SharePoint Archiving Introduction

SharePoint has become an integral part of many organisations, serving as a powerful tool for collaboration, document management, and information sharing. As the volume of data grows, it becomes crucial to monitor and manage SharePoint storage effectively. Proper storage management ensures optimal performance, cost efficiency, and compliance with organisational policies. This article will guide you through the process of checking the size of your SharePoint storage, ensuring you stay within storage limits and maintain a well-organised environment.

Managing SharePoint storage is essential for several reasons. First, it helps in maintaining the overall health and performance of your SharePoint sites. Overloaded storage can lead to slow performance, making it difficult for users to access documents and collaborate efficiently. Second, effective storage management ensures compliance with organisational policies and industry regulations, which is crucial for data governance. Finally, keeping an eye on storage usage helps in cost management, as exceeding storage limits in SharePoint Online can result in additional charges.

By understanding how to check and manage SharePoint storage, you can avoid these pitfalls and ensure your SharePoint environment remains efficient and cost-effective. This guide will provide step-by-step instructions on various methods to check SharePoint storage size, including using the SharePoint Admin Center, PowerShell, and third-party tools like SmiKar’s SharePoint Storage Explorer.

Understanding SharePoint Storage

Before diving into the methods of checking SharePoint storage size, it’s important to understand the structure and components of SharePoint storage. This foundational knowledge will help you interpret storage metrics and make informed decisions about storage management.

SharePoint Storage Structure

SharePoint stores various types of data, each contributing to overall storage usage. Here are the main components:

• Documents: Files uploaded to document libraries are a major part of SharePoint storage. These can include Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, PDFs, images, videos, and other file types. Document libraries are commonly used for team collaboration and project management, making them a significant contributor to storage usage.
• List Items: SharePoint lists are used to manage data in a structured format, similar to tables in a database. Each item in a list occupies storage space. Lists can contain data such as tasks, contacts, calendars, issue tracking, and custom lists tailored to specific business needs.
• Site Content: This includes everything else within a SharePoint site, such as site pages, templates, workflows, site assets, and custom solutions. While these elements might not be as large as document libraries, they collectively contribute to the overall storage usage.
• Recycle Bin: Deleted items are temporarily retained in the recycle bin before permanent deletion. This feature allows users to recover accidentally deleted items, but it also consumes storage space until the items are permanently removed.

Storage Limits and Quotas

Understanding storage limits and quotas is crucial for effective SharePoint management.

• SharePoint Online: Storage limits in SharePoint Online are defined by the plan you choose. Each site collection has a storage limit, and the total storage available is pooled across all site collections within your tenant. For example:
  • Base Storage: Microsoft 365 plans typically include a base amount of storage per user. For example, each user might get 1 TB of OneDrive storage plus an additional pooled storage amount for SharePoint Online.
  • Additional Storage: If your organisation needs more storage, additional storage can be purchased on a per-gigabyte basis. This flexibility allows you to scale storage based on your needs.
• SharePoint Server: On-premises versions of SharePoint, such as SharePoint 2016 and SharePoint 2019, allow more granular management of storage with site quotas and database storage management. Administrators can set storage limits at the site collection level, helping to control storage allocation and usage. For instance, you can set a quota of 100 GB for a particular site collection, ensuring it doesn’t exceed the allocated space.

Understanding these components and limits helps in better managing and optimising storage. Regular monitoring and proactive management are key to preventing storage-related issues and ensuring a smooth SharePoint experience.

Methods to Check SharePoint Storage Size

There are several methods available to check the size of your SharePoint storage. Below are the most common and effective ways:

Using the SharePoint Admin Center

The SharePoint Admin Center provides a user-friendly interface for administrators to manage various aspects of SharePoint, including storage. It is an essential tool for monitoring and managing your SharePoint environment, especially for administrators who prefer a graphical user interface over command-line tools.

