Microsoft Solutions Partner
Microsoft Sentinel Consulting Services
Star Knowledge helps deploy Microsoft Sentinel with the right data connectors, KQL analytics rules, SOAR playbooks, and workbooks. We make security visibility practical: clean log ingestion, tuned detections, automated response where it fits, and reporting your SOC and leadership can use.
15+ years deploying Microsoft cloud-native SIEM and security automation.
Years
Specialists
Microsoft Solutions Partner for Security ,Cloud-native SIEM
Built across the major agent ecosystems
Copilot Studio
Azure AI Foundry
AWS Bedrock
Google Vertex AI
OpenAI
LangChain / LangGraph
Microsoft Sentinel Expertise for Unified Security Visibility
01
Security logs scattered across a dozen systems with no central view?
02
Splunk or QRadar costs spiralling — infrastructure, licensing, and staff to manage it?
03
No SIEM at all — flying blind on what’s happening in your environment?
Defender XDR covers Microsoft, but firewalls, network, and cloud logs are invisible?
Star Knowledge deploys Microsoft Sentinel with data-source mapping, ingestion cost planning, connector rollout, custom KQL detections, SOAR playbooks, dashboards, documentation, and SOC handoff.
What We Do
01
Every log in one place
We connect Microsoft, firewall, endpoint, cloud, and custom logs into one cloud-native SIEM with no infrastructure to manage.
02
Custom detection, not just built-in
We write custom KQL analytics rules for your data sources, users, apps, and known risks — beyond out-of-the-box templates.
03
Automated response (SOAR)
We build SOAR playbooks to isolate devices, disable accounts, create tickets, notify teams, and speed response.
Ingestion cost governed
We optimise per-GB Sentinel ingestion with the right Analytics, Basic, and Archive tiers for visibility without bill shock.
05
Unified with Defender XDR
Sentinel and Defender XDR work in a unified portal — Microsoft XDR plus SIEM coverage for everything else.
06
Security Copilot ready
Sentinel data supports Security Copilot for AI-assisted investigation, KQL generation, and threat hunting.
Our Services & Capabilities
01
Sentinel Assessment & Architecture
We map data sources, volume, cost, and architecture so your Microsoft Sentinel deployment starts with a clear design.
- Data source inventory
- Architecture design
- Ingestion cost modelling
02
Data Connector Deployment
We configure connectors for M365, Entra ID, Defender, Azure, Palo Alto, Fortinet, Cisco, AWS, GCP, syslog, and custom logs.
- 200+ connectors
- Microsoft + third-party
- Custom CEF/syslog
03
Custom Analytics Rules (KQL)
We build custom KQL analytics rules for environment-specific threats, not just Microsoft built-in templates.
- Custom KQL rules
- Correlation rules
- Anomaly detection
04
SOAR Playbooks (Automation)
We create Logic Apps playbooks for device isolation, account disablement, ServiceNow tickets, Teams alerts, and orchestration.
- Logic Apps playbooks
- Auto-remediation
- Ticket creation
- Notifications
05
Workbooks & Dashboards
We build Sentinel workbooks for SOC operations, executive reporting, and compliance visibility.
- Custom workbooks
- SOC dashboards
- Executive reporting
06
SIEM Migration (Splunk / QRadar / Elastic)
We migrate Splunk, QRadar, or Elastic rules, dashboards, workflows, and data sources into Microsoft Sentinel.
- Splunk → Sentinel
- QRadar → Sentinel
- Grounded
- System-integrated
07
Ingestion Optimisation & Ongoing Management
We optimise Analytics, Basic, and Archive tiers and manage rule tuning, connectors, and threat response.
- ngestion optimisation
- Tiered storage
- Ongoing management
Need Defender XDR with Sentinel? See Defender Consulting. Want AI on SIEM data?
Sentinel vs Your Current SIEM
| Criteria | Microsoft Sentinel | Splunk Enterprise | IBM QRadar |
|---|---|---|---|
Infrastructure | Cloud-native (no servers) | On-prem or cloud (your infra) | On-prem or SaaS |
Pricing | Per-GB ingested (consumption) | Per-GB indexed (expensive) | Per-EPS or device |
Microsoft integration | Native (Defender, Entra, M365) | Connector | Connector |
Third-party connectors | 200+ built-in | Extensive (marketplace) | Good |
Custom detection (KQL) | Powerful, cloud-native | SPL (powerful) | AQL |
SOAR / playbooks | Logic Apps (native) | SOAR (Splunk SOAR) | QRadar SOAR |
Security Copilot | Native AI integration | No | No |
Scaling | Automatic (Azure) | Manual (more hardware) | Manual |
Best fit | Microsoft-stack orgs | Multi-vendor, mature SOCs | IBM-stack orgs |
Our Sentinel Deployment Methodology
Governance approach: We define workspace access, role-based permissions, data retention rules, connector ownership, analytics rule change control, playbook approval paths, and cost-review checkpoints so Sentinel remains manageable after deployment.
Free assessment & data mapping
We inventory your security data sources, estimate ingestion volumes and costs, and design the Sentinel architecture. No cost, no obligation.
Workspace setup & connector deployment
We create the Sentinel workspace, deploy data connectors, and validate log ingestion from all sources.
Analytics rules — built-in + custom
We enable relevant built-in rules and write custom KQL analytics rules for your environment-specific threats.
SOAR playbooks
We build automated response playbooks: device isolation, account disable, ticket creation, notifications, and multi-step orchestration.
Workbooks & reporting
We build dashboards for SOC operations and executive/compliance reporting — making security data visible and actionable.
SIEM migration (if applicable)
We migrate rules, dashboards, and workflows from Splunk, QRadar, or other SIEM — and decommission the old platform.
