Backup & Disaster Recovery
Your data, protected and recoverable when it matters
What schools face
Ransomware, accidental deletion, server failure — schools cannot afford to lose pupil records, assessment data, or financial information. Yet many schools have no tested recovery plan. They assume their backups work, but have never tried to restore from one. When disaster strikes mid-term, the question is not whether you have backups — it is whether they actually work.
How We Help
One of the most common misconceptions we encounter is that Microsoft 365 data is automatically backed up. It is not. If a staff member accidentally deletes a SharePoint site, or a ransomware attack encrypts your OneDrive files, Microsoft's built-in retention has significant limitations. We deploy dedicated Microsoft 365 backup covering Teams, SharePoint, Exchange, and OneDrive — so your school's data is properly protected, not just available.
Having backups is only half the story. The other half is knowing they work. We carry out regular test restores so that when you need to recover data — whether it is a single file or an entire system — we know the process works and how long it will take. Every school we support has clear recovery time objectives documented, so there are no surprises during a crisis.
We also work with you to create a disaster recovery plan that covers realistic scenarios: what happens if your server fails during exam season, how you continue operating if your site is inaccessible, and who does what in each situation. It is the kind of planning that nobody wants to think about, but everyone is grateful for when it matters.
What's Included
Cyber security
Backup and disaster recovery is a core component of the DfE's cyber security standard. Having tested, recoverable backups is essential to protecting your school's data.
Learn more about the DfE standardsWhy Hurst Technology
- We test restores regularly — not just hope they work when you need them
- Microsoft 365 data is not automatically backed up by Microsoft — we fill that gap
- Clear recovery time objectives so you know exactly what to expect
- School-appropriate retention policies that meet your compliance needs