The Greatest Managed Backup Services and Cloud Backup Solutions Guide

Do you have a managed backup service? If not, it is time to start looking into managed backup services. Managed backup services are great for businesses because they help ensure that your data will be protected from natural disasters and accidental deletion. You have a lot of options when it comes to managed backup services, so let’s dive in!

 

If you’re in business, the chances are good that you need some backup software. Backing up files can seem like an unnecessary hassle at first glance. Still, the truth is, if something goes wrong with your computer or server, having backups available means you won’t lose any important information.

What is a Cloud Backup Service Provider?

A cloud backup provider offers storage space on their servers so that users don’t have to worry about backing up their own data. Instead, they pay monthly fees to use their resources to store all of their documents, photos, music, and other media. While there are many different types of providers out there, most offer similar features. They typically provide unlimited online access to backed-up content as well as email alerts and automatic updates. Some also include additional security measures such as encryption and password protection.

 

Cloud Backup Services: What Are My Options?

 

There are several ways to go about choosing a cloud backup solution. One option is to search Google using keywords related to what kind of service you want. Another way would be to contact one of the companies directly and ask them questions. Most providers will send over a list of free trials so you can try them before you buy. However, keep in mind that these trial periods usually last only 30 days. Once you’ve decided which provider seems right for you, you’ll then have to decide whether you’d prefer a hosted solution or a self-hosted solution.

 

Managed Backup Services vs. Self-Hosted Backups

 

Traditional ways of backing up your data involve creating copies manually. For example, when you create new folders in Windows Explorer, you actually copy them over to another location. If someone manages to access your computer while you aren’t looking, he could easily see where your files are. Even worse, there isn’t much security involved since anyone can view the contents of your hard drive. With managed backups, however, your information is stored securely at remote locations. Because it’s not physically connected to your machine, it doesn’t matter whether someone gets physical access to your laptop. Your data remains safe regardless of whether you’re logged onto your device or not.

If you’re currently using self-hosted backups, you may think that managed backup services aren’t necessary. However, most companies fail to realize just how important these services really are. In fact, many small businesses do not even use them at all, despite their importance. Here are some reasons why you should look into managed backup solutions instead of doing this yourself:

1. It makes sense financially. If you don’t already pay monthly fees to keep your own server running, then you probably won’t see the value in paying someone else to manage it for you. Plus, if you decide to switch providers later down the road, you could lose access to all of your previous data. With managed backup services, however, you get to save money while keeping your data safe.
2. Your company needs protection. As mentioned before, there are plenty of ways hackers can gain unauthorized access to your computer systems, including social engineering attacks, malware infections, and phishing scams. These threats are constantly evolving, so they continue to become harder to detect. And when they finally find a hole in your security system, they usually try to make off with whatever valuable information they can steal. So having a reliable backup solution means that you can rest assured knowing that your files and documents are always backed up safely somewhere else.
3. You have too much on your plate right now. Managing your own servers isn’t easy; after all, you have to ensure that they run smoothly 24/7 without any downtime. That takes a lot of work! But what about managing multiple accounts across different platforms like Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.? This would require constant monitoring and maintenance, and it might leave you feeling overwhelmed. When you outsource this task to an experienced IT team, they can handle everything for you automatically. They can monitor your account activity, fix issues, and assist whenever needed. All you have to worry about is focusing on growing your business rather than worrying about maintaining your cloud backup services.
4. Unreliable vendors have burned you. Many people who start working with managed backup services end up switching because they were disappointed by the performance of their current provider. After all, no one wants to deal with slow upload speeds, errors, or other problems. Unfortunately, those things happen every day, which is why you need to choose a reputable service provider. A good managed backup service has experts standing ready to help resolve any potential issues as soon as possible. The last thing you want is to spend time troubleshooting something only to discover that it was caused by a problem outside your control.

What is the Most Secure Way to Backup Files?

