Mailbox ManagementMailbox Retention & Archive

Mailbox Retention & Archive

25 mins

Understanding the Concept

Retention policies in Exchange Online control how long messages are kept and when they are automatically deleted. Retention tags can be applied at the folder level (default tags) or by users (personal tags) to customize retention per item.

In-Place Archive (Online Archive) provides additional storage for older messages. Auto-expanding archive removes the storage limit, making it suitable for compliance scenarios requiring long-term message retention.

Litigation Hold and In-Place Hold preserve all mailbox content, preventing users from permanently deleting messages. This is essential for legal discovery and compliance requirements.

Key Points

•Retention policies combine retention tags into policies

•Default Policy Tags apply to entire mailbox or specific folders

•Personal tags let users apply retention to individual items

•In-Place Archive provides additional storage for older mail

•Auto-expanding archive removes archive size limits

•Litigation Hold preserves all mailbox data including deletions

Why This Matters

Data retention is a legal and compliance requirement for most organizations. Proper retention policies ensure regulatory compliance while managing storage efficiently. Hold features are critical during legal proceedings.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

✗Not planning retention policies before deployment, causing data loss

✗Enabling Litigation Hold without understanding storage implications

✗Confusing MRM retention policies with Microsoft Purview retention

Interview Discussion Points

💡Explain the components of a retention policy (tags, policies, assignment)

💡Describe how Litigation Hold differs from retention policies

💡Discuss compliance scenarios requiring In-Place Archive

MS-203 Exam Tips

📝Know the three types of retention tags: DPT, RPT, Personal

📝Understand Litigation Hold vs In-Place Hold behavior

📝Be familiar with auto-expanding archive requirements and limitations

Distribution Groups & M365 Groups

Migration Methods Overview