Whether it’s just email systems hosted by Microsoft on Exchange Online or companies who actively store and collaborate on company documents using OneDrive and Sharepoint - Increasingly, companies are storing critical business data in the cloud with Microsoft via their powerful Microsoft/Office 365 product offerings.
We find that many businesses assume that this means their data is now fully protected by Microsoft, often not considering the need to protect their data once it is in the cloud. While Microsoft is an excellent repository for company data, they are only responsible for their cloud remaining online and available. Businesses and their IT support providers are wholly responsible for what is stored within that cloud. The diagram below illustrates the division of responsibilities when using cloud services from Microsoft.
As evidenced above, Microsoft are only ensuring their cloud platform remains available and protected from failures and outages. They do not protect your data against the same risks which necessitated comprehensive data backups when data is stored in your office. Accidental deletions and viruses can still cause data loss in Microsoft’s cloud and will need your own set of backups to allow your business to recover any lost data.
Microsoft will also automatically delete your data as accounts and subscriptions are removed and they have no liability for the deletion of customer or personal data deleted in this way – which is explicitly stated in their Service Level Agreements. This presents challenges as the average time for companies to discover a data compromise is 140 days, by which time Microsoft may have deleted your data. The diagram below illustrates how your company could be exposed to permanently deleted data within this time frame.
While Microsoft provide an excellent cloud platform for businesses to store their data, companies must be aware of their own responsibilities to protect their data stored in the cloud. A good cloud backup solution can protect your business against permanent data loss and aid in recovery from Ransomware attacks. If you would like more information about protecting your business' cloud data, or would like to discuss implementing a Microsoft 365 Backup solution, please do not hesitate to contact us here at Firaya.
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