Moving to Microsoft 365 is a smart move for organizations seeking to enhance collaboration and productivity. As the industry leader in cloud-based workspaces, Microsoft 365 provides a powerful foundation. But as more business-critical operations move into the cloud, an important consideration arises: how can you ensure your data is protected and recoverable across all scenarios?
At Bravo Consulting Group, a proud Microsoft Managed Partner, our role is to help clients make the most of their Microsoft investments, securely and strategically. One area where we often provide clarity is in understanding how data protection works in Microsoft 365 and why Microsoft itself encourages organizations to explore complementary solutions for more comprehensive resilience.
The Shared Responsibility Model: A Key Concept
Microsoft operates on a well-defined Shared Responsibility Model that helps establish the roles in securing cloud environments.
- Microsoft’s Role (Platform Provider): Microsoft is responsible for the global infrastructure, service uptime, and platform-level security of M365. Their built-in features, like geo-redundancy and data replication, form a strong backbone for business continuity.
- Your Role (Data Controller): As a customer, you’re responsible for the data stored within your environment. That includes protecting against accidental deletions, malicious activity, ransomware attacks, and ensuring long-term retention and compliance based on your industry’s needs.
Microsoft’s own documentation often notes the value of third-party backup solutions for scenarios that go beyond service availability, like granular, point-in-time recovery or isolated backups. Their native tools are designed primarily for platform stability and short-term data retention rather than full backup functionality.
What Native Tools Do Well, and Where Gaps Can Appear
Microsoft 365 includes valuable native features like retention policies, litigation holds, and versioning. These tools support compliance and basic recovery scenarios very effectively.
However, certain situations may require more robust capabilities:
- Disaster Recovery vs. Backup: Geo-redundancy in Microsoft 365 is excellent for ensuring service availability, but it isn’t designed for full backup and recovery of historical versions. In cases like ransomware or data corruption, organizations may benefit from additional point-in-time recovery options to restore content exactly as it was.
- Granular Recovery Needs: Microsoft’s native tools are powerful for many scenarios, but certain recovery situations, such as retrieving a single email, Teams chat, or document, may require more precision and speed than what’s available out of the box. A dedicated backup solution can help minimize downtime and streamline recovery processes.
- Advanced Threat Protection: Microsoft 365 includes strong security features, but highly sophisticated threats, like fast-acting ransomware, can sometimes outpace built-in retention settings. Incorporating immutable, isolated backups provides an additional safeguard and peace of mind when dealing with unexpected data threats.
- Long-Term & Off-Platform Retention: While Microsoft offers retention policies to support compliance, some industries require extended storage periods or off-platform copies for audit or regulatory purposes. A specialized backup solution can complement your environment by offering customizable retention and storage flexibility.
This isn’t about replacing Microsoft’s strengths, it’s about complementing them to build a fuller data protection strategy.
Bravo + AvePoint: Adding a Layer of Resilience
At Bravo, we partner with AvePoint, a Microsoft-recognized leader in M365 data protection, to offer a solution that extends your existing Microsoft investment and delivers more control and peace of mind.
With AvePoint Cloud Backup, our clients gain:
- Point-in-Time Recovery: With frequent backups (up to 4x daily), we help minimize data loss and improve your Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) in case of unexpected incidents.
- Comprehensive M365 Coverage: We provide backup solutions across Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive, Teams (chats, metadata), Groups, Planner, and Public Folders to ensure your critical data is always protected.
- Immutable, Isolated Protection: Our secure backups are designed to protect against ransomware and insider threats, offering an extra layer of security for your data.
- Granular, Fast Restoration: Whether you need to restore a single email or an entire site, our solution ensures fast recovery to minimize downtime and keep your operations running smoothly.
- Flexible Retention & Compliance: Easily configure long-term retention policies to meet your business or regulatory needs, ensuring secure data storage for years if necessary.
- Full Operational Control: You maintain complete control and seamless access to your backup data, independent of the native Microsoft environment, giving you added flexibility and security.
Real-World Success: Proven Impact Across Industries
AvePoint’s Cloud Backup solution is trusted by organizations worldwide to protect large-scale M365 environments:
- 49 TB Data Protected, Tickets Reduced: Esri UK streamlined operations and saved time by managing critical backups with AvePoint.
- 90% Less Time Spent Managing Backup: Walls Construction defended against a ransomware attack while cutting administrative time by 90%.
- 38 TB Successfully Backed Up: Dublin Airport Authority securely protects 38 TB of sensitive Microsoft 365 data with ease.
These success stories speak to the reliability and scalability of AvePoint Cloud Backup, technology that we bring directly to your organization through our partnership.
Partnering for Confidence and Continuity
At Bravo, we’re focused on creating a future where clients, communities, and industries can thrive with confidence and security. Implementing a dedicated M365 backup solution is an essential step in ensuring that your data is protected and your operations continue smoothly, no matter what.
By partnering with Bravo and AvePoint, you’re not just adopting best practices, you’re taking proactive steps to safeguard your mission, protect your teams, and accelerate your long-term success.
Ready to take your M365 backup strategy to the next level?
Book a free consultation today to learn how Bravo can help you simplify, strengthen, and secure your critical data. Or, feel free to reach out with any questions. We’re here to support your journey every step of the way.
