Do you rely on Microsoft365 to run your business? Many businesses live in a daily Microsoft bubble using Exchange for emails, and OneDrive or SharePoint to store and share important files. But did you know that Microsoft has a basic data retention policy of 90 days? That means any files in the recycle bin after this time are erased completely, gone forever, and unrecoverable.

Microsoft clearly states in its terms of use that your data is your responsibility to back up and protect, but many business owners are unaware of this or believe 90 days is enough time to recover anything accidentally deleted. While it’s easy to restore a file you’ve recently deleted yourself, what happens if you didn’t know it had gone?

The cost of data loss

Data loss can be crippling for any organisation but especially for SMEs. Statistics show that almost 70% of small businesses close within a year of large data loss (Consoltech)

Unfortunately, it can happen easily especially in environments where multiple people have access to files and folders. Comparitech found that 33% of all folders in an average company are not protected at all which leaves them vulnerable to being accidentally deleted, modified, or sabotaged.

Uni Trends also reports that 96% of workstations are not backed up properly, so when you add the increasing risk of cyberattacks you have a perfect recipe for disaster.

Securely backing up your Microsoft365 data gives you security and peace of mind in knowing that you can recover your important data should you need to.

Data Backup Best Practices

Knowing what to back up depends on your business and the data you hold. Although we generally recommend backing up anything that cannot be easily replaced.

There are different ways to back up your Microsoft365 data and keep it secure including

• Using small portable devices such as USB flash drives. However, these devices can be easily lost, stolen, or corrupted making the data on them irretrievable.
• Using external hard drives which can store larger amounts of data (usually up to 10TB). Although, like USB flash drives, external hard drives can also be lost or damaged.
• Cloud backup services that allow you to store your data on hardware in a remote location where it can be accessed via the internet. Many cloud backup services also encrypt your data for an extra layer of security.

We recommend following industry best practices and using the 3-2-1 method of data backup. Hold 3 copies of your data in 2 separate locations, with at least one of them being off-site.

A study by Uni Trends found that 50% of all tape backups fail to restore with 77% of companies reporting failures when testing their backups.

Backing up Your Microsoft Data with Softext

The benefits of backing up your Microsoft data far outweigh the costs, especially if you ever need to restore your files. As Microsoft365 and Acronis partners , we can help you secure your important data with the right backup solutions.

Get in touch to secure your business against data loss and protect your Microsoft365 data.