•  Accessing the SharePoint Admin Center:

  • Log in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center: To access the SharePoint Admin Center, you need to log in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center with your admin credentials. Navigate to https://admin.microsoft.com and sign in using your administrative account.
  • Navigate to SharePoint Admin Center: In the left-hand navigation pane, select “Admin centers” and then “SharePoint”. This will redirect you to the SharePoint Admin Center where you can manage your SharePoint environment.
• Navigating to the Storage Metrics Section:
  • Sites Tab: In the SharePoint Admin Center, click on the “Sites” tab. This tab provides an overview of all the site collections within your SharePoint environment.
  • Active Sites: Select “Active sites” to view a list of your SharePoint sites. This list displays all the active site collections along with their URLs and administrators.
  • Select a Site: Click on the specific site you want to check. This will open the site details page where you can view and manage various settings for the selected site.
  • Storage Metrics: In the site settings, select “Storage” under the “Site Usage” section. This section provides a detailed view of the storage metrics for the selected site.

• Interpreting Storage Usage Information:

  • Total Storage Used: The storage metrics section displays the total storage used by the selected site. This includes all documents, list items, site content, and items in the recycle bin.
  • Available Storage: This indicates the remaining storage available for the site. It helps you understand how much space is left before reaching the site’s storage limit.
  • Storage Breakdown: The section also provides a breakdown of storage usage by site components (e.g., documents, list items, etc.). This breakdown helps you identify which areas are consuming the most storage and where you might need to take action to free up space.
  • Insights and Trends: The storage metrics can provide insights into usage trends over time. For example, if you notice a sudden spike in storage usage, it could indicate the upload of large files or an increase in site activity.

By following these steps, you can easily monitor and manage the storage usage of your SharePoint sites through the SharePoint Admin Center. Regularly checking these metrics helps in maintaining optimal site performance and avoiding unexpected storage issues.

Using PowerShell

For more advanced users, PowerShell offers a powerful way to manage SharePoint storage through scripting. PowerShell provides more flexibility and automation capabilities compared to the SharePoint Admin Center, making it ideal for large-scale environments or complex administrative tasks.

1. Installing the SharePoint Online Management Shell:
   • Download and Install: Download and install the SharePoint Online Management Shell from the Microsoft website. This tool allows you to manage your SharePoint Online environment using PowerShell commands. You can find the download link on the Microsoft documentation page for SharePoint Online Management Shell.
   • System Requirements: Ensure your system meets the requirements for installing the management shell. Typically, it requires Windows operating system and PowerShell version 3.0 or later.
2. Connecting to SharePoint Online:
   • Open the Management Shell: Open the SharePoint Online Management Shell on your computer. You can find it in your Start menu or by searching for “SharePoint Online Management Shell”.
   • Connect to Your SharePoint Online Service: Use the following command to connect to your SharePoint Online service:

     powershell

     Connect-SPOService -Url https://your-domain-admin.sharepoint.com

     Replace https://your-domain-admin.sharepoint.com with the URL of your SharePoint Online admin center. You will be prompted to enter your admin credentials.

3. Example Script to Retrieve Storage Information:
   • Retrieve Storage Usage: Run the following script to retrieve storage information for all site collections:

     powershell

     Get-SPOSite -Limit All | Select-Object Title, Url, StorageUsageCurrent

     This script lists all site collections along with their respective storage usage in megabytes. The Get-SPOSite cmdlet retrieves all site collections, and the Select-Object cmdlet filters the output to show the title, URL, and current storage usage.

4. Interpreting the Results:
   • Storage Usage by Site Collection: After running the script, you will see a list of your SharePoint site collections along with their storage usage. This information helps you identify which sites are consuming the most storage.
   • Identifying Large Sites: Use this data to pinpoint large sites that may need attention. For example, if a site is approaching its storage limit, you might need to archive old data, increase storage quotas, or review the site’s content management practices.
   • Automating Reports: PowerShell scripts can be automated to run at regular intervals, providing you with up-to-date storage reports. You can schedule these scripts using Windows Task Scheduler or other automation tools, ensuring you always have the latest storage information.

