The Cloud Doesn't Back Up Your Data

No -and this is the most dangerous assumption businesses make. Cloud services like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace provide high availability (your data is replicated across data centres so the service stays online), but this is not backup. If you delete a file, that deletion is replicated everywhere. If ransomware encrypts your files via sync, the encrypted versions replace the originals. The cloud protects against their hardware failures, not your data loss.

OneDrive Sync mirrors files between your computer and the cloud -changes go both ways instantly. OneDrive Backup (Known Folder Move) redirects your Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders to OneDrive. Both are sync technologies, not backup. A true backup is a separate, protected copy of your data that can be restored to a point in time -even if the original is deleted, corrupted, or encrypted.

KFM is a Microsoft feature that redirects your Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders to OneDrive. You absolutely should use it -it means files aren't trapped on individual laptops and are accessible from anywhere. But it's protection against device loss, not data loss. If a file is deleted from OneDrive, it's deleted everywhere. KFM + independent backup = comprehensive protection.

It varies by service: OneDrive/SharePoint keeps deleted items in the recycle bin for 93 days, then they're permanently deleted. Exchange Online keeps deleted emails for 14-30 days depending on configuration. Teams messages follow complex retention rules. After these windows close, Microsoft cannot recover your data -even if you pay them. These retention periods are also not guaranteed and can change.

Yes. Google's Terms of Service contain nearly identical disclaimers. Google Drive's trash empties after 30 days. Gmail deleted items last 30 days. Google explicitly states they are not responsible for data loss. The 'it's in the cloud' false sense of security applies equally to Google Workspace users.

Typically £2-4 per user per month for comprehensive Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace backup. Compare this to the cost of losing your data: the average cost of a ransomware attack for SMBs is £115,000. For a 20-person company, that's roughly £50/month for insurance against potentially business-ending data loss.

Manual exports are better than nothing, but they're not practical at scale. They require someone to remember, they're incomplete (you rarely get everything), they're not easily restorable, and they're typically stored somewhere that's also vulnerable to the same threats. Automated, managed backup with tested restores is the only reliable approach.

No. Even the most expensive Microsoft 365 licence does not include true backup. E5 includes advanced compliance features like extended retention and litigation hold, but these are not the same as backup. Retention policies keep data longer before deletion -but if data is corrupted or encrypted, that corrupted version is what's retained. Microsoft is now offering 'Microsoft 365 Backup' as an additional paid product, acknowledging that backup was never included.