Spanning Blog

Welcome to our blog featuring thought leadership and best practices on SaaS backup and recovery, data protection and security, and regular product updates for Spanning Backup for Office 365, Google Workspace, and Salesforce.

Office 365 Data Protection: Part 1 – Disaster Recovery and Retention Times

Data protection in Office 365 is a shared responsibility, with Microsoft taking on the tasks that would have typically been done on-premises for disaster recovery. But your IT team is still ultimately responsible for data protection, and it’s up to the IT team to decide how to protect and recover any data that is lost by human error or even malicious attacks. In Part 1, we look at Microsoft’s disaster recovery and retention times.


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Why Microsoft Requiring Multi-Factor Authentication for Privileged Accounts is a Good Thing

On June 22, 2018, Microsoft announced a public preview of a new security policy which will enable multi-factor authentication (or MFA) for Azure Active Directory “privileged accounts” (or administrator accounts), including most Office 365 admin accounts. After the preview, they will automatically opt these accounts into the policy by default, adding a much needed layer of security to these accounts. Spanning Backup for Office 365’s Sr. Product Manager Andy Rouse explains why this is a good thing in his newest blog post.


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What is Good Governance in the Age of Office 365?

A good governance plan is essential to helping your organization achieve its goals and mission. In addition, a good governance plan is key to maintaining risk management and compliance. In this blog post, you’ll learn practical definitions of what governance is — and what it isn’t — and why and how to go beyond good governance to data protection.


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Office 365 Admins: How to use PowerShell with Spanning Backup’s Public REST API

Because Office 365 admins can do more with PowerShell, we’ve extended the capabilities of Spanning Backup for Office 365 with a Spanning-built PowerShell module that works in conjunction with our REST API to automate activities in Spanning such as assigning or unassigning individual and bulk licenses. Learn how it works.


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Defining RPO and RTO in the Age of Cloud Computing

One of the best practices in well run IT organizations is for CIOs and IT managers to evaluate the risk of data loss, and establish business continuity plans that outline backup and recovery along with their respective Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) and Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs). But first, information technology teams and business stakeholders must start with a common understanding of what RTO and RPO mean in terms of backup and recovery.


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What You Need to Know about Ransomware Attacks and Office 365

Over the past few years, there has been a stunning increase in the number and sophistication of ransomware attacks. Microsoft products and services have been targeted by cybercriminals for decades — now that Office 365 is the company’s fastest-growing solution, it’s a primary target. Given the great risks for losses at the hands of cybercriminals, every member of your organization — from your COO to each individual employee — must take proactive measures to protect the organization’s data.


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7 Tips for Making the Most of Office 365 for Enterprise

By adopting Microsoft Office 365 for your enterprise, you’re taking a powerful step towards better productivity, efficiency, and collaboration. The seven tips below will enhance the benefits provided by Office 365, while mitigating risks in the form of data loss caused by end user errors, sync errors, or ransomware. Make the most of Office 365 for your enterprise while protecting your investment.


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Get the Real Scoop: Office 365 Backup Policies & How to Fully Protect Your Data

Microsoft Office 365 prides itself on enabling dynamic, collaborative workplaces for its customers. Industry-leading security measures and attention to privacy, compliance, and accessibility support the robust functionality of the cloud productivity suite. Even so, research shows that data loss and protection are still major concerns for most businesses migrating to the cloud. In fact, the number one concern of CIOs moving their business to the cloud is security, with 84% expressing worry.


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5 Ways to Make a Smooth Transition to Office 365 for Enterprise

As Microsoft adds new business apps to Office 365, its popularity and usefulness continues to grow, as does its rate of adoption. New productivity and collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams, Groups and Microsoft Planner, streamline and simplify business communication — making a move to Office 365 from another platform even more attractive. If you are considering or starting to migrate to Office 365, read our five pointers to ease your organization’s move.


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What State and Local Governments Need to Know About Risks in Google Workspace and Office 365

Software as a Service (SaaS) collaborative platform adoption is increasing among state and local government — but along with increased adoption comes added risk. In this blog, you’ll learn how to reduce the risks from ransomware and malicious insiders if you’ve adopted Office 365 or Google Workspace. You’ll also learn more about: Why SaaS collaboration […]


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