requirements, then reclaim licences that are no longer needed.
Separate review examples. The $200/month figure is observed spend, not savings already achieved.
HOW IT WORKS
A regular review.
A clear handover.
Dex reviews and recommends. You or your IT provider carry out the changes. The next review keeps the outstanding work visible.
- 01
Agree what to review.
Start with a conversation about your Microsoft setup, recurring problems and priorities. We agree the pilot scope and permissions.
- 02
Connect. Always read only.
Dex inspects the agreed environment. It cannot change settings, edit customer data, remove resources, or request write access.
- 03
Work through the weekly plan.
Get the affected resources, evidence, reasons and next steps. Open findings carry forward until addressed or accepted.
In every review
- The affected resource
- The supporting evidence
- A clear priority
- What to check or change
- What is still open
YOUR ENVIRONMENT. YOUR CONTROL.
Dex can read your setup.
It cannot change it.
Always read only. Any changes are carried out by you or your IT provider. This is a permanent rule for Dex, including during the pilot.
BEFORE YOU ASK
A few fair questions.
Why pay when Microsoft already provides recommendations?
Microsoft’s tools are useful, and many findings can come from them. Dex’s value is doing the recurring review work around those signals: checking context across services, setting priorities, writing practical next steps and carrying open items forward.
If your team already does that consistently, you may not need Dex. It is for teams where that work keeps slipping or takes time they need elsewhere.
Does Dex replace my IT provider?
Dex gives you or your provider a focused review and a useful handover. It does not perform fixes, run your helpdesk or respond to incidents. Your IT team keeps responsibility for changes and operations.
Can Dex make changes in our Microsoft environment?
No. Access is always read only. The scope and permissions are agreed for the chosen checks. Dex cannot change settings, edit customer data or remove resources.
How is AI used in the review?
The pilot is designed to use different AI models to examine findings from security, access, reliability and cost perspectives, and cross-check recommendations. Findings should be supported by evidence. Using several models is not a guarantee that every issue will be found.
Is Dex available, and what does it cost?
Dex is in an early pilot. Scope, access and pricing are discussed before you decide whether to take part. Sending the form starts a conversation. It does not connect your environment or commit you to a purchase.
LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR SETUP
What keeps slipping
off your IT to-do list?
Tell us what you run and what you want checked. We’ll discuss whether a weekly Dex review would be useful for your business.
- A short conversation first
- Scope and permissions agreed upfront
- Always read only access
Early pilot. No commitment from sending this form.
PILOT ENQUIRY
Tell us a little about your setup.
Two details to start. Add more if you like.
Thanks. Your note is in.
We’ll follow up to discuss your setup and the pilot.