Having data in a cloud-based SaaS solution like Microsoft 365 doesn’t necessarily protect you from threats. In order to truly protect your data in the cloud – especially in an era of increased remote work scenarios - you need a cloud backup solution. Data loss can occur from any number of causes – from accidental deletion to malicious attacks like viruses and ransomware. Furthermore, Microsoft’s own recommendation is for end users to leverage a 3rd party data protection solution like Cloud Backup to extend the native data retention policies of Microsoft 365. With a solution like Cloud Backup, small business customers can thus quickly and accurately recover from unfortunate data loss incidents involving this productivity data with minimal disruption, mitigating possible data loss costs.

Using cloud-based services can offer customers significant advantages with regards to scalability, cost, productivity, and efficiency, among others. However, the cloud still poses security risks for users, as viruses, ransomware, and other data breach risks can still impact user data in the cloud. In fact, analysts point to the fact that 32% of businesses are impacted by data loss in the cloud at some point, with the most common causes being user error (64% of cases) and malicious attacks (20%). With the increase in remote working environments, because of the COVID-19 outbreak, phishing scams have increased significantly. In a single week, Google reported an average of 18 million COVID-19 phishing emails sent per day.ⁱⁱ

Cloud Backup storage is in Microsoft Azure, and you can determine the storage location, based on two options available for each subscription:

• Use Microsoft 365 Cloud Backup Azure Server: If you decide to use Finc IT’s default Azure server, you can select the location of the data center where the backup will be housed, including US, Australia, Canada, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, North Europe, Singapore, UK West, UK South, West Europe, France, Germany, Norway, South Africa, and Switzerland.
• Bring your own Azure storage:  You can also select your own Azure tenant or a customer’s Azure tenant for the data storage.

Yes, Microsoft 365 Cloud Backup conforms to all GDPR requirements of a Business Associate. Once a covered entity completes and signs our Business Associate Agreement (BAA), we can create a GDPR-compliant Cloud Backup subscription. The BAA contains the elements specified at GDPR regulation, including:

• A description of the permitted and required uses of protected health information by Finc IT Services Limited.
• The provision that Finc IT Services Limited will not use or further disclose the protected health information other than as permitted or required by the contract or as required by law.
• Requirements to use appropriate safeguards to prevent a use or disclosure of the protected information other than as provided for by the contract.

It is a premium data protection service for Microsoft 365, giving solution providers a powerful tool to help small businesses quickly and accurately recover from productivity data loss. Its differentiating features as an Microsoft 365 backup solution are:

• Comprehensive backup coverage across the Microsoft 365 portfolio – including the latest collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams and Groups
• Ability to offer unlimited backup storage and retention – including deleted users
• Powerful search and restore capabilities to quickly recover from data loss
• Industry-leading security and privacy policy support – GDPR compliance at no extra charge
• Full cloud-to-cloud solution built exclusively on industry-leading public cloud provider Microsoft

Microsoft 365 Cloud Backup operates adjacently, but distinctly from an Microsoft 365 subscription. We leverage the latest industry and Microsoft security protocols – such as MFA – to securely connect customer Microsoft 365 subscriptions with the Finc IT Service Limited backup functionality.

Microsoft 365 Cloud Backup is a market-leading Microsoft 365 backup solution for small businesses. Its backup scope includes the complete set of Microsoft 365 productivity data that small businesses rely on to collaborate, communicate and operate efficiently, from Exchange Online information (mail, calendars, contacts, notes, etc.) to SharePoint libraries and data, OneDrive files and folders, and data stored and used by Microsoft 365 Groups and Microsoft Teams.

There is no limit to how much user mailbox data is backed up in Microsoft 365 Cloud Backup, nor is there a time limit to how long it is retained, provided your customers maintain an active subscription.

The time it takes to restore varies on the amount of data restored. Individual items can take as little as a couple of minutes while full mailboxes can take multiple hours depending on how much data is being restored.