Data Storage and Backup Policy

Purpose

To ensure secure, compliant, and efficient storage of organizational data by defining where data should be stored and how it is managed, backed up, and retained.

Storage Guidelines

Personal Data

All personal work-related files must be stored in OneDrive for Business.
Examples: Draft documents, personal notes, individual work files.
Team or Collaborative Data

All shared or team-related files must be stored in SharePoint (Team Sites).

Examples: Project documents, team deliverables, shared templates.
Prohibited Storage

Do not store any company data on local PC drives. This ensures data security, compliance, and backup integrity.

Backup and Retention

Backup Frequency

OneDrive and SharePoint data is backed up daily (incremental) and retained according to company backup policy.
Retention Policy

Deleted items can be recovered within the retention period as per Microsoft 365 policies.
Once an employee is offboarded, all associated OneDrive and SharePoint data will be permanently deleted after 30 days.

Security and Compliance

Data stored in OneDrive and SharePoint is encrypted and protected under the company’s Information Security Policy and ISO27001 standards

Secure deletion processes are enforced after retention periods expire.

Employee Guidelines

Always save files to OneDrive or SharePoint as per the above guidelines.
Do not use local drives for storing any business-related data.
Ensure sensitive data is labeled and handled according to company classification standards.