Microsoft 365’s flexible cloud-based subscription gives businesses and individuals access to an enviable suite of productivity tools. These include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive for secure file storage, and Teams for virtual collaboration.
With over 145,844 US customers and more than a million companies across the globe, Microsoft Office 365 tops the list of these suites for business because its usage can be scaled with ease. It has a significant market share of about 46% across the globe.
Protecting the data that is stored on Microsoft 365 still remains critical. This is because a secure backup solution means some of the incidental deletions, malware attacks, and even compliance issues cannot lead to permanent losses of your data since you have a sure system of protection.
In this section, we will look at some of the top backup and restoration tools for Microsoft 365.
Veeam
Protect your Office 365 data with Veeam Backup, the ultimate solution in mitigating risk and access. Its robust software offers all-inclusive protection for Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Microsoft Teams.
You control each backup you make, having flexible backup options for any location with on-premises or cloud storage like Amazon S3, Azure Blob, and many more.
Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 delivers the freedom of having your Office backup data when and where you need it, ensuring that you will not restore with any other recovery options but exclusively chosen by you.
Moreover, it enjoys advanced features such as eDiscovery and immutable backup copies that provide multi-factor authentication during the storage of data encryption in object storage.
Accidental deletions will be a thing of the past, and security threats can easily be dismissed due to Veeam’s quick recovery industry-leading technology. Even compliance is met effortlessly with speedy search-and-find capabilities.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| Flexible Backup Options | Limited recovery options |
| Granular restoration | Reporting can be improved |
| Efficient eDiscovery of Microsoft 365 items | Limited third-party integrations |
| Encryption for Office 365 data |
Is Veeam Backup free of cost?
Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 provides FREE backup and recovery for 10 Users and 10 Teams and 1 TB of SharePoint data. The company also offers an unlimited 30-day free trial. For pricing information, you need to request a quote from its website.
Iperius Backup
Iperius Backup is one of the simplest utilities for backing up Microsoft 365 apps, including Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams.
A single license allows backing up unlimited mailboxes and servers, and restoring individual mailboxes later. Users can also export the mailboxes to PST files to keep the compatibility with Outlook.
Similarly, companies can easily take incremental backups of Microsoft Teams and restore specific messages and message & chat attachments. Likewise, Iperius Backup allows incremental and differential backup for OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint sites, using exclusions and filters.
One can also use Iperius Backup to download all OneDrive accounts from any Microsoft 365 organization.
Users get maximum backup flexibility with its support for NAS, FTP, portable drives, and cloud storage providers, such as Google Drive, Amazon S3, Dropbox, and more. Even for the OneDrive feature, the software helps save resources and time by allowing incremental restore and automatic downloads. Additionally, the Iperius Console integration helps someone to remotely manage and backup PCs and servers.
Businesses can rest assured about their backups, as Iperius Backup comes with AES-256-bit encryption for bank-grade security.
While Iperius Backup works great with Microsoft 365 apps, it covers far more use cases, such as backing up databases, cloud environments, and virtual machines.
Users can experience all these features as a perpetual license, or alternatively, they can download the free Iperius Backup to check out the base features before making a one-time payment.
Nakivo
Nakivo’s Office 365 Backup solution is already trusted by over 26,000 SMBs and Enterprises. Its Backup and Replication software equips you with the power to confidently protect your Microsoft Office 365 data.
Your data regarding Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, and OneDrive for Business is safe and can easily be restored in case of hardware failure, human error, or natural disasters.
With fast incremental backups, instant granular recoveries, compliance capabilities, and low prices, protecting valuable data has become easy with Nakivo.
Nakivo Backup & Replication enables the creation of storage of data backups for any desired lifetime.
Each Exchange Online account can retain at most 4,000 recovery points. The storage utilization is performed by Nakivo Backup & Replication according to the grandfather-father-son (GFS) retention scheme: after a certain number of recovery points are exceeded, the oldest recovery point is deleted.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| Advancing scheduling of Exchange data | Minimum one-year subscription |
| Flexible Data Retention | Navigation could be smoother |
| Cost-Effective Scalability | |
| Compliance Searches |
Is Nakivo less expensive?
Nakivo’s pricing structure is lower than that of other competitors in this range. Its pricing starts at $0.95 per user/month. Nakivo can also be tried free of cost for 15 days.
CloudAlly
CloudAlly is a top-quality, enterprise-grade solution for automated backup and restoration of your Microsoft Office 365 data, including Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Groups, Teams, and SharePoint and OneDrive protection.
Endorsed by many satisfied clients, this reliable solution guarantees maximum safety and convenience for businesses managing critical cloud-based information through Microsoft’s platform.
