In any organization, managing data efficiently is crucial. There’s a lot of data, after all, and data requires storage. Microsoft 365 Archive offers a great solution for organizations looking to streamline their organization’s data management. More importantly, it allows businesses to save money, which appeals to executives. As organizations migrate from file shares to the cloud, they find out that their storage space can get used up FAST.
Microsoft 365 Archive is a cloud-based archiving solution that lets you manage your SharePoint storage in Microsoft 365. It’s designed to help organizations store and manage business-critical data while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Key Features:
- Efficient Storage Management: M365 Archive provides a cost-effective way to store sites that are not actively used but still important for record-keeping or compliance purposes. The cost savings are significant compared to adding additional storage capacity.
- Pay the excess: Only pay for archive storage space if your total storage (Archive + Active) exceeds your tenant storage capacity.
- Seamless Site Restoration: Archived sites can be easily restored to active status, ensuring that no critical information is ever truly out of reach.
- Enhanced Security: The archive feature adheres to stringent security protocols, safeguarding your data against unauthorized access.
- eDiscovery: Content is still discoverable by eDiscovery, ensuring legal processes are not disrupted.
Pricing Model for M365 Archive
M365 Archive is a pay-as-you-go service that charges you based on the amount of data you store. You pay for the monthly storage (but only if your combined storage exceeds your tenant storage). You’ll also pay to reactivate (unarchive) the site, but only if it’s been archived longer than 7 days.The pricing is calculated as follows:
M365 Archive
Pricing
Storage
Monthly storage costs
Enabling Archive for SharePoint
Want to set this up in your environment?
01. Azure Requirements
You’ll need an Azure subscription, since billing is done through Azure. You’ll also need a resource group if you don’t want to use an existing group
02. Set up billing
Set up pay-as-you-go billing for Microsoft Syntex in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
- Navigate to Set up the left-side navigation
- Select Use content AI with Microsoft Syntex
- Select Manage billing and select your Azure resources
03. Enable Microsoft 365 Archive
Close the panel and select Manage Microsoft Syntex. Select Archive, and turn on Microsoft 365 Archive.
Managing M365 Archive is done through the SharePoint Admin Center, which is great because SharePoint Admins, not M365 Admins, are likely the ones who’ll have to perform archives and reactivations of sites. The process is as intuitive as you could ever ask for.
Archiving and Restoring Sites:
- Archiving: From the “Active Sites” page, select the desired sites, click on “Archive,” and confirm your choice. The sites will be moved to the archive where they remain secure and accessible if needed.
- Restoring: To restore an archived site, visit the “Archived Sites” page, choose the site you want to reactivate, and select “Restore.” The site will be returned to active status, ready for use.
Practical Use Cases:
- Project Completion: Once a project is finished, its SharePoint site can be archived to reduce clutter and free up space for new initiatives.
- Historical Reference: Archive sites that contain valuable historical data for future reference or compliance needs.
- Cost Savings: Archiving is a more economical alternative to purchasing additional storage, especially for infrequently accessed sites.
Microsoft 365 Archive for SharePoint is valuable for organizations looking to optimize their M365 storage. By leveraging its features, you can ensure that your SharePoint environment remains organized, secure, and efficient, all while managing costs effectively.
I recommend trying this out!