The most secure way to back up your important files is to use a third-party managed backup service. You may be wondering how these companies protect your sensitive data from being stolen. Well, here are just two examples of how managed backups differ from traditional methods:

• Encryption – Managed backup solutions encrypt your data using 256-bit AES encryption technology. It uses strong algorithms such as SHA256 hashing, RSA public key cryptography, and Diffie Hellman key exchange protocols. In addition, the encrypted file will also include a digital signature generated with HMAC.
• Data Retention – Unlike many traditional backup solutions, managed backup providers store your data for long periods of time. This makes sure that even if hackers manage to get into your network, they won’t be able to delete anything before the expiration date.

 

How to Choose an Effective Cloud Storage Solution

If you’re considering moving some of your company documents online, then you should know what features make a great storage solution. Here are seven essential elements to look out for when choosing a reliable cloud storage service:

• Security – How does this vendor ensure customer privacy? Does it offer multi-factor authentication? Is its platform PCI-compliant? Do they have a dedicated team that monitors their systems 24/7?
• Speed – Are they fast enough to handle large volumes of traffic? What kind of bandwidth do they provide?
• Reliability – Can I rely on my data getting backed up correctly? Will it work during power failures?
• Cost – How much money am I going to pay per month? How about other fees like setup costs?
• Scalability – How easy is it to add more capacity?
• Customer Satisfaction and Support – Who’s available to help me solve problems? Do they respond quickly?
• Overall Experience – Would I recommend this provider to others?

 

Cloud Services 101

 

There are hundreds of different types of clouds. The most common type is Infrastructure as a Service. You can think of these clouds as virtual machines running on servers somewhere else. They give you complete control over everything related to operating system updates, software installations, etc.

A second popular option is a Platform as a Service, which lets you use web applications without worrying about managing infrastructure.

Thirdly, Software as a Service allows users to run programs and perform tasks from anywhere using any device.

Finally, Utility Computing provides resources based on demand. It gives customers flexibility by letting them buy only what they need.

 

How Much Does Data Protection Cost?

If you’re still not convinced that managed backup services are worth investing in, here are two more compelling reasons why you should consider them:

• There are many benefits associated with using these types of services. One of the most important ones is peace of mind. Since managed backups aren’t just automated processes but also involve human intervention at times, you know exactly how far along each step will be. Plus, if anything goes wrong during the process, you won’t have to wait around until someone gets back to you—you can contact support immediately. If you ever feel like you don’t trust your vendor enough to entrust them with your sensitive data, then you probably shouldn’t use them anyway.
• It doesn’t cost very much to implement either. Once you sign up for a managed backup plan, you pay per month.

 

Depending on the size of your company, monthly costs could range anywhere from $10 to $100+. In comparison, some companies charge thousands of dollars per year when you buy software licenses outright. For example, Backblaze offers 10GB of online space for free, so there’s really no reason not to at least check them out and see what they have to offer. We use Microsoft Azure which is a little more expensive, but we feel the extra costs and added protection are worth it.

What Are Some Things To Look Out For While Choosing Your Backup Service Provider?

1. Make sure that you get a contract before signing up. Most providers offer contracts ranging between 6-12 months, although some may extend beyond 12 months. However, make sure that you understand the terms of the agreement before committing yourself. This way, you avoid having to renegotiate later on down the road.
2. Don’t forget to ask what happens if your vendor shuts down operations. Do they guarantee that your files will remain safe and accessible even after they shut down? What kind of disaster recovery plans do they have in place? How long does it take to restore lost data? These questions are critical since some vendors claim to provide 24/7 customer care, while others say otherwise.
3. Ask about pricing discounts. Many cloud backup services come bundled together with additional features such as email archiving, file sharing, etc. When searching for a new solution, check out whether you qualify for special deals offered by certain vendors.
4. Find out what kinds of guarantees your vendor provides. Many companies give their customers an “as promised” warranty period, which means that once you purchase a service or product, you’ll receive a refund within a specific timeframe. Others promise zero downtime, meaning that any issues encountered during the restoration process must be resolved quickly.
5. Check out reviews posted online. Although this isn’t always reliable information, it can help you find who has had good experiences with different providers.

How Can I Choose The Right Managed Backup Solution?

