It is easy to assume that once files are in the cloud, they are backed up. Cloud storage certainly protects you from a stolen laptop or a failed hard disk, but it is a different thing from a backup you control.
What cloud storage does well
It gives your team one shared copy of a file, available from anywhere. A provider's own recovery systems also protect the service against disaster. A Trash folder gives you time to recover from an accidental deletion.
What it does not do by itself
- It may not keep a file you deleted beyond its recovery window.
- It may not undo changes, if no version history is kept.
- It cannot protect you if files are damaged on your computer and then uploaded again.
- Provider backups are usually designed for whole-service recovery rather than restoring one customer's folder.
The 3-2-1 rule
A long-standing guideline is to keep three copies of important data, on two different types of storage, with one copy offsite. For a small business that could mean the working copy on your computer or in cloud storage, a second copy with a different service, and a third held offline.
Decide what actually matters
Not everything needs the same protection. List the records you could not operate without, such as accounts, contracts and customer files, and make sure those have an independent copy. Then test recovering something once in a while.