Using PowerShell for managing SharePoint storage provides a high level of control and automation, making it a valuable tool for SharePoint administrators.

Using Third-Party Tools

In addition to the built-in tools and PowerShell, there are third-party solutions available to help you manage SharePoint storage more efficiently. These tools often provide enhanced features and a more user-friendly interface, making storage management easier and more effective.

• SmiKar SharePoint Storage Explorer:
  • Introduction: One such tool is SmiKar’s SharePoint Storage Explorer. This tool is designed to provide a comprehensive and easy-to-use interface for monitoring and managing SharePoint storage.
  • Features of SharePoint Storage Explorer:
    • Detailed Storage Reports: SharePoint Storage Explorer offers detailed storage reports that highlight large files and areas consuming the most storage. These reports help you understand where your storage is being used and identify opportunities for optimisation.
    • User-Friendly Interface: SharePoint Storage Explorer provides an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy for administrators to navigate and use the tool. Even if you are not a technical expert, you can still manage SharePoint storage efficiently with this tool.
    • Free to Use: One of the most appealing features of SharePoint Storage Explorer is that it is free for anyone to use. This makes it an excellent addition to your SharePoint management toolkit, offering valuable features without additional costs.
  • How to Use SharePoint Storage Explorer:
    • Download and Install: Visit the SharePoint Storage Explorer page and download SharePoint Storage Explorer. Follow the installation instructions provided on the website.
    • Connect to Your SharePoint Environment: Once installed, open the tool and connect it to your SharePoint environment by following the on-screen instructions. You will need to provide your SharePoint admin credentials to establish the connection.
    • View and Manage Storage: Use the intuitive interface to view and manage your SharePoint storage. Generate detailed reports, and optimise storage usage with ease. The tool provides real-time insights into your storage usage, helping you make informed decisions.
• Squirrel: Automated SharePoint Archiving
  While SharePoint Storage Explorer offers real-time insights, Squirrel complements it by automatically archiving SharePoint documents to Azure Blob Storage, reducing costs and ensuring compliance. Squirrel also allows you to set custom lifecycle policies, ensuring your SharePoint environment stays optimized without manual intervention.

By utilising SharePoint Storage Explorer, you can gain deeper insights into your SharePoint storage and manage it more efficiently. The tool’s comprehensive features and user-friendly interface make it an invaluable resource for SharePoint administrators.

Conclusion

Properly managing SharePoint storage is essential for maintaining optimal performance, ensuring cost efficiency, and staying compliant with organisational policies. By regularly monitoring storage usage, setting appropriate quotas, and leveraging tools like the SharePoint Admin Center, PowerShell, and SmiKar SharePoint Storage Explorer, you can keep your SharePoint environment running smoothly. Effective storage management not only helps in avoiding unexpected costs but also improves the overall user experience by ensuring that the system remains responsive and efficient.

SharePoint Online Archiving FAQs

How do I access the SharePoint Admin Center?

You can access the SharePoint Admin Center by logging into the Microsoft 365 Admin Center and selecting “SharePoint” under “Admin centers”.

What is the SharePoint Online storage limit?

The storage limit depends on your Microsoft 365 plan. Each user typically gets 1 TB of OneDrive storage, plus pooled storage for SharePoint Online that can be expanded by purchasing additional storage.

How can I check storage usage using PowerShell?

Install the SharePoint Online Management Shell, connect to your SharePoint Online service, and use the Get-SPOSite cmdlet to retrieve storage usage information.

What types of data consume SharePoint storage?

SharePoint storage is consumed by documents, list items, site content, and items in the recycle bin.

How can I set storage quotas in SharePoint Online?

You can set storage quotas for site collections through the SharePoint Admin Center by navigating to the “Storage” section under site settings.

What happens when a site exceeds its storage quota?

