It's not about the Backup.
It's about the Recovery.
A hardware failure or cyber incident can bring business operations to a stop. We build resilient backup systems ensuring you can recover your data and operations in minutes, not days.
A Real Strategy for Business Continuity
We implement the industry-standard 3-2-1 rule to ensure your data survives any localized disaster.
Copies of Data
Original Data + 2 Backups
Different Media
e.g. Local Server + Cloud
Offsite Copy
Secure UK Data Centre
Server Backup & DR
Full image-based backups of your physical or virtual servers. If a server dies, we can spin it up as a virtual machine in the cloud so your team can keep working.
Microsoft 365 Backup
Dedicated protection for Exchange Online, OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams environments, preventing data loss from accidental or malicious deletions.
Endpoint Protection
We secure critical laptops and executive workstations directly to the cloud, ensuring important files aren't lost if a device is stolen, broken, or lost on a train.
Why Traditional Backups Fail Against Modern Threats
A simple USB drive or a basic cloud sync folder is no longer enough to protect a modern business.
Ransomware Targets Backups
Attackers know that if they delete your backups, you are forced to pay the ransom. Our backups are "Immutable" – meaning they are cryptographically locked and cannot be modified or deleted by hackers, even if they gain full admin access to your network.
The "Microsoft 365" Myth
Many companies believe Microsoft backs up everything automatically. They don't. They protect their own infrastructure, but your data is your responsibility. If an employee maliciously deletes emails or permanently purges OneDrive files, Microsoft cannot always restore them for you.
Real-World Recovery Scenarios
Accidental File Deletion
An employee accidentally deletes a critical client folder from the shared drive.
Solution: We locate the specific file or folder from the previous hour's snapshot and restore it precisely where it belongs. Time: 5-10 minutes.
Server Hardware Failure
Your main office server's motherboard dies entirely.
Solution: We spin up your backup image as a virtual machine locally (on the backup appliance) or in the cloud. Your team reconnects and keeps working while we wait for replacement hardware.
Full Office Disaster (Fire/Theft)
The physical office is inaccessible or all equipment has been stolen.
Solution: We trigger a disaster recovery protocol, spinning up your entire infrastructure in our secure cloud. Employees connect securely via VPN from home laptops.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between backup and Disaster Recovery (DR)?
Backup is simply a copy of your data. Disaster Recovery (DR) is the actual plan and technical capability to restore your systems and keep the business running after an outage or attack. In short: backup answers “do we have a copy?”, while DR answers “how fast can we operate again?”.
How do you define RPO and RTO?
We start with your business processes to understand which systems are critical. RPO (Recovery Point Objective) is the maximum acceptable data loss (e.g., 4 hours of work). RTO (Recovery Time Objective) is the target time to restore operations (e.g., 2 hours). We then design the technical backup frequency to meet those targets.
Do you test restores, and how often?
Yes - backups are completely useless if restores aren't verified. We define restore tests (monthly or quarterly) and run through various recovery scenarios: a single file, a full VM, a SQL database, or a complete DR drill. You receive clear confirmation after each test.
Do you back up Microsoft 365 (Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams)?
Yes. We implement dedicated backups for Microsoft 365 environments with granular restores for individual items or full mailboxes. This matters because Microsoft's built-in retention features do not equal a full backup - especially for long-term archiving and complex recovery scenarios.
When was your last Restore Test?
Backups fail silently. We monitor and test restores automatically every day so you know your data is ready when you need it.
Book a Disaster Recovery AuditPrefer to talk directly? Call an IT engineer: +44 333 880 1344
Backup and Disaster Recovery for UK Businesses
SmartOps IT provides reliable Managed IT services and practical Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR) solutions for SMEs across the UK. We help businesses reduce the risk of data loss caused by ransomware, accidental deletion, hardware failure, or cyber incidents through secure backup strategies and business continuity planning. From Microsoft 365 backups to on-premise servers and business-critical systems, we focus on reliable recovery, secure storage, and stronger operational resilience. As part of our cybersecurity services , we help businesses keep important systems protected, recoverable, and better prepared when something goes wrong.