Frequently Asked Questions

Why is backing up Microsoft Entra ID important, and how does IDrive^® cloud backup help?

Microsoft Entra ID is the foundation of identity and access management for your organization and stores critical objects, including users, groups, devices, applications, roles, access configurations, and more. Accidental deletions, misconfigurations, malicious changes, or ransomware incidents that affect Entra ID can disrupt user access and impact business operations.

IDrive^® Microsoft Entra ID backup helps safeguard your Entra ID environment with secure cloud backups and point-in-time recovery. You can back up critical directory objects, restore individual objects or entire object categories, compare snapshots to identify changes, and export backup data for auditing and compliance. With IDrive^®, you can recover from accidental deletions, unwanted changes, and other data loss events while ensuring business continuity and operational resilience.

How do I enable Microsoft Entra ID Backup in IDrive^®?

You can connect Microsoft Entra ID to IDrive for backup by following the steps below.

1. Sign in to the Microsoft Entra ID Backup web console.
2. Navigate to the Entra ID tab.
3. Click Connect Microsoft Entra ID. You will be redirected to the Microsoft login page and prompted to connect your Microsoft Office 365 account. Once the connection is successful, Entra ID backup gets enabled, and the initial backup begins.

Where can I get an overview of Entra ID on the IDrive^® Microsoft Entra ID Backup console?

You can obtain an overview of Entra ID on the IDrive^® Microsoft Entra ID Backup console by navigating to the Overview tab. The Overview page provides comprehensive details on all object categories related to Entra ID backup operations, each in its dedicated section. The object categories are listed as follows.

• Users
• Groups
• Roles and administrators
• Administrative units
• App registrations
• Enterprise applications
• Devices
• Policies
• Sign-in logs
• Audit logs
• Device configurations
• Device compliance policies
• Device BitLocker recovery keys
  
  

Each section corresponding to a specific object category showcases the following details.

• Backups in progress
  The total number of object backups in progress.
• Exports in progress
  The total number of object exports in progress.
• Restores in progress
  The total number of object restores in progress.
• Compares in progress
  The total number of object compares in progress.
• Last 10 days backup
  This section shows the backup statuses of the last 10 days. Hovering over each status indicator displays a data tooltip with details, including the date and the total number of backup statuses for each category (Completed, In Progress, Failed).
• Last backup activity
  The timestamp of the last backup activity.
• Total objects
  The total number of objects in the specific object category available for backup.
• Total data
  The total backup data for the specific object category.

In addition to the objects, the Overview page also offers details into:

• Backup Summary
  The backup summary displays the total amount of data backed up and the total number of Entra ID licenses associated with the Microsoft account connected to IDrive.
• Total seats for billing
  The number of Entra ID licenses subject to billing.
• Scope of Backup
  Clicking this link redirects you to the Scope of Backup and Restore for Entra ID objects.
• Account Information
  The account information section displays the registration timestamp, Microsoft domain account, super admin name and email, customer ID, and the administrative center for domain and admin management.

Where can I view the details for each backed-up Entra ID object?

You can view details for all Entra ID objects in the IDrive^® Microsoft Entra ID Backup console by following the steps below.

1. Go to the Backup Management tab.
2. Click the All objects dropdown, then select a backup action (Active, Paused, Unprotected, or Unprotecting). The objects that belong to the selected backup action appear in the grid below, segregated by:
   1. Name
   2. Storage used
   3. Last backup
   4. Backup status
   5. Backup actions
      Click the individual Backup actions dropdown for a specific object to change its backup action as needed.
      
3. You can also search for specific objects and view their corresponding details by entering a search term in the Search objects search bar.
   

How can I set the backup action to 'Active' and 'Unprotect' for all objects simultaneously?

The following steps can help you set the backup action to 'Active' and 'Unprotect' for all objects simultaneously.

1. Navigate to the Backup Management tab.
2. To set the backup action as Active for all active and paused objects simultaneously, click Activate All.
3. To set the backup action as Unprotect for all active and paused objects simultaneously, click Unprotect All.
   

How can I export the Entra ID objects dashboard data to local storage?

To export your Entra ID objects dashboard data to local storage:

1. Go to the Backup Management tab.
2. Click Download CSV. A File was exported message appears when the objects dashboard data are downloaded to your local storage in CSV format.
   

Where can I get a consolidated view of objects segregated by their corresponding backup actions?

You can get a consolidated view of objects by their backup actions by following the steps below.

