Why Microsoft 365’s Built-in Backup Isn’t Enough

The importance of data backup cannot be overstated. Ask yourself what would become of your business if you were to lose critical information?

Not only do accidental deletions, hardware failures, or cyberattacks result in business disruption, but they can also damage your reputation, and lead to unexpected financial costs. In Australia alone, the average cost of a data breach has increased by 32% in the last five years.

If you’re enjoying the benefits of Microsoft 365, you might think your business is safe thanks to the built-in backup feature. Unfortunately, even the tech giant acknowledges that it cannot guarantee the security of data stored in its cloud services.

Moreover, there are known vulnerabilities and emerging threats specifically targeting Microsoft SharePoint, a widely used component of Microsoft 365. Recent reports have highlighted security flaws in SharePoint that are being actively exploited by malicious actors, posing significant risks to organisations relying on this platform.

These limitations underscore the need for robust, multi-layered backup solutions that go beyond the built-in options provided by Microsoft 365.

Microsoft 365’s Built-In Backup Features Work

Microsoft 365’s backup features can work with small, individual files. They’re better suited for short-term recovery needs, such as accidental deletions or edits of a project or document. This means that while Microsoft ensures that it won’t lose your data, it does not make any guarantees about restoring data if you do. Let’s dive into some of these backup features.

File History

This enables you to back up specific folders on your local device and allows you to restore previous versions of files in case of accidental deletion or modifications.

However, File History only protects what’s in designated folders on your local device. It doesn’t cover your entire Microsoft 365 environment, which might include emails, shared documents, or data from other applications.

It also has limited functionality. It does not create system image backups for a full system restore, which is crucial for recovering from major system crashes.

Moreover, backups are stored on your local device, which can fill up quickly and become vulnerable if your device suffers a hardware failure. If your local drive fails, you lose both your original data and the backup.

OneDrive Versioning

This feature keeps track of previous versions of files stored in your OneDrive account. It’s useful for reverting to an earlier document draft. However, version history only goes back a certain period, as defined by Microsoft. If you need to recover a file from months ago, this feature won’t be able to help.

There are also security concerns. Microsoft emphasises data protection within their cloud storage, but a successful breach or sophisticated ransomware attack could still compromise your OneDrive backups. Keep in mind that cloud security is a shared responsibility, according to Microsoft – you will always be responsible for your data, endpoints, account, and access management.

Retention Policies

Retention policies can automatically archive or delete older data based on set rules, but they are not true backup solutions. They don’t create a separate copy of your data, and deleted items might be permanently unrecoverable after a specific timeframe. Accidental deletions or data breaches could still result in permanent data loss.

Litigation Hold

This helps preserve emails, even deleted ones, for a set period. It temporarily safeguards specific user mailboxes or data sets during legal proceedings.

Recycle Bins

Recycle bins are not really meant for backups but can be a safety net for recently deleted emails, documents, and other files. You can recover items accidentally trashed, but only within a specific timeframe (typically 30 to 90 days).

Explore Beyond Microsoft 365 Backup Features

An independent, third-party, backup solution is the best way to protection organisations against the most common data loss pitfalls and Microsoft’s limited native recovery capabilities.

Here are our thoughts on why we think a combined effort is the way to go.

• Flexible retention: Third-party backup solutions often provide significantly longer retention periods compared to Microsoft 365’s built-in options. This means you can keep your data for years, ensuring that you have access to historical information whenever needed. This is particularly important for businesses that need to comply with long-term data retention policies.
• Granular recovery: One of the standout features of third-party backup solutions is the ability to perform granular recovery. This means you can restore specific items, such as individual emails, files, or even specific versions of documents, without having to recover entire mailboxes or sites. This level of precision can save time and reduce disruption during the recovery process.
• Automatic and Continuous: Backups run automatically and continuously. You don’t need to remember to manually back up your data because automatic backups are scheduled at regular intervals to ensure continuous protection. Some solutions can capture changes to your data as they happen, so you’re always covered, even for accidental deletions or edits made just moments before.
• Enhanced Security: Cloud backup providers offer advanced security features.
  • Encryption: Data is encrypted both in transit (between your devices and the cloud) and at rest (within the cloud) using industry-standard encryption protocols.
  • Access Controls: You can define who can access your backups and what level of access they have, ensuring only authorised users can view or restore data.
  • Additional Features: Cloud backup solutions may offer features like multi-factor authentication (MFA) and anomaly detection for further security enhancements.
• Attuned with 3-2-1: A cloud-based backup aligns with the 3-2-1 backup rule. This helps optimise data security, with 3 copies of your data on 2 different media types, with at least 1 offsite or cloud copy.

Embrace a Proactive Approach to Your Backup Strategy

Data security is a cornerstone of business resilience. It is important to understand the criticality of your data to find the backup solution adapted to your needs.

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