There is no one right answer here because every business needs something slightly different. Here are some things to consider:

1. Determine if you want to store backups locally or remotely. There are pros and cons to storing local vs. remote backups. Local backups are easy to access whenever you need them; however, they require more disk space than remote ones. Remote backups also allow you to back up multiple servers at once, but you won’t be able to access them directly without using a third-party tool.
2. Does your managed backup service offer cloud backups? A managed backup service with a hybrid cloud option might be perfect for you, but what are they? Hybrid cloud backup options are managed cloud servers that are plugged into your managed backup service. This way, if one location is destroyed due to natural disasters or human errors, the cloud backups will still exist and protect all of your data.
3. Decide how often you’d like to perform backups. If you’re looking for peace of mind, then daily backups might work best for you. On the other hand, weekly or monthly backups would probably suffice for most businesses.
4. Consider the amount of time & effort required to recover your data. Do your managed backup services have a recovery time objective? Recovery time objectives are also known as RTOs – how long will it take to retrieve data following a disaster or accidental deletion of data? The higher the RTO, the more often your business will need to back up its data to meet that goal of quick restoration. You want to be as close to zero as possible with your RPO and RTO. The closer the RPO and RTO are to each other, the more protected your managed backup recovery services will be from data loss or deletion.
5. Do you want a managed cloud storage solution that offers both on-site and off-site replication? The answer to this question depends on whether or not your managed backup services have a business continuity or disaster recovery plan in place. Of course, we recommend storing your backups at a separate location, but sometimes your backup strategy or budget doesn’t allow for that.
6. Does this backup service offer a mobile app with onsite data protection for all devices and managed backup services? This is important because if your managed backup service doesn’t offer a mobile app, you’ll need to rely on the security of their website, and with more and more businesses employing remote teams, this might be a problem.
7. Are there any limitations to the number of devices that this backup management service can back up? You need to make sure that your managed backup provider offers unlimited backups for all of your computers, tablets, and mobile phones.
8. Is there an unlimited data transfer option? This is important because backups without this option could cause your provider to charge you more money if they are sent more data than what’s allotted in the contract.
9. Do they offer a cloud proxy server? This will help ensure that all of your data is protected from being lost due to unauthorized access and hacking, which means the managed backup service will help protect your data from loss or damage.
10. Is there an automated cloud upload feature that can help backup and store your information in real time? This is important because cloud backup services will allow you to back up and store your data without any effort on your part.
11. Do they offer an option for backup of third-party apps like iCloud, OneDrive, or Amazon Cloud Drive? These are all cloud storage providers that managed backups won’t work with, so managed backup providers need to offer an option for backing up third-party apps.
12. Do they have a mobile app that you can use? This is important because it will make the managed backup process easier and save you time.
13. Can managed backups be scheduled by date or day of the week? It would be best if you had managed backups that give you the ability to set them up automatically, which will allow managed backups to back up your data without any effort.
14. Is there a “remote wipe” feature? This is important because it can help protect against and erase those who might be using your information without permission by deleting all of the data from their device.
15. Lastly, is there a “local wipe” feature? This is important because it can help protect against and erase those who might be using your information without permission by deleting all of the data from their device.

 

To successfully restore your data from backups, you’ll need to know where all of your backed-up files reside. Once there, you’ll need to download each file onto another computer so that you can open it and review its contents. Then you’ll need to upload those files into whatever application you use. Depending on the size of your files, this could take hours.

 

• Think about security concerns when choosing a managed backup provider. Some firms offer encryption capabilities, while others don’t. This may not matter much if you only plan to keep copies of your own documents, but if you regularly share sensitive company info via email, having strong encryption built-in can make a big difference.
• Make sure your chosen vendor offers support options. While many cloud storage solutions include basic technical assistance through phone calls or emails, it pays to look for a firm that includes proactive monitoring tools, automated alerts, and live chat sessions.

 

These features will ensure that you never have to worry about getting in touch with someone over the weekend or after normal business hours.

