CloudCover 365

You will need to apply for access to protected APIs if you wish to continue to backup Teams chats with CloudCover 365

Microsoft brought a new set of Teams Export APIs in place which was designed to allow access to Team Chats directly. From 31st January 2023, Microsoft deprecated any access to the TeamsMessageData folder, this means Team Export APIs will be the only way to go for working with Teams message data in the future.

In order to enable and protect these APIs in your Microsoft 365 tenant, you will need to be provided with special access and permissions to do so, In addition to this Microsoft will be applying charges to their customers for using these APIs. Details of how to apply for access, and what to do to enable the Teams chat backup feature once access is granted, are shown below:

How to apply for access to the protected APIs

A form is provided by Microsoft that you will need to fill out to apply for access to the Teams Export APIs:

Access the form

The instructions below will help you fill out the form quickly:

• Publisher Name: CloudCover 365
• Application Name: Put the name of the app that you use to add your Microsoft 365 organisation to the CloudCover365 Backup portal. You can find it in the Azure Active Directory -> App registrations
• Application ID(s) to enable permissions for (GUID, semicolon separated): Put the application (client) ID of the app that you use to add your Microsoft 365 organisation to the CloudCover 365 Backup portal. You can find it in the Azure Active Directory -> App registrations -> Overview of your app:

• Azure billing subscription ID as GUID – This is not a mandatory field but if you have an Azure subscription or want to setup a new one, there are instructions on the form itself. Please note you will need to provide your Azure subscription ID in order to go beyond the evaluation mode limit (500 messages).
• Which category best describes your application (select one): Select “Backup/restore”
• Why does your application need read access to all messages in the tenant? (If you don’t, you don’t need access to protected APIs): To allow for backup/protection of Teams message data
• Data retention (select one): Select “It is obvious to any admin installing this app that it will make a copy of Microsoft Teams messages”
• What are the tenant ID’s that this application needs to run in? (GUID, semicolon-separated. If you’re writing software for other organisations to use, include “all”): Put the tenant ID of your Microsoft 365 organisation that you protect with CloudCover365. You can find it in the Azure Active Directory -> Overview of your tenant:

• Does your organisation own all those tenants? Yes. If you do not then you will be required to supply the Homepage, Terms of Service or Privacy Statement URL registered for the application ID.
• May we contact you about your app’s use of non-protected APIs? Select Yes or No

When the form has been submitted, an email confirmation will be sent to the requestor.

Check-list

To continue protecting your Teams channel chats, you need to

• Be prepared for extra costs
• Apply for access to APIs from Microsoft (follow the form completion instructions above) please note that application requests can take 5-7 business days.

Once the application to Microsoft for access to restricted APIs has been approved, you should receive an email confirming this, you will need to:

• Grant permission for the CloudCover 365 Backup application to the ‘ChannelMessage.Read.All’ API within Microsoft Azure Portal
• Reconfigure your organisation in CloudCover 365 for Microsoft (via the 'Enable Teams Chat Backup' button found in ‘Settings’.)
• Reconfigure your Teams backup jobs.