This post is contributed by Suresh Ramani, Techgyan
In this Digital World, we all generate data. And it is an accepted fact that the data we generate needs to be backed up. A good Data Backup strategy which I would recommend is one where you have a primary active data. Then you have the first copy of that data residing OnSite and the second copy is OffSite. The first copy is OnSite so that data restoration can take place without time lag. And the second copy is OffSite to account for locational disaster where the location goes down. It can happen, right?
Unfortunately, it is easier said than done. In most of the Small and Mid-Sized Businesses (SMB) and even in many larger companies, data backup is an area which is inefficient. The reasons are many and can range from being:
- Too expensive
- Too cumbersome
- Inefficient
And at the best level, some companies would have a local backup taken probably once a week. Also, since it is a weekly phenomenon, what if disaster were to take place on Day 6? In this case, what is the solution?
Enter Cloud Backup
Today, Cloud Backup as a technology has sufficiently matured. However, I would recommend it only for level 2 or OffSite backup. It cannot and should not replace OnSite backup. Cloud Backup solution that enables data to be backed up to and recovered from an off-premises datacenter (the cloud) will help protect against data loss and corruption.
Let me highlight some features of Cloud Backup while taking the example of Azure Cloud Backup Solution.
Features
Block level incremental backups
- Automatic incremental backups track file and block level changes, only transferring the changed blocks, hence reducing the storage and bandwidth utilization.
Data compression, encryption and throttling.
- Data is compressed and encrypted on the server before being sent to Azure over the network. As a result, Azure Online Backup only places encrypted data in the cloud storage.
Data integrity verified in the cloud.
- Backed up data is also automatically checked for integrity once the backup is complete. As a result, any corruptions due to data transfer are automatically identified and repair is attempted in the next backup.
Configurable retention policies.
- Configure and implement retention policies to help meet business policies and manage backup costs.
High Availability
- 99.9% availability due to the Worldwide Microsoft Datacenters
In summary, the benefits of Cloud Backup are:
Why Azure for Backup:
1) No upfront cost. Pay as you go.
2) 99.9% Uptime
3) Extensive Policies
4) Low recurring cost
5) Your Data resides in the World’s Best Data Centers of Microsoft
6) Your Data Privacy is guaranteed by Microsoft
7) You get a Superb Off-site Backup Solution
8) You can recover a Single file or the Complete Data
9) Data can be recovered at a different location thus giving a Disaster Recovery
And for a typical SMB Customer with about 50 devices connected to the Server, the approximate monthly bill should be about Rs. 2000. At this price, Cloud Backup is an absolute No Brainer, isn’t it?
