OneDrive is a cloud storage solution that integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365. Many organizations rely on OneDrive for Business as it offers a convenient way to synchronize, store, and access files between devices. OneDrive is often referred to as a backup solution in its own right, and while it does offer limited data protection and recovery capabilities, it isn’t a comprehensive backup solution.
There are several reasons to back up OneDrive for Business. Your organization’s files stored on OneDrive aren’t protected against ransomware, corruption, data breaches, or accidental deletion. In this guide, we’ll explore these threats and discuss how to back up OneDrive in a way that ensures compliance and business continuity.
OneDrive Keeps Your Business Running
OneDrive is essential for organizations as it stores various file types such as:
- Media files
- Email attachments
- Documents
- Spreadsheets
- Presentations
OneDrive also provides real-time collaboration and version control to users, ensuring an organization can work, store, and share together with ease. Features like this enables hybrid and remote work environments to work as efficiently as possible. However, without the proper protections, OneDrive can become a vulnerability to your organization’s data protection strategy and data loss can halt normal business operations.
Why Back Up OneDrive?
OneDrive for Business is a convenient tool that helps users access their files from any device by logging in to their Microsoft 365 account. However, that convenience comes with a price. OneDrive offers relatively limited protection against accidental data loss. Some common data loss scenarios seen by OneDrive users include:
- Accidental or malicious file deletion: The OneDrive UX can be confusing to nontechnical end users, leading to them accidentally deleting cloud files when they only intended to remove the local copy.
- Ransomware and malware: If a user’s device becomes infected with malware or ransomware, it could lead to the cloud copies of files becoming encrypted. Malware-infected files synchronized to OneDrive will be downloaded to other devices when the user logs in to them, presenting a potential infection vector.
- Accidental corruption: Syncing issues or software bugs could result in files stored on OneDrive becoming corrupted. Users who rely on OneDrive as their primary file storage solution may be unable to restore a working copy of the file.
- Data breaches: A compromised Microsoft account would give a malicious actor access to the files and the ability to delete or edit them as they please.
Fortunately, these weaknesses can be mitigated using third-party OneDrive for Business backup solutions.
Understanding Native OneDrive Backup Capabilities
OneDrive offers basic backup capabilities to help prevent accidental deletion, including:
- Deleted file restoration: When a user deletes a file, it’s moved to the recycle bin and kept there for up to 93 days. This safeguard makes it possible to restore accidentally deleted files from the recycle bin. However, if this retention period has passed, the file enters the hard delete cycle and may be irretrievable.
- Version history: OneDrive has a version history option, which keeps a set number of edited file versions. How many versions are saved depends on the account type, and for enterprise environments, it also depends on the configuration of the Document Library.
- Built-in virus protection: Microsoft 365 tools, including OneDrive, use Microsoft Defender to scan files as they’re synced and prevent users from downloading infected files that may lead to data loss.
- OneDrive Account Restoration: If a user’s entire OneDrive account is deleted, the deletion is flagged to administrators and the account remains recoverable for a 30-day retention period. After this, a 7-day grace period and final alert allows a final opportunity for recovery.
- eDiscovery: Microsoft 365 offers eDiscovery capabilities for all platforms to give organizations the ability to search, preserve, and export data. Files placed on preservation hold within eDiscovery are subject to storage limits and can be exported for the purpose of legal review or compliance. Due to this, files are not restored to their original location, and manual re-upload is necessary to fully restore a file as needed.
Relying on OneDrive’s default backup features can cause issues. For example, Webjet is a Veeam client that was dependent on Microsoft 365’s native 30-day retention policy. However, it quickly found that this wasn’t a long enough retention period to protect it against cyberthreats. Switching to Veeam enabled Webjet to back up 2TB of Microsoft 365 data per day and set its own retention periods, giving the company reassurance that the data it needs will always be accessible.
Another Veeam client, Encora, was concerned that it lacked a reliable, immutable backup solution as its cloud footprint grew. Using Veeam Data Cloud for Microsoft 365 helped it protect OneDrive for Business, as well as SharePoint Online, Exchange Online, and Teams, with cost-effective backups and fast data recovery options.
