HOW TO BACK UP SHAREPOINT SITES – A GUIDE FOR SHAREPOINT ADMINS by Hyper Wizard

Backing up SharePoint sites is essential for ensuring data protection, business continuity, and peace of mind. Whether you're managing SharePoint Online through Microsoft 365 or working with an on-premises SharePoint Server, having a reliable backup plan is non-negotiable.

Let’s break it down by environment:

☁️ SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365)

SharePoint Online doesn’t have a traditional “backup and restore” feature like SharePoint Server. Instead, Microsoft handles platform-level backups, but granular recovery (like individual sites or libraries) requires additional tools or manual processes.

???? What Microsoft Covers

• Microsoft performs automatic backups every 12 hours and retains them for 14 days.
• These are for disaster recovery only and cannot be accessed directly by admins.
• You can request a rollback by opening a support ticket with Microsoft within that 14-day window.

???? Your Options for Backups

1. Recycle Bin (Quick Fix)

• Items deleted from lists/libraries go to the Site Recycle Bin for 93 days.
• After that, they move to the Second-stage Recycle Bin (accessible by site collection admins).

2. Version History

• Enable versioning on libraries so you can restore previous versions of documents.

3. Exporting Content Manually

• Use Open with Explorer or OneDrive Sync to manually back up site contents.
• Or use PowerShell + PnP PowerShell to export lists and libraries.

4. Third-party Backup Solutions

• Tools like AvePoint, Veeam, Datto, or SkyKick offer granular, automated backup and restore for SharePoint Online.
• Great for backing up specific sites, libraries, documents, and even permissions.

????️ SharePoint Server (On-Premises)

If you're working with SharePoint Server (2016, 2019, etc.), you have more control over backups.

???? Native Tools for Backup

1. Central Administration

• Go to Central Admin > Backup and Restore > Perform a site collection backup.
• Specify the site collection URL and backup location.
• Choose full or differential backups.

2. PowerShell (Recommended for Automation)

Backup-SPSite -Identity "http://your-site-url" -Path "C:\Backup\SiteBackup.bak"

• This backs up the entire site collection to a .bak file.
• Schedule it via Task Scheduler or a script.

3. SQL Server Backups

• Back up the content databases directly using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).
• Be cautious — restoring requires careful syncing with SharePoint config.

✅ Best Practices

• Schedule regular backups (daily or weekly depending on business needs).
• Document your restore process and test it periodically.
• Use third-party tools for enhanced flexibility in SharePoint Online.
• Monitor the Recycle Bin and retention policies to prevent data loss.

Drive Backup and Migration

1. SharePoint Migration Software
2. Backup SharePoint Online
3. Backup SharePoint Site
4. Migrate SharePoint
5. SharePoint Server vs SharePoint Online
6. OneDrive Migration Software
7. Google Drive Migration Software
8. OneDrive Backup Software
9. Google Shared Drive Backup
10. Google Shared Drive Migration

11. Office 365 backup Software

12. Download emails from Outlook