SharePoint Archiving with NAVOO® Smart Archive

The most important facts at a glance

Why NAVOO® Smart Archive

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Functions

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Microsoft 365 Archiv vs. NAVOO® Smart Archive

Our approach

FAQ

The Most Important Facts at a Glance

With NAVOO^® Smart Archive benefit from:

Granular and automated archiving of files, major and minor versions, folders, libraries, SharePoint sites or cross-tenant content based on defined rules
Offload to cost-effective cloud storage such as Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud - including searchable stub files in the original storage location in SharePoint Online
Retaining findability and context through full-text search in Office files and PDFs, and by preserving file type and metadata
Direct recovery by end users without IT support and without changing the familiar SharePoint environment
Supports compliance requirements such as retention and Sensitivity-Labels
Transparency through advance simulations, memory analyses, and reporting at file level
Fast implementation with direct use in the SharePoint frontend within a few days
Flexible operating models: Managed Hosting for a quick start or self-hosting for maximum control and long-term cost benefits

When Microsoft 365 Archive is not enough: NAVOO® gives you more control, flexibility and transparency for your SharePoint storage

SharePoint Online is growing faster in many companies than those responsible would like. Large files, old project areas and extensive version histories take up valuable storage space. The result: rising costs, confusing structures and more and more effort in Microsoft 365 storage management.

With NAVOO^® Smart Archive archives SharePoint content in a targeted and rule-based manner - directly from the familiar SharePoint environment. Files, versions, folders, libraries or entire SharePoint structures are moved to cost-effective cloud storage. Searchable stub files are retained in the original storage location so that content can still be found and restored directly if required.

Microsoft has added file-based archiving to the Microsoft 365 archive. This represents an important step for standard scenarios in the Microsoft ecosystem. However, as soon as topics such as data sovereignty, external storage targets, controlled versioning strategies, audit-proof archiving or controllable reporting come into play, NAVOO^® Smart Archive significantly more options.

Efficient Sharepoint Online Archiving with NAVOO® - Reduce Costs, Optimize Storage

SharePoint Online is at the heart of modern collaboration - but the storage limits of Microsoft 365 quickly lead to bottlenecks. Whether large files, old projects or content that is no longer active: Without a clear archiving concept, the data stock grows uncontrollably - and with it the costs.

NAVOO^® Smart Archive offers the ideal solution for structured, rule-based SharePoint archiving - seamlessly integrated, secure and user-friendly.

Why Do I Need an Archiving Solution for Sharepoint Online?

Companies need an archiving solution because storage space is limited, old content is growing uncontrollably, and license costs are rising. NAVOO^® Smart Archive helps to outsource files, maintain compliance, and reduce costs.

The challenges at a glance:

Limited SharePoint storage space: In SharePoint Online, the available standard storage space quickly runs out, as project-related files, version histories, and data from collaborative applications such as Teams and Planner quickly add up.
Uncontrolled data growth: Files block storage space and make document management more difficult. Without a suitable archiving solution, data continuously accumulates over time, making it difficult to manage, search, and Information made increasingly difficult by Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Increasing license costs: In order to counteract the lack of storage space in Microsoft 365, companies must purchase additional premium storage space - a costly and recurring investment.
Loss of efficiency and acceptance: Unstructured storage locations and overcrowded document libraries make it difficult to access relevant content quickly and impair productivity.

With a strategic archiving solution for SharePoint Online, you can prevent these problems - without losing any data.

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NAVOO® Smart Archive - Your Solution for Modern Sharepoint Archiving

With NAVOO^® Smart Archive, you get a powerful solution for efficiently archiving SharePoint Online content without compromising on the functionality or availability of your important information.

And how exactly does archiving with NAVOO^® Smart Archive work?

The solution integrates seamlessly into your existing SharePoint Online environment and enables all employees to easily access archived data. There is no need to integrate a separate storage location in the file explorer to access archived files or to go through the IT department to restore files. This not only increases efficiency, but also ensures a high level of acceptance.

What Makes NAVOO® Smart Archive Special?

NAVOO® Smart Archive goes beyond traditional archiving functions. The solution was developed for companies that want to manage their SharePoint archiving in a targeted manner, optimize costs sustainably, and retain control over their data.

