CLOUD & BACKUP
Does Microsoft 365 need a separate backup?
Microsoft 365 includes native retention and recovery capabilities, but a business should assess whether those controls meet its own recovery, retention and risk requirements.
Start with the recovery requirement
The useful question is not simply whether Microsoft 365 has recovery features. The business should identify which information matters, how long it must be retained, how quickly it needs to be restored and which events the recovery plan must cover.
Retention and backup solve different problems
Retention can help preserve information according to configured policies. An independent backup can provide another recovery path. The appropriate combination depends on the organisation's users, information, legal responsibilities and tolerance for disruption.
What should be reviewed
- Exchange Online mail and shared mailboxes
- OneDrive business files
- SharePoint sites and document libraries
- Teams-connected files and collaboration data
- Retention periods and deletion scenarios
- Recovery ownership, testing and documentation
A practical next step
Document the information that would be difficult to recreate, compare existing recovery controls with the required outcome, then address any gap with configuration, process or an independent backup service.
RELATED QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions.
Is Microsoft 365 backup the same as retention?
No. Retention and backup can overlap in recovery scenarios, but they are different controls and should be assessed against the business requirement.
Should every organisation use the same backup policy?
No. Recovery and retention decisions should reflect the organisation's information, risk, responsibilities and continuity requirements.