Mistakes happen. Hardware fails. Ransomware is still very much a thing. Backup and disaster recovery is the unglamorous part of IT that you hope never to need - which is exactly why it needs to be done properly.
Microsoft doesn't back up your data
This surprises a lot of business owners. Under the "shared responsibility model," Microsoft is responsible for keeping the Microsoft 365 platform running - not for restoring a file your team deleted six weeks ago, or recovering from a ransomware attack that encrypted your SharePoint. That part is down to you, which is why an independent backup matters even if you're "in the cloud."
The 3-2-1 rule, in plain English
A good backup strategy usually follows a simple rule: 3 copies of your data, on 2 different types of storage, with 1 copy kept somewhere else entirely. It sounds technical, but the logic is simple - don't let a single failure, fire, or attack take out every copy you have at once.
Backup and recovery are different things
Having a backup is only half the story. Recovery is about how quickly and reliably you can actually get that data back and working again. A backup nobody has ever tested to restore is a guess, not a plan.
Why testing matters
The worst time to discover a backup doesn't work is during an actual emergency. Regular recovery testing - actually restoring a file or system, not just checking a backup "completed successfully" - is what separates a real safety net from a false sense of security.
What good looks like
- Independent backup of your Microsoft 365 data (email, files, Teams, SharePoint)
- Backups running automatically, not relying on someone remembering
- Regular, genuine recovery testing
- A clear, written idea of how long recovery would actually take
It's the sort of thing that's easy to put off, because most days it makes no visible difference at all. Until the one day it does.
If you're not sure how well protected your business actually is, book a complimentary IT call and we'll talk you through it honestly.
