Why settle for slow, restrictive, and outdated email archiving?

The problem with assuming your archive is "good enough"

Email holds everything. Contracts, decisions, customer conversations, financial records and legal documentation all live in inboxes. Yet many businesses rely on basic, restrictive archiving solutions and assume they're doing enough.

The reality is different. Most built-in and legacy email archives weren't designed for how modern businesses work. They're slow to search, fail during outages, and leave you exposed when compliance or legal teams come calling.

If switching to a smarter archive sounds like hassle, the bigger risk is sticking with something that's already holding you back.

Exchange archiving isn't built for what happens next

Exchange Online Archiving might seem like a convenient option - it's built into Microsoft 365, it's already there, and it ticks a basic retention box. But that's about where the benefits stop.

Even Microsoft recommends third-party solutions for long-term retention and compliance. Here's why:

• Search is limited and slow

Only two eDiscovery searches can run at once. Large searches must be exported before results can be viewed - frustrating for compliance teams on a deadline.

• No access when Microsoft 365 goes down

Outage? So is your archive. There's no independent access to messages when your platform is offline.

• No audit trail without configuration

Unless Litigation Hold is enabled for every mailbox, there's no way to prove authenticity or track changes to email records.

• Leaver data disappears

When a user's licence is removed, so is their archive. Unless you pay for retention, that data is gone.

Third-party doesn't always mean better

Switching to a third-party archive is often the right call - but not all vendors are built for simplicity. Some bring new problems with them:

• Core features locked behind expensive licences

Search and audit tools sold separately or hidden in "enterprise-only" plans.

• Search takes too long

Multiple filters, multiple screens, multiple steps just to find a single email.

• High export and exit fees

Want to leave? Some vendors will charge thousands per terabyte just to get your own data back.

• Support that's hard to reach

Fragmented teams and long wait times turn minor questions into major delays.

TrustLayer is built for the real world

• Fast, intuitive search

Find what you need in seconds with real-time previews and zero friction.

• Access when others go offline

Your archive is available even during Microsoft 365 or Gmail outages.

• Tamper-proof records with full audit trails

Every email is securely stored and tracked - no need to configure it manually.

• No hidden charges

Your data is yours. No lock-in, no surprise export fees. We will even help you escape legacy vendor lock-in with a first-class migration service.

• Support that stays with you

UK-based, knowledgeable, and committed to resolving issues fast.

Making the switch doesn't need to be a saga

Yes, moving archives can sound like a headache. But living with a clunky, restrictive system is the bigger problem - especially when it costs time, compliance, and confidence.

We make migration easy. No drawn-out setup. No hidden costs. No disruption to your teams.

Smart archiving, without the legacy baggage. If you're ready, so are we.

Unlike other products I've used in the past, getting everything up and running with TrustLayer was effortless. Any subsequent issues and questions I had were quickly and efficiently handled by the support team.

Mayur Mistry Head of IT, Fever-Tree

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