Third-Party Backup Tools for Microsoft 365
Many companies rely on cloud-based SaaS services like Microsoft 365 for uninterrupted productivity, real-time collaboration, and constant data access. However, as data volumes grow, native Microsoft tools become insufficient for ensuring adequate data protection against human errors and cyber threats. Moreover, native functionality is not enough to adhere to tightening compliance requirements, which is crucial for highly regulated industries.
Microsoft’s Service agreement encourages users to use third-party tools for data backup because the shared responsibility model makes users responsible for protecting their data, including backup, recovery, and access management. Microsoft is not liable for any data loss, even if it’s caused due to service unavailability.
These factors drive businesses to seek more comprehensive third-party solutions for Microsoft 365 backup and recovery.
What are the Key Differences Between Native Microsoft 365 Backup Features and Third-Party Solutions?
Microsoft 365 has native features for compliance, archiving, retention, and data security, but they don’t amount to a backup solution. They don’t offer point-in-time recovery, and the recovery period is usually limited to 30-90 days unless you retain data for compliance purposes.
If these limitations aren’t enough, the most significant drawback of all Microsoft native tools, including the new M365 backup solution, is that they don’t physically separate primary and backup data. By storing everything inside the Microsoft cloud, you compromise your data protection and become dependent on Microsoft and its services.
Third-party solutions can integrate with different storage types, such as detachable devices, public and private clouds, NAS, and others, as well as various tools you use in your organization, such as antivirus or IT-monitoring software. These integration capabilities make third-party tools more flexible and scalable, allowing you to customize them to fit your business needs easily.
Third-party solutions offer better transparency and more extensive data protection functionality than native Microsoft tools. You have granular control over backups, their frequency, and location. Additional capabilities include more security features, granular access management, and extensive automation.
Is native Microsoft 365 Backup enough?
In 2024, a native backup tool, Microsoft 365 Backup, became generally available. However, your primary and backup data both reside inside the Microsoft infrastructure. If Microsoft 365 is compromised, your data will be as well.
Microsoft 365 Backup is not included in your standard subscription and should be purchased as an add-on. Unlike many third-party tools that offer backup of SharePoint Online, Exchange Online, OneDrive, and Teams data, M365 backup is not yet available for Teams.
What are the Benefits of Using Third-Party Backup Services for Microsoft 365?
Enhanced data protection without vendor lock-in
One of the backup best practices is to store backup copies in multiple separate locations to ensure you have a safe copy to recover from in different disaster scenarios. Your primary server can fail, or you could fall victim to a cyber attack, and the last thing you want is for your backups to become inaccessible or corrupted along with your primary data.
Usually, the 3-2-1 backup rule works the best: have at least 3 data copies (production data and 2 backup copies), 2 of which are stored on 2 different media like disk or cloud, and 1 copy is stored offsite (outside the Microsoft infrastructure). You can further enhance your strategy by making at least one backup copy immutable or storing a copy on a detached offline device (air-gapped backups).
With third-party backup software, you don’t solely rely on Microsoft and its services, minimizing vendor lock-in risks and increasing your data resilience against various threats, including ransomware.
Centralized management and multi-tenancy
Most companies opt for a single backup solution that covers all their data protection needs across multiple platforms, including Microsoft 365. A modern third-party tool usually offers a centralized dashboard for data protection activities and supports mixed and hybrid virtual, physical, and cloud environments. Monitoring and reporting become easier for admins when everything is accessible from a single dashboard.
Some tools also offer multi-tenant deployment to manage multi-branch offices and departments within a large organization or clients if you provide IT services.
Faster recovery with tighter objectives
Third-party tools give you better control over recovery objectives, allowing you to increase backup frequency and minimize recovery time. For example, you can improve backup recovery point objectives using fully customizable rotation schemes and more extensive automation capabilities, including policy-based data protection, workflow sequences and scheduling.
