Understand what is actually included
List Microsoft 365, accounting data, shared files, business applications, websites, servers and key devices. OneDrive or file sync may copy a deletion or corruption to every location rather than preserving a clean recovery point.
Match retention to how problems are discovered
Some incidents are found weeks later. Retention should provide enough historical versions to recover from a delayed discovery, not only the latest copy.
Separate backup access
A backup controlled by the same compromised administrator account can also be deleted. Separate credentials, MFA, restricted permissions and immutable or isolated copies reduce that risk.
Test real restores
Success notifications show that a job ran; they do not prove the data is usable. Restore tests confirm the files open, permissions make sense and the recovery process is understood.
Plan for the time without the system
Recovery planning should identify which systems return first, who makes decisions and how staff work while restoration is underway.
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