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Jump to: The free scan · Archiving — what happens to files · Backup · Storage & residency · Security & access · Pricing & billing · For MSPs
The free scan
What does the free scan actually do?
It reads your SharePoint estate through Microsoft Graph and reports how much data sits in files nobody has touched — by age band — and what that's costing at Microsoft's storage rates. It reads; it cannot change, move, or delete anything.
What access does the scan need?
One read-only Entra application holding two read-only permissions — Sites.Read.All (to see what's reclaimable) and Organization.Read.All (which reads your licensed seat count to size your storage allowance; no files, no user data). Approved by your Global Administrator on Microsoft's own consent screen; no passwords are shared with us, the app is visible in your Entra admin centre, and consent can be revoked at any time — which instantly cuts off all access.
How long does it take?
Sign-up is three fields. The scan itself typically finishes in minutes; very large tenants can take longer, and you can close the browser — it runs on our servers and emails you when it's done.
What does “old” mean, and can I change it?
The default window is files untouched for six months. You can pick a different window before the scan, and afterwards you can click any age band on the results page to see that window's numbers instantly — no re-scan needed.
Will the scan slow my tenant down?
No. It's a metadata read through Microsoft's Graph API at Microsoft's own rate limits — the same class of traffic as a backup tool's catalogue pass. Your users won't notice it.
Can I share the results internally?
Yes — one click downloads a business-case PDF built from your tenant's own numbers, with every fee included and the assumptions stated, ready to hand to your CEO or finance team.
Is someone going to call me after I run it?
No. We only contact you about your scan unless you ask to speak with us.
Archiving — what happens to files
What exactly happens when a file is archived?
The file is copied to object storage, re-hashed there with SHA-256, and compared byte-for-byte with the original. Only on an exact match is the SharePoint original removed and replaced with a small link file. One mismatch halts the job with the original untouched.
What do my users see?
The same folders, in the same place. A backed-up file doesn't change at all. An archived file is replaced by a small link in its spot — the original name with .html added — that opens in the browser to say what the file was, when it was archived, and how to bring it back, with a one-click restore button. Nobody needs training or a new place to look.
How do users get an archived file back?
They click the restore button in the link file (or right-click it in SharePoint and open in a new tab). The file returns to its original location and the link file is cleaned up automatically. No IT ticket needed.
What does a restore cost?
Nothing, ever. No egress fees, no per-restore charges, no metering. That applies to single files, bulk restores, and leaving entirely.
What about files under legal hold or retention policies?
They're excluded automatically. Before any file is considered, ArchiveBridge reads its compliance state from Microsoft Purview — retention labels, litigation holds, and eDiscovery holds all keep a file exactly where it is, and every exclusion is logged with its reason.
Can I control which sites and file types are archived?
Yes. You choose the sites, set the age window and a minimum file size, and can include or exclude specific file types and paths. The policy can be changed at any time and applies to future runs.
What happens to version history?
Backups capture version history, and archived files' earlier versions are recoverable from the console. Restores can bring back any captured version, not just the latest.
Backup
What's the difference between backup and archive modes?
Backup protects a verified copy of everything and leaves SharePoint exactly as it is — data protection, not space reclaim. Archive moves old files out to reclaim your Microsoft storage. Most customers run both: back up everything, archive what's aged out.
Does it catch files users delete directly in SharePoint?
Yes — deleted-file detection records what disappeared from the source, and those files can be restored like any other protected file.
Can backups be made ransomware-proof?
Yes. Optional immutable backups use S3 Object Lock in compliance mode: for the retention window you choose, stored copies cannot be altered or deleted by anyone — not a ransomware operator, not a rogue admin, not even us. The lock is enforced by the storage layer itself.
How often does it run?
On the schedule you set — daily through monthly. You get an email if a run fails and a weekly digest of what's protected.
Storage & residency
Where is my data stored?
Your choice. Managed storage is a dedicated Wasabi account per customer with its own bucket — provisioned in the Sydney region by default, with any Wasabi region worldwide available if your data needs to live in the US, EU, or elsewhere in APAC. Or bring your own S3-compatible bucket, anywhere.
Can I bring my own storage?
Yes — any S3-compatible bucket works; Wasabi and Backblaze B2 are the ones we see most. You pay your provider directly at their rates, we never mark up your storage, and there's no storage minimum. Setup takes about ten minutes.