When a site exceeds its storage quota, users may be unable to upload new files or create new items until storage is freed up or the quota is increased.

Can I automate storage reports in SharePoint?

Yes, you can automate storage reports using PowerShell scripts and scheduling them with tools like Windows Task Scheduler.

Is SharePoint Storage Explorer really free to use?

Yes, SmiKar’s SharePoint Storage Explorer is free for anyone to use.

What are the benefits of using third-party tools for storage management?

Third-party tools often provide enhanced features, detailed reports, and a more user-friendly interface, making storage management easier and more effective.

How can I reduce storage usage in SharePoint?

Implement retention policies, using Automated SharePoint Online archiving solutions like Squirrel to archive old data, regularly clean the recycle bin, and optimise document libraries by removing duplicate and outdated files.

What is Squirrel?

Squirrel is a cutting-edge document archiving solution tailored specifically for SharePoint Online environments. Developed by SmiKar, it leverages the flexibility of Azure Blob Storage to help organizations manage their document lifecycles more efficiently. By automatically moving older or less frequently accessed documents to cheaper storage solutions, Squirrel not only optimizes storage costs but also maintains easy accessibility and robust security.

Key Features of Squirrel

Automated Archiving

One of the core functionalities of Squirrel is its ability to automate the entire process of document archiving. This feature ensures that documents are moved to Azure Blob Storage based on predefined lifecycle policies, which can be customized to fit the unique needs of any organization. This automation not only helps in reducing the manual effort required in managing documents but also minimizes the risk of human error.

Encryption and Security

Security is paramount when dealing with document management, especially in cloud-based environments. Squirrel provides state-of-the-art encryption and authentication measures to safeguard sensitive information. Every document moved by Squirrel is encrypted, ensuring that data integrity and confidentiality are maintained at all times. This level of security is crucial for organizations looking to comply with industry regulations and protect their data from unauthorized access.

Seamless User Experience

Squirrel enhances the user experience by leaving a stub file in the original location in SharePoint. This stub file retains the same filename as the archived document, allowing users to rehydrate the data with just a click. This seamless interaction ensures that the transition between active and archived documents is transparent to the end-user, promoting a smoother workflow and reducing any potential disruptions to day-to-day operations.

Cost Efficiency

By archiving documents to Azure Blob Storage, Squirrel helps organizations significantly reduce their storage costs. Azure Blob Storage offers a more cost-effective solution for storing infrequently accessed data compared to regular SharePoint Online storage options. This strategic move can result in substantial savings, especially for organizations with large volumes of data.

Benefits of Using Squirrel

Squirrel not only optimizes how documents are stored and managed but also brings a host of benefits that can transform document lifecycle management.

Space Management

Effective space management is crucial for organizations that deal with a high volume of documents. Squirrel helps in efficiently managing the storage space in SharePoint by automatically archiving old documents to Azure Blob Storage. This process helps in freeing up valuable space in SharePoint, allowing for better management of new and frequently accessed documents.

Compliance and Governance

For many organizations, compliance with regulatory requirements is a significant concern. Squirrel supports compliance and governance by managing the document lifecycle according to organizational policies and regulatory standards. The automated archiving process ensures that documents are handled in a consistent, compliant manner, which is crucial for audits and regulatory reviews.

Enhanced Accessibility and Retrieval

One of the standout features of Squirrel is its ability to enhance document accessibility and retrieval. With the stub file system, users can access archived documents as if they were still residing in SharePoint. This functionality is crucial for maintaining continuity in document usage without disrupting user workflows. The rehydration process is simple and efficient, ensuring that documents can be brought back to active use with minimal effort. This feature is particularly beneficial for legal and financial sectors where document retrieval speeds are critical for operational success.

Reporting Features

Squirrel also offers comprehensive reporting capabilities that provide valuable insights into document usage and archiving activities. Organizations can monitor which documents are archived, when they were archived, and how often they are accessed post-archiving. This data is crucial for making informed decisions about document management policies and optimizing storage strategies. The reporting tools are designed to be user-friendly and provide actionable insights that can help in further reducing costs and improving efficiency.

