Cloud-based email services have revolutionised the way we communicate. Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365), with its suite of productivity tools and collaboration features, has become a popular choice for individuals and organisations alike. However, many users and businesses assume it is inherently secure, with a copy on their machine and a copy in the cloud – that’s what cloud is all about right?
Check the small print!
Providers such as Microsoft, clearly state that backing up your email data is your responsibility.
But isn’t the whole point of cloud services to offer a backup of my data?
Cloud email services like Microsoft 365 offer solid infrastructure and data redundancy measures, but they do not guarantee immunity against data loss.
If you accidentally delete a swath of emails that you were keeping safe without realising, this change is replicated in the cloud copy, meaning they are gone from your machine, and the “backup” in the cloud.
Why would anything happen to my emails, I’m very careful?
Accidental deletion happens, more often than not without anyone realising it has happened before it is too late, HR departments or Admin’s with access to user’s mailboxes can make mistakes, malicious 3rd parties can compromise your account and delete data unbeknown to you, or software glitches can lead to the permanent loss of critical emails and attachments in the background.
By regularly backing up your Microsoft 365 emails, you can restore your data to a previous, unaffected state, mitigating the impact of security breaches and human mistakes.
Are cloud services protected against disasters?
While these providers do have some protection for these scenarios, cloud-based services are not immune to disruptions caused by natural disasters, service outages, or infrastructure failures. Such incidents can result in prolonged downtime, preventing access to critical emails and disrupting business operations. With a backup solution for Microsoft 365, you can quickly recover your email services, ensuring business continuity and minimising productivity losses during times of crisis.
Are there any legal requirements for having email backed up?
Organisations within many industries, such as Law Firms, Healthcare, and financial bodies, are subject to strict regulatory requirements that often mandate data retention, including emails. Compliance standards and organisations such as GDPR, The Financial Conduct Authority, Solicitors Regulation Authority among others, necessitate the archiving and preservation of specific email records for a defined period. By implementing a comprehensive backup strategy for Microsoft 365, you ensure compliance with these regulations, avoid penalties, and maintain the integrity of your organisation’s legal and audit obligations.
So, this is something Q2Q really feel is important then?
Protecting your Microsoft 365 data through regular backups is essential as far as we are concerned. Safeguarding against data loss, mitigating the impact of cyber threats and human errors, maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements, simplifying data migrations, and ensuring business continuity are all key reasons to prioritise backing up your cloud hosted emails.
As always, Q2Q can guide you in the right direction and have industry standard products and solutions for achieving a fully managed cloud email backup for your systems.
Get in touch for a chat!
