So you’ve migrated your business data to the Microsoft 365 cloud? The benefits are splendid, yes—increased productivity, convenient collaboration over brilliant programs such as PowerPoint and Excel, etc. However, there are several Microsoft 365 backup mistakes to avoid.
When it comes to sensitive information, don’t let yourself revel too much in false safety. This platform doesn’t rid you of human error or cyber-attacks. So, how can you protect critical data effectively?
Allow us to go over the relevant pitfalls often made and how you can steer clear of them.
1. Considering Backups Unnecessary in Microsoft 365
A common misconception is that data residing in the cloud is always backed up and cannot be lost. Those who fall victim to this myth mostly confuse public cloud vendors’ resilience with automatic protection. But what causes data loss in Microsoft 365?
For one, ransomware can infect the OneDrive storage through file synchronisation. Ransomware that encrypts files on local workstations on-premise typically includes folders synchronised to the cloud. Once these files are encrypted, it is synchronised to OneDrive, and any user with access will only see the file’s encrypted version. Although the cloud infrastructure appears pristine, it can still damage your data.
Moreover, let’s not forget about accidental deletions. Data loss can happen at the hand of end-users in the blink of an eye, which brings us to:
2. Trusting the Recycle Bin for Recovery
Uh-oh, you’ve accidentally deleted an important file, and it’s now in the Recycle Bin. Of course, you can still retrieve files, but this is no easy feat as Microsoft 365’s Recycle bin doesn’t offer search options. Users must manually search through every deleted file to recover a particular one, possibly taking up precious time and gratuitous effort.
When you fail to recover critical data within the retention period of the Recycle Bin, it will be lost forever.
3. Relying Solely on Microsoft 365’s Archiving Tools
The latest versions of Microsoft365 offer archiving tools like File Restores, In-Place Archiving and Litigation Hold. Unfortunately, we can only tout Files Restore as a data recovery mechanism. Retention policies and in-place holds are essentially not support enough as a backup tool, and activating them requires a thorough examination of Microsoft’s complex configurations.
Although Microsoft has added additional services to the Files Restore protection scope, you should beware of the glaring limitation of the 30-day window. You can only restore a file with versions within 30 days old, and once the clock has run out, they might as well have never existed.
4. Not Protecting All Microsoft365 Applications
Even IT operators are susceptible to these Microsoft 365 backup mistakes. From SharePoint Online, OneDrive, to Exchange email, more file-sharing applications have emerged to the fore. To save your enterprise from detriment, you must back up and protect any business-critical platform and data.
Even if you’ve chosen a cloud-to-cloud Microsoft 365 backup solution, ensure it can backup all the applications that your business uses.
5. Storing Backup Data with Production Data
A good practice is separating your backup data from production data. Why, you ask? Imagine that all your backups reside in the exact location as production data; if a disaster affects production, chances are it will affect your backups as well.
Now, let’s say you use a third-party backup solution for Microsoft 365. Do you have the option to backup data outside of Microsoft’s public cloud infrastructure? This is crucial because many cloud-to-cloud vendors backing up Microsoft 365 data to the cloud don’t provide opportunities to change this.
It’s a grave mistake not to seek a backup solution allowing additional storage options for storing critical data in a completely independent public cloud environment.
Luckily, Aegis COB is meant for backing up your Microsoft 365 data, including Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft OneDrive, directly from Microsoft 365 cloud to Aegis Cloud. Backing up data to Aegis COB’ cloud will no longer leave room for doubt.
Aegis COB has also developed its very first in Malaysia—the Self Service Portal for Microsoft 365 backup. The portal allows Microsoft 365 users to back up and restore their data anywhere, anytime. With only RM10 per month, Aegis COB provides unlimited Microsoft 365 cloud backup storage to protect your Microsoft 365 data.
Find out more about our comprehensive backup and disaster recovery services today.
