Why you should not trust Microsoft to backup your data

The recent Azure Active Directory outage may explain why your Microsoft SharePoint and Teams files are being randomly deleted.

On March 15, all Microsoft cloud services, including Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint, Outlook, and Exchange Online, suffered a large blackout. The problem was caused by an issue in the configuration of the Azure Active Directory service.

Instantly, reports came pouring in from users about their files suddenly ending up in the recycle bin, either the online trash or the one on their desktop. The issue also extends to free users of Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft has issued a couple of advisories, one for OneDrive and the other for Sharepoint. At first, they suggested the file sync would restore the deleted files. However, that did not work and users had to manually move them back to their original location. Now, they have apparently found the cause of the issue and are working on mitigation, however the tech giant does not offer any explanation about the strange behaviour.

This bug is a great example of why you should always have your own, separate backup. Microsoft is not liable for any loss of data. In fact, they urge customers to get a third-party backup solution.

We can read this in Microsoft’s Services Agreement (6b):

“… Microsoft is not liable for any disruption or loss you may suffer as a result. In the event of an outage, you may not be able to retrieve Your Content or Data that you’ve stored. We recommend that you regularly backup Your Content and Data that you store on the Services or store using Third-Party Apps and Services.”

Don’t let the next bad news about Microsoft data loss be your bad news. Stay ahead of the problem, backup your data.

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