1. Navigate to the Backup Management tab.
2. The collapsible Objects Details sidebar displays a donut chart showing objects distributed by their backup actions. The sidebar also lists the number of objects corresponding to each backup action: Active, Paused, Unprotected, and Archived.
   
3. Scrolling down the sidebar shows the number of Entra ID objects categorized as Total Protected and Total Unprotected.
   

How can I refresh or sync the Microsoft Entra ID license count?

IDrive Microsoft Entra ID Backup counts one Microsoft Entra ID license as a seat for per-user billing, regardless of how many licenses the user has.

To refresh or sync the Entra ID user licenses considered for billing for your Microsoft Office 365 account,

1. Go to the Seats tab.
2. Click the Seats button. All Entra ID user licenses considered for billing are synced with IDrive Microsoft Entra ID Backup and listed in the grid below, with details such as name, email IDs, and license types.
   

Can I download a list of all the available Microsoft Entra ID licenses to my local storage?

Yes, you can download a list of all the available Microsoft Entra ID licenses to your local storage using the following steps.

1. Go to the Seats tab.
2. Click Download CSV. All available Entra ID user licenses considered for billing are downloaded to your local storage as a CSV file.
   

How can I perform a backup of Entra ID objects?

To perform an Entra ID objects backup,

1. Go to the Recovery tab
2. Navigate to the Objects tab.
3. Click Backup Now. A Backup is in progress message appears when the backup operation begins for all objects whose backup action is set to Active. A Backup Progress indicator appears on the left-side menu, indicating an ongoing backup. You can also view the last backup timestamp and its storage size under the Objects tab.

Where can I view a full list of Entra ID object backups on the IDrive^® Microsoft Entra ID Backup console?

To view the list of Entra ID object backups,

1. Navigate to the Recovery tab.
2. Click the Backups tab. All the backups are listed in the grid below with their respective Backup date and Status.
   
3. To filter backups by status, click the dropdown and select a status (All, Pending, In progress, Completed, Failed).
4. Click Search. The backups corresponding to the selected status appear in the grid.
   

How can I view Entra ID object backup snapshots for any specific date?

To view Entra ID backup snapshots for a specific date,

1. Go to the Recovery tab.
2. Click the Snapshots field. The Snapshots popup appears.
   
3. Select a specific date for which you want to view the backup snapshot. The snapshots for the corresponding date appear on the right along with their timestamps.
   
4. Click Latest Snapshot to view the latest backup snapshot.

Can I perform a consolidated restore of active Entra ID objects across all Entra ID object categories?

No, you cannot perform a consolidated restore of all active Entra ID objects because each Entra ID object category has unique dependencies and attributes that differ from those of others. Hence, you have to restore each Entra ID object category individually.

Which backed up Entra ID object categories can be restored?

The following backed-up object categories can be restored from IDrive:

• Users
• Groups
• Roles and administrators
• Administrative units
• App registrations
• Policies

What object restoration options are available in IDrive?

IDrive^® Microsoft Entra ID Backup provides three object restoration options, categorized as Non-destructive and Destructive.

1. Non-destructive
   This object restoration process will not affect the existing objects in your organization.
   1. Skip existing data
      If an object(s) already exists in your organization, the object restoration process will skip them and create new records for the rest.
   2. Merge
      If an object(s) already exists in your organization, the object restoration process will merge their information with the existing object backup.
2. Destructive
   The object restoration process directly affects the existing objects in your organization.
   1. Always overwrite all existing data
      Regardless of the object(s) availability in your organization, the object restoration process will overwrite or recreate the objects with the selected snapshot version.

How can I restore objects in the 'Users' category?

To restore objects that belong to the Users category,

1. Go to the Recovery tab.
2. Navigate to the Objects tab.
3. Click the dropdown and select Users.
   
4. To restore selected users, select the individual items in the grid, and then click Restore. Alternatively, to restore all users, click Restore.
5. The Restore popup appears. The Snapshot radio button is preselected if you select no items from the grid. The Selected Items radio button is preselected when you select specific items from the grid.
6. As an optional step, you can include dependencies for the selected objects while restoring them by selecting their corresponding checkboxes.
   1. Group membership
   2. Group ownership
   3. Roles assigned
7. Click any of the non-destructive or destructive object restoration options based on your requirements.
   1. Skip existing data
   2. Merge
   3. Always overwrite all existing data
8. Click Restore. The restore of the snapshot or selected objects begins.
   

