How to reconfigure obsolete server connections that use Basic Authentication in CodeTwo Backup

Problem:

After updating CodeTwo Backup to the new version, some connections are marked as [obsolete] and there is a permanent alert shown on the Bad news card that reads:

Server connection '{Connection displayname}' needs to be reconfigured to use Modern Authentication (OAuth 2.0) when connecting to Microsoft 365. Otherwise, jobs that use this connection will stop working when Basic Authentication is disabled for your tenant.

A similar message is displayed when you run a job that uses an obsolete connection. 

Solution:

Starting with version 2.3.x for Exchange Online and version 2.4.x for SharePoint Online, CodeTwo Backup has stopped using Basic Authentication. Now, it uses Modern Authentication (OAuth 2.0). This means you need to register the backup app in Microsoft Entra ID (Azure Active Directory) for the tenant you want to connect to.

There are a few reasons for this change. First, Modern Authentication is more secure in terms of user authentication and authorization. Second, Microsoft disabled Basic Authentication in Exchange Online in all Microsoft 365 tenants as of January 2023. Lastly, as of October 2024, Microsoft is planning to start enforcing Multi-Factor Authentication (that is supported by Modern Authentication only) for admin accounts across different Microsoft 365 services, which is likely to impact SharePoint Online as well. Learn more

Server connections marked as [obsolete], as shown in Fig. 1., are connections to Exchange Online and SharePoint Online created in the previous versions of CodeTwo Backup that use Basic Authentication. You can no longer create such connections and you can only reconfigure them to use Modern Authentication. 

CodeTwo Backup shows notifications regarding obsolete server connections in different places of the Administration Panel to remind you that you should reconfigure these connections as soon as possible. That way, you can make sure that the program will continue backing up your data even after Basic Authentication has been disabled.

To reconfigure an obsolete server connection, go to the Dashboard tab, click the Manage () button on the Defined server connections card, select a connection marked as [obsolete] and click Edit (Fig. 1.).

Fig. 1. Selecting an obsolete server connection for editing.

A new server connection wizard will open. Use the links below to open a step-by-step guide on how to reconfigure a connection to:

• Exchange Online
• SharePoint Online – if you want to be able to restore custom web part page layouts or surveys that don't allow for multiple responses, or create new team sites in CodeTwo Backup, make sure to provide your admin credentials in the Legacy authentication step of the wizard when reconfiguring a connection. Learn more