What are the Advantages of having a Cloud Backup Service?

As an IT Services Provider, we are asked by virtually every client – “What is a Cloud Back Up Service”? Essentially it is the same as an onsite back up service (like the older style tapes you had in servers, or external hard drives) but with the backed up data being stored offsite, on a remote server over the internet. When we say “Cloud” we actually mean that we transmit your data safely and securely over the internet to a target location, for bulletproof restoration in the event of a disaster or accidental deletion.

There are several types of on-line backup solutions available and if you search the web you will have come across names such as Dropbox, Databarracks, Amazon S3, Microsoft Cloud etc. They are all similar in what they do in that they take a copy of a specified data area from your network. Where things change is when it comes to certain types of data and we will explore these below.

• Dropbox – Basic Data Backup

For the day to day backup of your data, nothing is better than Dropbox really! It is easy to use, very secure, very well priced and has a set number previous versions, so for example if you have a file that you work on daily and it changes daily but you notice that something went wrong with it 3 weeks ago, you can go back through the previous versions until you get to the one that you knew was the correct one.

The best thing about Dropbox though, is that it’s constant; when you save a document into the Dropbox folder, it’s usually synchronised (backed up) to Dropbox within a few seconds and that’s it, job done. No need to schedule specific backup jobs – it’s running all the time! Caveats;

1. You need to save and close the document in order for it to synch to Dropbox – it doesn’t work on “open” files
2. Similar to (a), if you have on-premise Exchange Server, the email database through necessity, never closes. In such a case, an alternative solution would need to be sought for this element. This is true with other backup solutions but as a lot of the “bunker” style backup services charge by the GB then it can get even more costly the more protection you need.

• Microsoft Live Drive

Another example of a good all-rounder for off-site backup is the Microsoft Live Drive version and with this one if you subscribe to Office 365, you get it as part of the deal. It is not quite as polished as the Dropbox one but still does the job and for the price you really cannot complain! Please note though, unlike Dropbox you need to schedule and look after the backup jobs – it’s not an automated process.

• Databarracks

The Rolls Royce Solution (sorry if that is infringing copyright) would be Databarracks – this service is an all-encompassing solution that not only has your data co-located bombproof bunkers but also uses on-premise software to ensure that all the Network data is backed up nightly. This is also managed by a team of highly trained software engineers and solution providers who we work with on a 24/7 basis to ensure your daily backups work and are readily available in what Databarracks call a “DR Invocation”.

In summary, the above are just three of a sea of solutions available, but are the ones we recommend on a daily basis. In truth, if you are using the benefits of Office 365, we do try and encourage the use of Dropbox as it really is a professional service that has been designed and tweaked for business life.

If you want to know more about any of our Cloud backup solutions, please feel free to contact us on 01302 540280 or hit the Contact Us button.