To view the details of the object restore operation,

1. Go to the Recovery tab.
2. Click the Restores tab. The details of the user object restores are displayed in the grid with their respective Source (object type), Destination (domain name), Type (object selection), Restore Type (Restore options), Items (Total number of items restored), Size (object restore size), Started (object restore start timestamp), Time taken, Performed by, and Status.
   

How can I restore objects in the 'Groups' category?

To restore objects that belong to the Groups category

1. Go to the Recovery tab.
2. Navigate to the Objects tab.
3. Click the dropdown and select Groups.
   
4. To restore selected groups, select the individual items in the grid, and then click Restore. Alternatively, to restore all groups, click Restore.
5. The Restore popup appears. The Snapshot radio button is preselected if you select no items from the grid. The Selected Items radio button is preselected when you select specific items from the grid.
6. As an optional step, you can include dependencies for the selected objects while restoring them by selecting their corresponding checkboxes.
   1. Members
   2. Owners
   3. Roles assigned
7. Click any of the non-destructive or destructive object restoration options based on your requirements.
   1. Skip existing data
   2. Merge
   3. Always overwrite all existing data
8. Click Restore. The restore of the snapshot or selected objects begins.
   

To view the details of the object restore operation,

1. Go to the Recovery tab.
2. Click the Restores tab. The details of the object restores are displayed in the grid with their respective Source (object type), Destination (domain name), Type (object selection), Restore Type (Restore options), Items (Total number of items restored), Size (object restore size), Started (object restore start timestamp), Time taken, Performed by, and Status.
   

How can I restore objects in the 'Roles and administrators' category?

To restore objects that belong to the Roles and administrators category,

1. Go to the Recovery tab.
2. Navigate to the Objects tab.
3. Click the dropdown and select Roles and administrators.
   
4. To restore selected objects, select the individual items in the grid, and then click Restore. Alternatively, to restore all objects, click Restore.
5. The Restore popup appears. The Snapshot radio button is preselected if you select no items from the grid. The Selected Items radio button is preselected when you select specific items from the grid.
6. As an optional step, you can include dependencies for the selected objects while restoring them by selecting their corresponding checkboxes.
   1. Roles assigned
7. Click any of the non-destructive or destructive object restoration options based on your requirements.
   1. Skip existing data
   2. Merge
   3. Always overwrite all existing data
8. Click Restore. The restore of the snapshot or selected objects begins.
   

To view the details of the object restore operation,

1. Navigate to the Recovery tab.
2. Click the Restores tab. The details of the object restores are displayed in the grid with their respective Source (object type), Destination (domain name), Type (object selection), Restore Type (Restore options), Items (Total number of items restored), Size (object restore size), Started (object restore start timestamp), Time taken, Performed by, and Status.
   

How can I restore objects in the 'Administrative units' category?

To restore objects that belong to the Administrative units category,

1. Go to the Recovery tab.
2. Navigate to the Objects tab.
3. Click the dropdown and select Administrative units.
   
4. To restore selected administrative units, select the individual items in the grid, and then click Restore. Alternatively, to restore all administrative units, click Restore.
5. The Restore popup appears. The Snapshot radio button is preselected if you select no items from the grid. The Selected Items radio button is preselected when you select specific items from the grid.
6. As an optional step, you can include dependencies for the selected objects while restoring them by selecting their corresponding checkboxes.
   1. Group Membership
   2. Members
   3. Roles assigned
7. Click any of the non-destructive or destructive object restoration options based on your requirements.
   1. Skip existing data
   2. Merge
   3. Always overwrite all existing data
8. Click Restore. The restore of the snapshot or selected objects begins.
   

To view the details of the object restore operation,

1. Navigate to the Recovery tab.
2. Click the Restores tab. The details of the object restores are displayed in the grid with their respective Source (object type), Destination (domain name), Type (object selection), Restore Type (Restore options), Items (Total number of items restored), Size (object restore size), Started (object restore start timestamp), Time taken, Performed by, and Status.
   

How can I restore objects in the 'App registrations' category?

To restore objects that belong to the App registrations category,

1. Go to the Recovery tab.
2. Navigate to the Objects tab.
3. Click the dropdown and select App registrations.
   
4. To restore selected app registrations, select the individual items in the grid, and then click Restore. Alternatively, to restore all app registrations, click Restore.
5. The Restore popup appears. The Snapshot radio button is preselected if you select no items from the grid. The Selected Items radio button is preselected when you select specific items from the grid.
6. The non-destructive object restoration option is preselected.
   1. Skip existing data
7. Click Restore. The restore of the snapshot or selected objects begins.
   

