When it comes to data backup and recovery it’s important to understand where Microsoft’s coverage begins and end so you may begin to protect your data. Your business may be accountable for much more than you think, so let’s take look.

The question is, Does Microsoft provide Data Backup and Recovery within Microsoft 365?

The simple answer is no, however there is some level of recovery that Microsoft refers to as “availability”. The precautions that Microsoft puts into place is to ensure your data is not lost but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s recoverable. There is a fine line and at the end of the day, implementing your own Data Backup and Recovery Solution is highly encouraged. 

The goal is the ability to fully restore, protect and maintain any Microsoft 365 data while making the most of the Cloud. 

So, how does Microsoft help with Data Backup and Recovery?

Making use of apps like OneDrive and SharePoint that already make collaborating between users simple can also provide data retention, with features like OneDrive’s restore. An end user can retrieve any lost data from within the last 30 days. However, this feature will not work with any data that has been deleted. Retrieval may vary as well depending on the existing rules set in place by an Admin. 

It is important to be aware that although Microsoft offers good data retention policies, it is not a replacement for a complete recovery solution. Typically, through Microsoft 365, emails and files can often be recovered for a duration of up to 30 days unless a company or business is faced with legal or compliance issues. In these cases, a special “Litigation Hold” can be utilized to ensure not only the recovery of certain files or documents but also the continued retention of them. These holds come in three forms, Indefinite hold where the selected items are never deleted. Second, a query-based hold that uses specific keywords, terms or dates and lastly, a time-based hold in which the admin can select specific hold dates.

At PCI, we understand that your data is King. It’s crucial to provide insights as to how the business currently performs, where the business can improve or ultimately when to make certain changes. Reach out if you’d like to learn more about your data resiliency and your ability to recover critical business data.