The focus is on:

Digital sovereignty and flexible memory selection
Archived data can be stored in Azure, AWS, Google Cloud, or in your own data center - to suit your individual cloud and compliance strategy.
Targeted version strategy instead of blanket archiving
Superfluous versions are cleaned up based on rules before archiving. This reduces the archive volume without changing the active database.
Transparency through simulation and reporting
Pre-simulations show potential savings at file level. After archiving, dashboards provide detailed evaluations of usage and storage development.
Controllable findability of archived content
Content remains discoverable via configurable metadata, full text excerpts, and keywords – also for search, eDiscovery, and AI-based scenarios.
Seamless integration into existing work processes
Archiving and recovery take place directly in SharePoint. Additional tools or separate access paths are not required.

What Functions Does NAVOO® Smart Archive Have?

User-friendly document archiving directly in SharePoint

Integrated dialogs for archiving, restoring, and downloading individual files and versions directly in SharePoint Online
Flexible selection of individual documents or versions for archiving
Replacement of the original with searchable stub files, including metadata
Immediate restoration of archived files directly by users without IT effort

NAVOO_Smart-Archive_SharePoint structures

Archiving complete SharePoint structures

Archiving folders, libraries, or entire site collections
Fixed definable archiving intervals
completely automated inclusion of new or moved files
Intelligent control directly in SharePoint Online

NAVOO_Smart-Archive_Intelligent-Archiving

Intelligent and automated archiving of content and versions

Customizable archiving rules for targeted selection of content, e.g., age, classification, document types, or access
Consistent archiving policies across all clients
Fully automated archiving across all SharePoint sites, Microsoft Teams, read-only sites, and Teams channels
Stub files are fully customizable – 100% company-specific and enriched with a direct link to the storage location

Archiving of document versions

Archiving of main, intermediate, and draft versions of documents
Flexible definition of the number of document versions to be archived per file
Optional selection of individual document versions by users during archiving
Automatic management of archived versions according to defined version limits
Compliance with SharePoint version policies, including versions with expiration dates

Full-text search in archived documents

Automatic extraction of text content from archived Office documents and PDF files
Full-text information is stored in the stub file as metadata
Archived content remains discoverable via SharePoint search
Support for eDiscovery, compliance, and AI-based search scenarios

Control and transparency via the central admin portal

Central management interface for controlling all Smart Archive functions and archiving jobs
Automated archiving based on rule-based criteria or precise KQL queries
Management of multiple Microsoft 365 environments and archive storage within a single interface

Compliance settings are taken into account

Sensitivity labels are taken into account during archiving; it is configurable which labels are archived or excluded
Assigned sensitivity labels are retained on both the original file in the archive storage and the stub file
Retention policies and retention labels can be configured to support or exclude archiving
No modification of sensitive metadata

Flexible infrastructure and hosting options

Flexible selection of various archive storage options (Azure Blob Storage, AWS S3, or Google Cloud Storage)
Integration into existing cloud strategies
Scaling based on recovery frequency and storage requirements
Reduction of Microsoft 365 storage costs by up to 65% with the managed hosting option

Hosting Options and Cost Model of NAVOO® Smart Archive

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Which Cost Logic Is Better Suited to Your Archiving Strategy?

The decision depends less on the pure price per gigabyte and more on your individual starting situation:

Microsoft 365 Archive can be useful for simple standard scenarios if you are within your tenant-Storage quota or only want to archive moderate amounts of data. In this case, inactive content can be stored natively in the Microsoft environment in the M365 Archive to save storage costs. It is the ideal choice for companies that deliberately do not want to operate an external storage platform.
NAVOO^®Smart Archive unfolds its cost advantage with large volumes of data, highly versioned collections and the desire for precise archiving rules. Through the targeted selection of content, the cleansing of unnecessary versions and the free choice of storage target, you not only reduce active SharePoint storage, but also sustainably optimize long-term archive costs.

NAVOO Smart Archive Price Calculator

Use this calculator to estimate your potential costs and savings when using NAVOO® Smart Archive.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the product's cost model and hosting options before using this calculator. Enter the values that correspond to the respective description in the corresponding input field.

Please note that the calculated results are only estimates and do not constitute an official offer.

