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    <title>SmiKar Software blog</title>
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    <description>Purpose-built archiving for SharePoint Online and Microsoft 365. Reduce storage cost, stay compliant, keep data in your own Azure subscription.</description>
    <language>en</language>
    <lastBuildDate>Sun, 24 May 2026 08:56:24 GMT</lastBuildDate>
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      <title>Microsoft 365 Departed User Archiving: The Complete Guide for Enterprise IT</title>
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      <pubDate>Sun, 05 Apr 2026 22:07:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>verything enterprise IT teams need to know about Microsoft 365 departed user archiving — what data is at risk, how long you have before Microsoft deletes it, and how to automate the entire process.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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      <title>Looking for an AvePoint Alternative for SharePoint Archiving?</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/avepoint-alternative/</link>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 01:25:33 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Looking for an AvePoint alternative for SharePoint archiving? Squirrel archives SharePoint Online directly into your own Azure Blob Storage.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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      <title>SharePoint Online Archiving: The Complete Guide for Enterprise IT</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/sharepoint-archiving/</link>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 23:51:07 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Everything enterprises need to know about SharePoint Online archiving in 2026. How it works, what it costs, compliance requirements, and how to choose the right solution.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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      <title>How to Avoid the SharePoint Preservation Hold Library PHL Storage Trap</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/avoid-sharepoint-preservation-hold-library-storage-trap/</link>
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      <pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 03:36:04 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Learn why the SharePoint Preservation Hold Library silently inflates Microsoft 365 storage costs, how retention creates hidden growth, and how Squirrel Recycle Bin Capture preserves compliance while reducing expensive SharePoint storage.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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      <title>Preservation Hold Library</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/preservation-hold-library/</link>
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      <pubDate>Sat, 08 Nov 2025 21:00:57 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>SharePoint storage not decreasing after cleanup? The Preservation Hold Library is the cause. See how Squirrel prevents hidden storage growth.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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      <title>SharePoint Storage Limit Warning</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/sharepoint-storage-limit-warning/</link>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2025 23:41:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Learn what to do when your SharePoint storage is full. How to recover space, avoid Microsoft overage fees, and archive safely without deleting files.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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      <title>Mastering the User Off-Boarding Process</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/mastering-the-user-off-boarding-process/</link>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 16 Sep 2025 08:11:07 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Learn best practices for user off-boarding to protect data, revoke access, stay compliant, and reduce risks when employees leave your organisation</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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      <title>SharePoint Archiving Best Practices for Compliance</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/sharepoint-archiving-for-compliance/</link>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 27 Aug 2025 01:02:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Learn SharePoint archiving best practices to cut storage costs and stay compliant with GDPR, HIPAA, SOX, and Essential 8.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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      <title>Stop paying for Microsoft 365 licenses</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/stop-paying-for-microsoft-365-licenses/</link>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 02 Jul 2025 02:48:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Still paying for Microsoft 365 licenses after employees leave? Learn how to safely archive OneDrive, Email, and Teams data, delete the license, and stay compliant</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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      <title>Departed M365 Users</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/departed-m365-users/</link>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 01 Jul 2025 06:21:04 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Find out how Microsoft handles user data after offboarding — and how Chipmunk helps you retain OneDrive, Email, and Teams data automatically.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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    <item>
      <title>SharePoint Analytics</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/sharepoint-analytics/</link>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 03 Apr 2025 05:20:39 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Discover SharePoint Storage Explorer, a free tool to optimize storage, track usage trends, and efficiently manage your SharePoint environment.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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    <item>
      <title>Microsoft 365 Backup</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/microsoft-365-backup/</link>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 26 Mar 2025 23:42:20 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Think your Microsoft 365 data is safe? Discover why cloud doesn’t equal backup — and why a proper M365 backup strategy is critical for every business.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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    <item>
      <title>2025 OneDrive Licensing Changes</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/2025-onedrive-licensing-changes/</link>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 20 Mar 2025 02:24:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Navigate Microsoft&apos;s new OneDrive licensing changes, avoid fees, and protect your data proactively with our Chipmunk solution.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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    <item>
      <title>Squirrel vs. Microsoft 365 Archiving: Key Differences Explained</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/squirrel-vs-ms365-archiving/</link>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 11 Mar 2025 03:06:07 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Compare Squirrel Archiving vs. Microsoft 365 Archiving. Reduce SharePoint storage costs, automate archiving, and enable self-service restores with ease!</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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    <item>
      <title>How to Restore Archived SharePoint Site</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/restore-archived-sharepoint-site/</link>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 05 Mar 2025 08:58:36 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Easily restore all archived files in a SharePoint site with Squirrel. Follow this step-by-step guide to recover your data efficiently and seamlessly.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How to Archive a SharePoint Site</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/how-to-archive-a-complete-sharepoint-online-site/</link>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 05 Mar 2025 07:42:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Effortlessly archive entire SharePoint sites with Squirrel—reduce clutter, optimize storage, and keep your data accessible and compliant.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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    <item>
