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Looking for a way to delete old backups from o365 services

  • 6 September 2022
  • 9 replies
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Nikos.Kyrm
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Hello!

In our o365 Commvault environment we have around 1,000 mailboxes / OneDrives that are either “Deleted” or in “Do Not Backup” state.
The o365 Plan is to “Retain messages indefinitely”, as it is also the only option.

All these accounts are from ex-partners, that are not currently working in our Organization and we not really need to keep their backups.

So, Im looking a way to delete all these backups from their Exchange online and OneDrive, in order to save also some space in our Backup Repository.

Is there any way to achieve this?

Thank you in advance,
Nikos

Best answer by Mike Struening RETIRED

Hi @Nikos.Kyrm !  You can delete individual user backups, but you won’t get any space back, you’ll only make the item non-recoverable:

https://documentation.commvault.com/2022e/essential/125272_exchange_online.html

Let me know if you have any questions!

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9 replies

Mike Struening
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Hi @Nikos.Kyrm !  You can delete individual user backups, but you won’t get any space back, you’ll only make the item non-recoverable:

https://documentation.commvault.com/2022e/essential/125272_exchange_online.html

Let me know if you have any questions!


Nikos.Kyrm
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  • September 7, 2022
Mike Struening wrote:

Hi @Nikos.Kyrm !  You can delete individual user backups, but you won’t get any space back, you’ll only make the item non-recoverable:

https://documentation.commvault.com/2022e/essential/125272_exchange_online.html

Let me know if you have any questions!

@Mike Struening Thanks for your reply!

You say that I will not get back any space because of the block based backup repository?
From what I’m reading, backups is stored in database files and this files will never shrink.

So, this is why?

Also, if I use a Blob Storage intent of Disk Storage, anything changes?
In that case, I will be able to get any space back ?

Thanks again!


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@Nikos.Kyrm 

When Mike mentioned space back he is referring to space on the disk/tape library that is connected to the media agent. This is where you will not see any space being freed. The items that met retention specified in the plan are not recoverable.

The type of storage does not matter in this case. This is only specific to V2 O365 agents like mailbox.

 


Mike Struening
Vaulter
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@Nikos.Kyrm , that's exactly right.  @Scott Reynolds wrote it out much better than I did!


Nikos.Kyrm
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  • September 7, 2022

Dear both,

So, I understand that is no way / workaround to get any disk space back from o365 backups that you don't need anymore?
Every o365 item once you backed up, stay in Storage Policy forever, regardless of retention, right?

Maybe that’s why in o365 plans you find basically only infinity retention.

Thanks again guys!


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That is correct @Nikos.Kyrm 

There could be some changes in the future but those are TBD


Nikos.Kyrm
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  • October 30, 2024

Hello @Mike Struening and @Scott Reynolds 

Im coming back after 2 years to this post to ask about o365 backup deletion.

In Exchange online (for example) I spot the option for backup deletion in mailbox level:

 

Is there any way to manage the deletion more centrally for a set of users, not one by one?

And also, if there is any way to delete o365 backups, based on specific data range.


Please for your feedback,
Nikos


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Hi @Nikos.Kyrm 

The deletion options have not really changed 

https://documentation.commvault.com/2024e/essential/deleting_mailbox_from_exchange_online_app.html
When you say “manage the deletion more centrally” do you mean you are looking to mass delete a bunch of users? This is not a typical requirement can I ask the use case here?


For date range, there is an option to use search terms but are you looking for specific ranges for multiple users?


Nikos.Kyrm
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  • October 31, 2024

Hello @Scott Reynolds 

Yes, we are looking for an option for mass deletion, in a case of compliance / GDPR.

For example to delete all messages, from a group of users from 2014 and back.

 


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