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NAVOO® Smart Archive vs. Microsoft 365 Archive

Not every company needs the full range of functions of a dedicated archiving solution. We support you transparently in choosing the right strategy for your M365 storage management. While Microsoft 365 Archive provides a solid basis for standard cases, NAVOO^® Smart Archive decisive advantages for complex compliance, cost and sovereignty requirements.

When Microsoft 365 Archive can be sufficient

Microsoft 365 Archive is well suited if the following points apply:

You want to remain fully in the Microsoft ecosystem and not run an additional storage platform
Your tenant is inside the existing Memory quota, so that no additional storage costs are incurred
You have a classic cleanup use case with moderate data volumes
Native operation in SharePoint and Teams is more important to you than advanced control options
Version histories, reactivation speed and copilot visibility are not critical topics

When NAVOO^® Smart Archive offers the greater added value?

NAVOO^® Smart Archive unfolds its added value exactly where Microsoft 365 Archive reaches its limits:

Sovereignty & Multi-Cloud: You want to archive data outside the Microsoft ecosystem - in Azure, AWS, Google Cloud or in your own data center
Large memory volumes: They exceed the tenant-Quota significantly or expect strong data growth
Version-intensive assets: You have SharePoint libraries that have grown over the years with many file versions, the cleanup of which brings considerable savings
Controllable findability: Archived content should remain usable for Copilot, eDiscovery or the SharePoint search - controlled and configurable
Operative archiving scenarios: Repeated archiving and restoring without Cooldowns and without 24-hour wait time
Detailed reporting: You need preliminary simulations, savings potential analyses and reports at file level
Industry-specific compliance: Requirements for audit-proof archiving or regulatory storage locations

The Most Important Differences in Detail

The essential added value of NAVOO^® Smart Archive lies in the depth of its functions. Where Microsoft specifies standardized processes, NAVOO^® the necessary flexibility for complex IT infrastructures.

Microsoft 365 Archiv vs. NAVOO® Smart Archive

Feature	Microsoft 365 Archive	NAVOO® Smart Archive
Storage target and data sovereignty	Default: Archiving within the Microsoft 365 environment in Microsoft Azure (cold tier). No free choice of external storage targets.	Sovereign: Free choice of archive storage, for example Azure Blob Storage, AWS S3, Google Cloud or own data center.
Granularity	Standardized: Files, folders and web pages archivable within the Microsoft model.	Specific archiving: Individual files, versions, folders, libraries and larger SharePoint structures can be specifically archived.
Version strategy	In general: Existing versions remain part of the archived file. No separate control per archiving process.	Configurable: All versions archivable or rule-based reduction possible before archiving.
Effect on versions	Globally effective: Version cleanup only possible at library or site level and affects the active inventory.	Targeted: Version cleanup takes place in the archiving process. The active version remains unchanged.
Access and recovery	Delayed: Reactivation required. Immediately in the first 7 days, thereafter up to 24 hours waiting time possible.	Direct: Access via stub files. Content can be restored or downloaded directly with one click.
Renew archiving	Restricted: 30 days blocking period after reactivation.	Flexible: No comparable blocking period for re-archiving. Re-archiving possible immediately or rule-based automated on inactivity.
Accessibility and AI scenarios	Limited controllability: SharePoint & OneDrive web search and eDiscovery supported. No discoverability through Microsoft 365 Copilot.	Configurable: Controllable Findability via metadata, keywords, full text excerpts or summaries.
Reporting and simulation	Basic: Reporting at tenant and site level. No pre-simulation at file level.	Transparent: Pre-simulation at file level and detailed reporting on potential savings.
Automation	Under construction: Currently manual and API based. Policy-based automation announced.	Productive: Rule-based automatic archiving by age, change, file size, type or metadata.
End user usage	Supported: End users can archive and reactivate files and folders, depending on permissions.	Supported: Files can be archived, restored or downloaded directly in SharePoint.
Compliance and security	Integrated: Permissions, metadata, retention and deletion periods, confidentiality designations and eDiscovery are preserved in the Microsoft environment.	Integrated: Permissions, metadata, retention and deletion periods, confidentiality designations and eDiscovery are preserved in the Microsoft environment.
Economy	Situational: Cost advantages through archive storage possible, especially if the tenant storage quota is exceeded and for standard requirements in the Microsoft environment.	Controllable: Savings potential through targeted data reduction, configurable version strategy and free choice of storage target, especially for large and heavily versioned data sets.

