Reasons to Back up Microsoft Office 365 (What Is Microsoft’s Stance on This?)

When planning a backup and recovery strategy, one area that many companies neglect is their cloud data. They think that since the cloud can sync and store data files online, this is a form of protection.

But having files in a cloud storage app like OneDrive or SharePoint is not the same as having a full backup of your data. Cloud storage is designed for sharing and it contains “live” files that can be edited and deleted. 

Where a data backup is a full copy of all your files captured and saved separately should they be needed later due to a data loss incident.

Microsoft 365 (formerly called Office 365) has a lot of areas where data can be stored. Users all get 1TB of storage space in OneDrive, SharePoint can be used for dynamic file storage that includes process flow capabilities, and some programs, like MS Teams, will utilize one or both of those resources for storing files shared in the app.

Should a problem arise resulting in data loss, you could lose all your data and important files if they haven’t been backed up separately. This is why cloud platforms like Microsoft 365 need to be included in a backup strategy and that data backed up securely.

Microsoft’s Warning About Backing Up Your Cloud Files

Microsoft agrees that users should be backing up their files in its services and has a warning about this on its Services Agreement.

It states, “In the event of an outage, you may not be able to retrieve Your Content or Data that you’ve stored. We recommend that you regularly backup Your Content and Data that you store on the Services or store using Third-Party Apps and Services.”

Cloud Data Loss Happens All Too Often

Data loss from cloud applications happens all too often for a number of reasons. This, coupled with the fact that many companies now have most of their data stored in cloud tools like M365, puts operations at risk in the event of a problem.

92% of organizations are hosting at least some of their data and IT environment in the cloud.

Here are some of the reasons to back up your Microsoft Office 365 data.

Accidental Deletion

One of the benefits of working in the cloud is that files can be easily accessed by everyone. You also reduce the problem with having multiple versions of a file floating around on different hard drives, because there is one master file that is always kept updated.

But that access can also mean someone accidentally overwrites or deletes a file. If there is a 30-day retention period for deleted files, then that file could be lost if not discovered in time.

Account Takeover

Credential theft is at an all-time high and has become the number one cause of global data breaches.

With most company processes, email, and data now being done through cloud platforms, the easiest way for hackers to break in is through an employee login (privileged credentials are the most popular).

80% of data breaches now involve some form of privilege credential compromise. When a hacker takes over an account, they can plant ransomware, steal files, delete data, and cause other types of damage.

This could be difficult to bounce back from if you don’t have a backup of your cloud data.

Ransomware Attack

Ransomware encrypts files and makes them unreadable. The attacker then demands a ransom payment to return them to their unencrypted state.

Remediation for this type of attack is now almost $2 million, a cost that most small businesses could not easily handle. And with cyber insurance carriers beginning to drop coverage for ransomware payments, having the safety net of a backup is vital.

Confusion With Retention Policies

Data retention policies in cloud platforms can be confusing. There may be one data retention policy for deleted emails and a different one for deleted cloud storage files.

The retention policy is how long a cloud platform will retain data before it is purged. Once files are deleted, the cloud service provider doesn’t generally keep those indefinitely, due to space and resource consideration. So, they post retention policies to let users know just how long deleted data is still retrievable.

For example, if you remove a user’s account from your M365 subscription, you can make their OneDrive files available to another user to retrieve. But they are only available for 30 days.

Unexpected Cloud Outage

As Microsoft notes in its Services Agreement, it can have unexpected outages. This could make your data unavailable with you having no control over the length of time for that outage.

Having a backup copy of your Microsoft 365 files ensures that no matter what happens, you still have your data intact and accessible.

Work with C Solutions for Effective Cloud Backup Solutions

C Solutions can help your Orlando area business with an effective backup strategy for Microsoft 365 and other cloud platforms.

Schedule a free consultation today! Call 407-536-8381 or reach us online.