Understanding Operational vs. Disaster Recovery Solutions
OneDrive for business provides basic data protection with their native features, but it is important to understand the different types of recovery your organization needs.
Operational Recovery
Handles minor disruptions with quick, localized restoration for day-to-day issues such as file corruptions or small system crashes.
Key features of operational recovery that your organization needs include:
- Recycle bin retention
- File version history
- Quick file or folder restore
- Point-in-Time file recovery
Your operational recovery features are like a quick undo button for small-scale issues and allow organizations to bounce back with minimal disruption.
Disaster Recovery
Protects against major data loss events such as ransomware attacks or system failures by allowing entire systems to be restored from secure backups.
It is key that your organization’s disaster recovery strategy includes:
- Point-in-Time full restores
- Bulk recovery capabilities
- Long-Term retention
- Immutable and geo-redundant backups
Disaster recovery is the emergency plan for when everything goes wrong and reaches far beyond simple file restores.
OneDrive Recovery Limitations
OneDrive for Business offers partial operational recovery, and some security features, but there are significant limitations in being able to handle a disaster recovery scenario.
Ensuring that your OneDrive is prepared for a data disaster requires a comprehensive backup solution with:
- Robust backup capabilities
- Bulk and granular restores
- Long-Term retention
- Ransomware and cyberthreat protection
- Real-Time monitoring
- Cloud-Based replication
OneDrive alone is not enough to secure your entire OneDrive environment. An extensive backup solution with built-in disaster recovery strategies is essential for true long-term data resiliency.
Choosing the Right Backup Solution for OneDrive
Consider the following when selecting a OneDrive backup solution for your organization:
- Security features: OneDrive backups should be encrypted and immutable, with proper access control measures in place to ensure only authorized individuals can access backups or modify the backup settings.
- Ease of recovery: Consider how long it takes to restore backups and how easy it is to selectively recover urgently needed files in the event of an outage.
- Automation options: For a data protection strategy to be reliable, backups must be taken at regular intervals. Automating your backup routine helps ensure you have recent backups covering all required files and folders, and that they are available at all times.
- Backup integrity verification: According to a report by security company At-Bay, despite 92% of the businesses it surveyed claiming to have backups, 31% were unable to restore their data following a ransomware attack. Verifying the integrity of your backups each time they’re taken gives you peace of mind that, should the worst happen, you’ll be able to restore your data.
How to Back Up OneDrive With Veeam Data Cloud for Microsoft 365
Veeam Data Cloud for Microsoft 365 is a comprehensive backup solution for Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive for Business.
Many organizations prefer Veeam Data Cloud over other Microsoft Backup SaaS solutions due to Veeam’s unique benefits such as:
- Data sovereignty
- Unlimited storage and retention
- Multiple RPO policies
- Powerful file and item search
- Self-Service Restore Portal
Veeam Data Cloud simplifies OneDrive for Business backup with automated, secure, and scalable protection for critical files and user accounts.
Getting started with Veeam Data Cloud for Microsoft 365 is simple. Deployment takes place through a cloud-based setup, requiring minimal initial configuration. Administrators can use OAuth authentication to seamlessly integrate and connect your Microsoft 365 platform to Veeam Data Cloud. Once connected, you can immediately begin designating backup policies tailored to your organizational needs. The installation wizard will automatically deploy the Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 service, proxy servers and backup repositories, and an optional REST API. It will also install the Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 Console and the Explorer tool.