The advanced features include end-to-end automation or on-demand backups with optional metadata support. You can pin your faith that you have any time/anywhere access to non-destructive restores at any specific point in time with granular control across users, all the while enjoying unlimited retention capabilities.
In terms of security measures, CloudAlly uses Microsoft-mandated OAuth along with MFA/2FA support, offers global data center options, and secures Amazon AWS S3 encryption.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| HIPAA and GDPR-compliant | Pricing scales steeply with user count |
| Unlimited Data retention | Slow backup process |
| Ease of Deployment and Management | Limited granularity |
| Unlimited data storage |
How much does CloudAlly cost?
Unlock peace of mind with CloudAlly’s Microsoft 365 Backup. Get unlimited AWS S3 storage and zero-commitment signup for just $3 per month/user, trusted by over 16k satisfied customers.
AvePoint
AvePoint is a trusted and highly experienced provider of cloud backup solutions, catering to over 17,000 satisfied customers worldwide and protecting more than 250 PB of data. Its suite of solutions enhances productivity, ensures compliance with regulations, and safeguards against security threats.
With availability in over fifteen global data centers, users can effortlessly scale up their storage capacity while adhering to data sovereignty requirements.
Its robust capacity planning strategy enables us to run backups four times a day without any performance impact due to throttling issues. Having been backing up Microsoft 365 and SharePoint data for over eighteen years, the unmatched expertise guarantees top-notch quality services backed by unparalleled customer support.
With AvePoint Cloud Backup for Microsoft 365, you get secure options that suit your business’s unique demands, enabling flexible storage choices.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| Top-notch data protection through SOC 2 Type II | Reporting within the platform could be improved |
| Empowered restore | Restoration of data can take a few hours |
| ReCenter to find lost content | It can be expensive for small business |
| Intelligent Insights and Analytics |
How much do the AvePoint backup solutions cost?
The company has not published the pricing information; you need to contact the sales team for more information.
Backupify
Backupify for Microsoft 365 offers non-destructive restore options that make protecting against data loss simple and intuitive.
With most of the data being in Exchange and OneDrive, this cloud-to-cloud SaaS backup will safeguard all the data with the ability to get more into SharePoint Online and even content generated within Teams as well.
With Backupify, organizations can easily manage access control and ensure the security of their valuable information.
This easily-to-use tool is ready to go in under five minutes. It gives businesses the confidence that, with the granular restore capabilities, they can restore either an individual file or folder at any time.
Backupify understands the value behind securing your data; hence, it goes the extra mile to make sure that the security, visibility, recoverability, and protection of your Office 365 data are adopted through industry standards such as HIPAA compliance, SOC 2 Type II audited platform, and encryption at rest and in transit.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| Automatic backups 3x a day | Integration issues |
| New user detection and automatic archiving | Automatic identification issues with multiple domains |
| Robust search parameters | Clunky User Interface |
| Unlimited storage option |
How much does Backupify cost?
The pricing structure is not available on the site; you need to contact the company to get the latest quote.
Spanning
Safeguard your essential Microsoft 365 data with an easy-to-use, cost-effective, and reliable backup and restoration solution from Spanning.
Get benefited from the top-tier automated protection for your Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Microsoft Teams information trusted by over 2.4 million users worldwide.
Spanning offers a comprehensive approach to secure data preservation through robust backups that streamline the process alongside versatile recovery options tailored to fit your needs.
You can experience seamless data recovery on the go with Spanning. Its mobile-friendly interface supports Microsoft 365 and is accessible through any supported device. Perfect for today’s busy professionals who prioritize flexibility and efficiency in a cloud-based work environment.
Spanning platform helps administrators have full visibility into their backup status and health. They receive alerts in case of any issues to resolve them promptly. Additionally, an unchangeable audit log provides a comprehensive record of activities for monitoring application usage by others.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| Automated backups | Limited Visibility |
| Granular search-based restore | Reporting Challenges |
| Multi-layered approach to data protection | Integration limitations |
| Advanced recovery capabilities |
Are Spanning backup solutions expensive?
You can try Spanning for 14 days free of cost with Unlimited Backup and Restore. For pricing information, you need to get in touch with their sales team.
Acronis
Protect your and your clients’ Microsoft 365 data with Acronis Cyber Protect for Business, a leading provider of backup and recovery solutions. Its advanced cloud-to-cloud technology allows for seamless and agentless protection, ensuring that all critical data is backed up and easily recoverable.
This all-in-one solution that combines backup and sophisticated anti-ransomware features, including MI-based defense and blockchain notarization, for complete security against any threat and remote assistance into one unified cybersecurity solution.
With Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud, businesses can easily protect their data across diverse platforms such as physical, virtual, cloud, and mobile. This scalable solution offers cost savings on licensing, education, and integration.
