Microsoft Exchange Online, a crucial component of Microsoft 365, provides organizations with powerful tools to manage and protect information. One such feature is the ability to apply mailbox holds, allowing you to retain and preserve mailbox contents in case of litigation, investigation, or other business purposes. By applying holds, companies can protect email data, meet compliance requirements, and mitigate the risk of data loss.
As a Microsoft Information Protection Administrator, it’s expected that you are familiar with applying mailbox holds in Microsoft Exchange Online, an essential topic covered in the exam SC-400.
1. Understanding Mailbox Holds in Exchange Online
Mailbox holds in Exchange Online come in two types: Litigation Hold and In-Place Hold.
Litigation Hold is the simpler form of the two. Once applied, It preserves all mailbox content, including deleted items and original versions of modified items.
On the other hand, In-Place Hold lets you retain only specific mailbox content based on query parameters such as keywords, senders, recipients, and date ranges.
2. Applying Litigation Hold
To apply a Litigation Hold on a mailbox, follow these steps:
- Access the Exchange admin center (EAC) and go to ‘recipients > mailboxes’.
- Choose the mailbox on which you intend to apply the hold.
- Under ‘Mailbox features’, click ‘Litigation hold’ > ‘Enable’.
- Specify the hold settings and add a note if necessary.
Remember, once Litigation Hold is enabled, it will indefinitely retain all data until the hold is removed.
3. Applying In-Place Hold
The application of an In-place Hold requires the use of the Security & Compliance Center. Here’s how you can apply an In-Place Hold:
- Navigate to the Security & Compliance Center and go to ‘Search > Content search’.
- Start a new search or select an existing one. Specify the content to hold by identifying mailboxes, sites, and queries.
- After confirming your query, click on ‘Action > Create an In-Place Hold’.
Remember, with an In-Place Hold, only those emails matching your specify criteria will be preserved.
4. Key Considerations
When applying mailbox holds, consider the following:
- Hold Type: Decide whether to use a Litigation Hold or an In-Place Hold based on your organization’s needs.
- Duration: While Litigation Holds are indefinite, In-Place holds can be time-bound.
- Storage: Held data is stored in an invisible, read-only section of the mailbox called the Recoverable Items folder.
- Usage Limits: There’s a limit to the number of In-Place Holds you can apply to a mailbox, but no such limit for Litigation Holds.
Applying mailbox holds in Microsoft Exchange Online plays a significant role in retaining and safeguarding an organization’s email data. It’s vital for SC-400 exam candidates to understand the methods and guidelines for applying these holds effectively.
Practice Test
True/False: You can apply a Litigation Hold on an individual mailbox in Microsoft Exchange Online.
a) True
b) False
Answer: True
Explanation: Applying a Litigation Hold allows you to preserve mailbox content for a specified duration or indefinitely.
Select the best method to preserve mailbox content:
a) Deletion Hold
b) Litigation Hold
c) Preservation Hold
d) Historical Hold
Answer: b) Litigation Hold
Explanation: A Litigation Hold, when applied to a mailbox, preserves the contents of the mailbox for an administrator-defined period.
True/False: A mailbox hold can be put into place and then removed without any trace of the action.
a) True
b) False
Answer: False
Explanation: Any action on mailbox hold is logged and can be viewed in the audit log of the Microsoft 365 compliance center.
When should you consider placing an In-place hold on a mailbox?
a) When you want to preserve mailbox items from deletion
b) When you want to recover deleted items
c) When you want to forward the mailbox content to another address
d) When you want to prevent the user from sending an email
Answer: a) When you want to preserve mailbox items from deletion
Explanation: An in-place hold allows you to indefinitely preserve mailbox items from deletion.
True/False: Content holds cannot be used in eDiscovery cases.
a) True
b) False
Answer: False
Explanation: Content holds are often used in the context of eDiscovery, to prevent information from being deleted before it can be examined.
True/False: Microsoft has the power to lift litigation holds on individual mailboxes.
a) True
b) False
Answer: False
Explanation: Only the organization’s administrator has the power to lift litigation holds on individual mailboxes.
What is the main purpose of putting a hold on the mailbox in Exchange Online?
a) To limit the user’s ability to send unnecessary emails
b) To preserve all mailbox content for a specific duration
c) To prevent a user from accessing their mailbox
d) To save storage space
Answer: b) To preserve all mailbox content for a specific duration
Explanation: The main reason to put a hold on an Exchange Online mailbox is to preserve content for a specific duration.
True/False: Retention policies are essentially identical to in-place holds.
a) True
b) False
Answer: False
Explanation: Retention policies and in-place holds work differently. While they both help preserve content, retention policies allow additional options like moving old content to an archive folder.
Which feature requires the mailbox to be on In-place hold or Litigation hold?
a) Message trace
b) Audit Logging
c) eDiscovery
d) Troubleshooting
Answer: c) eDiscovery
Explanation: To use the eDiscovery feature, the mailbox must be placed under In-place hold or Litigation hold.
