Overview
The backup retention policy defines the duration when inSync retains the backup data in storage. To ensure that backup data is available for restore, you must define a retention policy for your inSync setup. After every backup, inSync saves a snapshot of the backup data to a storage. A snapshot is a point in time image of backup folders. It represents the state of the backup folders at the time of backup. The number of snapshots retained in storage depends on the number of backups completed and the retention policy.
Configure Data Retention for SaaS Apps
To define the backup retention policy for Cloud Apps such as OneDrive, Google Drive, Gmail, and Exchange Online backups:-
On the inSync Management Console menu bar, click Profiles.
Click the profile name for which you want to define a backup retention policy.
Click Edit > SaaS Apps, and expand Backup Schedule & Retention.
Under Data Retention for Files and Data Retention for Emails, provide the appropriate information for each field.
Here we have different Data retention options for Files and emails.
Schedule & Retention: Data Retention for Files
This setting applies to OneDrive and Google Drive backups.
Field | Action |
Retain daily data backups for | Type the number of days that you want to retain all the backups.
Example: If you type 7, inSync will automatically retain all snapshots for 7 days. |
Retain weekly data backups for | Type the number of weeks that you want to retain all the weekly backups.
Example: If you type 5, inSync will automatically retain all the weekly snapshots for 5 weeks. |
Retain monthly data backups for | Type the number of months that you want to retain all the monthly backups.
Example: If you type 3, inSync will automatically retain all the monthly snapshots for 3 months. |
Schedule & Retention: Data Retention for Emails
This setting applies to Gmail and Exchange Online backups.
Apply same retention for Emails and Chats | When enabled, the same retention policy (configured under Data Retention for Files) is applied to both emails (Gmail and Exchange Online) and chats (Teams Chat).
When disabled, separate retention sections are displayed:
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Delete Emails older than | Important :
Select and type the number of months up to which you want inSync to retain all backed up emails within Exchange Online and Gmail snapshots.
For example, if you type 6, inSync will retain all emails across all snapshots whose sent or received timestamp is less than 6 months old.
By default, inSync retains emails for 84 months.
Emails are retained based on the email’s event date and timestamp. The maximum retention period that you can specify is 360 months and the minimum is 1 month. Type zero (0) for unlimited retention of emails.
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Click Save.
📝 Note
Data retention settings for files and emails do not apply in the following scenarios:
If the users associated with the Cloud Apps profile are put on Legal Hold.
If the retention settings for Files for the Cloud Apps profile has unlimited retention settings for daily, weekly, and monthly frequencies. i.e. The Retention Settings for Files for the Cloud Apps profile is set to Zero.

