Barracuda for Microsoft 365: Backup vs. Archiving

Data backup is for recovery. Archiving is for discovery.

While these two functions might seem similar on the surface, they serve entirely different purposes and are both critical to a complete data management strategy. Barracuda for Microsoft 365 offers solutions for both, ensuring your organization is prepared for any eventuality—whether it’s an emergency recovery or a planned investigation.

Data Backup: Your Safety Net for Recovery

Think of a backup as a time machine for your data. Its sole purpose is to get you back to a known-good state after a disaster. This includes events like accidental deletions, malicious attacks, or system failures.

Barracuda’s Cloud-to-Cloud Backup for Microsoft 365 is designed specifically for this. It takes regular, point-in-time snapshots of your critical data from Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Teams. If a user accidentally deletes an entire mailbox or a ransomware attack encrypts your files, a backup allows you to restore that data quickly and completely, minimizing downtime and business disruption. It’s your last line of defense against data loss.

Data Archiving: Your Library for Discovery

Archiving, on the other hand, is less about a full-scale recovery and more about long-term retention and accessibility for legal and regulatory purposes. It’s a searchable, secure repository of every single piece of communication that enters or leaves your organization.

Barracuda’s Cloud Archiving Service captures and indexes all emails and other communications in a tamper-proof format. This creates a single, immutable copy that is easy to search, audit, and place on a legal hold. Archiving is essential for eDiscovery requests, compliance audits, or internal investigations where you need to find specific information from years ago. You don’t need to restore an entire system; you just need to discover a specific conversation or document.

A Complete Strategy with Barracuda

Microsoft 365 has some built-in features, but they are not a substitute for a dedicated third-party solution. Microsoft operates on a shared responsibility model: they ensure the service is available, but you are responsible for protecting your data.

By implementing Barracuda for Microsoft 365, you get the best of both worlds. The backup solution ensures your business can recover from any data disaster, while the archiving service provides the long-term, verifiable data you need for compliance and legal discovery. Together, they create a robust data protection strategy that keeps your organization resilient and compliant.