To enable Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 to protect your OneDrive for Business data, the Data Cloud user account must have the correct permissions assigned to it. We provide detailed Veeam Data Cloud for Microsoft 365 documentation that covers how to prepare your environment, install the services, and configure them
Once you have backups configured to your satisfaction, you can inspect, verify, and restore or copy data from your backups using the Self-Service Restore feature. This tool is easy to use and provides granular restoration features, including:
- Restore a single OneDrive
- Restore multiple OneDrives
- Save or restore specific documents or folders
- Copy data from a OneDrive to a target folder
- Sending OneDrive data over email
Veeam Data Cloud for Microsoft 365 includes enhanced security features for greater control and protection over your backups. These improvements include advanced MFA utilizing Microsoft’s single sign-on, as well as access controls such as Role-Based Access controls and session management to maintain tight security and safeguard your OneDrive and Microsoft 365 data.
Best Practices for OneDrive Backup
Consider the following best practices when setting up your OneDrive backups:
- Follow the 3-2-1 backup rule: Aim to have three different copies of your data stored on two different media, with one copy kept off-site.
- Schedule your backups appropriately: Review what sort of data users are synchronizing to their OneDrive and set a backup policy that reflects the importance of that data.
- Encrypt your backups: Reduce the risk of data leaks by ensuring all backups are encrypted.
- Consider compression and deduplication: Reduce storage requirements and network traffic by compressing your backups and using deduplication. Keep in mind that higher levels of compression may increase CPU usage and slow down the restoration process.
- Verify your backups: As part of your automation process, have the integrity of each backup verified to ensure it completed successfully. This assures you you’ll be able to restore the backup properly if necessary.
- Use proper access controls on your backup software: Follow the principle of least privilege and ensure only those responsible for managing backups can access the necessary controls
- Review your policy regularly: Once your backup strategy is in place, perform recovery simulations and confirm all the data you need for daily operations is included in the backup. Review the policy regularly to confirm your backups still provide full coverage.
Discover more best practices in our guide to secure hybrid and multi-cloud backups.
Troubleshooting Common OneDrive Backup Issues
Keep these troubleshooting tips in mind when backing up or restoring OneDrive data.
Issue: Can’t See Files to Restore Them
One common issue occurs when administrators go to restore a file that’s been deleted by a user within the last 30 days, but they can’t see the file in the backup explorer. This happens if you use the Point in Time feature to look for an old file state but fail to check the “Show items that have been deleted by user” option.
Issue: Certain Files Can’t Be Backed Up
If a backup job fails, check the logs for errors and warning messages. A backup job can fail if:
- The file has been flagged by the virus checker plug-in
- It’s a very large file that triggers synchronization limits
- The connection is slow, and uploads are timing out
Issue: OneDrive Wasn’t Found
If an end user’s Microsoft license doesn’t include a OneDrive account, you may see the “OneDrive was not found” error in your logs. Relinking the OneDrive account or reinstalling the application may fix this issue.
The Veeam Help Center provides a comprehensive list of instructions and troubleshooting guidelines for all Veeam products.
Future-Proofing Your OneDrive Backup
Cyberattacks are becoming more common, and the tactics bad actors employ are becoming increasingly sophisticated. To protect your data against ransomware, insider threats, corruption, and accidental loss, you must take a multilayered approach to backup and recovery.
Take regular backups using automated tools, and ensure those backups are encrypted in transit and at rest. Use a backup solution that makes multiple copies and store some backups off-site to protect them against fires, natural disasters, and physical theft.
At least one of your backups should be air-gapped and immutable so you have protection against ransomware, and you should test recovering from this backup. Veeam Backup and DR for the cloud offers powerful backup solutions for organizations using cloud technology and supports a variety of cloud models and providers.
Cyberthreats are evolving rapidly, and it’s not possible to fully protect yourself against threats that don’t currently exist. However, if you take a cautious approach and test your backups regularly, you’ll be more likely to become aware of any holes in your disaster recovery strategy.
Protect Your OneDrive Data With Veeam
OneDrive may be marketed to home users as a backup solution, but it lacks the comprehensive security and redundancy features required for enterprise use. It’s a valuable tool for synchronizing data between your user’s computers, but it’s too easy for users to accidentally delete or corrupt files or for malicious actors to corrupt your data.
Learn more about Veeam’s partnership with Microsoft and how we can help you protect data in your user’s OneDrive folders. Contact us today to request a demonstration.