Introduction
New: PST Export Capability
Cloudiway now offers comprehensive PST export functionality, enabling you to export Microsoft 365 mailboxes and archives to PST format for archiving, compliance, and backup.
We're excited to announce a powerful new feature in the Cloudiway platform: PST Export. This capability allows administrators to export Microsoft 365 mailboxes to PST format for archiving, compliance, backup, and migration purposes.
Whether you need to preserve mailbox data for legal requirements, archive departing employee emails, or create offline backups, Cloudiway's PST export feature provides a reliable, scalable solution for enterprise environments.
Why PST Export?
PST (Personal Storage Table) files remain a widely-used format for email archiving and portability. Despite the cloud-first approach of Microsoft 365, there are many scenarios where PST exports are essential:
Long-term Archiving
Store historical email data offline for extended retention periods beyond Microsoft 365 license lifecycle.
Legal & Compliance
Preserve mailbox data for litigation hold and eDiscovery requirements with complete chain of custody.
License Optimization
Archive mailboxes before removing licenses to reduce costs while maintaining email history.
Data Portability
Enable migration to other platforms or local storage systems with a universal file format.
Key Features
Cloudiway's PST export capability includes enterprise-grade features designed for large-scale operations:
Export Capabilities
- Bulk export multiple mailboxes simultaneously
- Selective export by folder or date range
- Auto-split large mailboxes (10GB chunks)
- Unicode PST format (up to 50GB)
Supported Sources
- User mailboxes (primary)
- Archive mailboxes (In-Place Archive)
- Shared mailboxes
- Public folders
Compliance & Security
- Complete audit logs
- Chain of custody documentation
- ISO 27001 certified platform
- GDPR compliant processing
No Desktop Software Required
The entire export process runs in the cloud. No Outlook client installation or desktop software is required, making it ideal for remote IT teams and large-scale operations.
Use Cases
PST export addresses a variety of business requirements across different industries and scenarios:
Legal Hold & eDiscovery
Export mailboxes for legal proceedings with complete audit trails and chain of custody documentation.
Employee Offboarding
Archive departing employee mailboxes before license reclamation while maintaining email history.
Backup & Disaster Recovery
Create offline backups of critical mailboxes as an additional layer of data protection.
Migration Preparation
Export mailboxes before tenant decommissioning or as part of migration rollback planning.
How It Works
Exporting mailboxes to PST with Cloudiway is straightforward and efficient:
Select Mailboxes
Choose the mailboxes you want to export from the Cloudiway dashboard. Filter by user, department, or custom criteria. Import user lists via CSV for bulk operations.
Configure Export Options
Set date ranges, folder filters, and PST split size preferences. Enable compliance features for legal hold scenarios. Choose between full export or incremental updates.
Start Export
Launch the export process. Cloudiway processes mailboxes in parallel for optimal speed. Monitor progress in real-time through the dashboard with detailed status updates.
Import to Microsoft 365
PST files are automatically injected into Microsoft's import service for seamless ingestion into target mailboxes. No manual file handling required.
Best Practices
Follow these recommendations for successful PST exports:
Plan Export Schedule
Schedule large exports during off-peak hours to minimize impact on Microsoft 365 resources and optimize throughput.
Use Date Filters Wisely
For compliance exports, define precise date ranges to reduce file sizes and focus on relevant time periods.
Verify PST Integrity
After export, test opening PST files in Outlook to verify data integrity before archiving long-term.
Document Chain of Custody
For legal holds, retain Cloudiway audit logs alongside PST files to maintain defensible chain of custody.
Secure Storage
Store exported PST files in encrypted storage and implement access controls for sensitive mailbox data.
Ready to Export Microsoft 365 Mailboxes to PST?
Contact our team to learn more about Cloudiway's PST export capability and how it can support your archiving and compliance requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What mailbox types can be exported to PST?
Cloudiway supports exporting user mailboxes, shared mailboxes, and archive mailboxes to PST format. You can export complete mailboxes or specific folders based on your requirements.
How large can exported PST files be?
PST files are automatically split into manageable chunks (typically 10GB) to ensure file integrity and easier handling. This prevents issues with large PST file corruption and improves download speeds.
Can I filter emails by date range for export?
Yes, Cloudiway allows you to specify date ranges for PST exports. This is useful for compliance scenarios where you only need emails from a specific period, or for creating smaller, more manageable archive files.
How are the PST files imported into Microsoft 365?
Cloudiway injects the PST files directly into Microsoft's import service. This leverages Microsoft's native import infrastructure for optimal performance and reliability, eliminating the need for intermediate storage or manual file handling.
Is the PST export process compliant with data protection regulations?
Yes, Cloudiway's PST export maintains chain of custody documentation and audit logs required for legal and compliance purposes. The platform is ISO 27001 certified and meets GDPR requirements for data handling.
