Myth 1 – Microsoft 365 is automatically backed up?

Put simply, no.
Microsoft 365 platform is extremely resilient and there is no real concern that Microsoft will lose your data through a hardware or service failure.
However, emails that you delete (accidentally or on purpose) are only available for restore for 30 days and documents deleted inside Sharepoint are only available for recovery for 14 days. Leave it longer than this and you’ve lost it for good. Don’t believe me? Microsoft have even put in their terms and conditions to seek a third party solution for your backups!
Industry or compliance rules and regulations will typically dictate a far more comprehensive data backup solution – the kind that will offer multiple restore points, allowing for data restores from 3 days, 4 weeks or 5 months ago and into the years for FCA compliance.
Although Microsoft does not offer any native Microsoft 365 backup solutions, there are many 3rd party providers that offer modern cloud backup solutions of which Purple Matrix have years of experience and knowledge and can advise on most suitable product for your circumstances.

Myth 2 – Microsoft 365 is secure by design?

Not out of the box.
Although Microsoft 365 and Azure offer an almighty arsenal of security tools that can be utilised to protect your Microsoft cloud services, the reality is that a lot of companies rely on the default security provisions that were in place when they first deployed their Microsoft Office 365 tenant.
This typically means that the entire environment is secured by a simple username and password allowing anyone anywhere unlimited opportunities to brute force your password, or more commonly the passwords will be volunteered to attackers through phishing emails which are becoming very sophisticated and personalised.
Furthermore, it is common to find legacy services and authentication methods available on Microsoft 365 tenants, akin to locking the front door but leaving bathroom window wide open.
Security tools such as Azure Conditional Access in conjunction with Multi Factor Authentication offer effective security against the majority of common attacks and come at minimal investment. There are other routes to secure your systems and Purple Matrix would be happy to discuss your needs and security requirements to create the best package for your budget.

Myth 3 – My data won’t be safe in the cloud and others can access it

It is quite common for people to believe that once their data is uploaded into Microsoft Azure or Office 365 that Microsoft, governments or others will be able to easily access it.

Here are a few myth-busting facts:
• Microsoft engineers don’t have access to your data. There are no ‘back-doors’ or routes in for them or anyone else to see your data.
• Your data is exactly that – yours! Although Microsoft process the data on your behalf, the data remains yours and Microsoft have no rights to it.
• Your data stored in the Microsoft cloud and is encrypted at rest and in transit.
• Your data enjoys the highest possible levels of physical and logical security in Microsoft data centres. Very few companies could come anywhere close to these levels of security.
• Microsoft has the most compliance certificates of any cloud based provider

Myth 4 – Monthly subscription model is not cost effective

A common misconception is that Microsoft’s monthly subscription model is just there to make Microsoft richer and represents poor value for money. This viewpoint stems from a dated belief that purchasing perpetual licenses offers better value over 5 years as compared to monthly payments.

However, the reality is that Microsoft products (and technology in general) move quickly, and as a result these products and services quickly become dated and even obsolete. Companies that pursue the ‘for life’ licensing model risk playing technology catchup and in fact often spend more overall by having to buy the same licenses over and over every 3 years, or potentially large up-front sums to update as there is no longer a logical upgrade path. We will not get started on the operational benefits of the potential downtime when an inhouse server decides it no longer wants to work!

Moving over to a monthly subscription model almost always represents good value and offers an opportunity to move the business expenses to an OpEx model and thus avoid tying up significant sums of money into software on CapEx basis.

Myth 5 – All Microsoft partners are much the same

Microsoft products aimed at the SME segment are sold through Microsoft’s Cloud Solution Provider model – essentially a network of Microsoft vetted partner organisations that sell and bill for Microsoft products.

Logic would say that if all these CSPs are just selling the same Microsoft 365 products, it matters not which Microsoft partner a company chooses to transact with? Not necessarily.

There are fundamental differences between smaller, customer focused managed service providers such as Purple Matrix and the larger distribution channel organisations such as TechData, Softcat, Inty, etc.
Smaller, independent CSPs will put customer needs first, offer targeted advice and recommend solutions – selling of Microsoft licensing typically forming the last and least significant step of the process.

In contrast, the larger distributors will typically primarily focus on license sales volume, offer a few % discount on Microsoft recommended pricing in order to entice customers but will rarely engage in any added value activities for their clients.
Don’t believe us give us a call and talk to one of the team who will offer their guidance with no obligation.

Purple Matrix is a Microsoft Gold Partner with 21 years of experience in cyber security and cloud technologies.
If your organisation would benefit from working with an out-of-the-box thinking IT company then get in touch!