How Squirrel Integrates with SharePoint

Integration with SharePoint Online is straightforward and non-disruptive. Squirrel operates seamlessly within the SharePoint ecosystem, enhancing its native capabilities without compromising performance or usability. The installation process is designed to be quick and does not require significant changes to existing SharePoint setups, making it an attractive option for organizations looking to enhance their document management systems without extensive modifications.

Customer Success Stories

Many organizations have already benefited from implementing Squirrel. For instance, a large legal firm managed to reduce its SharePoint storage costs by 40% within the first six months of using Squirrel. Another example is a government agency that was able to comply with stringent regulatory requirements regarding document retention and access by utilizing Squirrel’s automated archiving and robust security features.

Calculate Your Savings

Interested in seeing how much your organization can save by using Squirrel? Visit our Squirrel Benefits Calculator to get a personalized estimate of the potential savings. This interactive tool can help you understand the financial impact of integrating Squirrel into your SharePoint environment.

Free SharePoint Online Storage (TB):Set the amount of free SharePoint Online storage you get as part of your Microsoft O365 licensing.		0 TB
Current SharePoint Online Storage (TB):Adjust this slider to reflect your current total storage usage in SharePoint Online. If you are unsure, contact us and we can show you how.		0 TB
Monthly SharePoint Growth (TB):Estimate the monthly growth rate of your SharePoint Online storage.		0 TB
Percentage of Storage to Archive with Squirrel (%):Specify the percentage of your current storage that you would like to archive using Squirrel. Our insights show on average most companies at a minimum can archive around 47%		47%
Cost per TB ($):Enter the cost per terabyte of your SharePoint Online storage. This is how much you pay Microsoft per TB for SharePoint Online Storage.		$

Calculate Savings

Current Annual SharePoint Online Cost	Annual SharePoint Online with Squirrel	Estimated Annual Savings
$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

Do you want to see Squirrel in action?

Squirrel represents a significant advancement in document management technology. By automating the archiving process, ensuring high-level security, and facilitating easy document retrieval, Squirrel addresses the key challenges faced by organizations in managing large volumes of documents. Its integration with SharePoint Online is smooth and enhances existing functionalities without disrupting user experiences. Whether you are looking to reduce costs, improve compliance, or simply manage your documents more effectively, Squirrel provides a comprehensive solution that meets a wide range of needs.

Contact Information

For more information about Squirrel, or to schedule a demo and see how it can transform your document management strategy, please contact our sales team. We are here to help you streamline your document archiving process and ensure that your organization’s data management is as efficient and secure as possible.

Future Developments

As Squirrel continues to evolve, we are committed to incorporating advanced features that further enhance document management and archiving processes. We actively seek feedback from our user community to ensure that Squirrel not only meets but exceeds the evolving needs of modern organizations. Planned future developments include more granular lifecycle management controls, deeper integration capabilities with other enterprise tools, and enhanced artificial intelligence functionalities to automate categorization and retrieval processes further.

Our development team is also exploring ways to expand Squirrel’s capabilities to integrate with other content management systems beyond SharePoint, aiming to provide a versatile platform that can serve a broader range of organizational needs. These updates will ensure that Squirrel remains at the forefront of document management technology, providing our users with a competitive edge in their respective industries.

Customer Feedback and Community

At SmiKar, we believe that our users are our most valuable asset, and their insights play a crucial role in shaping the future of Squirrel. We encourage all Squirrel users to participate in our community forums and feedback sessions. These platforms offer an opportunity to share experiences, suggest improvements, and learn from each other’s best practices. Engaging with the community not only helps in enhancing individual user experiences but also contributes to the overall advancement of Squirrel as a premier document management solution.