To view the details of the object restore operation,

1. Navigate to the Recovery tab.
2. Click the Restores tab. The details of the object restores are displayed in the grid with their respective Source (object type), Destination (domain name), Type (object selection), Restore Type (Restore options), Items (Total number of items restored), Size (object restore size), Started (object restore start timestamp), Time taken, Performed by, and Status.
   

How can I restore objects in the 'Policies' category?

To restore objects that belong to the Policies category,

1. Go to the Recovery tab.
2. Navigate to the Objects tab.
3. Click the dropdown and select Policies.
   
4. To restore selected policies, select the individual items in the grid, and then click Restore. Alternatively, to restore all policies, click Restore.
5. The Restore popup appears. The Snapshot radio button is preselected if you select no items from the grid. The Selected Items radio button is preselected when you select specific items from the grid.
6. Click any of the non-destructive or destructive object restoration options based on your requirements.
   1. Skip existing data
   2. Merge
   3. Always overwrite all existing data
7. Click Restore. The restore of the snapshot or selected objects begins.
   

To view the details of the object restore operation,

1. Go to the Recovery tab.
2. Click the Restores tab. The details of the object restores are displayed in the grid with their respective Source (object type), Destination (domain name), Type (object selection), Restore Type (Restore options), Items (Total number of items restored), Size (object restore size), Started (object restore start timestamp), Time taken, Performed by, and Status.
   

Can I compare two Entra ID object backup snapshots?

Yes, you can compare either all entries or specific entries of two Entra ID object backup snapshots within the same object category (e.g., Users, Groups, Roles & administrators) using the Compare feature. To compare two Entra ID object backup snapshots,

1. Go to the Recovery tab.
2. Navigate to the Objects tab.
3. Click the dropdown and select an Entra ID object category to compare.
4. Click Compare. The Compare popup opens up.
   
5. Under Compare snapshot, click , then click a date on the calendar. Under Snapshots, click a snapshot timestamp to select it.
6. Under With snapshot, click , then click a date on the calendar. Under Snapshots, click a snapshot timestamp to select it.
7. Under Entries, click either of the All entries and Specific entries radio buttons. Clicking All entries compares all entries for an object across the selected snapshots, while clicking Specific entries lets you select specific entries within an object and compare them across the selected snapshots.
8. Click Compare. A Compare is in progress flash message appears.

To view the list of Entra ID object backup snapshot compares,

1. Navigate to the Recovery tab.
2. Click the Compares tab. All the compares are listed in the grid with their respective Snapshot timestamp, Snapshot to compare timestamp, Comparison type, Object type, Status, Compare date timestamp, and Details.
3. Under Details, click See Comparison to view the Object Comparison Report along with its generation timestamp and additional details, including the object backup snapshots compared.
   

How can I export Entra ID object backup snapshot reports to my local storage?

You can export Entra ID object backup snapshot reports using the Export feature. To export Entra ID object backup snapshot reports to your local storage,

1. Go to the Recovery tab.
2. Navigate to the Objects tab.
3. Click the dropdown and select an Entra ID object category to export.
4. To export selected objects, select the individual items in the grid, and then click Export. Alternatively, to export all objects simultaneously, click Export. The Export popup opens up.
5. The Snapshot radio button is preselected if you don’t select any items from the grid. If you select specific items from the grid, the Selected Items radio button gets preselected.
   
6. Click Export. The object snapshot export begins.

To view, download, or delete the list of exported Entra ID objects,

1. Go to the Recovery tab.
2. Click the Exports tab. All the exports are listed in the grid with their respective Source, Type, Destination, number of exported Items, Size of the exported file, start timestamp, time taken for the export, Performed by, Status of the export, and Export State (Deleted, Active).
3. Click to download or to delete the object export, respectively.
   

Which Microsoft Entra ID licenses does IDrive^® track for billing, and how are users counted?

IDrive^® Microsoft Entra ID Backup tracks users assigned to all productive Microsoft Entra ID licenses to determine Entra ID billing.

A user may be assigned one or more of these licenses but is billed only once. IDrive automatically identifies unique active users across all tracked licenses to determine the actual number of billable users, ensuring accurate billing and preventing charges for duplicate users.