Overview

You can schedule either automatic backups or perform a manual on-demand backup.

• Auto-configuration of Groups for backup
• Manual backup of Groups data

Before you begin

Before you initiate a backup operation for Microsoft Groups data, ensure the following:

• Go through the support matrix and inSync supported tasks for Microsoft 365 app. For more information, see Introduction.
• Complete the required inSync configurations for Microsoft Groups. For more information, see Configure Druva inSync to protect Groups data.

Auto-configuration of Groups for backup

You can automatically assign backup configuration settings to the newly discovered and already discovered but not yet configured Groups and its associated apps. To do that, refer to this video or perform the following steps:

1. Sign in to inSync Management Console and navigate to Microsoft 365 > Groups.
   A page that lists all the discovered groups appears. By default, the status of all the discovered groups is in the Not Configured state. 
2. Go to the Settings tab. 
3. From the Auto Configuration section, click Edit.
   The Edit Auto Configuration popup is displayed.
4. Turn on the Enable Auto Configuration of Groups for Backup option if you want to automatically assign backup configuration settings to newly discovered Groups and its associated apps.  The Edit Auto Configuration window is displayed.
5. Select the storage to be assigned to the discovered Groups.

   Note: The default backup settings from the profile will be applied.

    

6. Select the checkbox if you want to apply these backup configuration settings to Groups already discovered but not yet configured for backup. 
7. Click Save.

Note: To retain the backups for an unlimited period, enter 0 as the value for all daily, weekly, and monthly retention settings.

Manual backup of Groups data 

Use this method to manually assign backup configuration settings to Groups and its associated apps. Refer to this video or perform the following steps:

1. Sign in to inSync Management Console and navigate to Microsoft 365 > Groups.
2. Select the Group(s) that you want to backup and click Configure for Backup.  The Configure for Backup window is displayed. 
3. Enter the name or email address of the Group to be backed up.
4. Select the storage region. Storage once assigned cannot be changed.
5. Use either default or custom backup settings. 

Default backup settings - Default settings are already defined in the profile. To edit the default backup settings, see Edit default backup settings.

Custom backup settings - 

6. Click Save.

The Backup Now option is disabled on the Groups page for the disabled groups.

1. The backup begins only after the storage is assigned. Select a storage from the Assign Storage list. When auto-configuration is enabled, storage is auto-assigned when you add a group. Update the backup and retention settings if required and click Save.
2. On the Summary tab, click Backup Now to trigger the backup. 

After the backup activity is completed, the Backup Status on the Groups page changes to Backed Up Successfully.

Note: Restoring a group as a mail-enabled security group is not supported. The Mail-enabled security groups and Distribution groups can be restored only as Microsoft 365 groups.

Edit default backup settings

Edit the default backup settings to change the backup and retention settings from the default profile. To do that:

1. Go to the Settings tab. 
2. From the Default Backup Settings section, click Edit.
   
   The Edit Default Backup Settings window is displayed.
   
3. Select the frequency of backups. By default, it is once a day. You can change it to Twice a Day, Thrice a Week, Twice a Week, or Once a Week. For more information, see Define backup interval for SaaS Apps.
4. In the Retain daily data backup for fields, specify the number of days, weeks, or months for which you want to retain all backups. At the end of the backup period, inSync will delete the data from the storage. For example, suppose you specify that you want to retain all backups for five days and inSync completed the backup operation on January 6, 2022. In that case, inSync will delete the backup data from the storage on January 11, 2022.
   Notes: 
   The backup and retention settings for groups are applicable only to the groups' metadata. Group site complies with the associated SharePoint Site settings.
   To retain the backups for an unlimited period, enter 0 as the value for all daily, weekly, and monthly retention settings.
5. Select the Exclude Teams Meetings Recordings checkbox to exclude the default folder path of Teams Meeting Recordings (TMR) from the backup.
   Note: If you don’t select this option, a full scan backup of selected sites will be triggered if the previous backup excluded Teams Meeting Recordings.
6. In the Exclude File Types and Extensions field, specify the file types that you want to exclude from the backup of a SharePoint site collection. The file extensions are automatically added to the adjacent field. If you want to remove a file type, click the file type.
7. Select the Include Private Plans checkbox if you want to include private plans in the backup.
8. Click Save.