Automatic recovery solutions could reduce the likelihood of lost emails and leaked data
Elly Yates-Roberts |
Although Office 365 Outlook allows you to restore deleted emails within 30 days, there is little chance that you will be able to recover deleted or lost emails after that time. And while implementing extra measures – such as creating a strong password, adhering to Microsoft’s security policy and using two-factor authentication – can help prevent members of your organisation from losing their email messages and email accounts, nothing beats having a back-up solution in place.
The implementation of back-up software for Office 365 Outlook is a necessary step for organisations should you wish to access and recover lost emails, especially during or after a crisis. This becomes even more necessary when you consider the increased number of emails being sent as a result of remote working to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The chances of lost emails and leaked data are about to increase.
Office 365 offers basic recovery methods: businesses that choose to go without back-up software can either recover important assets by using an email client or retrieve them within a limited period of time using a web interface.
Using an email client ensures that your emails are preserved in a separate server of Office Outlook 365. Even if you delete mail from your original inbox or lose access to your account, you can still retrieve all the necessary data from the email client. Alternatively, organisations can use a web interface where deleted emails can be accessed from the ‘Recoverable Items’ folder where the total period of recovery time extends to 60 days.
Additionally, there are native Office 365 back-up options that reduce the burden of dealing with lost emails. Implementing an archive folder, configuring email forwarding, exporting emails from Outlook periodically and using eDiscovery not only helps organisations safeguard their mailboxes, but allows access to emails in case of a hacker attack or unintentional deletion. However, while these methods have their own advantages, a separate back-up agent allows for the recovery of emails over an unlimited period of time.
Since there are plenty of options on the market, knowing your organisation’s needs can help you find the most suitable back-up software provider for its specific needs.
A comprehensive solution not only provides organisations with easy access to lost emails but also improves security, provides flexibility and saves time and resources. With a back-up in place, newly created mailboxes are automatically backed up and added to the repository allowing organisations to focus on their business goals rather than feeling anxious about unprotected emails getting lost. Additionally, installing an on-site data protection solution means no third party can access your back-ups – this is extremely helpful as it gives organisations flexibility to retrieve any Outlook data in just a few clicks. Having an on-site software solution is also important when it comes to increasing compliance requirements. Certain back-up solutions allow you to browse mailboxes and access emails whilst adhering to a wide number of current regulatory frameworks.
Finally, installing a back-up solution for your Office 365 Outlook allows granular recovery of the existing items. Therefore, individual emails, folders and mailboxes can be restored directly from the back-up without having to perform a full recovery. Regular back-up procedures save time, resources and reduce stress over unsecured emails.
“How to recover deleted emails” is a popular search query with almost 6 million results on Google. Some organisations are clearly still in the dark when it comes to protecting their mailboxes. This could lead to serious consequences including irrecoverable lost emails, exposed data and overall irreversible damage to a business. With a back-up for Office 365 Outlook mailboxes, organisations do not need to worry about a concrete 30- or 60-day deadline to recover their valuable lost emails. The right back-up solution allows businesses to retrieve their data at any time for an unlimited period, all whilst saving on their resources and mental anguish.
Veniamin Simonov is the director of product management at Nakivo, a Microsoft partner.