Additionally, their Acronis Cloud Storage provides a reliable option for storing backups with anytime access from anywhere. For managed service providers, Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud also integrates next-generation anti-malware tools along with traditional endpoint protection services.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| Automatic protection for new Microsoft 365 items | High cost and complexity |
| Quick backup search | Not fit for an organization with low bandwidth |
| Specific policies for large groups | Reporting and Analytics should be deeper |
| Address vulnerabilities |
Are Acronis solutions expensive?
Acronis pricing for backup and recovery for SMBs starts from $85.00. You can try it for 30 days free of cost.
Carbonite
Protect your entire suite of Microsoft 365 applications with ease using Carbonite Backup. Its complete solution allows for seamless and flexible recovery of individual files, folders, permissions settings, and complete site collections.
Unlike native coverage from Microsoft, its backup system safeguards against everyday data loss scenarios as well.
Carbonite offers comprehensive protection for all Microsoft 365 applications, including SharePoint, OneDrive, Email, and Teams. With user-friendly features such as legal hold, audit reporting, and API access, it streamlines administrative tasks while safeguarding against data loss from human error or ransomware attacks.
With centralized management capabilities through a single console, tracking and reporting are effortless. Efficiently capture changes in real-time and securely store them on the cloud with secondary instance storage on Azure. Simplify IT efforts further with multiple recovery options, including granular and full fidelity restores.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| Auto backup Four times per day | Slow restoration |
| Site-level roll back | Renewals cost more |
| Granular level policies for protection | Limited file versioning |
| Selective and rapid restore | Outdated user interface compared to some competitors. |
How much do Carbonite backup costs?
The company has posted pricing information for this specific product; you need to contact the sales team for a quote. The software has a 30-day free trial period.
Druva
Experience ultimate data protection and compliance with Druva’s industry-leading 100% SaaS platform. Its all-inclusive backup and recovery solution safeguards your Microsoft 365 data while ensuring legal hold, retention requirements, and eDiscovery protocols are met.
With the added advantage of supporting other cloud applications and endpoints in one simple interface, managing your data has never been easier. Enjoy unified backup for all key platforms, including SharePoint, OneDrive, Exchange Online, and Teams, without compromising security or cost efficiency.
Proactively monitor for potential risks to your precious data with customizable notifications that allow you to separate files from metadata as well as access multiple recovery options.
Simplify compliance with Druva’s unified legal hold policies that can be easily applied to all workloads and Integrate third-party eDiscovery tools for complete support.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| Ransomware Protection | The user interface is not friendly |
| Data Governance | Limited customization compared to some competitors |
| Machine Learning and Analytics | Mobile App limitations |
| Unlimited data retention and restore | Limited storage per user |
How much does the Druva backup solutions cost?
You can utilize the Druva backup software for 30 days free of cost during its trial duration. Its pricing starts at $ 4 per user/month.
IDrive
Never worry about losing critical Microsoft Office 365 data again with IDrive’s comprehensive backup solution. Its service goes above and beyond by safeguarding your emails, OneDrive files, SharePoint documents, and even Teams content – surpassing the built-in recovery options provided by Microsoft.
No longer have to fear accidental deletions or disruptive attacks like ransomware – its automatic continuous cloud backups protect your data with multiple layers of security. Need to retrieve something? Simply choose specific files or folders for a quick restoration process.
Easily access backed-up information from any device connected to the internet so that essential business details are always available and secure.
With granular recovery capability, you can easily retrieve precise files or folders without attempting to restore complete backups. The continuous and automatic backup feature ensures that your data is always protected without any manual intervention required.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| Supports multiple domain backups | Occasional interface lag |
| 3 times daily automated backup | Expect slower backup for large number of files |
| AES 256-bit encryption | Inconsistent customer support |
| Company-wide search and restore | Limited file versioning and upgrading incur cost |
Is IDrive backup solutions economical?
You can try the Idrive backup solution for 7 days free of cost and later upgrade to the paid version. Its pricing starts from $20/Seat/Year.
Skykick
Maximize operational efficiency and take your data protection business to new heights with SkyKick Cloud Backup.
SkyKick’s intelligent solution offers secure, automated, and customer-centric data backup, restoration, and protection for Teams, Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, Planner, etc. Trust is key in any business relationship – that’s why SkyKick offers enterprise-level certifications such as HIPAA, GDPR, ISO, Cloud Security Alliance, and Data Pro certifications to boost customer confidence.
Plus, enjoy flexible recovery options, including full backup, granular restoration, or point-in-time recovery for added peace of mind. Simplify user management with automatic on-boarding/off-boarding through Azure Active Directory integration.
