Create Entra Backup

Entra ID backup involves three main steps. The diagram below outlines the full process and locations for each step.

Add M365 tenant

Adding an M365 tenant is the first step before backing up Entra ID. Follow these steps for more details.

Entra Authorization

1. Login to the Entra Portal
2. On the Dashboard, you’ll see a list of M365 tenants you’ve added. Select the tenant you want to back up and click Activate Backup.
3. On the New Tenants page, click Sign in with Microsoft to authorize.
4. You’ll be redirected to the Microsoft login page. Use the admin email address to sign in.
5. Enable Immediate Backup if you want the system to start backup right after authorization.
6. Set the Backup Frequency (currently only available every 24 hours).
7. Click Continue to complete authorization.
8. Once complete, the system will display Backup Now, Download, and Show Detail options for that tenant.

Initiate Entra ID backup

1. Login to the Entra Portal
2. On the Dashboard page, hover over the tenant and click Backup Now.
3. Once initiated, a success banner will appear.
4. Visit the System Status page to monitor backup progress.

Download and Export Data

The Download button generates a download job containing a ZIP file with the selected data in JSON format. You can download specific objects, all objects of a certain type (e.g., User or Group), or all currently backed-up objects.

The JSON format allows you to review data in a text editor, JSON tool, or programmatically (e.g., via PowerShell or Graph API). In the event of a failed restore, JSON data can be used to perform a manual restore outside of Dropsuite Entra Backup.

Download Options:

• Tenant Level: On the Dashboard, click the Download button.
  
  
  
• Object Type Level: Click the tenant on the Dashboard, select the object type, and then click Download.
  
  
  
• Object Detail Level: Click the tenant, select the object type and specific object, and click Download in the sidebar.
  

After initiating a download, monitor progress on the System Status page. The download link expires in seven days.

Restore Data

Unlike downloads, restores are available only at the Object Detail Level.

FAQs

What Entra object types are currently supported?

• Users
• Groups
• Roles and Admins

How long does the initial Entra backup take?

The duration varies based on data volume and network speed.

How often does Entra Backup run?

Backups run based on the frequency set during authorization (currently every 24 hours).

Can I perform an immediate backup?

Yes, but only during the Entra authorization process. Immediate backups are not permitted afterward.

Why don’t the number of snapshots match the number of backups?

The Graph API only creates snapshots for objects that have changed since the last snapshot date. If no changes are reported, no new snapshot is created, even if a backup is completed successfully. As a result, successful backups may exceed the number of snapshots.

Does the restore always return success?

Sometimes, certain items may be skipped during restoration. The Download Skipped Items feature allows you to review skipped items. Go to the System Status page, select the Restore tab, and click the download option next to skipped items.