Terms of Delegated Administration
Last updated: October 2010
WARNING: If you choose to authorize a partner to be your delegated administrator, the partner will have full administrative access to all your services and subscriptions . This includes functions such as setting up mailboxes, adding or removing users and groups, or data migration.
Note of caution regarding authorizing a delegated administrator
If you (the "customer") opt to authorize a delegated administration partner, do so carefully. Microsoft provides customers who may not wish to perform certain administration functions on their Microsoft Online Services account(s) the ability to authorize a delegated administrator to perform these functions. Before doing so, you must read and agree to these terms.
What functions may a delegated administrator perform?
A person or entity authorized as a delegated administrator can perform all administrative operations related to a customer's Microsoft Online Services account(s), just as the customer would be permitted to do.
These administrative operations can include, but are not limited to, creation of user accounts, creation of e-mail boxes, or addition / deletion / editing / copying / archiving / transfer of data / transformation of data.
What are some benefits of selecting a delegated administrator?
Selecting a delegated administrator familiar with administering Microsoft Online Services accounts may free customer from having to learn to perform these functions itself and may enable customer to obtain support services from the delegated administrator.
What are some risks of selecting a delegated administrator?
Because a delegated administrator will have full administrative access to a customer's account, the delegated administrator will have access to all customer data.
Depending on the nature of the subscription or service, customer may suffer direct or indirect harm if the delegated administrator fails to provide certain functions for customer, e.g., if the delegated administrator does not perform timely backup of data or the delegated administrator does not timely provision new mailboxes for customer employees.
A delegated administrator could, because of its role, accidentally or intentionally harm customer through loss or misuse of customer's data. There is nothing in the system to prevent this.
Microsoft does not approve, monitor, or manage the delegated administrator.
If customer elects to de-authorize a previously authorized delegated administrator, Microsoft will make all reasonable attempts to do so promptly. However, this removal is not instantaneous and during this processing time the delegated administrator will continue to have full access to the customer's subscriptions.
How do I disable a delegated administrator?
You may disable a delegated administrator's access to your account at any time.
To disable a delegated administrator's access, see Remove a Delegated Administrator in the online Help.
Additional terms
The option to authorize a partner to perform delegated administration is for customer's convenience only. Customer is not obligated to select or authorize a delegated administrator and, if a delegated administrator is selected, customer may de-authorize the delegated administrator at any time. Selection of a delegated administrator will not affect or alter the relationship between customer and any other partners (except to the extent such delegated administrator selection is to replace an existing delegated administrator).
The relationship between customer and a delegated administrator is defined by the separate oral or written agreement(s) between them. Microsoft has no involvement in the customer/delegated administrator relationship. In the event of an issue arising from a delegated administrator's services or failure to provide services, customer's sole recourse is with the delegated administrator.
Microsoft bears no responsibility whatsoever for acts or omissions of a delegated administrator. Customer's selection or non-selection of a delegated administrator will not alter the relationship between Microsoft and Customer as spelled out in the applicable agreement for Microsoft Online Services, except as stated in these Terms.
DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES
MICROSOFT DOES NOT ENDORSE AND MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY A PARTNER (IF ANY). WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF CUSTOMER'S USE OF A PARTNER. ALL PARTNER SERVICES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, WHATEVER THE LEGAL BASIS FOR THE CLAIM, NEITHER MICROSOFT NOR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES OR SUPPLIERS WILL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, DAMAGES FOR LOST PROFITS OR REVENUES, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, OR LOSS OF BUSINESS INFORMATION) ARISING FROM OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY ACT OR OMISSION BY A PARTNTER PROVIDING SERVICES TO CUSTOMER.
Customer explicitly acknowledges that it:
- understands the Partner it authorizes will have full administration privileges for Customer's account, including the ability to access or migrate any or all of Customer's data;
- understands that Microsoft is not responsible for any acts or omissions of the Partner that the Customer has authorized; and
- has read and understands these terms.