Backup is the storage of a copy of your data on a local or remote system. Backups are made for everything that is important to the user - operating systems, virtual machines, websites and many other types of data. A backup helps prevent the loss of this data and allows you to restore the original data if necessary.
In today's world, backups help ensure data security. They are used to store information that is valuable to the business. This is especially necessary for companies that store large amounts of data – financial reports, customer information, projects, etc.
Without backup practices in place, business is at risk of losing important data due to hardware or software failure, cyber-attack, accidental deletion of information, or other unforeseen situations.
Losing data can be devastating. Consider some statistics:
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By 2025, the global cost of cybercrime is expected to reach $10.5 trillion, growing at an annual rate of 15 percent.
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In 2024, the average cost of a data breach will rise to a record $4.88 million, an increase of 10% from 2023.
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Nearly half (46%) of all breaches compromise customers' personally identifiable information, which includes data such as tax identification numbers, email addresses, phone numbers and home addresses.
Due to the severity of the consequences, ensuring the security and availability of data is a key challenge for organizations. Especially for banks, e-commerce and education.
What is Backup-as-a-Service?
Backup-as-a-Service, or BaaS, is a cloud-based solution in which data is copied and stored in the cloud by a third-party provider. It allows businesses to avoid maintaining and managing their own on-premises backup systems by outsourcing this task to professionals.
The features of BaaS
BaaS works as follows: customer data is transferred over the Internet to the cloud provider's remote servers, where it is stored in encrypted form. The process can be automated and configured to run on a schedule.
Backing up to the cloud provides an extra layer of data protection, allowing customers to:
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Prevent data loss: in the event of hardware failure or other unforeseen events.
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Ensure business continuity: fast data recovery minimizes downtime.
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Save resources: no need to buy and maintain expensive hardware.
How to choose cloud backup provider
With cloud backup, organizations can protect their data while adhering to the well-known '3-2-1' rule, without investing in a remote site and shifting backup costs from CAPEX to OPEX.
When choosing a provider, experts advise companies to consider a number of questions, including:
- type of data that needs to be backed up
- volume of backups to be stored
- frequency of backups
- speed of data recovery in the event of damage or loss.
Consider the prospect of increasing data volumes. Some providers offer to reserve a certain volume at once, while others allow users to limit the volume and only pay for the resources they actually use. Either way, you need to understand in advance whether a provider will be able to meet your growing needs.
Check that the provider is certified for PCI DSS compliance and that the infrastructure is compliant with local personal data laws.
When planning for backup and recovery, it is important for an organization to consider the acceptable levels of RPO (recovery point objective) - the maximum amount of time that data can be lost as a result of an incident - and RTO (recovery time objective) - the amount of time that the system can be unavailable in the event of a disaster. There are no default values for these parameters. Without knowing and understanding these parameters, the customer may misjudge the risks to the business and make the wrong recovery plan.
When it comes to the backup itself, all providers can store data in one or more data centers. Some offer the ability to extend the service to a disaster recovery service (DRaaS), others do not. DRaaS allows you to solve infrastructure problems by quickly providing a backup in the cloud.
Conclusion
The main purpose of backups is to reduce the cost of unplanned data loss in the event of an emergency. It is too unwise to ignore backups, as data loss can lead to the collapse of a business.
Opt for providers with strong security features, including end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication, and compliant data centers following regulations. Look for a user-friendly interface that simplifies backup management and integrates seamlessly into your existing systems. Prioritize providers with expert staff, as reliable 24/7 support is essentialto quickly resolving backup issues.
