UAlbany Mail Departmental Resource Lifecycle

Departmental Mailboxes

Creation:

Departmental Mailboxes are initially created upon receipt of a UAlbany Mail Departmental Account Request. 

Newly-created accounts are typically given an expiration date of two years from the date of creation. 

Renewal:

The Identity and Access Management Group will notify the Displayed Owner of the account approximately one month prior to account expiration by email requesting confirmation that the account should be renewed. A copy of this message is sent to the affected mailbox. If the Displayed Owner indicates the account is to be renewed, it will be granted up to a maximum of two additional years before the Displayed Owner and the mailbox is notified again. 

If there is no response to the initial mailing, a second notice will be sent to the Displayed Owner and the affected mailbox. If there is no response to the second notice, the mailbox will be terminated.

Closure:

If the account is determined to no longer be needed, or no response to the renewal notices is received, the account will be terminated. Upon termination, the account will no longer be accessible or receive any new mail. The account will remain in this terminated state until it is permanently deleted approximately 6 months after termination. If the Identity and Access Management Group is notified that the account is still needed prior to the 60 day limit, the account will be reinstated. If they are notified after the account has been deleted, the account can be recreated, but any messages cannot be recovered. 

Room Calendars

Creation:

Room Calendars are initially created upon receipt of a Room Calendar Request.

Newly-created accounts are typically given an expiration date of two years from the date of creation. 

Renewal:

The Identity and Access Management Group will notify the Displayed Owner of the calendar approximately one month prior to account expiration by email requesting confirmation that the account should be renewed. If the Displayed Owner indicates the calendar is to be renewed, it will be granted up to a maximum of two additional years before the Displayed Owner is notified again. 

If there is no response to the initial mailing, a second notice will be sent to the Displayed Owner. If there is no response to the second notice, the mailbox will be terminated.

Closure:

If the calendar is determined to no longer be needed, or no response to the renewal notices is received, the calendar will be terminated. Upon termination, the calendar will no longer be accessible. The account will remain in this terminated state until it is permanently deleted approximately 6 months after termination. If the Identity and Access Management Group is notified that the calendar is still needed prior to the 60 day limit, the calendar will be reinstated. If the Identity and Access Management Group are notified after the calendar has been deleted, the calendar can be recreated, but any data formerly contained within it will be permanently gone.  

Distribution Groups

Creation:

Distribution Groups are initially created upon receipt of a Public Distribution Group Request Form.

Newly-created accounts are typically given an expiration date of two of years from the date of creation. 

Renewal:

The Identity and Access Management Group will notify the Displayed Owner of the Distribution Group approximately one month prior to account expiration by email requesting confirmation that the account should be renewed. If the Displayed Owner indicates the Distribution Group is to be renewed, it will be granted up to a maximum of two additional years before the Displayed Owner is notified again.

If there is no response to the initial mailing, a second notice will be sent to the Displayed Owner. If there is no response to the second notice, Distribution Group will be terminated.

Closure: 

If the Distribution Group is determined to no longer be needed, or no response to the renewal notices is received, the Distribution Group will be terminated. If the Identity and Access Management Group are notified after the Distribution Group has been deleted, the Distribution Group can be recreated.

Microsoft 365 Groups, Microsoft Teams, and SharePoint Team Sites

Creation:

Microsoft 365 Groups and Microsoft Teams can be created by any UAlbany faculty, staff, or student.  When you create a Team or a Microsoft 365 Group, a SharePoint Team site is automatically created and associated with the Team or Group. 

Newly-created accounts are given an expiration date of 1 (one) year from the date of creation. 

Renewal:

Microsoft will send an initial notification email to the owners of a Microsoft 365 Group or Microsoft Team 30 (thirty) days prior to its expiration asking whether or not to renew the Group/Team. If an owner indicates the Group/Team is to be renewed, it will be granted an additional year before the owners are notified again.

The email notifications will come from the email address msonlineservicesteam@microsoftonline.com and look like the image below (click image to view full size):

Microsoft 365 Groups or Microsoft Teams that are actively in use are renewed automatically. Any of the following actions will auto-renew a group:

  • SharePoint - view, edit, download, move, share, or upload files

  • Outlook - join group, read or write group message from the group, and like a message (Outlook on the web)

  • Teams - visiting a teams channel by any team member

Closure: 

If there is no response to the initial email, additional messages will be sent 15 (fifteen) days and 1 (one) day prior to expiration of the Group/Team. If there is no action taken to renew the Group/Team prior to the expiration date, the Microsoft 365 Group or Team will be terminated 1 day after the expiration date.  An email notification such as the image below is then sent all owners of the Microsoft 365 Group or Team, informing them about the expiration and subsequent deletion of their Group/Team (click image to view full size):

The Group/Team can be restored within 30 (thirty) days of its deletion by selecting Restore group. If the ITS Service Desk is notified beyond 30 (thirty) days after the item has been deleted, it can be recreated anew, however, none of its prior conversations, messages, files, or calendar items can be recovered.

Any Microsoft 365 Group or Microsoft Team can be deleted at any time by an owner:

Additionally, there is a link at the bottom of each Group/Team renewal message giving owners the option to delete it immediately as per the image below: