Backing up your business email is an important step to protect your company's communication and data. While many small businesses use Microsoft 365 for email, it's not always obvious how to ensure your emails are safely backed up and recoverable if something goes wrong. Managing email backups yourself can be straightforward with the right approach, but it does require some understanding and planning.
Why email backups matter for Australian small businesses
Email often contains critical information like client details, contracts, invoices, and internal discussions. Losing access to this data due to accidental deletion, cyberattacks like ransomware, or technical failures can disrupt your operations, cause costly downtime, and damage customer trust. Additionally, Australian businesses face privacy expectations under regulations like the Australian Privacy Act, which means you need to handle personal data responsibly — including having reliable backups.
A typical scenario: How email backup issues arise
Imagine a 50-person Australian consulting firm using Microsoft 365 for email. One day, a staff member accidentally deletes an important email thread with a client, and it's not recoverable from the recycle bin after 30 days. Worse, a ransomware attack encrypts some mailboxes, making emails inaccessible. Without proper backups, the business risks losing vital information, delaying projects, and frustrating clients.
A good IT partner would have proactively set up a dedicated backup solution that regularly captures all emails independently from Microsoft 365's built-in retention. This means the business can quickly restore lost emails or entire mailboxes without relying solely on Microsoft's limited recovery options. The IT provider would also test restores regularly and ensure backups are stored securely, reducing downtime and data loss risk.
Practical checklist: Managing email backups effectively
- Ask your IT provider: Do you use a third-party backup solution for Microsoft 365 email? How often are backups performed? Can you restore individual emails and entire mailboxes quickly?
- Check your backup scope: Confirm if backups include emails, calendars, contacts, and shared mailboxes, not just user inboxes.
- Review retention policies: How long are backups kept? Ensure retention meets your business needs and any compliance requirements.
- Verify security measures: Are backups encrypted and stored separately from live email systems to protect against ransomware?
- Test restores: Periodically request or perform test restores to confirm backups work and recovery times are acceptable.
- Internal checks: Review who has access to email and backup systems. Ensure strong password policies and multi-factor authentication are in place.
Managing email backups doesn't have to be complicated, but it does require clear responsibility and the right tools. Many small businesses benefit from partnering with an IT provider who specialises in Microsoft 365 and understands the specific risks and compliance expectations in Australia.
If you're unsure about your current email backup setup or want to improve your data protection, consider discussing your needs with a trusted managed IT service provider or IT advisor. They can help you assess your current risks, recommend appropriate backup solutions, and implement processes tailored to your business size and industry.