Advantages of Independent Email Archiving Solutions for Microsoft 365 Users
Today, companies around the world use Microsoft 365 cloud services, and the advantages are clear. Companies no longer need to operate their own infrastructure to provide on-site services. Programs and tools available via the cloud can be easily scaled in a cost-effective manner according to the number of users. Especially compared to a dedicated on-premises system, management requires fewer IT resources. Moreover, the service comes from a reliable provider. Additionally, whether you use Outlook as an email client or Teams as a digital meeting room, all communication services are available on the same platform. Overall, Microsoft's office software in the general cloud offers rich communication and collaboration features at a reasonable price.
Advantages of Independent Email Archiving Solutions for Microsoft 365 Users
Today, companies around the world use Microsoft 365 cloud services, and its advantages are clear. Companies no longer need to operate their own infrastructure to provide on-site services. Programs and tools available via the cloud can be easily scaled in a cost-effective manner according to the number of users. Especially compared to a dedicated on-premises system, management requires fewer IT resources. In addition, the service comes from a reliable and trustworthy provider. Moreover, whether you use Outlook as an email client or Teams as a digital meeting room, all communication services are available on the same platform. In general, Microsoft's office software in the public cloud offers rich communication and collaboration features at a reasonable price.
However, it is recommended that companies implement additional solutions to archive and back up their email data in order to protect the business data they contain and keep this information usable in the long term. In fact, many companies are not aware that Microsoft 365 does not automatically archive or back up email data, and also that the built-in archiving features in Microsoft 365 do not provide the service coverage that would be expected from a professional third-party email archiving solution.
Reasons to Use a Professional Email Archiving Solution
For many companies, digitization means first and foremost the creation of a digital archive.
The primary purpose of any email archiving solution is to store copies of all an organization's emails, including file attachments, in a manner that remains faithful to the original, is quickly searchable, and is permanently usable over time. This enables a company to best use email as an information source and benefit from numerous advantages. In addition, a professional email archive helps prevent data loss, reduces storage requirements on the email server, reduces the workload of an IT team, and helps comply with legal and regulatory requirements for storing documents related to operations.
Summary of Archiving Options in Microsoft 365
Microsoft offers several different options to secure emails, depending on the selected plan (Business Standard, Business Premium, Enterprise). Some of these features are provided free as part of the basic Microsoft 365 package, while others are only included in more expensive Enterprise plans. Below is a summary of the local archiving features available in Microsoft 365:
- PST Archiving
Users can move emails to PST files and store them locally on their computers or in the cloud.
- "Archive" Button in Outlook
The "Archive" button allows users to move emails to an archive folder. Emails remain in the Outlook mailbox; only the storage location changes.
- Archiving the Mailbox Without Exchange Online Archiving
An archive mailbox is a separate mailbox with its own storage capacity where emails can be moved. This archive mailbox should be configured by an administrator.
- Archiving the Mailbox With Exchange Online Archiving
With Exchange Online Archiving (EOA), users can move emails to a separate archive mailbox where administrators can apply their own archiving and retention policies.
Limitations of Microsoft 365's Local Archiving Features
However, IT decision-makers should be aware of certain limitations regarding Microsoft 365's built-in archiving options. First of all, in terms of storage security, using PST files or the "Archive" button does not provide protection against data loss. Similarly, a separate archive mailbox provided in M365 (without using Exchange Online Archiving) does not meet all the criteria required for a professional email archiving solution. Only the archive mailbox that comes with Exchange Online Archiving (EOA) supports the functions and features required for professional email archiving, such as retention policies, legal holds, and eDiscovery options. However, Exchange Online Archiving is only included in more expensive M365 plans such as Business Extra and Premium Enterprise.
The "Shared Responsibility" Model
Microsoft applies the shared responsibility model to its Microsoft 365 services. Therefore, Microsoft is responsible for ensuring that services under the Microsoft 365 label are available permanently and provided with backups. However, Microsoft does not hold itself responsible for protecting and storing customers' data, which also applies to all data contained in emails.
Due to the shortcomings and limitations in M365 (depending on the selected archiving function) and because customers are responsible for protecting and storing their own email data, a professional third-party email archiving solution should be used.
What to Consider When Choosing an Email Archiving Solution for Use With M365?
An email archiving solution can be an important factor in the long-term preservation and storage of business emails. However, deciding which solution best suits an organization's needs is not always easy. Decision-makers are advised to review the following criteria before selecting an archiving software:
Independence from Microsoft
Without an external email archive, users cannot access their emails if the Microsoft Office 365 service fails. A third-party solution prevents vendor lock-in and ensures that the company's emails remain accessible even if the M365 service fails.
