Is Google Vault A Backup Solution? Let’s Explore the Unforeseen Truth

Are you also stuck in the dilemma “Is Google Vault a backup solution”?

Being a Cloud recovery and backup expert, I happen to come across a lot of users who misunderstand Backup solution with Archive. Google vault is also mistaken to be a backup solution while in reality it is an “Archive” utility.

So, here we are going to identify the individual differences between a backup and archive solution, also exploring why Google Vault is not a backup solution.

Let’s get started!

Over the course of years, many users visit this article to find a solution to backup Google vault which is not the topic discussed here. Those users please visit SysTools Google Vault Downloader for such a query. If you aren’t then continue with article. 

So, Is Google Vault A Backup Utility?

By the end of the whole article, we ourselves will be able to decide if Google Vault is a backup or not! Now, let’s see what are backups and archives.

What Is A Backup Solution?

Now, many users have a misconception that a backup is same as archive, but what they don’t understand is the basic difference between archive and backup.

Backing up your data means to save a copy of your data to a different location (be it on cloud itself or local storage), in order to ensure the security and protection of the data.

This backup comes in rescue when there are some unforeseen data loss situations, malware and ransomware attacks, hacking or virus infections and so on.

In the same way we create backups for our Google Apps data using SysTools G Suite Backup to fight back and overcome any such data loss situations.

So What Is An Archive Then?

Meanwhile, an Archive solution means to retain and search the previously stored data to refer in future. When a data is archived, it gets removed from its original place and is kept for the long term retention.

Is That What Google Vault is Used For?

Yes that’s right! The sole purpose of Google Vault is to hold and retain the data that is saved way back in the databases. For example, when a certain employee leaves an organisation deleting all the data permanently (removing from trash), Google Vault can find all that data for you!

But, in order to retain all the deleted data, you are supposed to set up the retention rule with the help of Google Vault.

What All Google Vault Offers?

The prior tasks of Google Vault are Search, Retain and Export the data. How do we perform these tasks, let’s explore these all:

• Data Retaining
• Searching Data
• Exporting Data

#1 Google Vault Retention

How can we retain all the deleted data from Google Drive,Gmail, Groups, Hangouts, etc.? Here is how you can set up the retention rule and preserve all Google data with Vault, given that you are the administrator.

• Step 1. Login to https://ediscovery.google.com/ with your G Suite Administrator credentials.

• Step 2. Now click on Retention option in the left panel.

• Step 3. Go to default retention rule and choose a product.

• Step 4. Mark check to Set a default retention rule checkbox.

• Step 5. Now you get to choose how long you want to keep your data (files), I have selected 3000 days >> click on Save.

Note: You get to choose Indefinitely option to permanently retain your data. Also, you can set the retention days limit from 0 to 36,500 days.

• Step 6. After this, you have 2 options:

1. Select the first one to expunge only the data users have already removed.
2. Select the 2nd option to expunge all the data. (The messages and files residing in users’ inboxes and Google Drives, also including data that has already been removed.)

• Step 7. Tap on Continue.

Now that you have set up the retention rules for your G Suite account, you’re good to go!

#2 Google Vault Search

Google Vault contains an advanced search module through which you can search your previously stored Gmail messages, Google drive files, Hangout conversations etc.

It comes in use in the cases of regulatory investigations, legal enquiries for some potential issues related to the Enterprise data.

#3 Google Vault Export

Users must be thinking “How do I export from Google Vault now?”. In order to export the retained data that you searched, Google Vault enables the users to export the data. The data that you export is downloaded in either PST or MBOX file formats.

You can find the Export option in the same panel below the Retention option, and then you can download the desired data.

Why Google Vault Doesn’t Serve As A Backup Solution?

Since Google Vault is an eDiscovery utility used for archiving, it can’t serve you as a backup solution indeed. Also, there are some constraints of using Google Vault as well. let’s see:

• You must be the administrator of your Google Apps Account.
• Google vault is purely web based, so you can’t have the offline access to any data, unlike the local backup copy where you can easily access data even without internet.
• In the case of service outages, without a backup you can do nothing with Google Vault!
• Google Vault is limited to only Gmail and Google Drive. It can not restore the contacts and calendar data.
• Google Vault only retains the data of suspended accounts and not the deleted accounts data.

How Can You Backup Your G Suite Data?

Both small businesses and large enterprises can secure their data with SysTools G Suite Mailbox Backup Solution, which lets you backup the whole Google data in a really short time span. The software is an ideal solution for securing G Suite data to local storage.

The backed up data can be exported in multiple file formats like PST,MBOX, MSG and EML.

Google Vault is Ideal For?

We discussed a lot of things about Google Vault in the above section and also analysed is Google Vault a backup solution or not, but one more important thing to discuss is, where does Google Vault fit the best!

• Large Enterprises : It won’t be wrong if we say Google Vault fits best for G Suite Enterprise levels. Since eDiscovery is widely needed in huge database, Google Vault can be the ideal choice.

Although, we can’t ignore the importance of backups either. Backups are
crucial. SysTools G Suite Backup solution goes hand in hand with Google Vault parallel.

• Small Businesses : As far as I think, small businesses are better off Google Vault. The databases are not huge and can be managed easily, so no need of the advanced utility of Google Vault.

Small businesses can easily ensure the data security with the help of Google Apps Backup solution by SysTools. The plan is affordable and comes handy for quick backups.

So, “Is Google Vault a backup” no more remains a dilemma.

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