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Should I Backup My Microsoft 365 data?

Anonymous
2021-05-13T08:44:09+00:00

Backing up Microsoft 365 can be a fairly controversial question – with some people suggesting you definitely, absolutely need to backup – and others saying there is no need. Sure – there are some valid reasons to backup data in Office 365, but in general, most organizations don’t need to do this.
Most backup vendor’s marketing material aims to convince the reader in several ways:

  • Microsoft 365 default retention periods for storage of deleted data are not long enough.
  • A rogue administrator or hacker can delete data in Microsoft 365.
  • Your data could become encrypted by ransomware on your desktops.
  • Microsoft 365 doesn’t provide the ability to quickly (or at all) restore data. Should I backup Microsoft 365 data? What software do you use?
Microsoft 365 and Office | Subscription, account, billing | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2021-05-13T10:04:29+00:00

    Please confirm you if are asking about a 365 Business or 365 "Consumer" (Home/Personal). 

    What Office/Microsoft 365 "data" are you asking about?.

    .

    If you are asking about files saved in OneDrive / SharePoint, the answer is

    Absolutely YES!

    The basic "rule":

    If you have only 1 copy of a file (anywhere) it is not "backed up" (it is NOT safe!)

    applies. 

    .

    Yes, MS makes some backups. But they are mostly for use by MS. I don't have experience with "businesses" asking for help from MS restoring "backups" of files, but for consumers there definitely is NO HELP!

    .

    And, there is a simple reality that at any time MS automatic censors could lock your account if it sees anything it doesn't like. Trying to recover from that sort of lockdown is a nightmare. MS locks your account, then does nothing to help recover access.

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