Conclusion

Squirrel is more than just a document archiving tool; it is a comprehensive solution designed to streamline document management, enhance organizational efficiency, and reduce operational costs. With its robust features, ease of integration, and user-focused enhancements, Squirrel is ideally positioned to help organizations of all sizes manage their document lifecycles more effectively.

Whether you’re struggling with storage costs, compliance, or just looking for a more efficient way to handle corporate documents, Squirrel provides a reliable and innovative solution. We invite you to experience the benefits firsthand by contacting us for a demonstration or to discuss how Squirrel can fit into your document management strategy.

Contact Us

To learn more about Squirrel, request a demo, or discuss your specific needs with our expert team, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our dedicated customer support and sales teams are eager to assist you in exploring the full capabilities of Squirrel and how it can transform your document management processes.

FAQs about Squirrel

1. What is Squirrel?
   • Squirrel is an automated document archiving solution that integrates with SharePoint Online to move documents to Azure Blob Storage based on their lifecycle policies.
2. How does Squirrel ensure data security?
   • Squirrel uses state-of-the-art encryption and authentication mechanisms to protect data during and after the transfer to Azure Blob Storage.
3. Can Squirrel help reduce our SharePoint storage costs?
   • Yes, by archiving infrequently accessed documents to Azure Blob Storage, Squirrel significantly reduces the need for expensive SharePoint storage.
4. Is the integration of Squirrel with SharePoint disruptive?
   • No, Squirrel integrates seamlessly with SharePoint without disrupting existing workflows or system performance.
5. What are the system requirements for installing Squirrel?
   • Squirrel requires an active SharePoint Online environment and appropriate permissions to implement its archiving policies.
6. How does the stub file system work?
   • Squirrel creates a stub file in SharePoint that retains the original filename. This file serves as a link to the archived document, allowing users to access it with a single click.
7. What kind of reporting capabilities does Squirrel offer?
   • Squirrel provides detailed reports on document archiving activities, including access frequencies, storage savings, and compliance status.
8. Can Squirrel be customized to fit specific organizational needs?
   • Yes, Squirrel’s lifecycle policies and other features can be customized to align with specific organizational requirements and compliance standards.
9. How does Squirrel handle compliance with industry regulations?
   • By automating document archiving according to predefined policies, Squirrel ensures that documents are managed in a compliant manner, aiding in regulatory audits.
10. Who can I contact for a demo or more information about Squirrel?
    • You can visit this link to request a demo or get more information directly from the Squirrel team.

Are rising costs and complex document management challenges slowing your business down?

Navigating extensive document libraries in SharePoint Online can lead to escalated costs and complex management challenges. Traditional storage methods are often inefficient and expensive, creating a substantial burden for businesses aiming to manage their digital assets effectively. If you’re searching for a solution that offers cost-effective document storage and improves document lifecycle management, look no further than Squirrel.

Introducing Squirrel

Squirrel: Pioneering Automated Document Archiving

Elevate your document management strategy with Squirrel. Our platform seamlessly integrates with Azure Blob Storage to automate the archiving process, ensuring that your documents are not only accessible and secure but also managed in compliance with strict industry standards—all while drastically cutting storage costs.

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, the management of corporate data has become a paramount concern for businesses across various industries. As organizations increasingly migrate their operations to cloud-based platforms, the need for efficient data management strategies becomes more acute. SharePoint Online, a leading tool in collaboration and document management, is widely adopted for its robust capabilities. However, managing documents in SharePoint can pose significant challenges, particularly in terms of storage costs and data lifecycle management. This is where Squirrel, a specialized Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product, steps in to transform how businesses handle their SharePoint document archives.

Challenges in Managing SharePoint Online Documents

High Storage Costs

One of the primary challenges businesses face with SharePoint Online is the escalating cost of storage. As organizations grow, so does the volume of their data. Traditional storage solutions on SharePoint Online can quickly become expensive, especially for enterprises that handle large quantities of data. These costs are often exacerbated by the retention of seldom-accessed, yet important, historical documents that consume valuable and costly storage space.

