Tutorial / Cram Notes
In traditional retention policies, content is retained based on when it was created or last modified. However, event-based retention allows for retention or deletion of content based on a specific event or trigger. This event can be something like an employee’s departure, contract completion, or project closure.
Configuring Event-Based Retention
- Defining a Retention Event:
To begin, an event must be defined that will trigger retention. This could be an employee termination date, end of a fiscal year, deal closure, etc. - Creating Retention Labels and Policies:
Within the Microsoft 365 compliance center, retention labels are created and can be assigned to content manually by users, automatically by administrators, or by using auto-classification with machine learning. - Assigning Event to Retention Label:
Once the label is created, it can be associated with a retention event. This labeling ensures that when the event occurs, the retention period starts. - Publishing Retention Labels:
The next step is to publish these labels to the relevant locations such as SharePoint sites, Exchange email, or OneDrive accounts. - Activating the Event:
When the event occurs, it must be marked as completed. In Microsoft 365, this can be done through various methods such as the user interface, import of a CSV file, or programmatically through APIs. - Monitoring and Managing Retention:
Admins monitor retention by using data governance reports and dashboards to ensure that content is being properly retained or disposed of as per policy.
Event Based Retention in Action: Example Scenario
Imagine a scenario where a law firm must retain case-related documents for seven years after the conclusion of a case. A retention label called “Case Closure” is created and published to all SharePoint document libraries where case files are stored. When a case is closed, the case closure date is recorded as an event, and all documents with the “Case Closure” label will begin the 7-year retention period starting from that date. After seven years, if the firm’s policy is to dispose of case files, the documents will be automatically deleted.
Comparison: Event-based Retention vs Time-based Retention
| Feature | Event-Based Retention | Time-Based Retention |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger for Retention | Specific event or action | Creation or modification date |
| Retention Period Start | Date of the event | Date document was created/modified |
| Flexibility | High – based on dynamic business events | Low – fixed to time periods |
| Use Case | Employee termination, end of a contract | General regulatory compliance |
| Suitability | Cases requiring reactive retention | Standard data lifecycle management |
Best Practices for Event-Based Retention Management
- Understand Business Processes: Know the key events that dictate data retention in your organization to create accurate policies.
- User Training: Ensure users understand how to apply retention labels and the importance of the organizational policies.
- Regular Reviews: Policies should be reviewed and updated to adapt to changing regulations and business needs.
- Automation: Where possible, use auto-classification to minimize user error and administrative workload.
- Monitoring and Reporting: Regularly check the reports for compliance and to ensure the retention policies are working as expected.
In conclusion, managing event-based retention is a significant aspect of the role of a Microsoft Information Protection Administrator. It is a powerful tool for ensuring compliance with legal requirements and for managing the lifecycle of an organization’s data proactively. By understanding the intricacies of event-based retention and applying best practices, administrators can effectively use this feature to protect and manage critical business information.
Practice Test with Explanation
1) True or False: Event-based retention policies automatically apply to all content in your organization.
- Answer: False
Explanation: Event-based retention policies need to be configured to apply to specific content. By default, they do not apply to all content in the organization.
2) What type of event can trigger event-based retention in Microsoft 365?
- A) Employee resignation
- B) Project completion
- C) A specific date
- D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: Event-based retention can be triggered by various events such as employee resignation, project completion, or a specific date.
3) True or False: Once an event-based retention policy is triggered, the content related to the event will be retained indefinitely.
- Answer: False
Explanation: Event-based retention retains content for a specified duration, which is determined when creating the retention policy.
4) What is required to implement event-based retention policies?
- A) Microsoft 365 E3 license
- B) A retention label with an event trigger
- C) A SharePoint list to store event data
- D) Both B and C
Answer: D) Both B and C
Explanation: To implement event-based retention, you require a retention label with an event trigger and a SharePoint list or similar to store event data that will trigger the label.
5) True or False: An event-based retention policy can be used to automatically delete content when the retention period expires.
- Answer: True
Explanation: When the retention period for event-based retention expires, the policy can automatically delete the content if configured to do so.
6) Which of the following actions can be taken on content when an event-based retention policy is created?
