Backup Your Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 Cloud: Use Cases Beyond Restore
As we discussed in recent blog posts, Google and Microsoft clouds operate under a shared responsibility model for data protection. Google and Microsoft run internal backup systems to protect you should they have hardware or software issues. You, however, are responsible to backup your cloud, including Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. You need to protect your data from user deletions, user overwrites, malware, hackers, and other risks. This all starts with the proper backup solutions for Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.
A good backup solution for Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 does more than restore.
Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace Backup Solutions
These four use cases provide added value when you backup your Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 cloud.
1 Preserve Data From Past Employees
If you want to preserve data from past employees you have a few options:
- In both clouds, you can continue paying for licensing for past/suspended users
- In Google Workspace, you can also pay for Archive User Licenses
- Subscribe to a third party archiving solution
- Preserve backups for past employees after you remove their Google or Microsoft accounts.
With the ability to restore data to other accounts, you can use the backup as a long-term archive. Doing so is less costly than maintaining licenses or moving to archive user licensing, and is comparable in cost to third party account archive solutions.
2 Transfer Data to New Owners
Both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace provide administrative tools to transfer data and ownership between users. These transfers, however, lack granularity and are generally available at the service level. For example, you can transfer all documents to one user and emails to another user.
With a good backup solution, you can selectively restore data to any users. As such, you can transfer specific files, folders, sites data, emails, etc. to different people as needed. An added benefit, you can also transfer data between employees as they change positions and responsibilities.
3 Archive Documents (and other data)
A third party backup solution can preserve and archive documents, as well as email, calendars, contacts, and sites data in support of your document retention policies or regulations. Granted, both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 offer several licensing options that include the compliant archive/e-discovery services for your data.
You may not need the rigor and cost of an upgrade or add-on service. With one or more backups per day, your preserve data as it exists at specific points int time. Options for unlimited retention allow you to recover information, even after malicious deletions.
4 Escape Hatch
As a “best-practice”, backups should not be stored in immutable systems without altering the format. Doing so protects your backups from cyber attacks by segregating your backup systems from your operating environment while preserving content. With data preserved and the ability to export, the right backup solution provides an easier and efficient means of exporting data from Google Workspace and Microsoft Office.
Cumulus Global Can Help You With Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 Backup Services
We offer a range of backup/recovery, and business continuity services that we match to your needs and budget.
Schedule time with one of our Cloud Advisors or contact us to discuss which backup solutions for Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 backup solutions are right for you. The conversation is free, without obligation, and at your convenience.
About the Author
Bill is a Senior Cloud Advisor responsible for helping small and midsize organizations with cloud forward solutions that meet their business needs, priorities, and budgets. Bill works with executives, leaders, and team members to understand workflows, identify strategic goals and tactical requirements, and design solutions and implementation phases. Having helped over 200 organizations successfully adopt cloud solutions, his expertise and working style ensure a comfortable experience effective change management.
