It’s widely believed that user data in cloud applications is fully backed up and protected, but this is a common misconception.

Whilst cloud data is unlikely to be affected by natural disasters or equipment failure the way local storage may be, it can still fall foul of accidental deletion or user error. In most cases cloud applications themselves aren’t to blame for data loss, with simple human action being the responsible party.

Cloud services protect against certain real-world outcomes, they aren’t built to protect data against these sorts of actions, whether accidental or malicious. When advising your clients, it’s important to let them know that they can be at fault when data is lost, and without a backup solution in place they may well be out of luck if/when it happens.

When asked, ”what ways can my data can be lost?” it’s important to discuss the following points:

1. Accidental Deletion and User Mistakes: It’s common for data to be deleted prematurely. Changing requirements, resurrected projects, uninformed staff and misunderstood priorities can all lead to an individual or team realising that the information they deleted two weeks ago was actually still required. In addition to deliberate deletion, information can be unknowingly overwritten by users, or corrupted by third-party applications.
2. Overwritten Data: Cloud applications hold vast quantities of data that is constantly expanded and updated. Large data sets are often imported into applications via bulk uploads, and without appropriate care, data can be irretrievably overwritten. This can also happen if data inside the base application is being managed by integrated third-party applications and something goes wrong or is misconfigured.
3. Malicious Action or Revenge: If an employee gets wind of their upcoming termination, they may delete crucial data out of spite before leaving. Malicious intrusion can also be to blame, with hackers bypassing security systems to compromise data intentionally. Untrustworthy users are a reality, whether they come from within an organisation or elsewhere.

To learn more about protecting your cloud data, check out Stratum Now’s Cloud Protection: backup for Office 365 and Google Apps. We won’t let your critical business data slip through the cracks and into the ether. Cloud Protection gives you configurable granular backups, consistent reliability, quick restores and exports, secured data for compliance and regulatory needs, and exceptional 24/7/365 support.