Forum Discussion
How long is litigation hold data retain after license downgrade?
Looking for guidance on how long any litigation hold data is retained after a license downgrade.
Case 1:
For example, mailbox has O365E3 assigned with litigation hold enabled for months. Mailbox has license downgraded from O365E3 to say Business Basic, which means no more Litigation hold. Any existing litigation hold data retained via the original O365 E3 license is removed immediately? After 30 days?
Case 2:
Are there any differences to the above case in the event of moving from O365 E3 to a shared mailbox? Again, what happens to any pre-existing litigation hold data? Removed immediately? After 30 days?
Love if there are some links that cover this situation I can share with people.
10 Replies
Changing the license has no effect on holds, just like many other functionalities across O365 do not have licensing requirements enforced. That said, a license is still required as per the usage terms, so you are responsible for removing any holds before downgrading/removing licenses.
So are you saying that once holds are enabled they remain forever no matter what the license?? If I have a license and enable hold, then downgrade the license to one that does not provide for hold what happens to any data related to the hold? Are you telling me that any hold data is retained no matter license was applied long term? If so where is the documentation that says this?
I would expect that once you downgrade the license the hold data is lost. My question is when does that loss happen? Immediately? or after 30 days? or when?? Again, a link to documentation would be great.
RobertCrane Hi Robert, I don't think there is any official documentation that confirm Vasils reply more than what's required from a license point of view.
"To place an Exchange Online mailbox on Litigation Hold, it must be assigned an Exchange Online Plan 2 license. If a mailbox is assigned an Exchange Online Plan 1 license, you would have to assign it a separate Exchange Online Archiving license to place it on hold."
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/compliance/create-a-litigation-hold?view=o365-worldwide#assign-an-exchange-online-plan-2-license
Feature availability
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office365/servicedescriptions/exchange-online-service-description/exchange-online-service-description?redirectedfrom=MSDN#feature-availability
Preparations before creating an inactive mailbox
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/compliance/create-and-manage-inactive-mailboxes?view=o365-worldwide#preparations-before-creating-an-inactive-mailbox
That's the best I can find (as per now).
