Teams backup

[dotdk]

Hello Veeam Community

With all the changes happening along with the Microsoft Graph Export API for Teams, we find ourselves a bit confused about what Teams data actually is being backed up, when using the new API and when not. Our own testing shows that if you do NOT sign up and switch to the new API, the only data you are getting backed up are, file attachments and the Teams tree structure.

Signing and using the billable API, results in backing up channel posts, files attachments and Teams tree structure.

I cant see to find any official documentation and initially we were informed that the only change would be that customer would loose the ability to backup their 1:1 chats, as they were stored in the TeamsMessagesData folder, which was being accessed through EWS API. And with the EWS API being deprecated 1:1 chats can no longer be backed up.

We actually found out by mistake that channel posts, 1:1 no longer was being protected when we were doing some other tests, we had gotten the impression that since the deprecation of the EWS API was being implemented in phases, the teams job would display - "Folder TeamsMessagesData was skipped from processing." as described in https://www.veeam.com/kb4340

Can someone confirm our findings, or are we missing something?

[Mildur]

Hi Thomas

When you enable "Use Microsoft Graph Export API for Teams", you will loose the capability to protect 1:1 chats and group chats. The plan is to update our documentation once the deprecation is fully completed:
post483968.html#p483968

Do you see channel posts not be backed up over GraphAPI? That should be possible.

Best,
Fabian

[Mike Resseler]

Did you check this with regular channels or with shared/ private channels?

[dotdk]

Do you see channel posts not be backed up over GraphAPI? That should be possible.

Best,
Fabian

No, channel posts are being backed up after enabling Graph Export API, but that now has a cost.

We were just under the impression that the only thing not being backed up, if NOT switching to the new API was the 1:1 chats kept in the exchange TeamsMessagesData folder, but in case 05583123 we were told that all other data would still be backed up regardless of you made the switch or not, and that is the information we passed on to our customers.

However it seems now that if you want to have your channel posts backed up, you will need to sign up and accept the extra cost.

Snip from the mentioned case:

Until you make the switch and until Oct. 1, 2022, your Teams chats will continue to be backed up via the group mailbox folder. Note that the rest of the Teams data, including metadata, channels, tabs, files and membership, will continue to be protected no matter what — regardless of when and if you switched to the new way of backing up Teams chats.

We know that thing may change since this case was created a while ago, but we just want to make 100% sure now, what we tell our customer are correct.

So basically we just need to know what data is being backed up in Teams if NOT using the Graph Export API and what is being backed up if you use Graph Export API.

[Mike Resseler]

Hey dotdk,

When you don't sign up, none of the posts will be backed up. We used to get those from a hidden folder inside the mailbox of users / groups and so on. However, since October 1, 2022, MSFT has locked us out of that method (we cannot query it anymore, and more importantly, they are not using it anymore to store a copy of the messages there).
But, we do know that the entire rollout and removal of that method might still not be completed and some customers will still have that data available through the old method (I do believe not many anymore though, at least by now)

When you sign up, you will get backups of channel posts inside your teams only (for now). We are working on the private/ shared channels and 1:1 and 1:many messages but we need some changes in those MSFT API's, otherwise it will become very expensive quickly.

So TLDR

No Export API:
- Teams metadata
- Files
- TABS metadata

With EXPORT API:
- Teams channel chats (posts) but excluding (for now) Shared/ Private channels and 1:1 / 1:many messages

[KellyD]

I was just looking at the Microsoft Graph documentation (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/micro ... rt%20APIs?) and it clearly states:

Teams Export APIs allow you to export 1:1, group chat, meeting chats, and channel messages from Microsoft Teams. If your organization needs to export Microsoft Teams messages, you are able to extract them using Teams Export APIs. Chat Message represents an individual chat message within a channel or chat. The chat message can be a root chat message or part of a reply thread that is defined by the replyToId property in the chat message.

The MSFT article was last updated 04/27/2023. Does this mean Veeam will provide backup to 1:1 & group chat messages soon? If so, what is the estimated release date?

KD

[Polina]

Hi Kelly and welcome to the Forums!

I merged your topic into a similar discussion.
Please see Mike's comment above - we're working on this support and there're still some challenges to resolve, and I cannot provide any ETA yet.

Thanks

[adrian_mth]

Hi,
we have the same problem. We thought that Teams Channel messages can still be backed up via Veeam without the paid API. Unfortunately, we found out that this is not the case.
Which in my eyes makes the teams backup useless!

We are using AvePoint Cloud Backup for M365 for other customers and there I can backup the channel messages without setting up the extra paid API.

Thanks.

[Polina]

Hi Adrian,

I see your point, but these are the new rules of the game from Microsoft. I know that in some organizations, the legacy backup method for channel messages still works, but the for vast majority of M365 tenants it's already blocked.

Thanks!

[ar952]

We are also confused about the status of Teams backup within VBM365.
We are still using V6 (not V6a) for our production instance and I am starting to test V7.

When V6a came out, I noticed the API changes and that there is a specific procedure as well as a specific checkbox to enable Teams backup via the new protected API.

