Zac the IT Guy · Things Clients Ask Me
Cloud storage is not a backup
One of the most common things clients tell me is "we don't need backups, everything's in OneDrive". OneDrive, Dropbox and Google Drive are great, but they're sync tools, not backups. Here's the difference, and why it matters.
By Zac Tassone, Managing Director of Zectron Web & IT Services
The short version
- Sync tools copy your mistakes too: delete a file and it disappears everywhere.
- Ransomware can encrypt synced files just as easily as local ones.
- Recycle bins and version history only go back so far.
- A real backup is a separate copy, kept somewhere else, that you've tested restoring.
- For a business, Microsoft 365 needs its own backup.
Sync copies everything, including mistakes
Cloud storage keeps the same files on every device. That's the whole point, and it's very handy. But it means if a file is deleted, overwritten or corrupted on one device, that change syncs everywhere within seconds. Delete a folder by accident on your laptop and it's gone from your phone and the website too.
Ransomware loves synced folders
When ransomware encrypts the files on a computer, it encrypts the files in your synced OneDrive or Dropbox folder as well, because to the computer they're just more files. Those encrypted copies then sync to the cloud. Some services can roll a whole folder back, but only if the attack is noticed in time and the history goes back far enough.
The recycle bin isn't forever
Deleted files and old versions are kept for a limited time, usually somewhere between 30 and 93 days depending on the service and plan. If nobody notices a file is missing until the end-of-year audit, or a staff member deleted things before they left, it may already be too late.
What a real backup looks like
A proper backup is a separate copy of your data, kept in a different place, managed separately from the system it's protecting, and tested. The simple rule is three copies of your data, on two different types of storage, with one copy offsite. The part most people skip is testing. A backup you've never restored from is a hope, not a plan.
Microsoft 365 needs its own backup
Microsoft keeps its service running, but looking after your data is your job. Microsoft's own Services Agreement recommends that you regularly back up your content using third-party apps and services. For a business, that means a dedicated Microsoft 365 backup that covers email, OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams, kept outside your Microsoft tenancy.
When it's time to get help
If you're not sure whether your business has a real backup, ask your IT provider two questions: where is the copy kept, and when did you last test a restore? If neither answer is clear, it's worth sorting out before you need it.
More tips
Need a hand with this?
If you're a business and this sounds familiar, my team at Zectron Web & IT Services can sort it. Or book a coffee and we'll talk it through.