Background

Managed Backup Services

Your backups fail silently, ransomware encrypts local copies, and you discover restore problems only when disaster strikes.

 

At Apex, we manage, monitor, and test your backups with dual-layer protection (local and cloud), Microsoft 365 coverage, and scheduled restore testing so your data stays protected and actually recovers when you need it.

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Managed Backup Services that stop problems before they cost you time and money

The Problem

You're running backups and the logs say everything's fine, but here's the uncomfortable truth: you've probably never tested whether you can actually get your data back. Your local backups could be wiped out by ransomware in minutes, your team accidentally deletes important files from Microsoft 365, and nobody's really checking if the backups are working. Then disaster strikes, and you need to recover something urgently, only to discover the backup isn't there or doesn't work.

The Solution

At Apex, we make sure your backups actually protect you when it matters. We keep two copies of everything (one local for speed, one in the cloud that ransomware can't touch), we watch your backups round the clock and fix problems straight away, and we regularly test that your data actually restores. No surprises, no discovering problems when it's too late.

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Your data is backed up twice: locally for quick recovery and in the cloud, where ransomware can't reach it
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We spot failed backups immediately and fix them before your next backup runs
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Your Microsoft 365 emails and files are protected properly, not just what Microsoft keeps by default
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We test your backups regularly to prove they work, so you're never guessing

How Managed Backup Services protect your business and reduce recovery time

When your backups are managed and tested properly, ransomware can't destroy your business, accidental deletions get fixed quickly, and disasters become recoverable incidents rather than business-ending catastrophes.
Here's what changes when Apex manages your backups.
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Stop Ransomware from Destroying Your Business

We keep two layers of protection working for you: fast local backups for your day-to-day recoveries and cloud copies stored completely separate from your network. When ransomware hits and encrypts everything, including your local backups, those cloud copies stay untouched and ready to use. The attackers simply can't reach them. Your business recovers even if your entire local system is compromised.
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Recover Microsoft 365 Data That Disappears Permanently

Microsoft 365 only keeps deleted files for a limited time, and once that window closes, they're gone forever. We back up your emails, OneDrive files, SharePoint documents, and Teams conversations to separate backup storage with longer retention. When someone accidentally deletes an important email thread, overwrites a critical file, or a disgruntled employee tries to delete data on their way out, you can get everything back quickly.
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Fix Problems Before Backups Fail Completely

We're watching your backups all the time, so we spot problems the moment they happen. Failed backup jobs get fixed the same day, not weeks later when you desperately need the data. Running out of storage space? We expand it before backups start failing. Configuration change breaking the schedule? We catch it and sort it out. You know your data is actually protected because we're checking continuously.
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Prove Your Backups Actually Work

We regularly restore your data to a safe test environment to make absolutely sure it's complete and usable. These monthly or quarterly full restore tests confirm that when disaster strikes, your backup data will actually recover. You get documented proof that everything works, not just logs saying "job completed successfully". The first time you discover a backup problem should never be during an emergency.
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Recover Faster When Disasters Happen

When your office floods, catches fire, or your server dies completely, we can spin up your systems in the cloud whilst you sort out replacement hardware. Instead of waiting weeks for new equipment to arrive and be rebuilt, you're back up and running in hours. We help you plan which systems need to recover first, document exactly what to do when disaster strikes, and set clear targets for how quickly everything needs to be back online.
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Eliminate Coverage Gaps Across All Systems

We make sure everything important is backed up: your servers, virtual machines, SQL databases, SharePoint, network settings, and critical files. Nothing gets left out because someone forgot to add it to the backup schedule. Your most critical servers get extra protection with replication, and your network configuration is backed up so you can rebuild quickly after equipment failure.
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Meet Compliance Requirements and Audit Standards

When auditors or regulators ask you to prove your backups work, you'll have documented restore test results and verification reports ready to show them. GDPR requires proof that you can recover personal data, clients want contractual evidence of your backup capability, and insurance companies increasingly demand it too. Our monthly reports and tested recovery procedures give you the documentation you need without last-minute scrambling during audits.
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Get Expert Management Without In-House Specialists

Managing backups properly requires expertise in storage systems, cloud platforms, backup software, and disaster recovery planning. Our Manchester-based team handles all of this without you needing to hire specialised backup administrators or train existing staff. You get enterprise-quality backup management and business continuity expertise for a predictable monthly cost instead of permanent salaries and ongoing training expenses.
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Clear Reporting That Shows What's Protected

Every month, you get reports showing backup success rates, how much data is protected, storage trends, and restore test results in plain English. Your directors, trustees, or senior managers can see exactly what's being backed up and have documented proof that recovery works, without technical jargon making it all confusing. You can demonstrate proper data protection governance to anyone who asks.

What our Managed Backup Services include

Managing backups properly means more than just scheduling jobs and hoping they work. We handle monitoring, testing, recovery support, and business continuity planning so your data stays protected and actually recovers when you need it.

