Ransomware, a failed server, a deleted folder or a flood in the office. We make sure your data is backed up, encrypted, stored safely away from your systems and regularly tested, so you can recover quickly.
Independent backups of email, OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams, so deleted or encrypted data can be restored long after Microsoft's retention runs out.
Backups of your servers and the applications on them, with the option to restore individual files or a whole server.
Protection for important data on laptops and desktops, especially for staff who work away from the office.
Backups are encrypted and stored in secure UK based cloud storage, away from your office and your main systems.
We regularly restore sample data to prove backups work, rather than finding out on the day you need them.
A simple written plan for what happens if you lose your office, your server or access to your systems.
Many businesses believe they are backed up, until they need to restore something. The backup drive was unplugged months ago. The cloud sync copied the ransomware along with everything else. Nobody knew how long Microsoft keeps deleted email.
We design backups around a simple question: if this data disappeared today, how would we get it back, and how quickly? Then we monitor every backup, deal with failures straight away and test restores regularly.
Backup monitoring and test restores are part of our managed IT support plans, and we can also set up backup for businesses with other IT arrangements.
Backup is one layer of a wider cyber security approach. It is your safety net if everything else fails.
We work out where your important data lives: servers, Microsoft 365, laptops and any other cloud services you use.
We discuss how much data you could afford to lose and how quickly you need to be running again, then design backups to match.
We set up encrypted backups, check they complete every day and fix any failures.
We restore data regularly to prove it works and review the setup as your business changes.
Data loss happens in many ways. Ransomware encrypts files and any backups it can reach. A server or laptop fails without warning. Someone deletes a folder by mistake, or a member of staff leaves and deletes their work on the way out. A fire, flood or break in takes out your office equipment.
In every case, a recent, working backup stored away from the affected systems is what lets you recover. Without one, you may face rebuilding records by hand, losing client work or, in the case of ransomware, being pressured to pay criminals with no guarantee of getting anything back.
Many businesses assume that because their email and files are in Microsoft 365, Microsoft is backing them up. It is more nuanced than that.
Cloud services work on what is often called a shared responsibility model. Microsoft is responsible for running the service: keeping its data centres, hardware and software working, and protecting against failures on its side. You are responsible for your data and who can access it, including protecting it against accidental deletion, malicious users, compromised accounts and ransomware that syncs into OneDrive or SharePoint.
Microsoft 365 does have recycle bins, version history and retention settings, and they are useful. But they are designed to keep data for limited periods within the same system. If deleted items expire, if an attacker with admin access deletes data and empties the bins, or if ransomware overwrites file versions, those features may not be enough.
A separate Microsoft 365 backup keeps independent copies of email, OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams data outside your Microsoft 365 tenancy, for as long as you choose. If something goes wrong, we can restore a single email, a whole mailbox or a SharePoint site to a point in time before the problem.
If you still have a server in the office, it usually holds something important: shared files, a line of business application or an accounts database. We back up servers so that we can restore individual files quickly or, if the server fails completely, recover the whole system.
Laptops and desktops should not be the only place important work lives. Where staff do keep data locally, or work remotely with limited connection to the office, we can back up their devices too. Often the better long term answer is moving files into OneDrive and SharePoint, which we cover on our cloud services page.
A widely used rule of thumb for backups is 3 2 1:
We follow this principle, adapted to your business. Backups are encrypted and stored in secure UK based cloud storage, separate from your main systems and accounts, so ransomware or a compromised password cannot easily reach them. Where fast restores of large amounts of data matter, we can also keep a local copy.
A backup that has never been tested is a hope, not a plan. We check every day that backups have completed and act on any failures. We also carry out regular test restores, recovering sample files, mailboxes or systems to make sure the data is complete and usable. If a test shows a problem, we fix it long before you need a real restore.
Backups get your data back. Business continuity planning is about keeping your business running while that happens. A simple plan answers questions such as: who do we call, where can staff work if the office is unavailable, how do we keep answering the phones, and which systems need to be restored first?
We can help you write a short, practical continuity plan that fits your business. Cloud based tools make this much easier than it used to be: with Microsoft 365, a cloud phone system and laptops, many teams can carry on working from home while the office is sorted out.
When something goes wrong, you want to speak to someone who knows your systems. Our team in Sunderland handles restores for our clients, from a single deleted file to a full recovery. If you are unsure whether your backups would work when you need them, get in touch or ask for a free IT review and we will check.
Real words from North East businesses we look after.
“Cyber Fits manages our servers and production workstations, ensuring the uptime of our services and equipment is always maintained. Their quick response to any issues or downtime is impressive, and they consistently resolve problems within our SLA. Security is paramount to us, and Cyber Fits provides us with state of the art cyber security software to protect our company.”
“Cyber Fits has been instrumental in looking after our computers and website. Their expertise and reliable service have kept our systems running smoothly, allowing us to focus on our core business. Whether it's regular maintenance or troubleshooting, Matt and his team are always there when we need them.”
“Cyber Fits has been a huge help in keeping our IT and phone systems running smoothly across the building. From day to day support to improving our connectivity, they're quick to respond and easy to work with. It's reassuring knowing we've got local engineers we can rely on.”
Microsoft keeps the service running and offers recycle bins and retention for limited periods, but protecting your data against deletion, ransomware or malicious users is your responsibility. A separate Microsoft 365 backup gives you independent copies you control.
Backups are encrypted and stored in secure UK based cloud storage, separate from your main systems. Where it makes sense, we can also keep a local copy for faster restores.
Most clients have backups taken at least daily. The right frequency depends on how much data you could afford to lose, and we will agree this with you.
We check backup results every day and carry out regular test restores, recovering sample data to make sure it is complete and usable.
Not on its own. Sync copies changes, including deletions and files encrypted by ransomware, across devices. Version history helps, but a separate backup is the safest way to protect your data.
It means keeping three copies of your data, on two different types of storage, with one copy off site. It reduces the chance that a single problem destroys every copy.
Setup, migration, licensing, security and day to day administration of Microsoft 365.
Find out moreLayered, practical protection for your devices, email, accounts and data, explained in plain English.
Find out moreFile migrations to SharePoint and OneDrive, hosted servers and virtual desktops, and cloud cost control.
Find out more
Backup and continuity
Microsoft keeps its service running, but protecting your emails and files is your job. Here is what the built in retention really covers, where it falls short and what a proper Microsoft 365 backup adds.
Backup and continuity
The 3 2 1 rule is the simplest way to check whether your backups would really save you. Here is what it means, the modern 3 2 1 1 0 version, and how to apply it to a typical North East business.
IT strategy
Managed IT support means an outside company looks after your technology for a fixed monthly fee. Here is how it compares with break fix and in house IT, and how to tell if it is right for you.
Book a free, no obligation IT review. We will look at your setup, tell you honestly what needs attention and give you a clear fixed monthly price.