Complex Document Lifecycle Management

Managing the lifecycle of documents in SharePoint Online is another critical challenge. Documents need to be retained for varying periods depending on business needs and regulatory requirements. However, without an automated system, managing these documents can be labor-intensive and prone to errors. Businesses require a method to ensure documents are archived, accessible, and purged systematically to meet compliance and operational standards without manual intervention.

Ensuring Data Security

Security is a top priority in any data management strategy. SharePoint Online hosts sensitive and critical business information that must be protected from unauthorized access and breaches. Ensuring the security of this information while it is stored, accessed, or archived involves complex permissions and security protocols. Companies must address these challenges without compromising the ease of access for authorized users, balancing security with functionality.

What is Squirrel?

Squirrel emerges as a cutting-edge solution designed to address these challenges head-on. It is an automated document archiving solution specifically for SharePoint Online that not only enhances efficiency but also reduces storage costs significantly. By seamlessly moving documents to cheaper Azure Blob Storage based on predefined lifecycle policies, Squirrel ensures that businesses can manage their data more effectively. The unique feature of Squirrel is its ability to maintain the accessibility of archived documents. It does this by leaving a ‘stub’ file in the original location in SharePoint. This stub file, which uses the same filename as the original document, allows users to rehydrate the archived data with a single click, ensuring that the process is transparent and seamless for the end-user.

Key Features and Benefits of Squirrel

Automation of Document Archiving

Squirrel automates the entire process of document archiving in SharePoint Online, which traditionally requires manual effort and constant oversight. By setting lifecycle policies, Squirrel automatically moves documents that meet certain criteria—such as age, last accessed date, or other metadata—from expensive SharePoint storage to more cost-effective Azure Blob Storage. This automation not only ensures compliance with internal and regulatory data retention policies but also reduces the likelihood of human error, enhancing the reliability of document management processes.

Cost Savings Through Efficient Storage Management

The transition of documents to Azure Blob Storage represents a significant cost reduction strategy. Azure Blob Storage offers a cheaper alternative to storing large volumes of data that are accessed infrequently. By archiving documents that are no longer active but still need to be retained for compliance or historical reasons, Squirrel helps organizations reduce their overall storage footprint and costs in SharePoint Online, thus optimizing their investment in cloud storage solutions.

Enhanced Security with Encryption and Authentication

With Squirrel, security is not an afterthought but a foundational feature. All data moved to Azure Blob Storage is encrypted both in transit and at rest, ensuring that sensitive information is protected against unauthorized access. Moreover, Squirrel integrates seamlessly with existing SharePoint Online authentication mechanisms. This means that the same security controls that apply to active documents also extend to archived documents, maintaining a consistent and secure environment across all stages of the document lifecycle.

Seamless User Experience with Stub Files

Perhaps one of the most innovative features of Squirrel is the use of stub files. These stubs act as placeholders in the original SharePoint location, ensuring that users can access archived documents without needing to navigate away from SharePoint Online. When a user clicks on a stub file, Squirrel automatically rehydrates the document from Azure Blob Storage, making the process transparent and efficient. This feature not only maintains the user experience but also supports seamless collaboration and compliance auditing by keeping the document’s metadata and audit trail intact.

How Squirrel Enhances SharePoint Online Usability

Squirrel not only solves the complex issues associated with document management in SharePoint Online but also enhances the platform’s usability. By integrating directly with SharePoint, Squirrel adds a layer of automation and efficiency that is crucial for large-scale document environments. It allows IT administrators and compliance officers to set policies that automatically manage the lifecycle of documents without manual intervention, thus freeing up valuable resources to focus on more strategic tasks.

Moreover, Squirrel’s architecture is designed to be as non-intrusive as possible. It does not require extensive modifications to existing SharePoint setups, making it an attractive option for organizations looking to improve their document management practices without significant upfront investment in time or modifications to their existing infrastructure.