 

• Ask yourself why you need a managed backup solution. Do you need to protect yourself against hard drive failure? Or do you really need to safeguard important corporate records?
• Look for a provider that meets your budget requirements. As mentioned above, price should not be your primary concern when selecting a cloud storage system. However, you shouldn’t pay too much either. It doesn’t hurt to ask around before making a final decision.
• Consider the level of control you desire. Does everything need to happen automatically? Are you willing to let your IT team manage the entire process?

 

If you answered “yes” to both questions, an unmanaged service is likely what you want. Otherwise, you may prefer one of the following types of managed services:

• SaaS Backup – Providers typically provide users with an online dashboard that allows them to schedule automatic backups. They also usually give customers visibility into their server activity by providing real-time status updates.
• Data protection as a Service – DPaaS involves a combination of hardware appliances and software applications designed to archive user data securely. The goal here is to create a complete copy of every document, spreadsheet, presentation, etc., stored within a given organization.
• Hybrid solutions – A hybrid approach combines elements of both SaaS and PaaS. For example, some vendors allow companies to store their data using traditional servers while simultaneously offering access to the same information via the web.

What Other Managed Services Does the Backup Provider Offer?

1. Do they offer “email archiving”? This is important because managed backups with this feature will allow easy access to archived emails, which can be especially useful if an email server has been hacked or otherwise compromised.
2. Does the backup provider have a cloud security “encryption” option that can be enabled on your managed backups? This is important because managed backup providers with this feature will offer you the best protection for your data.
3. Do they include “data protection” features that can be set to automatically back up your information after it’s been changed or updated, so you don’t have to worry about backing up your files regularly? This is important because managed backups with this feature will allow for easy and automatic backups, which could be really handy if you’re unsure about your backup habits.
4. Do they have “backup verification” features that will help ensure the integrity of a backed-up file before restoring it? This is important because managed backups with this feature will protect against lost or corrupted files when they’re restored.
5. Do they offer an “easy” option designed specifically for those who don’t have a technical background, like your average small business owner or non-technical user? This is important because managed backups with this feature will make it easy and safe to back up all their devices’ data.
6. Do they use a “user interface” where you can easily choose which data to back up, create templates for backing up certain types of information, and change your preferences? This is important because managed backups with this feature will allow users to manage their backed-up files more efficiently.

What’s Next?

Now that you’ve decided which type of cloud storage service best suits your needs, it’s time to start looking at how to implement such technology. To help guide you along the way, we’ve put together a list of resources below that might prove useful.

 

1. Choose a dedicated server. If you’re planning on hosting all your files from a single location, then you’ll probably benefit most from choosing a private cloud option. With this setup, you won’t have any issues accessing your data, even during off-hours.
2. Use a public cloud environment. Public cloud backup services offer several advantages, including easy scalability and cost savings. But they come without the security measures offered by more robust private environments.
3. Try out different file-sharing platforms. When considering where to host your content, there are many other alternatives besides Dropbox and Google Drive. Some of these include ShareFile, OneDrive, SugarSync, and Microsoft Skydrive. Each has its own set of pros and cons, so take advantage of our free comparison tool to see which platform works best for you!
4. Start small. Don’t try to go live overnight – get started slowly. This will ensure you don’t encounter unexpected challenges or problems. Also, if you plan on implementing new technologies in conjunction with existing systems, make sure you test everything thoroughly beforehand. In addition, consider creating a sandbox environment first. This can serve as a trial run for future projects.
5. Keep up with industry trends. There are many ways to keep abreast of the latest developments in cloud backup services and computing.

 

 

Wrapping Up

 

While not exhaustive, this article provides a good overview of what makes cloud storage and cloud services appealing to businesses today. It includes statistics showing just how popular the trend continues to be among major industries like healthcare, finance, education, government, manufacturing, media/entertainment, and others.

 

Check out our blog posts. We regularly post articles related to cloud backup services and storage, especially those focused on specific topics like disaster recovery, business continuity, and compliance. Be sure to check back often for fresh insights!

 

If you’re still unsure after reading through these questions, I recommend contacting one of our experts, who would love to chat with you further about your specific situation. They’d be happy to walk you through everything you should look at when choosing a managed backup service. I hope this helps! Let us know if we missed anything else. We appreciate your feedback!