What format is the data stored in?
Standard S3 objects — not a proprietary vault. If ArchiveBridge weren't here tomorrow, you could read your files directly from the bucket with any S3 tool.
Is the data encrypted?
In transit, everything runs over TLS 1.2 or higher. At rest, data lands encrypted in object storage, and secrets are never written in the clear.
Is there a storage minimum?
Managed storage bills a 1 TB minimum while you're using it — that's how we buy the capacity. Bring your own bucket and no minimum applies, which suits clients with a few hundred gigabytes of cold data.
Are your datacentres certified?
The infrastructure underneath is: our hosting provider (RackCorp) and storage provider (Wasabi) both hold ISO 27001. ArchiveBridge's own SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certifications are on the roadmap as the customer base grows.
What happens to my data if I leave?
It stays yours — literally. Managed storage isn't a shared pool: we create a dedicated Wasabi account per customer with your bucket in it, and if you leave, that account is handed over to you. Keep it running (billed for the storage through Cloud Ready Solutions), copy the contents to any destination you like, or mass-restore everything back to SharePoint free of charge before you go. A bring-your-own bucket was yours all along. Leaving is a handover, not a negotiation.
Security & access
What can ArchiveBridge actually access in my tenant?
Whatever the consented app allows, and nothing more. The free scan's app is read-only. Archiving requires a second, separate app with write access, consented deliberately later. Both are visible in your Entra admin centre and revocable at any time.
Do you ever see our passwords?
No. Access is application-only through Microsoft Graph, granted by admin consent on Microsoft's screen. There is no stored user credential to leak.
Where does the ArchiveBridge service itself run?
On Australian infrastructure (RackCorp), with the service databases hosted in Australia.
Is there an audit trail?
Every action — scan, copy, verify, delete, stub, skip, restore — is written to an append-only log you can export in full. Skips carry their reason, such as reason=legal-hold.
How are customers isolated from each other?
Per-tenant isolation with role-based access, and a dedicated storage bucket per customer on managed storage. MSP partners see their clients; clients see only themselves.
Do you have a security document I can give procurement?
Yes — a fact sheet covering permissions, data flow, verification and residency is a direct download on the security page. Deeper questions go straight to an engineer, not a sales sequence.
Pricing & billing
How does billing work?
Usage is metered daily and charged automatically to a saved card as it accrues — the way advertising platforms bill — with a receipt emailed for every payment. You pay only for the days data is actually protected: start on the 20th, pay from the 20th.
What does it cost, all-in?
A$49 (US$34) per TB per month with our storage — A$29 (US$20) management + A$20 (US$14) storage — or A$29 if you bring your own bucket. AUD ex GST. Microsoft's SharePoint overage rate is roughly A$290 (US$200) per TB per month, for comparison.
Is there a trial?
14 days, no card. Usage is metered from day one so you can see exactly what your real bill would be, but nothing is charged during the trial.
Are there per-seat licences?
No. A 30-person firm and a 300-person firm with the same terabyte under management pay the same. Headcount never enters the bill.
Is there a contract or minimum term?
No lock-in and no minimum term — the meter simply stops when you leave. Annual committed-capacity plans exist for enterprise buyers who need a fixed number, and purchase-order invoicing is available for organisations that can't use a card.
Do you charge GST?
ArchiveBridge bills in AUD, ex GST; GST is added on Australian tax invoices. USD and GBP figures shown on the site are indicative conversions for international customers.
For MSPs
What do MSPs pay?
Indicative wholesale pricing is roughly 20% below list, confirmed for your volume on approval. You set your own client pricing on top — the margin is yours.
Can I manage all my clients in one place?
Yes — every client tenant in one console, each with its own Microsoft 365 connection, storage bucket, policy, and billing line. Billing is metered daily per client, so a client onboarded mid-month costs you nothing for the days before they connected.
Can I white-label it?
Yes — your brand name and colours on the console your clients see.
Will archived files create support tickets?
That's the part we built hardest against: clients' users restore their own files from the link left in SharePoint, one click, free. No call to your help desk.
How do clients connect their Microsoft 365?
You send a single-use consent link approved by the client's Global Administrator — or approve it yourself if you hold that role. Start with a free read-only scan per client to see their numbers before committing them.
Still weighing it up?
The scan answers the only question that really matters — what your number is.