BACKUP & CONTINUITY | HAMPSHIRE
Backup and disaster recovery
for Hampshire businesses
Protect your servers, laptops and Microsoft 365 with offsite, ransomware-resistant backups. We test restores on an agreed schedule and help you write a continuity plan your team can follow.
Get a free IT reviewTHE BASICS
Backup and disaster recovery checked with test restores
We provide backup and disaster recovery for Hampshire businesses facing server failure, ransomware or a flooded office. We configure separate copies and test restores to support your business continuity plan. Combine backups with managed IT support to help maintain the systems you rely on.
You may already use a USB drive or a sync tool to copy files. An unchecked drive can fail when needed. Sync can also copy deletions or encrypted files, so it should not replace a separate backup.
We design your backups around the 3-2-1 rule: three copies, two storage types and one copy offsite. Cloud backup for business can provide the offsite copy. We check your backup jobs and test that you can restore usable data.
- 3 copies of your data: the live version plus two backups
- 2 different types of storage, such as a local appliance and the cloud
- 1 copy held offsite, away from your building and your network
- An optional immutable copy that nobody, even an attacker with admin rights, can change before it expires
WHAT YOU ARE PROTECTING AGAINST
Protect your data against six common risks
Different causes of data loss need different safeguards. We plan your backups and recovery around all six.
Ransomware
Attackers now hunt for backups before encrypting anything. Immutable offsite copies and separate backup logins make your recovery points much harder to wipe, so you can restore clean data from before the attack.
Hardware failure
Disks, servers and NAS boxes fail without warning. Image-level backups let us rebuild a whole machine onto new hardware, or run it from the backup while replacement parts arrive.
Human error
Someone overwrites a price list, empties a folder or deletes the wrong mailbox. Frequent backups with long version history let you roll back a single file or email to how it looked yesterday or last month.
Flood, fire and break-ins
Offices near Hampshire's river valleys and coast face flood risk, and fire or theft can strike anywhere. If your only backup sits beside the server, one event takes both. Offsite copies remove that risk.
Lost and stolen laptops
Staff who work from home, site or a client office carry company data with them. Endpoint backup protects files that never reach the server, and a replacement laptop gets the user's data back quickly.
Cloud account problems
A compromised account, a malicious leaver or a deleted licence can remove months of email and files. Cloud-native data needs its own backup, held outside the platform it came from, with retention periods that you control.
MICROSOFT 365 BACKUP
Microsoft 365 backup for work you need to recover
Microsoft runs the platform, while you remain responsible for your data, accounts and identities. Your recovery plan needs to cover accidental deletion and files encrypted by an attacker.
Built-in recovery tools help, but their recovery windows have limits. Exchange Online retains items removed from Deleted Items for 14 days by default. This can be extended to 30 days. SharePoint and OneDrive recycle bins retain deleted items for 93 days, unless permanently deleted sooner. Files Restore can roll a library back up to 30 days.
You may discover missing data after those windows, or need information from a former employee's account. We add separate backup for Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams, with retention agreed around your needs. Include backup when reviewing your Microsoft 365 setup.
PLAIN ENGLISH
Set clear recovery priorities using four planning terms
We explain the four terms so you can agree recovery targets and choose backup settings that match your business needs.
RPO: how much work you can afford to lose
Recovery Point Objective is the gap between backups. Back up nightly, fail at 4pm, and you lose a day of work. A finance system might need hourly backups while archive folders manage with daily ones.
RTO: how long you can be down
Recovery Time Objective is how quickly a system must work again. A dispatch office may need its job system back within an hour. An archive share can wait. Shorter targets cost more, so we set them per system.
Backup and disaster recovery
A backup is a copy of your data. Disaster recovery is the tested process of running your systems again from those copies. It sets where they run, who does what and in which order.
Business continuity
Continuity covers the whole business, beyond IT. It sets out how you keep serving customers during an outage. That means where staff work, how calls get answered and what you tell clients.
HOW WE WORK
Check your backup setup then test your recovery
Review what you have
We map your data across servers, laptops, Microsoft 365 and business apps. Then we check existing backups and agree RPO and RTO targets for each system.
Design the setup
We pick local and cloud storage to fit your targets and add an immutable offsite copy. Backup admin accounts stay separate from everyday Microsoft logins.
Deploy and monitor
Backups run on schedule, and our 24/7 monitoring flags any failed or skipped job. We fix issues in working hours and report on backup health at intervals you choose.
Test restores on a schedule
We restore sample files, mailboxes and full machines to prove the data is readable and complete. You get a record of each test for insurers and auditors.
CONTINUITY PLANNING
Business continuity with clear actions for your team
We help you write a short plan covering what to do, who takes responsibility and how to keep essential work moving.
- A ranked list of systems, with recovery order and targets
- Named people for each task, with deputies and offline contact details
- Cloud phone routing that can move calls to mobiles
- A backup internet route, such as 4G or 5G failover
- How staff work if the building is closed
- Who tells customers, suppliers and your insurer
- Regular walk-throughs, updated after any real incident
Frequently asked questions
Backup & Continuity: your questions answered
What does backup and disaster recovery cover?
Backup keeps copies of your data; disaster recovery covers restoring the systems and information you need to work. We protect servers, laptops and Microsoft 365 with offsite copies and scheduled restore tests. Your business continuity plan sets out how your team responds while recovery takes place.
What is the 3-2-1 backup rule?
The 3-2-1 rule means keeping three copies of your data, on two storage types, with one copy offsite. An immutable or offline copy adds protection against ransomware that targets backups. We use this rule as the starting point for your setup.
Do we need separate Microsoft 365 backup?
Yes, if you need recovery options beyond Microsoft's built-in tools and their retention limits. Separate Microsoft 365 backup lets you retain copies according to your business needs. We agree what to back up and how long to keep it.
What makes a backup immutable?
An immutable backup is locked against changes or deletion for a set period. This helps protect stored copies if ransomware reaches your systems or an attacker gains administrator access. Combine backup protection with managed cyber security to help protect the systems holding your live data. Restore tests check that your protected copies are usable.
How often should we test our backups?
Test your backups on a schedule that matches your business risk and recovery needs. We agree that schedule with you, covering file and mailbox restores alongside fuller tests of key systems. A completed backup job does not prove you can restore usable data.
Where is our cloud backup for business stored?
Your cloud backup is stored in locations agreed with you during setup. We document where each copy lives. If your clients or contracts specify data location requirements, we select storage to meet them.
How do backups support business continuity?
Backups support business continuity by giving you data to restore after disruption. Your continuity plan also needs clear responsibilities and instructions for keeping essential work moving. We help you write a short plan your team can follow without us in the room.
Can you help answer Cyber Essentials and insurance questions about backups?
Yes, we can document how your backups are configured, monitored and tested for insurance and audit questions. We hold Cyber Essentials ourselves. Restore test records provide evidence when insurers ask about offsite or offline copies.
Related services
Pair your backup plan with IT support and security
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Find the gaps
in your backup plan
Book a backup review to check what you could recover. We will examine your setup, test a restore and explain the gaps. Call 01252 227232 or email hello@hampshireitsupport.uk.