Cloud backup

Let’s say you own something very valuable that you don’t want lost, stolen or broken and you want to be able to have access to it whenever and wherever and you need. If you’re in business, this is a very real situation and most likely you are looking into cloud backup options for your most valuable data. Cloud backup is a process of sending a copy of your data to an off-site server that is hosted by a third-party service provider – giving you peace of mind that your data is safe and secure.

 

Typical online backup systems run on a schedule determined by the user’s needs and budget/service program. If you are a small business, this may be your primary source of backup as it is typically affordable and accessible from anywhere. If you run a much larger company, online backups may be more of a supplement to another system.

When looking for the right cloud backup service consider these components:

  1. Encryption – data transmitted to the cloud is safe from hackers and employees alike. A good level of encryption for backups is 256-bit or higher.
  2. Incremental Forever – ensures efficient, ongoing backups
  3. Hybrid cloud option – cached on-premises backups eliminates long restore times seen with a pure cloud backup solution
  4. Compliance – when looking for a cloud backup provider, look for one with standards and security programs that meet the same regulatory policies and procedures you must comply with.

While an initial backup can be painfully slow (even taking days depending on your data connection speed) the updates with new data are typically quick and go unnoticed. There are definite benefits to using a cloud service provider to back up your data and our three favorite reasons include:

  • Automatically sends critical data
  • One program to manage offsite and local backups
  • Higher restore

Cloud storage providers are coming online as quick as the internet landscape changes so determining which one is right for your business may take some research. Future Link IT analysts have done preliminary work for you evaluating and ranking companies and will implement and manage that system for you. A discussion with your IT manager will do wonders to ensure you partner with the best choice based on your business strategy.