Backups
Part of Small business data storage
Preventing important records from living only on one laptop
Find laptop-only work records, move them into an approved business location and check that another authorised worker can use them.
Find important records that exist only on one laptop, give them an approved business location and confirm that another authorised worker can use the transferred copies. Decide separately how they will be recovered after deletion or unwanted change. Calling a folder ‘shared’ does not move its files out of a local directory.
Key Facts on File Backup and Recovery in Australia
- OneDrive Sync DefaultNot all folders are automatically synced – requires configuration
- Australian Cybersecurity GuidanceBusinesses must plan for recovery of critical data beyond device sync
- Shared Responsibility ModelUsers and businesses share responsibility for securing data in the cloud
- Local Files Remain VulnerableA 'shared' folder name does not mean files are backed up or accessible elsewhere
Look where work is first saved
Trace a recent task with the person who performed it. Check drafts, downloads, scans, exported reports and final files. Include Desktop, Documents, application-specific locations and temporary folders used away from the office. Identify the records colleagues would need if the laptop became unavailable.
| Record | Question |
|---|---|
| File or record group | What work depends on it? |
| Current path and account | Is it local, in an approved service or in a personal account? |
| Business owner | Who identifies the current version? |
| New location | Where should the working copy live? |
| Verification | Who else must be able to open and use it? |
Do not assume a familiar folder name means its contents are synchronised. Microsoft says standard computer folders might not be included in OneDrive until its folder-backup feature is configured; its settings show which folders are included. Other products and administrator settings differ.
Transfer a small set and check it
Start with files whose owner can identify the correct version. Choose an approved location and permissions. Move or copy a representative set through the supported process. Check it in the service and from another authorised account. Open a file, confirm its content and complete the task that depends on it.
Investigate failed uploads, file-type limits, conflicts and application data that needs more than a document copy. If a specialist application keeps records in a database or its own account, ask its owner or supplier how to make them available. Moving an unfamiliar application folder may not produce a usable record.
Keep the old copy until the new location and work process are confirmed. Then tell staff where new work must be saved, handle duplicates under the business’s records process and update the inventory. Otherwise the laptop may again become the source of the latest work.
Separate availability from recovery
Synchronisation can make files available on more than one device, but it can also pass a deletion or unwanted edit between them. OneDrive calls its standard-folder sync feature ‘folder backup’; that name alone does not establish an independent, protected backup.
Check which versions or deleted items the chosen service can restore under its actual plan and settings. Arrange protected backup coverage for records the business must recover.
Before treating the laptop dependency as resolved, ask an authorised colleague to complete a representative task without that laptop. Record any missing file, permission or application dependency. The proposed check needs an observed result; a transfer notification alone does not establish success.
Synchronisation vs. Protected Backup: Key Differences
- AvailabilitySync ensures files are accessible across devices (e.g., OneDrive folder sync)
- Recovery CapabilityProtected backup retains deleted or modified versions for recovery (e.g., OneDrive recycle bin, retention policies)
- Risk of Unwanted Change SpreadSync may propagate deletions or edits across devices; not all services protect against this
- Best Practice for Critical RecordsUse both sync for availability and separate backup for recovery protection