      <title>SharePoint vs. OneDrive vs. Teams</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/sharepoint-vs-onedrive-vs-teams/</link>
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      <pubDate>Mon, 03 Mar 2025 21:32:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Confused about where to store files in Microsoft 365? Learn the key differences between SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams to optimize storage and collaboration</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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    <item>
      <title>Mastering Private Teams Channels</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/mastering-private-teams-channels/</link>
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      <pubDate>Mon, 24 Feb 2025 02:17:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Learn how to effectively manage and utilize private Microsoft Teams channels for secure collaboration and data management</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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    <item>
      <title>File Archiving: Everything You Need to Know</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/file-archiving/</link>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 20 Feb 2025 23:58:49 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Explore the fundamentals of file archiving, its critical role in data management, and how archiving optimizes storage, enhances compliance, and secures data</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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    <item>
      <title>Microsoft Purview: A Complete Overview</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/microsoft-purview-explained/</link>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 19 Feb 2025 02:32:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Discover Microsoft Purview, a unified data governance &amp; compliance solution. Learn how it helps protect, classify &amp; manage data across cloud &amp; on-premises</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How to Set Up a Preservation Hold in SharePoint Online</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/create-preservation-hold-sharepoint-microsoft-purview/</link>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 11 Feb 2025 07:55:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Learn how to create a Preservation Hold in SharePoint Online using Microsoft Purview. Step-by-step guide for ensuring compliance and data retention.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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    <item>
      <title>SharePoint and Microsoft Information Protection</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/sharepoint-and-microsoft-information-protection/</link>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 06 Nov 2024 04:45:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Explore how to integrate Microsoft Information Protection with SharePoint for enhanced security and data governance.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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    <item>
      <title>Microsoft Teams vs. SharePoint. The Ultimate Guide</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/microsoft-teams-vs-sharepoint/</link>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 23 Oct 2024 07:31:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Discover the differences between SharePoint and Microsoft Teams with this comprehensive guide. Understand key features, use cases, and learn when to choose one over the other or use both for enhanced collaboration and document management.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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      <title>Moving SharePoint Online Documents to Azure Blob Storage</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/moving-sharepoint-online-documents-to-azure-blob-storage/</link>
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      <pubDate>Fri, 04 Oct 2024 00:54:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Learn how to move SharePoint Online documents to Azure Blob Storage for cost-effective, scalable, and secure data management. Explore automated solutions like Squirrel to reduce SharePoint storage costs and streamline archiving processes</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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      <title>How to Change SharePoint Document Versioning</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/change-sharepoint-versioning/</link>
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      <pubDate>Sun, 22 Sep 2024 23:23:57 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Learn how to change SharePoint document versioning to reduce storage costs and improve performance. Follow a step-by-step guide to set versioning limits across all document libraries using PowerShell or explore archiving with solutions like Squirrel to manage document versions efficiently.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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      <title>What Does Archiving Mean? A Plain-English Guide for Enterprise IT</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/what-does-archiving-mean/</link>
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      <pubDate>Fri, 20 Sep 2024 01:22:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Archiving means moving inactive data to lower-cost storage while keeping it accessible and compliant. Here is what it means in practice for SharePoint, Microsoft 365, and enterprise IT teams.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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      <title>SharePoint Microsoft Information Protection</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/sharepoint-microsoft-information-protection/</link>
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      <pubDate>Sun, 15 Sep 2024 22:57:54 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Explore how SharePoint integrates with Microsoft Information Protection (MIP) to secure sensitive data. Learn how archiving solutions like Squirrel handle MIP-labeled documents while ensuring compliance with security standards</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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    <item>
      <title>Securing External Sharing in SharePoint Online</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/sharepoint-external-sharing/</link>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 12 Sep 2024 08:29:49 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Learn best practices for securing external sharing in SharePoint Online. Understand how to protect sensitive data with policies, MFA, Conditional Access, and Azure AD B2B while enabling secure collaboration with external partners.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
    </item>
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      <title>Best Practices with Microsoft 365 Compliance Center</title>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 05 Sep 2024 01:56:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Discover best practices for using the Microsoft 365 Compliance Center to manage data retention, ensure compliance, and protect sensitive information. Learn how tools like Squirrel enhance archiving and storage cost optimisation.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>What is SharePoint REST API? Explained for Beginners</title>
      <link>https://www.smikar.com/what-is-sharepoint-rest-api/</link>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 14 Aug 2024 04:15:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>What is SharePoint REST API? Explained for Beginners — a detailed look into the tools, techniques, and solutions for better cloud management.</description>
      <author>noreply@smikar.com (Mark)</author>
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