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Six Benefits of M365 Cloud Backup

Published on September 8, 2022 by Travis Paullin

Categories: Enterprise IT

Are You Backing Up Microsoft 365? Here’s Why You Should Be

Many organizations assume that Microsoft 365 (M365) automatically protects their data. But Microsoft’s own user agreement makes it clear: your data is your responsibility. While M365 offers some built-in retention and recovery options, they are often limited by licensing, policy settings, or user error. Without a dedicated backup solution, businesses risk losing critical emails, documents, and collaboration data.

Challenges of Microsoft 365 (M365) Protection and Recovery

The ability for companies to recover M365 Cloud Services data, which includes email (Exchange Online), SharePoint Online, One Drive content, and Teams data, can be negatively impacted by Microsoft retention policies, user license levels, and the complexity of the recovery process.

While some protection controls are available, there are limitations and data can be at risk. Even if the data can be recovered within the applications, many organizations lack the knowledge and skills required to successfully complete the recovery. This knowledge gap can lead to delays and the additional cost of hiring a 3rd party partner to perform the data recovery.

The Solution: M365 Backup from an IT Provider

A third-party M365 backup solution ensures your data is always recoverable, even if Microsoft’s retention policies fall short. Here’s how it works:

  • Backups Stored Offsite — Protect Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams data with independent backups.
  • Granular Recovery Options — Restore individual files, conversations, mailboxes, or even entire sites.
  • Multiple Restore Points — Roll back to different points in time to recover from accidental deletions or cyber incidents.
  • Fast Search & Verification — Quickly locate and restore critical data.

6 Key Benefits of M365 Backup

  1. Ensures long-term data protection with restore points and retention policies beyond Microsoft’s default settings.
  2. Provides resilience beyond on-premises solutions by securing data offsite.
  3. Reduces IT burden by offloading monitoring and support to experts.
  4. Strengthens business continuity by closing gaps in disaster recovery plans.
  5. Improves recovery speed and efficiency, saving time and reducing operational risks.
  6. Simplifies data visibility and compliance, making it easier to meet legal and regulatory requirements.

Ready to Learn More? 

If you’re relying solely on Microsoft’s default recovery options, you may be leaving your data vulnerable. Let’s discuss how a dedicated M365 backup solution can fit into your IT strategy.