Are you unsure? We develop your archiving strategy.

The solution that suits you best depends on your data structure, compliance requirements, and cloud strategy. In a targeted archiving strategy workshop, we analyze your SharePoint environment and work with you to develop the right archiving approach – regardless of manufacturer and transparently.

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Our Approach for Your Success

With NAVOO^® Smart Archive, we accompany you step by step - from analyzing your SharePoint environment to implementing automated archiving rules.

Step 1

Assessment of your SharePoint environment

We start with a comprehensive analysis of your existing SharePoint environment. We take a detailed look at all content and structures:

Directories and permissions: Identification of all directories and check for individual or insecure permissions (e.g. "Everyone")..
Documents and access rights: Check special authorizations at document level to make potential security risks visible.
Versioning: Evaluation of the number and size of versions to detect unnecessary memory usage.
Age and topicality: Classification of content according to relevance and frequency of use to identify outdated data.
Labels and compliance: Check whether retention or data protection labels are set correctly in order to comply with regulatory requirements.
Content types: Analysis of the content types used to enable structured and rule-based archiving.

Step 2

Assessment of memory utilization

Based on the analysis, we evaluate your memory usage and make optimization potential transparent:

Archivable content: Identification of data that can be outsourced without impacting productivity.
Potential savings: Derivation of specific measures to reduce costs and improve performance.
Recommendations for action: Documentation of all results in a clear report with actionable recommendations.

Step 3

Definition of automated archiving rules

Together with you, we develop an archiving set of rules that integrates proven best practices and is tailored precisely to your requirements:

Questionnaire and workshop: Structured survey of your requirements using a best-practice questionnaire, which we will go through together.
Rule definition: Definition of criteria such as age, classification, document types, or access frequency.
Automation: Conception of the rules as client-wide, uniform, and fully automated processes.
Compliance protection: Ensuring that files with active retention labels are automatically excluded from archiving.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Sharepoint Archiving with NAVOO®

How does NAVOO® Smart Archive differ from Microsoft 365 Archive?
Microsoft 365 Archive is a solid native archiving solution for classic Microsoft 365 scenarios and now also supports file-based archiving. NAVOO^® Smart Archive also offers significantly enhanced options in five key areas:
Data sovereignty: Free choice of storage destination - Azure, AWS, Google Cloud, or own data center. Microsoft 365 Archive stores exclusively in the Microsoft cold tier.
Version strategy: NAVOO^® cleans up old versions before archiving specifically according to rules - Microsoft archives all versions across the board and thus causes permanently higher archiving costs.
Access & Restore: Archived content is available immediately and without Cooldown available again. Microsoft may require up to 24 hours to restore after the first 7 days, after which a 30-day cooldown applies.
Reporting & Simulation: Preliminary simulations at file level, savings potential analysis, and detailed reporting after archiving. Microsoft currently only offers reporting at tenant and page level.
Controllable findability: Archived content remains configurably usable for Copilot, eDiscovery, and search - via full text excerpt, summary, or keywords in the stub file. Microsoft removes archived content completely from the Copilot index.
For classic clean-up scenarios in the Microsoft ecosystem, Microsoft 365 Archive may be the right choice. However, as soon as sovereignty, scaling, version optimization, or controllable findability are required, NAVOO^® Smart Archive the significantly larger lever.
From what data volume is NAVOO® Smart Archive worthwhile compared to Microsoft 365 Archive?
There is no general threshold - the decisive factor is the combination of volume, version share, and desired controllability. A rough guide:
Up to approx. 1 TB archive volume within the Tenant-Quota: Microsoft 365 archive is often sufficient.
From several TB or in case of heavily versioned inventories: NAVOO^® Smart Archive brings considerable savings through version cleanup and free storage selection.
For sovereignty, multi-cloud, or compliance requirements: NAVOO^® Smart Archive is the right choice regardless of volume.
In the strategy workshop, we analyze your specific situation and determine your actual savings potential.
Which files can be archived with NAVOO® Smart Archive?