- A) Retain the content
- B) Delete the content
- C) Both A and B
- D) None of the above
Answer: C) Both A and B
Explanation: An event-based retention policy can be set up to retain content, delete content, or both after a certain period following an event.
7) True or False: Event-based retention cannot be applied to emails.
- Answer: False
Explanation: Event-based retention can be applied to emails as well as to documents and other content types.
8) When does the retention period start in an event-based retention policy?
- A) The date the policy was created
- B) The date the policy is published
- C) The date of the event that triggers the retention
- D) The date the content was last modified
Answer: C) The date of the event that triggers the retention
Explanation: The retention period for an event-based retention policy starts from the date of the event that triggers the retention, not the creation or publication date of the policy.
9) Multiple Select: What features are necessary for configuring event-based retention?
- A) Retention labels
- B) Event identifiers
- C) Supervisory review
- D) Retention policies
Answer: A) Retention labels, B) Event identifiers, D) Retention policies
Explanation: Retention labels and event identifiers are necessary to configure event-based retention policies. Supervisory review is not directly required for event-based retention.
10) True or False: Event-based retention policies can be applied only to SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business.
- Answer: False
Explanation: Event-based retention policies can also be applied to other services such as Exchange Online and not only limited to SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business.
11) Which Microsoft 365 compliance center solution can you use to manage event-based retention?
- A) eDiscovery
- B) Audit log management
- C) Records management
- D) Information governance
Answer: C) Records management
Explanation: The Records management solution within the Microsoft 365 compliance center is used to manage event-based retention.
12) True or False: Event types for event-based retention must be created manually in the Microsoft 365 compliance center.
- Answer: True
Explanation: Event types are created manually within the Microsoft 365 compliance center before they can be used for event-based retention.
Interview Questions
What is event-based retention in Microsoft 365 compliance?
Event-based retention is a retention policy that automatically retains content based on specific events such as regulatory or legal hold notifications, data subject requests, or other defined events.
What is the purpose of event-based retention?
The purpose of event-based retention is to ensure that organizations can respond quickly to legal and regulatory requirements by retaining relevant data without the need for manual intervention.
What are the benefits of event-based retention?
The benefits of event-based retention are increased compliance and reduced risks by automatically retaining and protecting relevant data, thereby reducing manual effort and the likelihood of errors.
What are some examples of events that can trigger event-based retention?
Examples of events that can trigger event-based retention include regulatory or legal hold notifications, data subject requests, mergers and acquisitions, and changes in retention regulations.
How can you create an event-based retention policy in Microsoft 365 compliance?
To create an event-based retention policy, you need to define a retention event, create a retention policy, and then enable the policy.
What are retention events in Microsoft 365 compliance?
Retention events are specific events that trigger retention policies, such as a legal hold notification, a data subject request, or an organizational change.
How do you manage event-based retention policies in Microsoft 365 compliance?
You can manage event-based retention policies in Microsoft 365 compliance by creating or modifying policies, enabling or disabling policies, and monitoring policy status.
What is the difference between event-based retention and time-based retention?
Event-based retention is triggered by specific events, while time-based retention is based on a fixed retention period. Event-based retention policies are designed to be more flexible and targeted than time-based policies.
What are some best practices for implementing event-based retention?
Best practices for implementing event-based retention include identifying specific events that require retention, setting clear retention periods, and monitoring policy effectiveness and compliance.
How can you test and validate event-based retention policies in Microsoft 365 compliance?
You can test and validate event-based retention policies in Microsoft 365 compliance by using retention policy test mode, which allows you to test retention policies without actually retaining content, and by monitoring policy status and effectiveness.
How does Microsoft 365 handle event-based retention?
Great post on managing event-based retention for SC-400 exam prep!
Could someone explain how event-based retention differs from time-based retention?
I found the PowerShell scripts for managing event-based retention really practical. Anyone else using them?
Is it necessary to have Azure AD Premium for configuring event-based retention policies?
Absolutely! This blog post clarified a lot of doubts I had. Thanks!
I’m struggling with setting the correct triggers for event-based retention. Any pointers?
The step-by-step procedure for setting up event-based retention is quite straightforward. Kudos to the author!