Just because you use Microsoft 365 — a service that delivers the latest and most advanced innovations in security, management, collaboration, and business analytics — doesn’t necessarily mean your data is backed up the way your business needs it to be.
Given that Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based platform, many assume that its data is automatically backed up to a secure offsite location. While Microsoft 365 is hosted in the cloud, the fact is that your data is not backed up unless a third-party backup is in place.
Microsoft 365 does offer 1TB of storage for each user but that amount of space doesn’t cover a user’s email archiving or mailbox. Because of this, as well as factors such as security and compliance, it is important to have your IT department or IT provider set up a backup for Microsoft 365.
The following are three reasons why you need to implement a Microsoft 365 backup.
Microsoft 365 retention policies have many capabilities, but they don’t come without limitations. When a retention policy is enabled, existing artifacts and all new data will remain secure in Microsoft 365 for a defined period. However, if users or admins delete data, it will override the retention policy and will be removed from Microsoft 365 applications. For this reason, it is a best practice to have data copies on a separate third-party storage infrastructure.
Data loss is often the result of poor digital security. Without proper protection in place, cyber criminals can easily penetrate and infect an IT system with malware (i.e., ransomware) that can compromise business data. Malicious employees can also be a common cyber threat to a business. It should be a top priority to have the proper cybersecurity measures in place, but should a cyber attack be successful, it’s vital to have a backup of your Microsoft 365 data accessible.
Because compliance requirements are so stringent, redundant data backups are critical. Be sure to research the compliance requirements for your industry to make sure you have the proper backup methods in place to meet them. With a backup for Microsoft 365, you can be sure that your business is meeting data protection regulatory requirements with robust search and recovery.
Don’t leave your data at risk with default backup capabilities. Invest in a proper backup for Microsoft 365 to help keep your sensitive data safe from accidental deletions, malware attacks, and more.
If you are interested in hearing more about a robust Microsoft 365 backup solution, contact Mark Calzone, Senior Director of Network Operations at (877) 678-8080.