Data loss is the basis of every IT managers' worst nightmare. On an industry-wide basis, the cost of lost or stolen data access is estimated at $1.7 billion per year. Inclement weather, unreliable hosting, and equipment failures are just three of many factors that can result in lost data access. Depending on your redundancy and continuity planning, this lost access could be permanent.
If you're struggling to develop a comprehensive approach to business continuity planning against data loss on a limited budget, cloud data backup could be the right choice for your small or mid-sized business (SMB). In this blog post, you'll gain objective insight into some of the best options for small business cloud backup and some information on how to pick the right one for you.
What are the Benefits of Cloud Backup?
The definition of cloud backup is as simple as remotely backing up your data with an offsite provider. If your business is hosting your data assets and workload on-premises, this could encompass the help of a third-party cloud backup provider. If your small business is engaged with a cloud hosting provider, there's a good chance that redundancy is part of your service agreement.
The benefits of remote data backup can include:
- Zero Infrastructure Investment: Instead of having to dedicate on-premises servers and real-estate, you unlock the privilege of off-site backup with zero infrastructure investment.
- Easy Customization and Maintenance: Many cloud backup providers offer a user-friendly interface with minimal learning curve.
- Faster Disaster Recovery: Should your business lose assets access, the data backups are typically able to be restored in full in record time.
- Less IT Resources Investment: Paying a third-party vendor for infrastructure investment means you're not responsible for backups in-house. This means you don't have to worry about implementing, maintaining, and troubleshooting the assets.
- Advantages over Tape Backups: While tape backups were the defacto standard for years, they're not the cutting-edge. Off-site backups via a cloud provider offer significant advantages, particularly in the areas of time-to-recovery and protection against physical breaches.
- Tiered Cost-Value Alignment: At some small businesses, budgetary factors are incredibly tight. However, thanks to the flexibility of many cloud backup providers, the total cost analysis (TCO) is quite clear. The potential benefits of cloud backup (value) are far greater than the costs invested.