The increasing dependence on cloud technology has led to a significant shift in how businesses store, manage, and access their data. However, a common misconception people have about using Microsoft 365 is that there is no need to back up Microsoft 365 data because Microsoft does all that automatically. Despite the common misconception that Microsoft 365 doesn’t require data backup, it’s crucial to acknowledge the importance of Microsoft 365 data recovery and Microsoft 365 data security.
Microsoft’s native data protection features include data replication, retention policies, and basic backup. Data replication ensures that your Microsoft 365 data is mirrored in at least two data centers within the same region, protecting against localised natural disasters or service disruptions. Microsoft 365 data retention policies enable users to retrieve deleted files within a reasonable period of time, and Microsoft provides basic backup services that back up your Microsoft 365 data every 12 hours and keeps it for 14 days.
However, these features are not a substitute for full backups, and if you have a large organization with mission-critical Microsoft 365 data, you may need additional protection. Human error is the number one cause of data loss, and Microsoft 365 data retention policies may not be sufficient for your needs.
This is where third-party backup solutions come in. With a third-party backup solution, you can enjoy much better control and independence over how you restore data and can offer better control and independence over data restoration, ensuring Microsoft 365 data recovery and data security. This is particularly important in scenarios where Microsoft 365 data loss is caused by user error or ransomware attacks, which are becoming increasingly common.
Reasons for data loss can be attributed to the following:
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4 Reasons to Backup Microsoft 365 Data
#1
Accidental Deletion
Recovering data after an accidental deletion is critical to maintaining data security and preventing data breaches. Although data is replicated – so are deletions – so Microsoft’s replication doesn’t help in this case. Soft deletions (such as deleting an email from your Inbox) can nearly always be recovered via Microsoft 365 but only for a limited period. Often it takes weeks or months before something missing is noticed. However, hard deletions are permanent and require third-party services for data recovery once they have been purged. You can’t do much about the tendency of human beings to make mistakes, but by implementing data recovery solutions and taking preventive measures, you can reduce the risk of data breaches and maintain data security in your business.
#2
Internal security threats
It’s important to recognise that your organisation is also at risk from internal threats. This refers to the steps that a business takes to safeguard its sensitive information and assets from unauthorised access, theft, or deletion from within the business. Implementing access controls through Microsoft 365 Data Backup can help you prevent unauthorised access to your data and improve your overall data security.
#3
External security threats
External security threats can be devastating to companies, especially when it comes to protecting sensitive and personal data. These threats can come in so many forms – hackers, cybercriminals, and malicious software to name but a few. These threats can result in data loss, encryption (i.e. ransomware) and leave a business reeling in minutes. To safeguard against these threats, it is crucial to have strong access controls and implement robust information security measures. Data encryption is also essential to ensure the safety of sensitive data. Companies must be proactive in their approach to protect their data assets from external security threats, taking the necessary steps to prevent unauthorised access and maintain data security.
#4
Shared responsibility
Microsoft provides SaaS under a “Shared Responsibility Model” and whilst it natively ensures that your data is kept secure in the cloud and physically protects its servers from natural hazards, power outages, hardware and software failure Microsoft is not responsible for the data you have created within their applications.
Moreover despite Microsoft 365 reliability and security features, the service is not immune to service outages and other disruptions that can lead to data loss or your ability to access it – take the recent Rackspace incident for example.
In conclusion, backing up your Micorosft 365 data is an essential step to ensure business continuity and mitigate risk. By implementing Microsoft 365 data backup solution, you can protect your data from loss, comply with regulations, enhance security, quickly recover lost data, and save costs. According to FEMA, 40-60% of small businesses will never reopen after a data loss event. To put it bluntly, having a backup might give you a warm fuzzy feeling, but ultimately the only thing that really matters is whether you can restore that backup when the time comes and that it backed up everything you need in the first place!
If you’re not sure how protected you are, contact us today and we will provide you with a free review of your data recovery plan in West Sussex.
