Email (Exchange Online)
1. Deleted Items Folder:
- When an email is deleted, it first moves to the "Deleted Items" folder. Users can manually restore emails from this folder within 30 days. After 30 days, items are automatically removed from the "Deleted Items" folder.
2. Recoverable Items Folder:
- If an item is deleted from the "Deleted Items" folder, it goes into the "Recoverable Items" folder. Users can recover these items for up to an additional 14 days, making the total recovery period up to 44 days. This folder includes several subfolders such as "Deletions," "Versions," and "Purges," each serving different purposes.
3. Litigation Hold/Retention Policies:
- For compliance and legal reasons, organizations can place mailboxes on Litigation Hold or use Retention Policies. These features preserve emails beyond the default retention periods. Items placed on Litigation Hold are preserved indefinitely until the hold is removed. Retention Policies can be configured to retain data for a specific period, ensuring that emails are kept according to organizational or regulatory requirements.
OneDrive for Business
1. Recycle Bin:
- Deleted files from OneDrive are initially moved to the Recycle Bin, where they are retained for 30 days. After this period, the files are moved to the "Second-stage Recycle Bin." Users can recover files from the "Second-stage Recycle Bin" for an additional 30 days, so the total retention time for deleted files is 60 days.
2. File Versioning:
- OneDrive maintains a version history for files, allowing users to view and restore previous versions of documents. By default, OneDrive retains versions for 30 days. However, versioning settings can be adjusted to retain versions for a longer period based on organizational needs.
SharePoint Online
1. Recycle Bin:
- SharePoint Online has a two-stage Recycle Bin system. When items are deleted from SharePoint, they first go to the "First-stage Recycle Bin," where they are kept for up to 93 days. If items are deleted from the "First-stage Recycle Bin," they move to the "Second-stage Recycle Bin," where they remain for an additional 93 days. Therefore, items can be retained for up to 186 days in total, provided they are not permanently deleted.
2. Version History:
- SharePoint maintains version history for documents and list items, allowing users to recover previous versions. The retention of these versions depends on the versioning settings configured in the document library or list. Administrators can set versioning to keep a specified number of versions or versions for a particular period.
General Considerations
1. Retention and Compliance:
- Retention Policies: These policies allow administrators to automatically retain and delete content according to organizational or regulatory needs. Policies can be applied to mailboxes, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams data.
- Retention Labels: These are used to classify and manage data according to its retention requirements. Labels can be manually applied by users or automatically applied based on policy rules.
2. Backup Solutions:
- While Microsoft provides these built-in retention and recovery features, they are not a substitute for comprehensive backup solutions. Many organizations use third-party backup services that offer more extensive backup and recovery options, such as long-term archiving, granular item-level recovery, and additional protection against accidental deletions or malicious actions.
3. Data Recovery:
- Microsoft’s built-in recovery options are designed to address accidental deletions or temporary data loss. However, they may not cover all scenarios, such as prolonged data loss or corruption. Third-party backup solutions can offer additional security and peace of mind.
4. Documentation and Support:
- For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to Microsoft’s official documentation and support resources. Microsoft provides detailed guidance on configuring retention policies, using compliance features, and integrating third-party backup solutions.
Understanding these details can help organizations better manage their data and ensure they have the necessary protections in place.
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