NAVOO^® Smart Archive can generally archive all file types. For most formats – such as Word, Excel, PDF, PowerPoint, images, videos, or HTML – individual, searchable stub files are created in the original format. Unsupported or rare file types automatically receive a universal .html-Stub File.
Are versions also archived?

Yes, NAVOO^® Smart Archive archives not only the current file but also major and minor versions to ensure complete traceability. In the interactive archiving dialog in SharePoint, employees can specifically select which versions of a file should be archived. Versions that are not selected are not transferred to the archive storage and are discarded, which reduces the storage load on the archive. For automatic archiving jobs as well, you can define the maximum number of versions to be archived per file. Smart Archive takes both major and minor versions into account and automatically archives only the latest versions up to the configured limit.
How do backups work in combination with NAVOO® Smart Archive?

When a file is archived, NAVOO^®Smart Archive technically replaces the original file completely with a placeholder file (stub file) in SharePoint. SharePoint backup solutions generally only back up what is activein SharePoint - i.e. the placeholder files, not the original files. As the file size and metadata change during archiving, backups recognize this change and create new backup sets. As a result, it can happen over time that the backup contains only stub files and the original files are completely missing. Archived files are therefore not part of the SharePoint backup and cannot be restored via this backup.
Will archived content remain usable for Microsoft Copilot?

Yes – this is one of the key differences to Microsoft 365 Archive. With NAVOO^® Smart Archive allows you to decide which information remains visible for Copilot, eDiscovery or the SharePoint search. The placeholder file can be enriched with full text excerpt, summary, keywords, or metadata. In this way, knowledge remains available without burdening the active memory. Microsoft 365 Archive, on the other hand, completely removes archived content from the Copilot index.
How can archived data be additionally protected - and what backup or redundancy options are available?

When Azure Blob Storage is used as archive storage, various options are available to reliably secure archived data. Azure offers integrated redundancy functions for this, in which data is stored multiple times - even geographically distributed if desired - which significantly increases reliability, but affects storage costs.
In addition, Azure backup functions can be used. These include snapshots in the same storage account, which enable a restore over several months, as well as vault backup ("Backup Vault"), where copies are stored long-term and separately from the original storage. Both options supplement redundancy and also protect the archive storage from unintentional deletion or technical faults.
For increased compliance or security requirements, third-party backup solutions for Azure Blob Storage can also be used. As archived files are not part of the SharePoint backup, it is recommended to decide at an early stage whether and what additional protection is required. A one-off check of the restore behavior of stub files in the SharePoint backup solution used provides clarity.
How quickly is archived content available again after a restore?

With NAVOO^® Smart Archive, archived content can be accessed immediately via the placeholder file – without a reactivation window and without Cooldown. Microsoft 365 Archive makes content available immediately for the first 7 days; after that, the restore can take up to 24 hours. After each restore, Microsoft also applies a 30-day cooldown, during which the file may not be archived again. This is an important difference for operational archiving scenarios with frequent access.
What hosting options are available and where is the data stored?

NAVOO^®Smart Archive can optionally be used in the Managed hosting or self-hosting. With Managed hosting, Arvato Systems manages the servers in a managed Azure environment - ideal for a fast go-live with minimal operating costs and data volumes of up to around 20 TB. With self-hosting, the servers run in your own Azure environment, which makes sense for larger volumes and enables maximum control, security and flexible scaling. In both variants, all data remains in your cloud environment. You choose the archive storage yourself - from Azure Blob Storage, AWS S3 or Google Cloud Storage.
What do I need to consider when using AWS S3 or Google Cloud Storage as archive storage?

If you use AWS S3 or Google Cloud Storage as archive storage, the data is transferred from Azure to the respective target platform. This results in additional transfer costs between the systems, and the monthly license costs increase by around 5 euros. Functions, security, compliance, and recovery remain fully intact - your data remains in your own cloud environment.
What happens to my data if I no longer want to use NAVOO® Smart Archive?

The archive storage is always operated in your cloud environment. You retain full control over the storage location, access rights and compliance requirements at all times. If you use NAVOO^® If you no longer wish to use Smart Archive, we can help you transfer archived files back to SharePoint on request.
Is there a discount for NGOs and educational institutions?

Yes, discounts are available for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and educational institutions. Contact us for a customized offer.