Secondary Backups: A Must for Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 has become the go-to productivity suite for businesses of all sizes, offering seamless collaboration, email, file storage, and communication tools. But many organizations assume that storing data in Microsoft’s cloud is the same as backing it up.

It’s not.

At PCG IT, we believe in taking a proactive approach to cybersecurity and business continuity—and that includes protecting your Microsoft 365 data with a secure, independent backup solution. Without it, your organization is exposed to unnecessary risks that can result in costly downtime, compliance issues, and even permanent data loss.

What Microsoft 365 Does (and Doesn’t) Protect

Microsoft 365 offers some built-in redundancy and short-term recovery options, such as:

• Recycle bin retention (limited time)
• Version history for certain files
• Short-term mailbox retention policies

However, these features are not designed for full data recovery or long-term retention. If a file is permanently deleted, overwritten, or encrypted by ransomware, you may not be able to recover it—especially after Microsoft’s retention window expires.

The Risks of Relying Solely on Microsoft

Here are just a few scenarios where a secondary backup can make the difference between a quick recovery and a business disaster:

Accidental Deletion

Files or emails are mistakenly deleted and go unnoticed until it’s too late to recover them natively.

Ransomware & Cyberattacks

Even cloud platforms are not immune to ransomware. Without an isolated backup, your cloud data can be encrypted just like local files.

Malicious Insiders

Disgruntled employees can intentionally delete important files or entire mailboxes—and once those are gone, Microsoft’s built-in tools may not help.

Compliance & Legal Requirements

Many industries require data retention far beyond what Microsoft provides. Without secondary backups, you may fall short of regulatory requirements.

What Secondary Backup Solutions Offer

A dedicated backup platform for Microsoft 365 delivers:

• Automated, daily backups of Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint & Teams
• Granular restore options (individual files, emails, mailboxes)
• Extended retention policies to meet industry compliance standards
• Secure storage in a separate, isolated environment
• Rapid recovery times to minimize downtime

At PCG IT, we implement enterprise-grade backup solutions tailored to your business needs—so you never have to worry about losing access to critical data.

Make Business Continuity a Priority

Your Microsoft 365 environment houses emails, contracts, client communications, financial records, intellectual property, and more. With so much at stake, depending solely on Microsoft’s limited recovery options is a risk no business should take.

PCG IT provides layered data protection and disaster recovery solutions to ensure your business stays resilient—even in the face of human error, cyber threats, or system failure.

Let’s Secure Your Microsoft 365 Data—Today

Don’t wait until after data is lost to take action. Let our team help you implement a secondary backup strategy that fits your environment and protects your peace of mind.

Contact PCG IT today to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward true cloud data protection.

PCG IT is a managed service provider who has been proudly serving New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts for decades. We provide complete technology solutions to local small and medium-sized businesses. It’s always been our goal to provide enterprise-level IT solutions to the small business sector at competitive prices. Schedule a complimentary technology assessment today!