Office 365 is a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes. It helps teams collaborate, store data, and access information from virtually anywhere in the world. However, it’s important to remember that Office 365 does not include any built-in backup capabilities. That means it’s up to organizations to protect their data against accidental deletion, malicious attacks, and natural disasters by backing up their Office 365 accounts with a third-party solution. Let’s look at how organizations can benefit from investing in an Office 365 backup solution.

Office 365 Retention Periods

To begin, it’s important to know that Office 365 retention periods vary by service.

• Email – The default retention period for deleted emails is only 14 days!
• SharePoint & OneDrive for Business – Default retention is 180 days.
• O365 Groups & Teams Messages – Default is 30 days.

The average time that elapses from data compromise to detection is about 140 days. Meaning you might not notice that something is missing until the retention period has already expired. Microsoft’s SLA recommends backing up your content regularly.

Responsibility

There needs to be some responsibility that is defined as Microsoft’s responsibility and your responsibility as a customer using their services. Microsoft goes into great detail within their explanations but here are some of the major points:

            Microsoft’s Responsibility

• Cloud Infrastructure – Microsoft is responsible for the uptime of O365 service and SLA’s for availability.
• Basic Data Replication – Microsoft has datacenter-to-datacenter geo-redundancy and offers a recycle bin feature for limited short-time data loss recovery. This is where the Office 365 default retention periods mentioned earlier come into play.
• Data Processor – Microsoft offers data privacy, regulatory controls, and industry certifications for compliance. The customer is still responsible for enabling these services and ensuring they are set up correctly in their own tenant.
• Security functions are limited to physical infrastructure security – Microsoft offers app-level security, logical security, and controls for users and administrators.

Your Responsibility

• Business Data – You are responsible for access controls of the data your company has residing in O365 Software as a Service (SaaS).
• Enterprise-grade Backup and Data Retention – You are responsible for making a copy of your data and storing it outside of the environment for granular and point-in-time recovery options.
• Data Owner – You accept ultimate responsibility for your data. You are responsible for internal legal and compliance teams as well as demands from corporate and/or industry regulations.
• Security Functions to Protect Data – You are responsible for protecting your data from internal threats like accidental deletion, insider threats, and disgruntled employees. You are also responsible for protecting your data from external threats such as malware, ransomware, and rogue applications.

Microsoft maintains its position as a service provider, while you the customer are locking away your data assets within their infrastructure. This highlights the need to ensure your data is backed up on a third-party service.

Data Recovery, Restoration, & Loss Prevention

Organizations should always have a plan in place for recovering lost data due to hardware failure or human error. By investing in an external Office 365 backup solution, organizations will be able to quickly recover their data in the event of any unexpected system outages or disruptions. The ability to recover data quickly is essential for any business as it helps minimize downtime and keep operations running smoothly.

Office 365 does have some built-in security measures to protect your data, but these are not foolproof and can be easily bypassed by malicious actors or honest mistakes. Backing up your data with an external backup service ensures that even if something goes wrong, you will always have a complete and secure copy of all your files. This way, you can quickly restore any lost or corrupted data without having to worry about starting from scratch.

Security & Compliance

Using an Office 365 backup solution also offers organizations peace of mind when it comes to security and compliance. Backing up your data ensures that you have multiple copies stored offsite, which will help protect the data from being lost or stolen due to malicious activities such as ransomware attacks or insider threats.

Additionally, having backups can also help ensure compliance with industry regulations such as HIPAA or GDPR that require organizations to keep certain types of sensitive customer information safe and secure. Depending on the type of business you run, you may need to comply with certain data storage and security regulations. Having a reliable backup system ensures that you are always compliant with applicable laws and regulations and keeps your business safe from potential legal issues. A good backup system will also help you keep track of any changes that have been made to your files over time so that you can easily prove compliance if necessary.

Cost Savings

Investing in an Office 365 backup solution can also help organizations save money over time by reducing costs associated with lost resources due to system outages or unexpected disasters. With an external backup solution in place, businesses can rest assured knowing they have access to their critical business data whenever they need it—without having to pay additional fees for restoring corrupted files or recovering deleted documents.

Investing in an Office 365 backup solution is essential for any organization that wants to remain competitive and successful in today’s digital landscape. An effective Office 365 backup will protect your important business information from unexpected disasters while remaining compliant with industry regulations and providing cost savings over time. Ultimately, this investment can make all the difference when it comes to ensuring your organization’s success. ERGOS Technology Partners is here to guide your business through the myriad of options available to you. Our goal is to match your business with what is right for you, not what is right for anyone else. Looking for a fresh approach to your technology needs?  Contact ERGOS today.