They often gets pushed down the list of priorities or even worse, completely forgotten but backups are integral to business continuity.
Backups are the safety net that keeps everything ticking behind the scenes. From your data, and systems to your connectivity. We aren’t just talking about your Microsoft 365 backups, we also mean your IoT devices and on-premises servers.
Having the right backup plan in place can be the difference between a small operations blip and a full-blown business shutdown.
Why backups are so important
When something goes wrong (and it will, trust us), backups make sure whatever the problem is, it doesn’t bring your business to a standstill.
Power cuts, corrupted files, or even an over-enthusiastic delete can cause problems if your systems aren’t protected. Backups give you a way to recover quickly and carry on processing orders, running your business and serving customers at the level of customer service they expect.
Backups also help with cyber security. If your systems ever face a cyberattack or ransomware incident, a reliable backup means you can restore your data and get back online without paying the price.
The different types of backups
IoT Backups: Staying connected when the unexpected happens
Modern businesses rely on connected devices, from door entry systems to CCTV and Wi-Fi networks. But what happens when your main internet line fails?
That’s where ConnectWise comes in. It’s a fully managed IoT SIM and router solution that provides instant 4G or 5G backup connectivity.
If your broadband drops out, ConnectWise steps in, keeping tills running, card machines processing, and systems online.
We’ve seen it play out in all sorts of situations:
- A coffee shop keeping its card readers connected during a network outage.
- A construction site needing internet before Ethernet is installed.
- A rural event venue staying online for guests and staff.
It’s the kind of reliability that customers don’t notice, and businesses rely on.
Microsoft 365 backups
A common misconception is that storing files in Microsoft 365 automatically means they’re backed up. Unfortunately, that’s not quite true.
Microsoft looks after the infrastructure, but it doesn’t protect you from accidental deletion, malicious activity, or sync errors.
A dedicated 365 backup gives you peace of mind that your emails, files, and Teams data are recoverable, no matter what. It’s a small step that saves a lot of stress later. Top tip: schedule frequent backups and encourage your team to stick to them, you will thank yourself in the future!
On-premises backups, still as important as ever
If your business runs on-premises servers or local storage, regular backups are still crucial.
They protect against everything from hardware failure to power cuts and ensure that your data can be restored quickly when something goes wrong.
Even with modern cloud systems, a hybrid approach (cloud + local) is the most resilient setup.
Worse-case scenario
We don’t want to spread fear, but to highlight the importance of backups, lets imagine the worst case scenario. Without proper backups, the smallest issue can spiral into hours of lost productivity, frustrated customers, and unexpected costs.
Imagine:
- A café unable to take payments because its card systems are offline. In the short term, this could result in loss of earnings, in the long term it could lead to reputational damage.
- A warehouse with sensors and scanners that suddenly can’t connect. Unfulfilled orders = missed delivery dates = unhappy customers and loss of repeat business.
- A manager realising that the report due today was accidentally deleted last week. Reporting can be a lengthy task in the first place, without having to go back and redo all of that hard work, past the initial deadline.
All avoidable, with the right backup plan in place.
Backups = business continuity
Backups aren’t just a box ticking exercise, they’re about continuity, confidence, and customer trust.
When your systems are protected, you can focus on what matters: running your business.
Whether it’s through ConnectWise instant connectivity failover, Microsoft 365 protection, or on-premises resilience, a good backup plan ensures that even when things go wrong, your business doesn’t stop.
If you haven’t reviewed your backup strategy in a while, now’s the time. It’s one of the simplest ways to avoid downtime, protect your data, and keep your business connected.