 

Here's what our Managed Backup Services include.

Before we touch anything, we need to understand your business properly. We assess your systems, work out what data you absolutely cannot lose, figure out how quickly you need to recover after a disaster, and identify any compliance requirements you need to meet. This discovery phase ensures we're protecting what actually matters to your business.

 

Service includes:

 

  • Complete discovery of your servers, databases, applications, and critical data
  • Working out your recovery time objective (how fast you need to be back up) and recovery point objective (how much data loss you can tolerate)
  • Business impact analysis to identify which systems need recovery first
  • Checking what compliance and regulatory requirements apply to your data
  • Planning the right backup infrastructure size and architecture for your needs

You get the best of both worlds: fast local backups for quick everyday recoveries and off-site cloud copies for when disaster really strikes. The local backup gives you immediate recovery when someone deletes a file or a server fails. The cloud backup protects you when ransomware hits, your office floods, or equipment is destroyed.

 

Service includes:

 

  • Local backup to NAS or dedicated backup storage for fast, same-day restores
  • Air-gapped cloud backup stored securely off-site, where ransomware cannot reach
  • Incremental backup technology that only backs up what's changed, minimising bandwidth and storage costs
  • Ransomware-resistant architecture with immutable cloud copies that attackers cannot encrypt or delete
  • Geographic redundancy options so your cloud storage isn't in just one location

Complete protection of your physical servers, virtual machines, and the systems that run them. If a server dies completely, we can restore everything, including the operating system and applications. Your critical systems can also be replicated, so there's a copy ready to take over if the main system fails.

 

Service includes:

 

  • Image-based backup of physical and virtual servers (the whole system, not just files)
  • Virtual machine replication for your most critical systems
  • Hypervisor configuration backup for VMware and Hyper-V environments
  • Bare-metal recovery so you can restore a complete server to different hardware
  • Application-consistent backup for SQL Server, Exchange, and other databases

Microsoft 365's built-in protection is limited, and once deleted data passes the retention window, it's gone permanently. We back up everything properly so you can recover emails, files, and documents long after Microsoft would have deleted them. When staff make mistakes or leave the company, you're protected.

 

Service includes:

 

  • Exchange Online mailbox backup with the ability to recover individual emails
  • OneDrive for Business file and folder backup
  • SharePoint Online site and document library backup
  • Microsoft Teams channel and conversation backup
  • Configurable retention periods that exceed Microsoft 365's native limits
  • Quick restore for accidental deletion, malicious deletion, and ransomware recovery

Specialised backup for your SQL Server databases and SharePoint environments. Database backup includes transaction logs so you can recover to a specific point in time, not just the last full backup. This means if data corruption happens at 2pm, you can recover to 1:59pm before the problem occurred.

 

Service includes:

 

  • SQL Server database backup with transaction log protection
  • Point-in-time recovery for SQL databases (recover to any moment, not just the last backup)
  • SharePoint site collection and content database backup
  • Network configuration and system state backup
  • File server and network share backup

We watch your backups 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When something fails, we get an alert immediately and fix it the same day. We also keep an eye on storage capacity and backup schedules, adjusting things as your business changes. You're not paying us to just watch logs, you're paying us to fix problems.

 

Service includes:

 

  • Round-the-clock monitoring of backup job completion and success rates
  • Immediate alerting and resolution of backup failures
  • Storage capacity monitoring with proactive expansion before you run out of space
  • Backup schedule management and optimisation as your environment changes
  • Monthly backup success rate reporting so you can see what we're doing

This is the bit most backup providers skip, but it's the most important. We regularly restore your data to an isolated test environment to prove it actually works. These aren't just quick file restores to check the system responds, these are full restore tests to make absolutely certain your backup data is complete, uncorrupted, and usable when disaster strikes.

 

Service includes:

 

  • Monthly or quarterly scheduled restore tests (frequency depends on your requirements)
  • Full system restore to isolated test environment (we don't risk your live systems)
  • File-level and database restore verification
  • Documented test results for audit and compliance purposes
  • Recovery procedure documentation and continuous improvement
  • RTO and RPO validation through actual testing

When you need to recover something, we're here to help. Whether it's restoring a single deleted file or recovering your entire business after a disaster, we handle the technical recovery whilst you focus on keeping the business running. For disaster scenarios, we respond rapidly and stay with you until everything's back to normal.

 

Service includes:

 

  • Assisted recovery for files, mailboxes, and database restores
  • Emergency disaster recovery support with rapid response
  • Cloud system spin-up when your on-premises equipment is unavailable or destroyed
  • Recovery coordination and communication during disasters
  • Post-incident recovery documentation and recommendations for improvement

Backup technology alone doesn't guarantee business continuity. We help you integrate backups into a broader disaster recovery plan. This means identifying which systems are most critical, documenting exactly what to do when disaster strikes, and establishing clear targets for recovery speed. When disaster happens, you have a plan instead of panic.