Now I upgraded our test instance which was running V6a to V7 and the checkbox is missing.
Which steps are required to enable the best possible Teams backup coverage at the moment?
Do we still have to make any manual changes on the tenant side and within VBM365?

[Mildur]

Hi AR952

The checkbox is available after you have enabled VB365 for Teams Graph API Backups:
Veeam KB: https://www.veeam.com/kb4340

Preparation of the subscription on tenant side is still required. But the steps have changed a little bit.
Now you only have to link a subscription to the app registration in the Azure tenant.
Please see our kb article which provides a link to the Microsoft guide:
Veeam KB: https://www.veeam.com/kb4322
Microsoft documentation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph ... cloudshell

Best,
Fabian

[dasfliege]

We have just found out that we do not have backups of Teams Posts since march 2023, thats why i stumbled across this post.
When veeam announced the change with Teams Graph API and the paid model, there was absolutely no mention of Teams Posts but only 1:1 chats. I would highy appreciate if such changes and limitations are announced by veeam in a way that catches more attention.

IMHO the checkbox in VBM "Edit organization" wizard is missleading as well. As it is named "Teams chats", it suggests that only chats are affected and NOT posts.

[SeRo]

I'm a little confused about this feature, unfortunately.

We are VCSP provider and now a customer would like to have his messages backuped. This raises several questions:

- Where does the cost come in? On the customer side, or on our side?
- If I activate the function, is this directly activated for all customers that we back up via the backup server? How can I differentiate here per customer?

[dasfliege]

- Where does the cost come in? On the customer side, or on our side?
- If I activate the function, is this directly activated for all customers that we back up via the backup server? How can I differentiate here per customer?

The costs come in on the customer side. It will most likely be a separate position on the Azure bill, depending on how you configure the billing for the custom app that you use for the backup.
To activate the function, you have to enable it on the backupserver and on all proxies. This is irreversible. However it does not matter now, as the old way of backing up teams does not work anymore anyways.
After that, you can enable Teams API per Organization. If you enable it for a organization, you then have to explicitly activate backup of teams chats in the job settings for the items you want to use it for. So to answer your question, you are quite flexible in choosing the organizations and items that you want to use the API for.

[SeRo]

If we make the switch on the backup server and on all proxies, will the team rooms and files also be backed up only via the new option afterwards?

I ask because then we as a service provider would have to contact all customers afterwards and set up the application together. Currently, the rooms and files are at least still backed up via the old method.

[Mildur]

Team files are stored in a SharePoint site. They will be protected through SharePoint interfaces as before.
Team rooms are Exchange Online mailboxes. The calendar is protected by a Exchange Online backup jobs.

The switch to the "Graph Teams Export APIs" only affects the protection of teams messages (channel, 1:1 chats, group chats).
After the switch, customers who have prepared the application will be able to protect their channel messages. 1:1 and group chats will not be protected. We are waiting for an update of the Export API which allows us to use deduplication when protecting those messages.

Best,
Fabian

[kenaanna]

Hello Veeam Community

With all the changes happening along with the Microsoft Graph Export API for Teams, we find ourselves a bit confused about what Teams data actually is being backed up, when using the new API and when not. Our own testing shows that if you do NOT sign up and switch to the new API, the only data you are getting backed up are, file attachments and the Teams tree structure.

Signing and using the billable API, results in backing up channel posts, files attachments and Teams tree structure.

I cant see to find any official documentation and initially we were informed that the only change would be that customer would loose the ability to backup their 1:1 chats, as they were stored in the TeamsMessagesData folder, which was being accessed through EWS API. And with the EWS API being deprecated 1:1 chats can no longer be backed up.

We actually found out by mistake that channel posts, 1:1 no longer was being protected when we were doing some other tests, we had gotten the impression that since the deprecation of the EWS API was being implemented in phases, the teams job would display - "Folder TeamsMessagesData was skipped from processing." as described in https://www.veeam.com/kb4340 rice purity test

Can someone confirm our findings, or are we missing something?

it seems like there is confusion regarding the backup of Teams data with the new Microsoft Graph Export API. The testing shows that without switching to the new API, only file attachments and the Teams tree structure are backed up. However, when using the billable API, channel posts, file attachments, and the Teams tree structure are backed up. There is concern about the backup of 1:1 chats since they were accessed through the deprecated EWS API. It appears that channel posts and 1:1 chats are no longer being protected, which was unexpected. Further clarification or confirmation from Veeam or Microsoft may be needed to address these concerns.

[Polina]

Hi kenaanna,

Veeam announced this change in the mid-2023 by various channels, including the following KB articles:
https://www.veeam.com/kb4322
https://www.veeam.com/kb4340
https://www.veeam.com/kb4453

Specifics of Teams messages backup is also covered in our HelpCenter:
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/vbo36 ... r=70#teams
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/vbo36 ... tml?ver=70

1:1 team chats protection as part of Teams backup has never been supported in VB365. They were protected as part of group mailbox data for as long as Microsoft allowed for that and supported it.

Hope the above addresses your concerns and confusion.

Thanks!