Since Microsoft Office 365 in 2020 has undergone specific updates and innovations, today, it is widely considered by some IT professionals as a highly secure software product that doesn’t require backups. However, a flood of ransomware and other harmful programs explicitly aimed at the users of Microsoft 365 (the new name for the rebranded Office 365) confirmed the presence of innate flaws in the corporate applications’ safety system. As a result, ordinary users and even whole enterprises permanently lost their crucial data.
Because many businesses use the newest Microsoft 365 platform daily, it is vital to guarantee the complete integrity and security of data stored on devices equipped with such software. And there is no other way to do so than resort to numerous backup solutions for Microsoft 365 available nowadays. Nevertheless, let’s first talk about the backup practices suggested directly by Microsoft experts.
MS 365 Backup Practices Suggested by Microsoft
In reality, there is no proprietary Microsoft backup utility. The leading specialists and developers of the corporation believe that such a product as MS 365 is created, so it doesn’t require reserve copying. They also admit that, in the immediate future, there won’t be any specified backup tool for creating full backup copies of the files, folders, and other data to be stored on physical media in other areas or data centers.
At this, Microsoft 365 includes a few services that ensure data integrity protection on their cloud from the following unwanted events:
- Different kinds of hackers’ attacks.
- Loss of important information because of the destruction of the servers.
Besides that, some particular built-in utilities and policies allow organizations:
- to keep for an extended period
- to recover erased files, folders, and other data
- to restore previous versions of damaged files
- to avoid irretrievable deletion of data
Microsoft duplicates all data of their users and keeps these copies on two physical sites in the same area to make it possible. According to the corporation’s retention policy, deleted files remain recoverable for 93 days, after which they are transferred to the second-level trash can and permanently deleted. Simultaneously, deleted e-mails and other items in such programs as OneDrive and SharePoint can be fully retrieved within a month.
No matter how convenient the abovementioned options are, they are not backup solutions in their essence. Hence, Microsoft cannot grant its users a solution to recover all the MS 365 program files. Furthermore, a recently discovered bug in Windows 10 update was proven responsible for users’ data deletion. Besides, the offered recovery options are limited in time, and it may take several weeks or even months to detect and neutralize data corruption or loss.
Microsoft 365 Backup Options to Take into Consideration
Data loss and data damaging are two acute issues that every company faces in the digital era. There is no need to emphasize the importance of keeping such documentation as transaction reports, product releases, client databases, commercial secrets, sales reports, and other vital files for an enterprise. Thanks to the appearance of cloud-based services, many businesses chose such platforms to keep their data, but it doesn’t mean that reserve copying is carried out automatically there. The consequences of opening mailings with malicious codes inside or accidental deletion of data are the sole responsibility of the one person who has done it. The destruction of cloud data because it cannot be restored might happen because of failure due to negligence, rather than a shortage of variants. Let’s take a closer look at MS 365 backup options accessible today.
SharePoint and OneDrive Reserve Copying
To use this option, be sure to activate and adjust version management of lists and libraries in SharePoint Online. After this, you will be able to retrieve backup copies within two weeks. Plus, files removed from the trash can be restored over 93 days.
Exchange Online Reserve Copying
This Microsoft 365 service includes the Exchange Online Archiving option to provide limitless electronic correspondence archiving space. Thus, the alternate mailbox automatically expands if the system discovers that there is no more available space. Importantly, this function is given only to those who select paid subscription plans.
Reserve Copying using External Utilities
One of the most interesting backup solutions for MS 365 is the NAKIVO Backup & Replication tool, which guarantees dependable and customizable data protection for Microsoft software product users. This utility ensures that all vital data for your business is always at hand and retrievable.
