TL;DR
External backups are mandatory for Autodesk & Egnyte. According to studies, 67% of companies lose data, but only 40% trust recovery. Versioning expires, human error dominates, and ransomware hits the cloud. 7 key facts inside. Read on →
According to industry studies, more than 67% of organizations have experienced significant data loss, most commonly caused by accidental deletion, system failures, or cyberattacks. Yet, only 40% of companies feel confident that their current backup solutions could protect critical data during a real incident.
When it comes to platforms like Autodesk Construction Cloud and Egnyte, their advanced file-sharing capabilities are valuable, but they aren’t designed to function as full backup solutions. Without a dedicated and independent backup strategy, companies risk downtime, project delays, and permanent data loss.
This blog outlines seven essential tips to help your team ensure cloud data is truly protected and fully recoverable.
1. Versioning Is Not a Backup
Platforms like Autodesk and Egnyte provide version control and Trash/Recycle Bin recovery, but these aren’t full disaster recovery solutions. Files deleted, corrupted, or purged beyond product-specific retention periods become unrecoverable.
Examples:
- Autodesk Vault/Inventor Cloud: Auto-purge after 30 days (configurable in Vault).
- BIM 360/ACC: Indefinite retention while active; project closure risks loss.
- Egnyte: Default 30 days in Trash (admin-settable up to 180 days)
📌Tip: External backup is a must. It doesn’t replace Autodesk or Egnyte but adds an extra layer of security to your data, making recoverability possible even after retention limits, purges, or accidental deletions.
2. Accidental Deletion Is Still the #1 Threat
Recent 2025-2026 reports confirm human error drives 80%+ of cloud security incidents, outpacing malware or cyberattacks.
Human errors are unavoidable as users may:
- Overwrite project data
- Delete shared folders
- Sync incorrect versions
📌Tip: Don’t assume platform tools are enough. A dedicated backup gives you the ability to recover lost data quickly, without having to rely on user memory or a limited version history.
3. Ransomware Can Target Cloud Platforms Too
Cloud isn’t immune to ransomware. In fact, attackers increasingly target cloud-based tools, exploiting user access or third-party integrations to encrypt data.
The financial impact is just as serious. The average ransomware attack cost reached about $4.91 million, and some analyses place the average price tag at roughly $5.13 million.
A proper backup solution should store a clean, encrypted, and offline copy of your project data: one that can’t be accessed or modified during an attack.
4. You Need to Back Up the Files’ Structures too
For Autodesk Construction Cloud and Egnyte, files alone aren’t enough; the folder hierarchy, file links, version history, metadata, and permissions are what make projects functional.
Examples:
- BIM 360/ACC: Raw files lose drawing-model relationships and revisions without structure preservation.
- Egnyte: Shared folder permissions and sync metadata vanish in basic exports.
Backup tools should preserve:
- Folder structure
- File relationships
- User permissions
- Timestamp and versioning data
📌Tip: Always choose a backup solution that captures both the content and the context of your data.
5. Backup Should Happen Automatically
Manual exports or project archiving are time-consuming and error-prone. Your backup process should be:
- Scheduled automatically (e.g., daily or hourly)
- Run in the background without user input
- Logged and auditable
Solutions like Cloudsfer allow you to configure automatic backups from Autodesk Construction Cloud or Egnyte to storage locations you control, like AWS, Azure, or local servers.
📌Book a free demo for backup solution here
6. Not All Data Needs to Be Backed Up
When dealing with large datasets, like BIM files, engineering models, or shared folders in Egnyte, backing up everything can be inefficient and expensive. In many cases, only a portion of the data is important.
The best backup tools allow for selective backups:
- Specific folders, projects, or file types
- Filters based on date, owner, or size
- Scalable configurations for growing datasets
Make sure you’re protecting what’s important and not overloading storage or budget.
📌Tip: Use a solution that supports scalable and selective backup, like Cloudsfer, to focus protection on high-value data while keeping operations efficient.
7. Testing Your Restore Process Is Important
A backup is not a real backup if it fails during recovery. You should routinely verify:
- File restores
- Project-level recoveries
- Cross-platform recovery times
Make this part of your disaster recovery drills. Your tested plan reveals problems before they cause delays in projects.
Final Thoughts
Backing up your Autodesk project data or Egnyte files is mandatory. Without external, automated backups, even one error or incident can bring your team to a standstill.
Build your backup strategy before you need it.