Future Enhancements and Roadmap

Squirrel is committed to continuous improvement and innovation, responding dynamically to the evolving needs of SharePoint Online users. Looking ahead, the development team is focused on introducing even more robust features that cater to diverse business requirements. Planned enhancements include:

• Advanced Analytics and Reporting Tools: Future updates aim to equip Squirrel with sophisticated analytics capabilities that provide deeper insights into document usage patterns, archiving efficiency, and cost savings. These tools will help businesses make data-driven decisions regarding their document management strategies.
• Increased Integration Options: While Squirrel seamlessly integrates with SharePoint Online and Azure Blob Storage, plans are underway to expand compatibility with other platforms and services. This broader integration will facilitate a more unified data management approach, enabling businesses to leverage Squirrel across different environments.
• Enhanced Customization Features: Recognizing that each organization has unique needs, Squirrel plans to offer more customizable archiving rules and retention policies. This flexibility will allow users to tailor Squirrel’s functionalities to fit their specific operational requirements more closely.
• Improved User Interface for Easier Management: To further simplify the user experience, upcoming versions of Squirrel will feature an improved user interface. This redesign will make it easier for users to set up, monitor, and manage their archiving and rehydration tasks directly from SharePoint Online, enhancing usability and accessibility.

Request a DEMO of SQUIRREL NOW

For organizations grappling with the challenges of managing large volumes of documents in SharePoint Online, Squirrel offers a streamlined, secure, and cost-effective solution. We encourage you to visit our product page to learn more about how Squirrel can transform your document management strategy. Additionally, we are offering a free report on potential savings and efficiency gains that can be achieved by integrating Squirrel into your SharePoint Online environment. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your document management system—contact us today to get started!

Conclusion

Effective document management is crucial for any organization looking to leverage the full potential of SharePoint Online. With Squirrel, businesses can automate their document archiving processes, reduce storage costs, secure their data, and maintain a seamless user experience. As we continue to develop and enhance Squirrel, we remain committed to providing solutions that meet the complex needs of our users and help them achieve their document management goals. Embrace the future of document management with Squirrel, where efficiency, security, and cost-effectiveness are at your fingertips.

FAQs

What is Squirrel?

Squirrel is a SaaS product designed to automate the archiving of documents in SharePoint Online by moving them to Azure Blob Storage based on lifecycle policies.

How does Squirrel help in reducing storage costs?

By automating the transfer of older or less frequently accessed documents to Azure Blob Storage, which is more cost-effective than traditional SharePoint storage.

What security features does Squirrel offer?

Squirrel ensures data encryption in transit and at rest and leverages SharePoint Online’s existing authentication mechanisms to secure data.

Can Squirrel handle documents that need to be accessed frequently?

Yes, Squirrel uses stub files that allow users to access archived documents seamlessly from their original location in SharePoint, ensuring that frequent access is not disrupted.

What are the primary benefits of using stub files in Squirrel?

Stub files maintain the user experience by providing transparent access to archived documents and preserving the document’s metadata and audit trail.

How does Squirrel integrate with SharePoint Online?

Squirrel integrates directly without requiring significant changes to existing SharePoint setups, making it easy to implement.

Are there any plans to enhance Squirrel’s features in the near future?

Yes, future enhancements include advanced analytics, increased integration options, enhanced customization features, and an improved user interface.

Who should consider using Squirrel?

Any organization that uses SharePoint Online and faces challenges with high storage costs, complex document lifecycle management, or needs to enhance data security.

How can businesses get started with Squirrel?

Businesses can visit the Squirrel product page, learn more about its features, and contact the sales team for a demonstration or to obtain a free report on potential savings.

What makes Squirrel different from other document management solutions?

Squirrel is specifically designed for SharePoint Online, focusing on seamless integration, user experience, and cost efficiency, unlike broader document management systems that may not offer such targeted benefits.