Data is a crucial part of any organization, and protecting it has become a prime concern for every organization, irrespective of its size and industry. The recent spate of ransomware attacks and several high-profile data breaches have brought forth questions like – how safe is my data? Do you have my data backup somewhere – from the customers? This is where Backup as a Service (BaaS) comes into play. .
Backup as a Service is a procedure for storing data offsite. The stored data includes folders and files, and the entire company content is backed up regularly. A dedicated vendor does it, and the files are backed up to a secure and remote cloud-based data repository via a robust network connection.
With a straightforward aim of protecting critical and sensitive data – personal and business – from loss, the BaaS provider manages and connects the system to the public, private, or even hybrid cloud.
The simple answer is that Backup as a service, compared to other offsite services available in the market, is easier to manage.
To know more about BaaS, keep reading.
Backup as a Service (BaaS)
According to the definition, Backup as a Service (BaaS) is a cloud-based service offering organizations scalable and cost-effective methods to back up their data.
Usually, dedicated BaaS providers help organizations store their data in the cloud.
BaaS offers numerous benefits over traditional backup methods, including but not restricted to simplified backup management, better disaster recovery capabilities, and reduced risk of data loss.
But these are a handful of benefits; here is a list of all the advantages BaaS offers organizations.
Advantages of BaaS
- Scalability: BaaS can scale to meet the changing needs of an organization. The organization can quickly increase or decrease the storage or compute resources needed for backups as their data needs change over time. This flexibility allows organizations to quickly adapt to changes in their business without the need for significant capital expenditures or IT investments.
- Automated backups: BaaS can automatically backup data regularly without requiring manual intervention from the organization’s IT staff. The automation reduces the risk of human error and ensures that backups are consistent and reliable.
- Off-site data storage: Backup as a service provides off-site data storage, implying the backup data is stored in a separate location from the organization’s primary data center. It helps to protect against data loss due to disasters such as fires, floods, or earthquakes. By storing backup data in a secure, remote location, organizations can ensure that their critical data is protected even if their primary data center is affected by a disaster.
- Data encryption: BaaS providers encrypt data both in transit and at rest, ensuring that the data is secure and unauthorized users can’t access it. This encryption provides an additional layer of security for sensitive data and helps to prevent data breaches or theft.
- Easy data recovery: Backup as a service makes it easy to recover data in case of data loss. With BaaS, data recovery can be initiated quickly, and the recovered data can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. This ease of recovery can help organizations minimize downtime and reduce the impact of data loss on their operations.
- Cost-effectiveness: BaaS eliminates the need for organizations to invest in expensive backup hardware and software. Instead, the organization pays for the backup services on a subscription basis, which is more cost-effective in the long run. Additionally, BaaS providers offer a range of pricing plans that allow organizations to pay only for the backup services they need without incurring unnecessary costs.
- 24/7 support: Backup as a service providers offer 24/7 customer support, ensuring a prompt addressal of issues or concerns. This level of support is fundamental in the event of a data loss, where a quick response can minimize downtime and reduce the impact of the loss on the organization.
- Disaster recovery: Disaster recovery is critical to any organization’s business continuity plan. In the event of a disaster or outage, such as a natural disaster, cyberattack, or system failure, BaaS (Backup as a Service) providers ensure that backup data is always available. By having the backup data readily accessible, organizations can quickly recover from the disaster and resume their operations with minimal disruption. BaaS providers typically have multiple backup data centers in different geographic locations, ensuring that the data is available even if one data center goes down.
- Reduced risk of data loss: Data loss can occur due to a variety of reasons, such as human error, system failure, or cyberattacks. BaaS providers use advanced backup technologies, such as incremental backups and versioning, to ensure that backup data is always up-to-date. Organizations can reduce the risk of data loss by having multiple copies of the data at different points in time.
- Simplified backup management: Managing backups can be time-consuming and complex, requiring specialized expertise and resources. BaaS providers handle all aspects of backup management, including scheduling backups, monitoring backups, testing backups, and restoring data. Organizations are free to focus on their core business activities rather than managing backups.