Self-Service for End Users
Some professional email archiving solutions provide users (not just administrators) with a quick and efficient way to search the email archive as well as the ability to quickly and simply restore emails. This can reduce the workload of an IT team, as they no longer need to be contacted for such issues.
Protection Against Data Loss and Manipulation
Emails should be protected against accidental or malicious deletion; otherwise, it could lead to compliance issues. Although Microsoft 365 can restore accidentally deleted data, situations that disrupt daily business operations or even pose serious threats may arise.
Compliance With Data Privacy Laws
When used properly, certified email archiving solutions ensure that emails are always processed in compliance with relevant data privacy laws. Especially since the implementation of the EU GDPR, data privacy has been a focal point for public attention. Even in countries outside the EU, increasing importance is being given to this sensitive topic.
Reasonable Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Microsoft's strongest archiving option (Exchange Online Archiving) is only included in specific M365 premium plans that are generally tailored to the needs of larger businesses. Microsoft 365 plans tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) do not include Exchange Online Archiving, and it must be added as an additional paid service. In this case, a third-party solution may be more cost-effective.
Additional Notes Related to the Topic
The Difference Between Email Archiving and Backing Up
Email archiving and backing up are two models with very different objectives. The purpose of backups is to store data regularly over short and medium time periods, thus providing an instant snapshot of the data in question. Therefore, backup is a disaster recovery tool.
The primary purpose of any email archiving solution is to ensure that email data remains usable and recoverable over time. These aspects are particularly important for companies in the context of legal retention requirements for critical business information. The role of control security is important here, meaning that stored emails should be protected against tampering and both logged and exportable.
Benefits of an Independent Email Archiving Software
Third-party solutions, can provide additional advantages beyond Microsoft's local email archiving capabilities:
- An independent archiving solution allows content from external email sources to be stored in the same archive. Managing several archiving solutions at the same time usually increases the cost and complexity of maintaining business records. Using a centralized archive reduces the number of solutions that must be managed by the IT team and searched for by users.
- Using an archive independent of the Microsoft 365 platform makes it easier for an organization to follow the 3-2-1 rule, which states that three copies of data should be kept: two locally and one in a remote location separate from the primary system where the data is created and stored.
- Many third-party archiving solutions support email deduplication, which can significantly reduce storage requirements.
- Including a larger number of file types in the index makes it easier to search for and retrieve emails and file attachments.
Conclusion: A Third-Party Email Archiving Solution Is a Necessary Extension to Microsoft 365
Although Microsoft 365 is undoubtedly a reliable, powerful, and versatile platform, it has limitations in terms of email archiving, and decision-makers in SMEs should carefully consider these shortcomings. Business leaders and IT managers who are unaware of the facts expose themselves to unnecessary risks. A professional third-party email archiving solution can reduce these risks, and in some cases eliminate them entirely, and should therefore be considered.
Osterman Research, a market research institute, prepared a technical analysis to help small and medium-sized businesses find an appropriate email archiving solution for their use of Microsoft 365. The technical analysis examines how small and medium-sized businesses can sufficiently protect their business email communications while using Microsoft 365. The analysis looks into which email archiving options are available, the risks to email data while using Microsoft 365, and what features your organization needs to sufficiently protect and manage the data contained in emails.
Would you like more information about the results and guidance from Osterman Research's technical analysis?
FAQ
What options do companies have to archive their emails in Microsoft 365?
Microsoft offers several options for archiving emails in M365. These include the "Archive" button in Outlook, storing emails as PST files, and using a separate archive mailbox (with or without Exchange Online Archiving). Alternatively, a professional third-party email archiving solution can be used.
Does Microsoft 365 automatically archive emails?
No. Emails are not automatically archived in Microsoft 365. M365 users must take responsibility for ensuring the security of their emails and decide which email archiving option best meets their corporate and potentially legal requirements.
Do companies need to archive their emails in Microsoft 365?
Yes. Emails containing business-critical information should always be archived to protect and fully utilize this valuable information source. As a rule, lawmakers also impose legal requirements for storing business-related emails and data privacy, and both require the use of a professional email archiving solution.
Is it sufficient for companies to only create backups of their emails in Microsoft 365?
No, the purpose of a backup is to regularly store data (e.g., emails) and systems (e.g., email servers) over short to medium periods, and it is primarily a disaster recovery tool. Any data produced or modified between two storage cycles will not be protected against loss and manipulation. First of all, the purpose of any email archiving solution is to store copies of all emails, including file attachments, in a manner that remains faithful to the original, is quickly searchable, and is permanently usable for many years. This is necessary to comply with laws regulating email storage and data privacy, as well as to fully utilize the valuable information source of emails.