Most small businesses assume that because their email and files live in Microsoft 365, Microsoft is backing them up. It is one of the most common and most expensive misunderstandings in small-business IT.
What Microsoft actually guarantees
Microsoft's job is to keep the service available. Under its shared responsibility model, Microsoft protects its data centers and keeps 365 running. Protecting your data from deletion, ransomware, and mistakes is your responsibility.
365 does have some safety nets: a recycle bin, version history, and retention policies. But they have time limits, they are easy to misconfigure, and they are not designed for full restores.
Where small businesses lose data
- Accidental deletion. A folder is deleted and nobody notices until it has aged out of the recycle bin.
- Departed employees. A user's license is removed and their mailbox and OneDrive are permanently deleted after the retention window.
- Ransomware. Encrypted files sync to OneDrive and SharePoint, overwriting the good copies.
- Compromised accounts. An attacker with a stolen password deletes mail to cover their tracks.
How to close the gap
A third-party 365 backup copies email, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams to a separate cloud several times a day and keeps it for as long as you need. When something goes wrong, a single email, a folder, or an entire mailbox can be restored to any point in time.
It costs a few dollars per user per month, and it is included in our Secure and Complete plans.
Want a second opinion on your setup?
Book a free 30-minute IT and security assessment. You'll get a written report with your top risks, whether or not you hire us.