Quick Start Guide for Microsoft 365 Backup & Recovery

Quick Start Guide for Microsoft 365 Backup & Recovery

About Microsoft 365 Backup & Recovery

BDRSuite provides a comprehensive solution for protecting Microsoft 365 data, including Mailbox, Group Mailbox, SharePoint and Teams. It ensures secure backups with flexible retention policies and incremental backups to optimize storage. The solution supports granular recovery, allowing users to restore individual emails, files, or items directly to their original or alternate locations.

Getting Started

Step 1: Planning

Required Components:
1. BDRSuite Backup Server
2. Microsoft 365 Organization
System Requirements(Backup Server): Windows Server 2012 R2 Core (Standard or Datacenter) & above. To learn more, refer to the System Requirements.
Supported Platform(M365): 
Port Configuration:

Step 2: Deploying Backup Server

BDRSuite Backup Server is the central management component for configuring, scheduling, managing backups and recovery across virtual, physical, cloud, and SaaS environments. This server has to be installed and hosted on a dedicated machine.
  1. BDRSuite Backup Server Installation on Windows
  2. BDRSuite Backup Server Installation on Linux
  3. BDRSuite Backup Server Installation on Docker containers
After installation you can access the backup server by navigating to http://<IP Address>:6060 or http://localhost:6060 in your browser.
Watch BDRSuite Backup Server installation on Windows video.

Configuring Microsoft 365 Backup & Recovery 

Step 1: Creating a Storage Repository to store the Backup data

  1. BDRSuite supports on-premise storage options and remote solutions, including DAS, NAS, SAN. You can navigate to the Infrastructure -> Backup Repository tab choose Block Storage. Refer to Block Storage Repository to learn more.
Watch creating Block Storage Repository video

  1. BDRSuite also supports public cloud services like Amazon S3, Azure Blob, Google Cloud, and S3-compatible platforms such as Wasabi, MinIO, and Backblaze. You can navigate to the Infrastructure -> Backup Repository tab choose Object Storage. Refer to Object Storage Repository to learn more.

Step 2: Adding Microsoft365 Backup Sources

To configure backups and restores, the M365 Organization must be added to the BDRSuite Backup Server. Under the SaaS Applications main tab navigate to Data Source  and click on Add Microsoft 365, and enter the required credentials to integrate the M365 source. To learn more, refer to the Adding Microsoft 365 Backup Sources.

Watch Adding Data Source Video.

Step 3: Configuring Microsoft 365 Backups

To configure Microsoft 365 backups within the BDRSuite Backup Server, follow the steps to set up backup jobs, schedule them, manage retention policies, and ensure effective data protection. Under the SaaS Applications main tab navigate to the Backup -> Configure Backup -> Microsoft 365 and choose the respective object you wish to backup.

Configure Microsoft 365 Backup
  1. Specify a backup job name & select the backup repository
  2. Select Microsoft 365 Organization for backup
  3. Choose the domain and the data you wish to backup
  4. Configure exclusion settings
  5. Schedule when you want backups to run
  6. Configure Compression, Retention and Advanced settings
  7. Save the backup job. The backup will run as per schedule
  8. You can centrally manage and monitor backups
Refer Microsoft 365 Configuration to learn more.

Step 4: Recovering Microsoft 365 Backups

To perform recovery operations for Microsoft 365 backup jobs, follow the steps outlined. Under the SaaS Applications main tab navigate to Recovery -> Restore Backup Data and click on the Restore button alongside the respective Microsoft 365 backup job you wish to restore.

Microsoft 365 Recovery
  1. Select the Restore type.
  2. Choose the domain you wish to restore.
  3. Select Restore Point or timestamp to restore.
  4. Select the restore data.
  5. Specify the restore details and initiate the restore
Refer to the Microsoft 365 Recovery for more information.

Step 5: Managing Microsoft 365 Backups

In BDRSuite Backup Server, managing Microsoft 365 backup jobs involves navigating to Backup -> List Backup Jobs where you can perform various actions like searching, scheduling, and editing backup jobs. You can also suspend, resume, or abort jobs, adjust schedules, and even generate job reports. For more information, refer to managing backup jobs.

Step 6: Reporting & Notification

The Reports section provides information on automatically generated reports for Microsoft 365 backups in BDRSuite Backup Server, including backup and recovery status, job summaries, and error logs. It also explains how notifications can be configured to keep users informed about the status of Microsoft 365 backup operations and any issues that may arise. You can navigate to the Reports tab in the BDRSuite Backup Server console. To learn more, refer to Reporting & Notifications.

Watch Microsoft 365 User Mailbox Backup & Recovery Demo Video.


Watch Microsoft 365 Group Mailbox Backup & Recovery Demo Video.


Watch Microsoft 365 SharePoint Backup & Recovery Demo Video.


Watch Microsoft 365 Teams Backup & Recovery Demo Video.

Secondary Copy for Microsoft 365 Backups

Secondary Copy - Backup Copy

Backup Copy in BDRSuite allows you to create another copy of your backups on a chosen target storage repository, ensuring enhanced data protection and availability for recovery.

To configure a Backup Copy, navigate to Secondary Copy -> Backup Copy -> Create New Backup Copy Job, and select the existing Microsoft 365 backup job for which you want to create a copy. You can store the copy on your preferred target storage, whether block or object, and utilize it for recovery when needed. To learn more refer to Secondary Copy - Backup Copy.

Watch Secondary Copy - Backup Copy Video.

Secondary Copy - Offsite Copy

Offsite Copy page provides instructions on configuring Offsite Copy/DR in BDRSuite Backup Server, where backup data is replicated to a DR server in an offsite location for disaster recovery purposes. It explains how to set up offsite copy jobs for Microsoft 365 backups, allowing backup data to be stored securely in a remote location, ensuring data availability and business continuity in the event of site failure. To learn more refer to the Secondary Copy - Offsite Copy.

Watch Secondary Copy - Offsite Copy Video.

Secondary Copy - Tape Archive

Tape Archiving in BDRSuite enables you to securely archive your backups to tape storage for long-term retention and compliance purposes. To configure a Tape Archive for Microsoft 365 Backup, navigate to Secondary Copy -> Tape Archive -> Tape Infrastructure. You can store the M365 data on your preferred tape device and retrieve it whenever required. To learn more refer to the Secondary Copy - Tape Archive.

Watch Secondary Copy -Tape Archive Video.

Backup Settings

For detailed guidance on configuring and managing backup settings in BDRSuite Backup Server, including features like concurrent backups, bandwidth throttling, and more to optimize backup performance and resource management. You can navigate to Backup -> Configure Backup Settings. To learn more, refer to the Backup Settings.

Purchase & Manage Licenses

Licensing in BDRSuite enables seamless management of Microsoft 365 Backup & Recovery, including activation, renewal, and allocation of licenses to ensure uninterrupted backup and recovery operations. For further details, refer to the Purchase & Manage License guide, which provides step-by-step instructions.

Watch Purchase & Manage License Video.

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