There are many people under the false notion that just because your data is already in the cloud, protected by a software provider, you don’t need a backup solution. Unfortunately, there are several reasons that is not the case.
Backing up the data in online tools is not only best practice, but it can also help save you a lot of headaches in the future. As an IT services provider in Orange County, we see our fair share of cases where a backup of cloud services has saved the day. Here are some of the use cases we run into on a daily basis.
Accidental or Intentional Deletion
There is literally not a day that goes by that we don’t get at least one request in the help desk to restore a file or some data that was accidentally deleted. Perhaps it is our fault for making it so painless to recover deleted items, that our users just aren’t very careful with the delete button? In any case, accidentally deleting something is definitely a problem in today’s business world.
Often, cloud services will have you confirm any deletions like emails, but once they are deleted, they are difficult to recover through the platform itself. This is where backups come into play. As data gets copied to the backup, the retention of the items increases. When you delete something, and then remember you need it a week later, the cloud service data is likely long gone, but the backup of the data remains in tact.
On the other hand, some malicious employees could wreak havoc on your cloud applications by deleting content prior to leaving the company. There are very little fail-safes for this situation without a robust backup solution in place to restore your files and data quickly and easily.
Compliance
Another reason having your cloud services data backed up is the rules, laws, and regulations surrounding privacy and customer information. Laws are getting stricter every day regarding what data can and must be kept and preserved, and data that must be deleted completely when requested.
Communication archiving is particularly important in this situation, as it gives you backups and insight into all forms of communication, not just email discussions. Many compliance and privacy laws require some level of communication archiving that some cloud services are just not currently equipped to handle.
Peace of Mind
You’ve heard the phrase, don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. It is definitely true for cloud applications. Even large companies like Microsoft can have major outages or disasters. While it is unlikely that your data will disappear, and it won’t be able to be restored, there is definitely a chance that it could happen. Are you prepared to lose that kind of data? Another unlikely scenario for large corporations like Microsoft is the fact they could go out of business. If you are relying solely on their copy of your data and they close their doors, you are going to be the one left holding the empty bag.
The rule of backups is 3 copies of your data in 2 locations or forms of media. Sure you might assume that the company you are entrusting with your data is doing this best practice, but do you know for sure? It is best to have your own copy of the data to ensure you will never lose it.
While many might think it is overkill to backup your cloud applications, it’s clear that doing so will have far reaching effects. Your critical business data is one of the most important assets you have. Make sure it is well protected.