Cloud Backup & Disaster Recovery for London SMEs

Beyond File Syncing

If your data only exists in one place, it isn't backed up.

The biggest misconception in modern business is that "moving to the cloud" removes the need for backups. Platforms like Microsoft SharePoint and Google Drive sync your files reliably. But sync is not backup. If an employee accidentally deletes a folder, or ransomware encrypts your local drive, the cloud sync replicates that change instantly — spreading the deletion or encryption across every connected device.

Threewaves provides true data backup and disaster recovery for London SMEs. We isolate your data by taking automated, independent snapshots multiple times a day and storing them in secure, immutable UK data centres. If disaster strikes — whether ransomware, accidental deletion, or a rogue app — we roll back your systems to a clean point in time before the incident occurred.

Data Loss Risks London SMEs Cannot Ignore

The threats to your business data are more varied than most owners realise:

• Ransomware Threats: Malicious software that encrypts your cloud storage and local drives, halting operations until a ransom is paid — or until you have a clean backup to restore from.
• Accidental Deletion: Staff deleting critical folders, not realising the error until weeks later when the recycle bin has been emptied and native retention periods have expired.
• Malicious Actions: A departing employee permanently deleting emails or shared documents before leaving — content that may be gone forever without independent backup.
• SaaS Outages and Integration Errors: Third-party integrations or app errors causing data corruption within your Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace environment.

Cloud-to-Cloud Backup Explained

Cloud-to-cloud backup copies your data directly from one cloud environment — Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace — to a completely separate, independently managed backup vault. The backup traffic does not flow through your office network, does not interfere with your staff's working day, and is not affected by anything that happens to your primary cloud environment.

What we protect includes: Microsoft Exchange email, Microsoft Teams chat and files, SharePoint document libraries, OneDrive accounts, Google Drive including Team Drives, and Gmail inboxes. Backups run automatically multiple times per day, with retention periods configured to match your compliance requirements.

Ransomware Recovery for London SMEs

Ransomware remains the most destructive and expensive threat facing SMEs. When ransomware encrypts your data, it typically targets every accessible location — including cloud-synced files. Without an independent, immutable backup, the choice is often between paying the ransom or losing the data permanently.

Our backup platform uses write-once storage architecture. Once a backup snapshot is taken, it is locked and cannot be altered, encrypted, or deleted — by ransomware, by an administrator, or by anyone else. In the event of an attack, we restore your Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace data to a clean point-in-time from before the infection, while you work with your cyber security team on isolating and cleaning the affected devices. Our integrated cyber security services and backup together form a complete ransomware resilience strategy.

Disaster Recovery Planning for London SMEs

Backup is the technical foundation. Disaster recovery is the plan for how you actually get the business running again when something goes wrong. For most SMEs, this does not need to be a hundred-page document — it needs to answer three practical questions: what data do we have, where is it backed up, and how quickly can we restore it?

We help you define realistic Recovery Time Objectives (RTO — how long you can afford to be down) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO — how much data loss is acceptable) for the parts of your business that matter most. For most London SMEs on Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, a cloud-data restore can happen within hours. We document the process clearly so that if something does go wrong, there is no confusion about what to do and who to call.

Backup Monitoring and Restore Testing

A backup you cannot restore is not a backup. Many businesses assume their backups are working until the day they need them — and discover they have been failing silently for months. We monitor every backup job daily, investigate any failures or gaps immediately, and carry out regular restore verification tests to confirm that data can actually be recovered when needed. You receive clear reporting so you always know the status of your data protection without having to ask.

Our backup services work in close coordination with our broader managed IT support London platform and cyber security defences. For local businesses in London Bridge and Southwark, we also provide vCIO-level guidance to align your backup and recovery strategy with your insurance requirements and legal obligations.