With OneDrive sync client, you can sync SharePoint Online files to your desktop so that these files are available offline. This can also be used as a backup to create a copy of your SharePoint data. Here is how you can backup SharePoint Online data using OneDrive sync client:
- Step 1: Login to SharePoint and open the Site which needs to be synced with OneDrive desktop application.
- Step 2: Navigate to the module Documents.
- Step 3: Click on Sync to download the documents to the OneDrive folder on your desktop. This will prompt you to open the OneDrive folder for confirmation.
- Step 4: Click on Open Microsoft OneDrive.
All the selected files will be available on your desktop. However, the files will be in sync with SharePoint, and therefore, any deletion in SharePoint will be reflected in the desktop, erasing the backed up data.To create a backup, copy all the downloaded files to another folder on the desktop or to an external hard drive.Though the OneDrive Sync Client can be used as a backup, relying on it completely could be risky, as local machines are prone to crashes or malware attacks.
Limitations of SharePoint backup using OneDrive sync client
- Infrequent Backups: Since the process of taking the backup is manual, creating consistent, regular backups will become a challenge
- Limited Storage: To manage your storage space, you will be forced to delete older files that are of less importance at the moment
- Responsibility on End User: This approach is applicable only if individual users take responsibility for backing up their data. An administrator cannot manage backup for individual users.
