Defender for Servers Plans 1 & 2 vs. CSPM: Overlaps, Pricing, and Cost Optimization

Microsoft Defender for Servers Plan 1, Plan 2, and Defender CSPM (Cloud Security Posture Management) offer robust options to secure cloud environments. Plan 1 focuses on essential endpoint detection and response (EDR), Plan 2 provides advanced workload protection, and CSPM delivers posture management and governance, especially for multicloud environments.

This guide explores features, overlaps, pricing, and how to optimize costs by strategically combining or prioritizing these tools.

Cost-Saving Strategy: Free CSPM for Resource-Free Subscriptions

Defender CSPM (paid version) only incurs charges for subscriptions with billable resources (e.g., VMs, databases, or storage accounts). Deploying it in resource-free subscriptions allows you to access features like Defender for DevOps at no additional cost.

Microsoft Defender for Servers vs CSPM Feature Comparison

Feature	Defender for Servers Plan 1	Defender for Servers Plan 2	CSPM (Free Version)	CSPM (Paid Version)
Primary Focus	Essential EDR for workloads	Advanced workload security	Basic posture management	Advanced multicloud posture governance
Agentless Scanning	No	VMs and Kubernetes nodes	Not included	Multicloud resources (VMs, storage, DBs)
Endpoint Detection	Yes (via Defender for Endpoint)	Yes (via Defender for Endpoint)	No	No
Regulatory Compliance	Limited	Comprehensive (e.g., MCSB)	Basic standards (e.g., MCSB)	Advanced support (CIS, NIST, etc.)
Threat Detection	EDR only	OS- and network-level	No	Attack path analysis, risk prioritization
Pricing	$4.906/server/month	$14.60/server/month	Free	$5.11/resource/month (billable assets)

Azure Security Pricing: Defender for Servers and CSPM Costs

Defender for Servers Plan 1

• Cost: $4.906/server/month.
• Example: 100 servers = $490.60/month.

Defender for Servers Plan 2

• Cost: $14.60/server/month.
• Example: 100 servers = $1,460/month.

CSPM

• Free Version: $0.
• Paid Version: $5.11/resource/month.
• Example: 50 VMs + 20 storage accounts + 10 databases = 80 resources = $408.80/month.

Choosing the Right Microsoft Defender Security Solution

Defender for Servers Plan 1

• Best For:
  • Basic endpoint detection and response (EDR).
  • Organizations with smaller budgets focusing on EDR over advanced features.
• Limitations: No agentless scanning or advanced threat detection.

Defender for Servers Plan 2

• Best For:
  • Critical workloads needing advanced protection.
  • Features like file integrity monitoring and agentless scanning.
• Limitations: Higher per-server cost.

CSPM Free

• Best For:
  • Posture management and compliance without advanced scanning needs.
  • Resource-free subscriptions where governance is still required.

CSPM Paid

• Best For:
  • Multicloud environments needing advanced governance and regulatory alignment.
  • Organizations requiring compliance with standards like CIS, NIST, and PCI-DSS.
  • Advanced features like attack path analysis and DevOps integration.
• Unique Advantage: Supports detailed alignment with multiple compliance frameworks across Azure, AWS, and GCP.

Cloud Security Cost Optimization Strategies

1. Combine Plans Strategically:
   • Use Plan 1 for basic EDR and upgrade only critical workloads to Plan 2.
   • Deploy CSPM Free in resource-free subscriptions for no-cost posture management.
2. Optimize Deployment:
   • Use Plan 2 selectively for workloads needing agentless scanning and threat detection.
   • Use CSPM Paid for multicloud governance and regulatory compliance.

Real-World Deployment Scenarios and Cost Analysis

Scenario 1: Small Business (Single Cloud)

• Environment: 50 Azure VMs, 10 Azure databases.
• Recommended Tools:
  • Defender for Servers Plan 1 for basic EDR.
  • CSPM Free for posture management.
• Cost:
  • Plan 1: $4.906 x 50 = $245.30/month.
  • CSPM Free: $0.

Scenario 2: Mid-Sized Business (Critical Workloads)

• Environment: 100 Azure VMs (20 critical), 20 Azure databases.
• Recommended Tools:
  • Defender for Servers Plan 2 for critical workloads.
  • CSPM Free for posture management.
• Cost:
  • Plan 2 (20 VMs): $14.60 x 20 = $292/month.
  • CSPM Free: $0.

Scenario 3: Enterprise (Multicloud Environment)

• Environment: 200 VMs (Azure, AWS), 50 storage accounts, 20 databases.
• Recommended Tools:
  • CSPM Paid for multicloud governance and regulatory compliance.
  • Defender for Servers Plan 2 for critical Azure workloads.
• Cost:
  • CSPM Paid: (200 VMs + 50 storage accounts + 20 databases) x $5.11 = $1,377.70/month.
  • Plan 2 (50 Azure VMs): $14.60 x 50 = $730/month.

Optimizing Microsoft Defender for Cloud Security and Compliance

By leveraging Defender for Servers Plans 1 or 2 alongside CSPM Free or Paid, organizations can create a tailored, cost-effective security strategy. Enterprises needing compliance with CIS, NIST, or PCI-DSS can rely on CSPM Paid for advanced governance, while smaller setups can maximize value with CSPM Free and selective use of Plan 1 or 2.

Related reading: Learn more about Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence convergence for SOC operations and how it integrates with these security solutions.