Cloud Backups and Recovery

While cloud storage and cloud computing have very much taken over the discussion of modern cloud adoption, cloud backups remain part of the fundamental capabilities of cloud servers. Cloud backups were actually one of the first use cases for cloud servers, and as the cloud only becomes more secure and cost-effective, cloud recovery grows more appealing with each passing year.

Here's what you should know about cloud backups and how they compare to other backup methods, along with how cloud recovery works.

What Are Cloud Backups?

In its simplest form, a cloud backup is a copy of your files and data that's stored on a cloud server.

Since a cloud server is off-site and accessible from anywhere, a cloud backup is considered superior to a local backup for reliability.

Most businesses back up to the cloud on a schedule. This could be monthly, weekly, daily, or even hourly, depending on how fast data is added and updated at your company.

Your business will probably opt for a daily backup, with each backup being stored for a set number of days (i.e. 14) before they're deleted to make room for new backups.

While a business could choose to keep every backup, it's generally unnecessary and it can get expensive since you're paying for storage space. So, most businesses will save backups on a rolling schedule, often two weeks or one month.

How Does Cloud Recovery Work?

The great thing about a backup is that you can gain access to lost data, like in the case of accidental deletion.

So, if you ever have an equipment failure, system corruption, or instance of data loss, you simply locate the preserved files on the cloud for download or a full restoration.

You can even completely restore your systems in the event of a catastrophic loss or failure, be it a natural disaster or cyber security breach.

Generally, businesses seek a third-party service provider to host their files in the cloud.

This means most businesses pay based on the amount of storage they require, the total bandwidth used, user seats, or other basic metrics.

Overall, cloud storage is not an expensive option, and it offers peace of mind and security that an on-premises backup simply can't provide.

The Benefits of Cloud Backups

Using cloud backups over local backups comes with many perks, including freeing up space on your internal servers.

Of course, sometimes you might choose to save both a local backup and a cloud backup, but it's never recommended to use only local backups.

Failing to have a cloud backup means your on-premises backup is susceptible to local disasters, cyber-attacks, and scalability challenges.

Aside from increased reliability, here are some advantages of using a cloud backup solution instead of or alongside local or on-premises backups.

Effortless Peace of Mind

The initial setup of a cloud backup plan is relatively simple.

All a business needs to do is select a third-party cloud services provider and then put their backups on a schedule.

Once the setup process is complete, cloud backups require very little effort to maintain.

With automatic scheduling, businesses rarely have to check-in, making for a "set it and forget it" solution.

Since there's no infrastructure to maintain, businesses can have effortless peace of mind knowing that backups are happening with no manual input and they're being stored in a reliable environment.

Cost Efficiency

Although many businesses worry that cloud backups are going to cost them money, it often ends up being the most cost-efficient solution, especially if you're dealing with large amounts of data.

If you're using onsite data centers to handle backups, they can become very difficult and costly to maintain, which means switching to a cloud provider can help cut costs.

Increased Security

Today's businesses have to deal with constant cyber threats, including ransomware, that could devastate on-premises systems and local data stores.

With cloud backups, your business doesn't have to worry about these threats affecting your backed-up files and information.

Aside from being off-site, most cloud providers offer around-the-clock monitoring and reporting to prevent issues and alert you of any concerns right away.

Endless Scalability

One of the biggest advantages of using the cloud for anything is that it's highly scalable.

Being able to store as little or as much data as you need makes the cloud extremely flexible.

With a cloud backup, you do not have to worry about running out of capacity with your existing infrastructure or buying equipment to accommodate anticipated growth.

The Right Cloud Recovery Solution

Aside from choosing a cloud service provider, making the switch to cloud backups is truly an instant and effortless process, and it's something that can save your business countless hours of time and frustration, while also cutting costs.

Some of the most well-known cloud service providers include:

• Amazon Web Services (AWS) for those needing a full-service solution or Amazon Cloud Drive for those who just need a place to back up their files.
• Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is another full-service cloud solution, while Google Drive is a simpler alternative if you just want to back up files to the cloud.
• Dropbox is a simple and straightforward solution with tiered business plans suitable for a range of business sizes.
• Other options include Barracuda, Carbonite, and pCloud. The best solution is the one that fits your budget and proves easy to implement for your business.

If you're interested in learning more about how cloud backups can help your business prepare for a better and safer journey, contact us today to learn more.