- Reduced capital expenditure: Traditional backup solutions require organizations to invest in expensive backup infrastructure, such as backup servers, storage devices, and software licenses. BaaS eliminates the need for organizations to invest in these costly backup infrastructures, resulting in reduced capital expenditure. BaaS providers typically charge a monthly subscription fee based on the data backed up, which is more cost-effective than maintaining an in-house backup infrastructure.
- Accessibility: Backup as a service allows organizations to access their backup data from anywhere worldwide with an internet connection. It is particularly beneficial for organizations with remote or distributed workforces, as it enables employees to access the backup data from any location. Additionally, Back up as a service providers often offer mobile applications and web-based interfaces, making it easy for organizations to access and manage their backup data on the go.
As discussed earlier, BaaS is a cloud-based backup solution that protects organizations’ critical data. BaaS solutions aim to cut the management overhead and protect critical data against potential threats.
How BaaS works:
- Data Selection: The first step is selecting the data. It is done either manually or through automated processes, depending on the BaaS provider and the organization’s needs.
- Data Transfer: Once the data has been selected, it is transferred to the BaaS provider’s cloud storage. The data can be transferred over the internet using secure protocols like HTTPS, SSL, or VPN.
- Data Storage: The backup data is stored in the BaaS provider’s cloud storage, typically in multiple data centers in different geographic locations. The redundancy ensures that the data is available even if one data center goes down.
- Data Management: The Backup as a service provider handles all aspects of backup management, including scheduling, monitoring, and reporting. So that organizations can focus on their core business activities.
- Data Recovery: In the event of a disaster or data loss, the organization can recover its data from the BaaS provider’s cloud storage. It is done using a web-based interface or through APIs.
Types of Backup
There are three types of Backups.
- Full Backup: As the name suggests, copies the entire data, including all the content on the devices designated for the backup process. The full backup is usually performed at the beginning of backup policy implementation.
- Incremental Backup: Only the data that was changed since the last full backup is copied.
- Differential Backup: As the name suggests, all the data that was changed since the last full backup is copied in the differential backup.
Backup as a Service is a savior for companies that worry about data loss. There has been a surge in data breaches and ransomware attacks recently. And according to a Clark School study conducted by the University of Maryland, on average, hackers attack in 39 seconds.
#Foodforthought: Non-secure usernames and passwords that we use tend to increase the chances of success for hackers.
Customers of software-as-a-service (SaaS) are constantly worried about their data loss. SaaS vendors’ policies don’t often guarantee speedy and complete recovery of lost data.
Anything from a user error to hacking, from sync issues to malicious insiders, can jeopardize data. Data is the backbone of businesses, and data loss can lead to severe repercussions, including reputational loss and loss of business.
But when SaaS applications are blended with robust BaaS recovery and backup solutions, organizations can stop worrying about data loss.
But that is not all; protection against malicious and unintended disruptions is another reason Backup as a Service is essential for your business.
Data protection is a critical aspect of BaaS. Backup as a service providers offer a secure and reliable way to back up critical data, protecting it from data loss due to hardware failures, natural disasters, and cyberattacks.
BaaS providers use various techniques to protect data, including encryption, redundancy, automated backups, versioning, compliance, and disaster recovery. Using BaaS, organizations can ensure that their critical data is protected from data loss and recover it in the event of a disaster or data loss.
BaaS for Microsoft is a backup solution offering data protection and disaster recovery for Microsoft environments, like Microsoft Azure, Office 365, and on-premises infrastructure running Windows Server.
Some key features of BaaS for Microsoft include:
- Microsoft-Specific Functionality
- Cloud-Based Backup
- Automated Backups
- Rapid Recovery
- Cost-Effective
- Compliance
Data loss can lead not only to business loss but also loss in customers’ trust and reputational loss. And in the current scenario of digitalization, your data spells your business, so don’t wait for the mishap to happen and get your data backup today.
Talk to one of our experts today to know how our Managed Backup Service can help you and your business.
