Out of Office at #MSIgnite? Acronis Keeps your O365 Data Safe

When one of the biggest names in technology hosts a conference, people tend to sit up and pay attention. (See our coverage of ITNation Connect, SpiceWorld, and our own Acronis Global Cyber Summit for proof.) So it should come as no surprise that this year’s Microsoft Ignite conference (#MSIgnite) – the fifth annual expo under the Ignite moniker – has been the talk of the IT industry for weeks.

Unsurprisingly, Microsoft’s gathering includes a significant focus on Windows 10 and its effects on the broader Windows stable of products. And of these, Microsoft 365 takes more than it’s fair share of the limelight – appearing in 927(!) sessions, breakouts, etc.

That focus is justified given how many organizations around the world rely on Microsoft 365 to compete and remain productive. Whatever your organization type, size, or industry, Microsoft 365 is almost definitely a part of your team’s day-to-day necessities. Today, more than 180 million people actively use O365 each month – a 27% increase over last year’s user count.

Sadly, discussions of how to defend your organization’s Microsoft 365 data earned much less attention on this global stage. While many IT pros incorrectly assume that Microsoft provides fully-fledged data protection and long-term retention of Microsoft 365 data – yet few conversations at Ignite are scheduled that would correct this misconception.

The importance of protecting Microsoft 365 data seems dangerously under the radar.

With this influx of Microsoft 365 users comes an influx of data created, stored, and shared through O365 apps, an influx of importance placed on the availability and accessibility of this data, and increased attention from cybercriminals looking for targets.

And while Microsoft 365 offers a number of benefits for organizations including high application availability and high uptime, if it’s not protected with comprehensive backup and recovery services it can represent a major data protection gap.

This is because Microsoft only provides limited features to help restore lost, destroyed, or damaged Microsoft 365 data, features that offer nowhere near the backup functionality or robustness with which most businesses protect their other critical applications.

As a result, the emails, attachments, and shared files stored in Microsoft 365 aren’t protected from data loss issues ranging from simple human error to sophisticated malware attacks.

Acronis cyber protection solutions like Acronis Cyber Backup and Acronis Cyber Cloud provide robust backup and recovery capabilities for Microsoft 365 data. By extending backup protection to Microsoft 365, Acronis represents a more complete, dependable cyber protection solution than Microsoft can offer alone.

For enterprises and SMB organizations introducing this protection into their IT environment, this extra layer of cyber protection offers the ability to

• thwart more security threats, including zero-day ransomware cyberthreats
• stay compliant with data retention and protection regulations
• boost business continuity through rapid recoveries and consistently high availability

For service providers introducing this protection into their IT environment, this extra layer of cyber protection offers the ability to

• increase revenues by meeting the rapidly rising demand for third-party O365 backup solutions
• differentiate themselves with comprehensive defenses for Microsoft Exchange Online, OneDrive for Business, and SharePoint Online
• avoid upfront costs and simplify both the configuration process and maintenance demands thanks to the agentless, cloud-to-cloud backup service

It’s undeniable that Microsoft 365 has become a vital tool for today’s businesses. Simply look at your own day-to-day usage for proof. Leaving this valuable resource unprotected opens your organization to costly data and productivity losses.

To prevent this risk and help ensure that your organization can overcome the increasing complexity, security, and cost challenges that threaten your IT environment your organization needs modern cyber protection services. Acronis Cyber Backup and Acronis Cyber Cloud extend industry-leading protection that extends to the Microsoft 365 data you rely on, ensuring that your organization can stay productive and available no matter how you grow or how many data loss threats arise.