True/False: One can apply the litigation hold on a shared mailbox.
a) True
b) False
Answer: True
Explanation: Any type of mailbox like a user mailbox or shared mailbox can have a litigation hold applied for preserving content.
What is the maximum duration for which you can place a mailbox on In-place hold?
a) 7 years
b) 10 years
c) 30 years
d) Indefinitely
Answer: d) Indefinitely
Explanation: A mailbox can be placed under In-place hold indefinitely, as there is no maximum limit for the hold duration.
True/False: Applying an In-place hold or a Litigation hold on a mailbox affects the mailbox storage limit.
a) True
b) False
Answer: False
Explanation: Neither the In-place hold nor the Litigation hold affects the storage limit of the mailbox.
How can you verify if a hold is working on a mailbox?
a) By checking the mailbox properties
b) By logging in as the user
c) By checking the hold status in the Microsoft 365 compliance center
d) By checking the user activity log
Answer: c) By checking the hold status in the Microsoft 365 compliance center
Explanation: The hold status of a mailbox can be verified in the Microsoft 365 compliance center under the holds section.
True/False: The preservation of mailbox content using holds works only for emails.
a) True
b) False
Answer: False
Explanation: The preservation covers all types of records in the mailbox which includes emails, calendar items, tasks, or any other type of items in the mailbox.
Which type of hold allows the user to delete items, but they can still be recovered later?
a) Litigation Hold
b) In-place Hold
c) Preservation Lock
d) Deletion Hold
Answer: b) In-place Hold
Explanation: An In-place hold allows the user to delete items with the understanding that an administrator can recover them later if needed.
Interview Questions
What is a mailbox hold in Microsoft Exchange Online?
A mailbox hold in Microsoft Exchange Online is a feature that allows administrators to preserve user mailbox items for discovery purposes such as compliance, auditing, or litigation investigations.
What types of mailbox holds available in Exchange Online?
The types of mailbox holds available in Exchange Online are: Litigation Hold and In-Place Hold.
What is a Litigation Hold in Microsoft Exchange Online?
Litigation Hold in Microsoft Exchange Online is used to preserve all mailbox content, including deleted items and original versions of modified items. All such mailbox items are preserved for a specified period or until the hold is removed.
What is the purpose of In-Place Hold in Microsoft Exchange Online?
In-Place Hold in Microsoft Exchange Online is used to preserve selected mailbox items that meet specific conditions, specified by a query. The preserved mailbox items are held until the hold duration elapses.
Which Microsoft 365 module is used to manage mailbox holds in Exchange Online?
The Exchange admin center (EAC) is used to manage mailbox holds in Exchange Online.
How can you apply a Litigation Hold on a user’s mailbox in Exchange Online?
A Litigation Hold can be applied to a user’s mailbox in Exchange Online via the Exchange admin center or using the Set-Mailbox cmdlet in Exchange Online PowerShell.
Is there a limit on the number of mailboxes that can be placed on hold in Exchange Online?
No, Exchange Online does not limit the number of mailboxes that can be placed on hold.
Can a user know if their mailbox is on hold in Microsoft Exchange Online?
No, the user will not be notified and is unable to ascertain if their mailbox is placed under hold in Microsoft Exchange Online.
How long does a Litigation Hold last in Microsoft Exchange Online?
By default, a Litigation Hold lasts indefinitely or until removed by an administrator. Though, you can also set a specific duration for the hold as per your requirements.
Can a Litigation Hold be placed on a shared mailbox in Microsoft Exchange Online?
Yes, a Litigation Hold can be placed on a shared mailbox in Microsoft Exchange Online.
Can an administrator modify the hold settings once a hold is placed?
Yes, an administrator can modify the hold settings even after a hold has been placed.
Is there any impact on the performance of the mailbox due to hold in Microsoft Exchange Online?
No, there shouldn’t be any impact on the performance of the mailbox due to a hold in Microsoft Exchange Online.
Are mailbox items such as calendar items and contacts also preserved when a mailbox hold is applied in Microsoft Exchange Online?
Yes, all mailbox items including emails, calendar items, tasks, contacts, and more are preserved when a mailbox hold is applied.
Can you search for items in a mailbox under Litigation Hold using keywords in Exchange Online?
Yes, you can search for items in a mailbox under Litigation Hold using keywords through the content search feature in the Exchange admin center or using the New-MailboxSearch cmdlet in Exchange Online PowerShell.
How can an administrator remove a Litigation Hold from a mailbox in Exchange Online?
An administrator can remove a litigation hold from a mailbox in Exchange Online using the Exchange admin center or using the Set-Mailbox cmdlet with the LitigationHoldEnabled parameter set to $false in Exchange Online PowerShell.
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