Your data is everything.
Your data is critical to everything you do. It’s your customer data, your employee data, and your plans for the year. It’s your financial statements, your historical records, your employee handbook, and your company policies. So, what would your business do if your data were accidentally, or intentionally, deleted by an employee, or held for Ransom by a hacker. If you’re like most businesses, the answer is PANIC. That’s why it is so important to have a backup solution – even for your cloud storage.
Now, if you’re like a lot of businesses, you use Office 365 programs. These programs are extremely robust and include tools that make file sharing, file storage, collaboration, and communication easier than ever! Unfortunately, many people think that cloud storage = cloud backup. Unfortunately, that’s far from the truth. While Office 365 does include cloud storage, you still need to back up your email, SharePoint and OneDrive. Without a backup solution for your cloud-based applications, your business could be in trouble.
Here are 3 reasons why your business needs an Office 365 backup strategy:
1. Infinite retention
Office 365 includes limited retention for your data. Without a backup solution, all deleted data is permanently gone after a certain number of days. For instance, if an employee accidentally, or intentionally, deletes a file from SharePoint, it is placed in the trash bin for 93 days. If the file is not recovered within the 93-day period, then *poof*, it disappears forever. Your file is automatically and permanently deleted. Even more concerning, while SharePoint does include a 93-day retention period, it doesn’t allow you to restore individual files – only the entire SharePoint database. So, if someone deletes a file and they don’t realize until a few hours later, you would be forced to restore from a backup that could be several hours old. Any changes made since then would need to be recreated. However, if you have a backup solution, you can easily recover individual files, regardless of how long ago it was deleted.
2. Save on costs
Whenever an employee leaves or is fired, you need to deactivate their Office 365 account to prevent them from accessing company data. Unfortunately, once you deactivate the account, you no longer have access to their files or their email communications. But with an effective cloud backup solution, that information is already captured. You can save on O365 licenses, while still being able to access your data.
3. Defeat hackers and viruses
Hackers are everywhere and they want your data. Ransomware has become extremely common. A hacker gains access to your data and encrypts it until you pay the ransom. If you don’t pay the ransom you might never see that information again, but even if you do, there’s a high chance that some of your data may be corrupt or erased. PLUS, the hacker community now knows that you will pay up. Having a backup solution in place can prevent this situation entirely. You can restore your files, emails, and historical data, and avoid paying the ransom.
As we’ve shown, a solid backup can save your business. Office 365 offers basic protection, but not nearly enough for most businesses. Having a backup solution in place can protect you from hackers and viruses, reduce licensing costs, minimize downtime, and protect your company data from loss, theft, or employee negligence.
If your concerned about how to protect your data in the cloud, then you’ll want to check out a Webinar we’re hosting on October 10th titled: “Is Your Cloud Data REALLY Backed Up? Find Out How You Can Protect and Secure Your Confidential Information”. You’ll learn how you can backup and secure your cloud-based data against theft, accidental deletion, intentional deletion and Ransomware. To register, go to: www.connectability.com/cloudbackup