 

Service includes:

 

  • Business continuity planning and identifying which systems need to be recovered first
  • Disaster recovery documentation and procedure development
  • Azure-based recovery options for cloud continuity (spin up in the cloud whilst you rebuild on-premises)
  • Regular DR plan testing and updates as your business changes
  • Recovery team training and clear responsibility assignment
  • Continuity plan review and improvement recommendations

When auditors, regulators, or clients ask you to prove your backups work, we provide the documentation and evidence. This includes restore test results, backup verification reports, and retention policy documentation. Everything is written clearly so non-technical auditors can understand what you're doing and why it meets requirements.

 

Service includes:

 

  • Backup and retention policy documentation
  • Regularly restore test reports for audit evidence
  • GDPR compliance support for data backup and recovery
  • Client audit support and evidence provision when contracts require it
  • Trustee and board reporting is suitable for non-technical stakeholders

Every month, you receive reports showing backup success rates, what systems are protected, storage usage trends, and restore test results, all written in plain English without confusing technical jargon. Every quarter, we sit down to review whether your backup systems still meet your business needs and identify opportunities for improvement.

 

Service includes:

 

  • Monthly backup management reports with success metrics and resolved issues
  • Storage capacity and growth trend reporting
  • Restore test results and recovery capability documentation
  • Quarterly service reviews and strategy discussions
  • Recommendations for backup system improvements and optimisation

Why choose Apex Computing for Managed Backup Services

Managed backup services only work if you're dealing with people who actually manage, monitor, and test your backups instead of just setting them up and hoping everything works.
Here's what makes our approach different.

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We Actually Test Your Restores

We schedule regular restore tests to verify your backup data is complete and recoverable. These tests catch corruption, configuration errors, and incomplete backups before you need them in an emergency. You get documentation showing that restore tests have been completed successfully, not just logs saying backup jobs ran. Many businesses discover their backups don't work only when they desperately need them.
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Manchester-Based Support Team

Our team is based in Manchester at our Spring Gardens and MediaCity offices. When you need help with backup issues or recovery support, you speak to our UK-based team who understand your setup. You're not dealing with offshore call centres or ticket systems that disappear when you need urgent assistance.
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Dual-Layer Backup Protection

We provide both local and cloud backup options. Local backups give you fast recovery for day-to-day incidents like accidental file deletion. Cloud backups provide off-site, air-gapped protection that remains separate from your network. This dual-layer approach means ransomware that encrypts your local systems cannot reach your cloud backup copies.
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Proactive Monitoring and Issue Resolution

We monitor backup jobs continuously and address failures promptly. Storage capacity is tracked so expansion happens before backups fail. Configuration changes are monitored to catch issues before they break backup schedules. Problems are identified and resolved quickly rather than sitting unnoticed for weeks.
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Honest Communication About Backup Capabilities

We set realistic expectations about what backup and recovery can achieve. You understand what's protected, typical recovery timeframes, and what scenarios require additional planning. We're transparent about both the capabilities and limitations of backup technology so you can plan appropriately.
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Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning

We help integrate backup systems into your broader business continuity planning. This includes identifying critical systems, establishing recovery priorities, documenting procedures, and working with you on recovery time objectives. Backups work best when they're part of a complete disaster recovery strategy.
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Predictable Monthly Costs

Our managed services operate on fixed monthly pricing that covers monitoring, management, and support. The cost is based on your specific requirements, including the amount of data, the number of systems, and retention needs. You know your backup costs each month without surprise charges.
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Case Study

How We Strengthened Business Continuity for Pyranha Mouldings After a Ransomware Attack

Pyranha Mouldings experienced a ransomware attack that highlighted critical gaps in their backup and recovery capabilities. They needed robust business continuity solutions to prevent future disasters. We implemented comprehensive backup management with proactive monitoring and disaster recovery planning. Our managed backup services have significantly improved their business continuity, reduced downtime, and provided the protection and peace of mind they needed after their ransomware experience.

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Addressed ransomware security gaps.
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Implemented managed backup services.
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Created disaster recovery plans.
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Improved business continuity.
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Trusted by Businesses Across All Sectors

From finance and retail to manufacturing and non-profits, organisations across Manchester and the UK trust Apex for Managed Backup Services. See some of our partners below.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Apex Winning Award for IT Support - Manchesters MSP

Need backups that actually work when disaster strikes? Apex Computing is ready to help.

Our expert team is on hand to provide personalised support and guidance for your backup and business continuity needs. Whether you require dual-layer backup protection, Microsoft 365 backup coverage, scheduled restore testing, disaster recovery planning, or complete backup management and monitoring, we are ready to ensure your data stays protected and actually recovers when you need it.

Manchester Office

45 Spring Gardens, Manchester, M2 2BG

MediaCity Office

Laser House, Media Village, Waterfront Quay, Salford Quays, M50 3XW
Phone
Phone
0161 233 0099
Email
Email
enquiries@apexcomputing.co.uk
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