Many small businesses in places like Springfield, MA, and Enfield, CT, assume that if they’re using Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, their data is safe. After all, it’s in the cloud, so that means it’s backed up, right?
Unfortunately, that’s not how it works.
While these platforms are excellent for keeping teams connected and files accessible, they’re not designed to help you recover deleted, damaged, or overwritten data after the fact. If something disappears and too much time has passed, it’s likely gone for good—unless you’ve put a proper backup solution in place.
Cloud Storage ≠ Data Backup
Google and Microsoft are in the business of providing uptime and access, not long-term protection against mistakes or attacks. If a team member accidentally deletes an important file or folder, both platforms treat the deletion as intentional. If a virus or ransomware infects a synced machine, it can overwrite your clean cloud data with encrypted data without warning.
Even “trash” folders have limits:
- Google Drive deletes items after 30 days.
- Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint hang onto deleted files for around 93 days.
And if you don’t catch the issue in time, recovery just isn’t possible using their built-in tools.
Version history? Helpful, but not a complete safety net.
Most Data Loss Comes from Inside
The top causes of lost data aren’t hackers, they’re your team.
It’s more common than you’d think:
- Someone deletes a folder they thought wasn’t needed.
- A spreadsheet is accidentally overwritten.
- Files are moved into the wrong location, and no one realizes until it’s too late.
- A staff member leaves, and their account (along with everything they shared) gets wiped.
Add ransomware into the mix, and it gets worse. If a local system becomes infected and is syncing to the cloud, encrypted versions of your files can replace the originals in real-time.
What Real Backup Looks Like
A real cloud backup isn’t just a mirror of your current files, it’s an independent, secure archive that allows you to recover exactly what you need, when you need it. That might be:
- A single email from last year
- A deleted user’s entire document history
- Calendar data or shared drive content that vanished months ago
And here’s the catch: Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace don’t include this kind of coverage by default. You have to set it up separately.
We Help You Back Up the Cloud the Right Way
At Bob’s Computer Service, we work with businesses across Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut to implement independent backup systems that fill in the gaps left by Microsoft and Google.
Whether it’s protecting you from accidental deletions, insider errors, or full-on ransomware attacks, we’ll make sure your data is recoverable—no matter what.
Think your data’s safe? Let’s make sure.
Please call us at 413-204-8339, and we’ll review your current setup.