You can shorten recovery times using advanced keyword search across backup data and flexible recovery options that, along with a longer full account restore, include near-instant granular recovery of app objects (emails, attachments, Teams chats, etc.) and files to the original or any other location of your choice.
Some tools also offer disaster recovery orchestration capabilities and automation features to streamline and secure the recovery process, directly impacting your business continuity during disasters.
Advanced security and compliance
Data protection is not only about backup. Third-party tools often offer additional data security features like role-based access control, multi-factor authentication, encryption and anti-ransomware protection. Some data privacy regulations like GDPR may require organizations to provide users access to their data or store user data in certain locations or regions, which is impossible to achieve with Microsoft native tools.
This way, third-party tools can help companies from heavily regulated industries like finance and healthcare ensure regulatory compliance and stay secure against ever-evolving threats.
Smooth data migrations
Third-party tools enable you to migrate data easily across platforms or Microsoft 365 tenants, minimizing disruptions and security risks.
Choosing the Best Third-Party Backup Solution for Office 365: Key Features to Consider
Today, numerous third-party backup tools for Microsoft 365 vary in functionality, performance, and cost, catering to different business needs and budgets. Here are a few key factors to consider.
Comprehensive coverage
If you want to simplify data protection administration, you need an all-in-one backup solution. The solution should cover all your workloads and, along with Microsoft 365 apps, include support for physical, virtual and cloud environments.
Ease of use
Choose solutions with a simple, intuitive interface that admins can navigate easily. Consider solutions with a centralized dashboard, preferably web-based, so you can access it anytime. Ease of use ensures that your admins have enough time for more critical data protection tasks, which brings us to the next point.
Automated backups
Routine task automation, like backup scheduling and automated backup policies, helps admins save time while reducing the risk of human errors and accidental deletions.
Flexible restore options
Look for solutions with multiple point-in-time recovery options, including account recovery and granular recovery of individual files, emails, contacts, and other app objects. This flexibility allows you to restore needed data faster without performing a lengthy full account recovery.
Data security
A robust data protection solution allows you to encrypt backup data, control data access, make backup immutable and more to ensure better security against data loss and corruption.
Multi-tenancy and scalability
If you are an IT provider or run a large organization, consider a multi-tenant deployment to simplify the management of your customers or company departments. Multi-tenancy functionality allows you to allocate available resources and centrally manage them while giving tenants the right to administer their own data protection activities.
Another crucial factor is the ease of integration with third-party tools and various storage platforms.
Best Practices for Choosing a Third-Party Backup Solution
Before looking for a Microsoft 365 backup solution, map out your data protection strategy with objectives and security measures you need to implement. The strategy will help you better navigate through various solutions available in the market.
Focus on the following four factors when choosing a third-party backup tool.
Functionality
The solution’s functionality should fully align with your organization’s needs, but it shouldn’t make it harder for your admins to manage data protection. Choose a feature-rich yet user-friendly tool with a wide range of automation capabilities to free your admins from routine backup management tasks.
You should also ensure the solution’s functionality is sufficient to adhere to the best data protection practices like the 3-2-1 rule.
Reputation and reliability
Check reviews from actual users to get an unbiased opinion on the tool’s functionality and reliability. Make sure that you choose a tool that has been on the market for a while and that the provider has enough expertise in the data protection field.
Customer support
The best Microsoft 365 backup solutions offer 24/7 customer support with multiple channels to reach technical engineers, including chat, calls, and emails.
Pricing
The solution should offer transparent licensing and fit within your budget. Some businesses prefer subscription-based tools, while others benefit more from perpetual licenses.
Look No Further with the NAKIVO Solution
NAKIVO Backup & Replication is a comprehensive data protection solution for all your workloads, including Microsoft 365 apps. The solution supports various storage types and enables you to store backups locally, on SMB/NFS file shares, detached devices, and in public or private clouds.
Along with robust backup functionality, the solution also offers a wide variety of security features, disaster recovery orchestration, and anti-ransomware functionality to ensure reliable data protection against various threats.
