Restoring a User’s Deleted OneDrive
In today’s IT landscape, businesses must be prepared and focused on protecting data that resides not only on locally hosted servers but also on cloud services. A comprehensive data protection strategy is essential to safeguard your business operations and comply with regulatory requirements.
Local Backup Strategies
Servers rely on traditional backup strategies, such as:
• External drives
• External backup servers like Datto SIRIS
• Offsite backup services like Datto BCDR, Veeam, Acronis, and CrashPlan
It is critical to implement a backup strategy that meets all your business’s specific needs.
Protecting Cloud Services Like OneDrive
Cloud services like Microsoft OneDrive also require proper configuration to safeguard data. Managing OneDrive can be challenging because it is often used by individual users and not directly overseen by a company’s IT team. To ensure your company’s OneDrive is secure, consider the following:
- External sharing permissions: Control who can access your data outside the organization.
- Sharing duration defaults: Set time limits on shared links.
- Guest access authentication: Verify guest users before granting access.
- Retention policies: Define how long data is stored after deletion.
- Auditing: Monitor and log activity to detect potential issues.
- Sync options: Configure how files are synchronized across devices.
In addition to these settings, it is highly recommended to use a third-party backup solution. This ensures you can restore data when needed. At VM Tech, we recommend and use Datto SaaS Protection for Microsoft 365 to provide a robust backup solution for OneDrive and other Microsoft 365 services.
Case Study: Recovering a Deleted OneDrive
We recently encountered a situation with a client who deleted an employee’s Microsoft 365 account. The account had been inactive for several months, and the company no longer needed the associated email. However, a current employee noticed they lost access to a shared OneDrive folder that contained important data. The data was linked to the deleted user’s account, and when the account was removed, the shared data was also deleted.
Recovery Challenges
The Microsoft 365 Admin Center allows restoring deleted users within 30 days. Unfortunately, more than 30 days had passed, and the client did not have a third-party backup solution in place. As a result, the account could not be restored through the Admin Center.
Solution with PowerShell
Fortunately, Microsoft allows recovery of deleted OneDrive accounts for up to 90 days after deletion. Using Microsoft PowerShell, our team successfully restored the deleted OneDrive. This process requires expertise in PowerShell, SharePoint, and the relevant modules. It is a complex procedure best handled by a skilled system administrator.
Why Choose VM Tech?
At VM Tech, our technicians are dedicated to finding solutions to even the most challenging technology issues. Whether it’s local servers or cloud services, we have the expertise and experience to keep your business running efficiently. Let us help you strengthen your cloud strategy and protect your data.
Reach out to us today to learn how we can support your business’s IT needs.
Virgil Motta
President