On Monday, users of cloud-based Microsoft applications including Teams, Microsoft 365, Outlook, Exchange, Sharepoint, OneDrive, and Azure were unable to access the business-critical applications for up to five hours. Unfortunately, there was a second outage just two days later with Microsoft Outlook as a result of a configuration change. The service was inaccessible on the web and via the application for about four hours early Thursday.

A Microsoft spokesperson stated there was no reason to believe the first outage was a result of malicious activity, but the cause remains unclear. However, it’s still an indicator of an imperative need to protect cloud-based business data for businesses large and small. Many think cloud-based data will always be accessible, but that simply isn’t the case. Worse yet, contrary to popular belief, it’s not always Microsoft’s responsibility to restore lost data.

Businesses have a responsibility to take the necessary precautions to protect their data. Managed service providers (MSPs) are responsible for not only their own data but their clients’ data as well. With the uptick in cloud migration and remote work, cyber risk is also increasing for businesses. It’s more important than ever to secure cloud data.

Cloud-to-cloud backup is a crucial offering for MSPs to ensure proper backup of cloud-based business data. SaaS Protection offers users offline productivity when SaaS applications like Microsoft and G Suite experience an outage, with a simple way to export Microsoft data to ensure businesses can continue to operate without interruption. For example, if a client needs to reference a file or a public channel conversation in Microsoft Teams, but can’t access Microsoft 365, the MSP can use an exported version of the latest backup to continue productivity. Once the Microsoft systems are back online, the MSP can re-upload the latest version of the file and continue remote collaboration.

Downtime happens – even for Microsoft and Google. Keep your clients’ businesses protected against permanent cloud data loss and up and running without disruption – even in the event of a massive outage. Learn more about how SaaS Protection can help keep your clients’ data secure and accessible.