Ingestion optimisation & handoff
We optimise ingestion costs across tiers, document the deployment, train your team, and provide ongoing management if needed.
Production-readiness checks: Connector health validation, ingestion validation, analytics rule testing, alert routing verification, playbook dry runs, RBAC review, workbook access checks, and handoff documentation are completed before go-live.
It starts with a free Sentinel assessment. No obligation.
"What's Your SIEM Situation?"
| Your situation | What we deliver | Starting point |
|---|---|---|
“No SIEM at all” | Sentinel deployment from scratch | Full deployment |
“Splunk costs are killing us” | Splunk → Sentinel migration | SIEM migration |
“QRadar end of support / renewal” | QRadar → Sentinel migration | SIEM migration |
“Defender XDR but no SIEM” | Sentinel to complement Defender | Sentinel adds breadth to XDR |
“SIEM deployed but no custom rules” | Custom analytics rules + tuning | Rule development (this page) |
“No automated response” | SOAR playbooks on Sentinel | Playbook build (this page) |
“Ingestion costs too high” | Ingestion optimisation | Cost optimisation (this page) |
“Compliance requires centralised logging” | Sentinel for compliance logging | Compliance deployment |
The estimator above sizes your Sentinel deployment; a free assessment maps your data sources and costs.
Case Studies
Mid-sized US financial services firm, ~1,200 employees
No centralized visibility, slow manual response, and mounting compliance overhead
Microsoft Sentinel as the central SIEM/SOAR platform, deployed in five phases
Healthcare provider, 300+ users, HIPAA requirements, no SIEM.
HIPAA audit flagged the absence of centralised security logging — needed SIEM quickly.
Deployed Sentinel with M365, Entra ID, Defender, and firewall connectors. Built HIPAA-relevant analytics rules and compliance workbooks.
Technology company, 400+ users, Defender XDR deployed, no SIEM.
Defender XDR covered Microsoft products but firewall, AWS, and custom application logs had no visibility.
Deployed Sentinel with third-party connectors (Palo Alto, AWS CloudTrail, custom apps), unified with Defender XDR in the same portal.
Industries We Serve
Financial Services
Compliance logging, fraud detection, and SIEM migration
Healthcare
HIPAA-mandated centralised logging and monitoring
Technology & SaaS
Product and corporate security monitoring
Professional Services
Centralised security visibility for lean teams
Manufacturing
Multi-site security log consolidation
Retail
POS, e-commerce, and corporate security monitoring
Government
Compliance-mandated SIEM and incident logging
Insurance
Threat monitoring and cyber risk visibility
From a focused Sentinel deployment with 5 data sources to an enterprise SIEM programme with 50+ sources and SOAR automation.
Insights
Cloud-Native SIEM Has Won (2026)
In 2026, more organisations are moving SIEM operations to cloud-native platforms to reduce infrastructure overhead, improve scalability, and integrate detection and response across Microsoft and third-party environments. Sentinel’s consumption-based pricing, native Defender XDR integration, and Security Copilot readiness make it a strong SIEM option for Microsoft-stack organisations when the data strategy and ingestion model are designed properly.
01
No infrastructure — Sentinel is cloud-native on Azure; no servers, no storage, no scaling headaches
02
03
Should we replace Splunk with Sentinel?
For Microsoft-first organisations, Sentinel is often a strong fit because of native Microsoft integration, Azure scaling, and reduced infrastructure overhead. Splunk can still be the better choice for mature, very large, multi-vendor SOCs with deep SPL expertise and complex non-Microsoft requirements. We assess the fit honestly before recommending a migration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Microsoft Sentinel consulting?
We deploy, configure, and manage Microsoft Sentinel for cloud-native SIEM and SOAR, including connectors, custom KQL analytics rules, SOAR playbooks, workbooks, SIEM migration, ingestion optimisation, and ongoing management.
How is Sentinel different from Defender XDR?
Defender XDR covers Microsoft products with built-in detections. Sentinel ingests Microsoft and non-Microsoft logs, enables custom KQL rules, and adds SOAR automation. Many organisations use XDR for Microsoft coverage and Sentinel for broader SIEM visibility.
Can you migrate us from Splunk or QRadar?
Yes. We recreate detection rules, dashboards, workflows, and data sources in Microsoft Sentinel, then help decommission Splunk, QRadar, Elastic, or other legacy SIEM platforms.
How much does Sentinel ingestion cost?
Sentinel pricing is per-GB ingested per day. We control cost with commitment tiers and Analytics, Basic, or Archive routing based on detection, search, and retention needs.
Can Sentinel ingest non-Microsoft data (firewalls, AWS, custom apps)?
Yes. Sentinel supports 200+ connectors, including Palo Alto, Fortinet, Cisco, AWS CloudTrail, GCP, non-Microsoft endpoints, network devices, CEF, syslog, APIs, and custom sources.
How much does Sentinel consulting cost?
Deployment consulting depends on scope and consulting days. Use $400–$600 per day as the planning range. Sentinel ingestion costs are separate and depend on volume, tiers, retention, and Microsoft pricing.
Do we need Sentinel if we already have Defender XDR?
If your data is only Microsoft 365, Entra, Defender, and Azure, Defender XDR may be enough. If you also need firewall, network, non-Microsoft cloud, or custom app logs, Sentinel adds SIEM coverage Defender XDR cannot provide.
Can you manage Sentinel ongoing?
Yes. We manage data source onboarding, analytics rule tuning, SOAR playbook updates, ingestion cost reviews, and incident response support.
Book My Free Sentinel Assessment
Tell us the task you have in mind. We’ll assess whether an agent suits it, at what autonomy level, and what the first step should be.
- No cost, no obligation
- Typically responds within 4 business hours
- Confidential — your data isn't shared
Typically responds within 8 business hours · Confidential