We’ve helped businesses recover from situations where they thought Microsoft 365 was backing up everything automatically, only to discover that wasn’t quite true. Someone deleted an important email, or a file got corrupted, or they needed data from months ago, and Microsoft’s retention period had already expired. That’s when they realised they needed proper backup.
Microsoft 365 does provide some protection. Deleted items go to the recycle bin, and you can recover files from version history. But these aren’t backups in the traditional sense. They have limitations, and they’re not designed for long-term retention or comprehensive recovery scenarios.
That’s where AvePoint comes in. It’s a third-party backup solution specifically designed for Microsoft 365 that fills the gaps Microsoft’s built-in features don’t cover. Here’s why it matters and when you actually need it.
The Problem with Relying on Microsoft Alone
Microsoft 365 keeps deleted items for a limited time. Emails in the deleted items folder stay there for 30 days, then they’re gone. Files in SharePoint or OneDrive have version history, but that’s not the same as a backup. If someone permanently deletes something, or if it gets corrupted, Microsoft’s retention might not help you.
We’ve seen situations where someone accidentally deleted an important email chain, realised it a few weeks later, and by then it was too late. The recycle bin had been emptied, and the email was gone. With proper backup, that email would still be recoverable.
There’s also the issue of retention periods. Microsoft keeps deleted items for 30 days, but what if you need something from six months ago? What if you have compliance requirements that need longer retention? Microsoft’s built-in features aren’t designed for that.
And there are scenarios Microsoft’s retention doesn’t cover. If your Microsoft 365 tenant gets compromised, or if there’s a configuration error that causes data loss, or if you need to restore to a specific point in time, Microsoft’s recycle bins and version history might not be enough.
What AvePoint Actually Does
AvePoint backs up your entire Microsoft 365 environment. That means emails, files in SharePoint and OneDrive, Teams conversations, calendar items, contacts, everything. It creates independent backups that are separate from Microsoft’s systems, so even if something goes wrong with your Microsoft 365 tenant, your backups are safe.
It backs up continuously, so you’re not losing data between backup windows. If someone deletes something at 2pm and your backup runs at 6pm, you’ve lost four hours of data. With continuous backup, you can restore to almost any point in time, minimising data loss.
The backups are stored separately from Microsoft 365, which is important. If your tenant gets compromised, or if there’s a Microsoft outage, your backups are still accessible. They’re stored in AvePoint’s secure cloud infrastructure, with proper encryption and redundancy.
Restore is straightforward. You can restore individual emails, specific files, entire mailboxes, or your whole tenant if needed. You can restore to the original location, or to a different location if you’re investigating something. The interface makes it easy to find what you need and restore it quickly.
When You Actually Need It
Not every business needs AvePoint. If you’re a very small business with minimal data, and you’re comfortable with Microsoft’s 30-day retention, you might be fine without it. But if you have important data, compliance requirements, or you can’t afford to lose emails or files, AvePoint makes sense.
We recommend it for businesses that handle sensitive information, or that have compliance requirements for data retention. If you need to keep emails for years for legal or regulatory reasons, Microsoft’s 30-day retention isn’t going to work. AvePoint lets you set retention policies that match your actual requirements.
It’s also valuable if you’ve had data loss incidents before, or if you’re concerned about ransomware. If someone deletes files maliciously, or if ransomware encrypts your Microsoft 365 data, having independent backups gives you a way to recover without paying ransom or losing data.
And it’s useful for businesses that are growing. As you add more users and more data, the risk of accidental deletion or data loss increases. Having proper backup becomes more important as your business grows.
What It Costs
AvePoint pricing is based on the number of users and the amount of data you’re backing up. For small businesses, it’s usually a few pounds per user per month. It’s not free, but compared to the cost of losing important data, it’s usually worth it.
The cost depends on what you’re backing up. If you’re just backing up email, it’s less expensive than backing up everything including Teams and SharePoint. You can choose what to back up based on what matters most to your business.
We’ve seen businesses try to save money by skipping backup, only to spend much more trying to recover lost data later. If you’ve ever lost an important email or file, you know how frustrating and expensive that can be. Proper backup prevents that.
Setting It Up
Setting up AvePoint requires some configuration. You need to connect it to your Microsoft 365 tenant, configure what to back up, set retention policies, and test that it’s actually working. It’s not complicated, but it does need to be done correctly.
We help businesses set up AvePoint properly. We configure backups for the data that matters, set appropriate retention policies, and test restores to make sure everything works. We also monitor backups to ensure they’re running successfully and alert you if there are any issues.
Once it’s set up, it runs automatically. You don’t have to think about it until you need to restore something. But you should test restores periodically to make sure you can actually recover data when needed. A backup that doesn’t work is worse than no backup at all.
Is It Worth It?
For most businesses with Microsoft 365, yes. The cost is relatively small compared to the value of your data, and the peace of mind is worth something too. Knowing that your emails and files are properly backed up, and that you can recover them if something goes wrong, makes Microsoft 365 more reliable.
We’ve helped businesses recover from data loss situations where AvePoint saved them. Emails that were deleted months ago, files that got corrupted, Teams conversations that needed to be recovered. In those situations, having proper backup made all the difference.
If you’re not sure whether you need it, think about what would happen if you lost important emails or files. How much would that cost? How long would it take to recreate? If the answer is “a lot” or “too long,” then backup is probably worth it.
If you want to discuss whether AvePoint backup makes sense for your business, or if you need help setting it up, get in touch. We’ve helped businesses implement AvePoint backup for Microsoft 365 and can help you understand what you need and how to set it up properly.