With Skykick’s Cloud Backup, recovering lost data is effortless and quick. The advanced search and filtering features make it easy to navigate through backups in seconds.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| Insights on data surge and protection trends | Limited Recovery Window |
| Auto-Scaling Storage | No 3rd party billing integration for cloud backup |
| Automatic onboarding and off-boarding at scale | UI glitches and bugs |
| It can be complex to set up |
How much does the Skykick backup cost?
The company has structured the pricing into three categories: Basic, Standard, and Professional, but they have not revealed the pricing information. You need to contact them to get the latest quote details.
Next, I will discuss the reasons for backing Microsoft 365 data.
Reasons for Backing Microsoft 365 Data
Protecting your Microsoft 365 Data is the most important thing for any business to do. There are lots of risks and vulnerabilities that can take place, so having a backup in place is vital to minimize potential data loss failures.
Some of the reasons why backing up Microsoft 365 data is critical are accidental deletion, Internal security threats, External security threats, Legal and compliance requirements, and Business Resilience.
Reportedly, Microsoft Office Suite made its way to over 70% of the global cyberattacks that have been conducted from November 2021 to October 2022.
In line with the Microsoft Shared Responsibility Model, you’re still the owner of the data, and you’re responsible for that. Again, never worry that your valuable information is at risk since a reliable backup solution with comprehensive protection and flexible recovery options will make sure it’s both secure and accessible.
Benefits of Data Backup in Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 backs critical security data and provides recovery options and compliance solutions to any sort of threat or challenge that arises for smooth business functioning.
Microsoft 365 cloud backup ensures protection against human slip-ups, cyber-attacks, and data retention gaps while defending from ransomware.
Given below are some of the benefits of backing up data in Microsoft 365:
- Documents, emails, or even the whole inbox would be restorable by employees following accidental deletion.
- Easily protect, access, and save your data remotely on any location using Microsoft 365 backup.
- Ensures Regulatory Compliance for Data Storage and Backup Needs as per organization requirement
- Complete Data Protection along with Microsoft 365 Backup: OneDrive, SharePoint & Exchange.
- Ransomware Protection in Secure Data Environment via Essential Measures.
- Automate backup and restores that free up IT resources.
- Centralize management of backup data and policies.
What is Microsoft 365 Backup Tool, It’s Working and Benefits?
Microsoft 365 Backup is an ultra-fast backup and restore solution that enables secure protection of Microsoft 365 data sources. Utilizing the new Backup Storage platform, Microsoft 365 Backup service multiplies redundancies within Microsoft’s trust boundary to maintain business continuity in various disaster scenarios. It backs up and restores your OneDrive, SharePoint, and Exchange data at scale.
Its advanced replication feature enables quick recovery from ransomware threats or accidental content deletion/overwrite by employees without any intervention. All these functions provide comprehensive coverage for businesses seeking reliable BCDR (business continuity and disaster recovery).
Microsoft’s state-of-the-art process allows the creation of a new policy within 60 minutes while restoring initial full sites or account units immediately after initiating the session – followed by subsequent units being restored swiftly afterward.
OneDrive, SharePoint, and Exchange utilize Append Only storage, which prevents malicious overwrites from infiltrating your files for further security measures.
With its pay-as-you-go (PAYG) billing through an Azure subscription, users can back up their data in GBs with the ability to view usage events at any time. The preview of Microsoft 365 Backup has started in 2023, with plans to reach General Availability by early 2024.
Microsoft 365 Backup Tool benefits:
- Increased data protection: Safeguard your essential community information from accidental deletion, data corruption, malware intrusions, and even ransomware.
- Granular recovery: Recover a specific file, email, or item on SharePoint at a particular time to minimize downtime and loss of being able to get your data.
- Restores too fast: This tool restores your data much faster compared to your usual Microsoft 365 recovery options; hence, it does not impact the productivity that should be there within your organization.
- Enhanced compliance: It helps with any of the necessary data retention needs and regulatory requirements in terms of providing backups and easy retrievability.
- Security and trust: Built on Microsoft’s robust security and data residency policies.
Final Words
In our ever-changing cyber threat landscape, the Microsoft 365 backup is no longer a choice but absolutely mandatory. I, therefore, as a professional in the sphere with numerous years of experience, would rather recommend proactive data protection, including the powerful backup and recovery that will make your business invincible even for those most sophisticated attacks.
Because resilience is everything, especially in the digital era, with reliable M365 backup solutions, you can keep your critical data safe and reduce downtime.
Look for solutions offering air-gapped systems and multi-layered security solutions with granular restoration options, as well as automated testing guaranteeing the integrity and accessibility of your valuable information under any form of cyber-attack.