How to Ensure Data Security: Microsoft 365 & SharePoint Backup Best Practices
12th January 2024
In the era of digital transformation, businesses heavily rely on platforms like Microsoft 365 and SharePoint for seamless collaboration and digital management.
However, with great convenience comes the responsibility of safeguarding your valuable data. Ensuring data security is not just about preventing cyber threats but also about having a robust backup strategy in place.
Data shows that 32% of businesses and 24% of charities had a breach or cyber attack in the past year, so it is important to have robust measures to ensure digital safety AND measures to protect your data from being lost or corrupted.
In this blog post, we will delve into the best practices for Microsoft 365 and SharePoint backup to protect your data from unforeseen circumstances.
Choosing the right Backup Solution
Selecting an appropriate backup solution is the cornerstone of an effective data protection strategy. Look for solutions that provide comprehensive coverage for Microsoft/Windows 365 and SharePoint, ensuring all components such as emails, documents, and configurations, are included.
Setting up a regular backup schedule
Consistency is key when it comes to data backups, as it can be the difference between recovering a file and a missing file. Establish a regular backup schedule to ensure that your critical data is consistently and automatically backed up. This will not only protect against data loss but also facilitate a smooth recovery process in the event of a disaster.
We recommend backing your data up once every 24 hours or every week. The more frequently you back your files up, the more safe your data will be.
Granular backup for precision
Granular backup involves selectively backing up and restoring individual components of data, such as files or emails, rather than performing a complete backup or restore of an entire dataset. This method of backup enhances efficiency by allowing for targeted protection of specific elements within platforms like Microsoft 365 or SharePoint.
Granular backup allows you to recover individual items other than restoring an entire dataset. This precision is essential in reducing downtime and ensuring that only the necessary data is restored.
Testing backups for reliability
Regularly testing your backups is a crucial step in ensuring their reliability, so make sure to conduct routine recovery drills to simulate real-world scenarios and verify the integrity of your backups. This practice ensures that when the time comes to restore data, the process is seamless, and your business operations remain unaffected.
Implementing offsite backups
Diversify your backup locations by implementing offsite backups. Storing a copy of your data in a geographically separate location provides an added layer of protection against physical disasters or regional outages. Cloud-based solutions are excellent choices for offsite backups, offering both security and accessibility.
Auditing your backup system
Regular audits of your backup system are essential to identify potential vulnerabilities and address them proactively. Assess your backup logs, access controls, user permissions and any other aspects of your data storage to ensure that only authorised personnel have the ability to manage and access backup data.
Staff training for data security
Invest in staff training to raise awareness about the importance of data security and backup practices, so employees are educated on recognising hacking attempts and so they understand the role they play in maintaining a secure digital environment. An informed workforce is a critical line of defence against potential threats.
Contact us for IT services
For cutting-edge cloud backup solutions tailored to Microsoft 365 apps, rely on our expertise in data protection and disaster recovery planning. Safeguard your valuable data with our secure cloud storage, ensuring comprehensive coverage for both mobile devices and operating systems.
Contact us today for peace of mind in the face of potential data loss, with a focus on efficient, real-time cloud services.
