Data backup and recovery services: Introduction
We live in an era where data has become one of the cornerstones of commerce and drivers of digital interaction.
This landscape has rendered the significance of robust data backup and recovery services more critical than ever, especially as the amount of data handled is expanding exponentially.
For businesses and professionals across various industries, the ability to recover data swiftly and effectively is not just a convenience. It is a critical necessity.
From finance and healthcare to retail and technology, data backup and recovery services are more important than ever before.
Our buyer’s guide aims to examine and detail the key considerations when selecting a data backup and recovery service.
As well as providing information for informed choices, it can also help you ensure that your organization’s data remains secure and retrievable in the face of adversity.
Key considerations: Selecting data backup and recovery services
At the core, a data backup and recovery service should provide a secure and efficient means of storing data copies. These copies should be able to be easily and fully restored in the event of data loss due to hardware failure, cyber-attacks, or natural disasters.
When evaluating potential services, buyers must take the time to carefully consider the following aspects, keeping in mind the specific requirements of their individual enterprise:
Comprehensiveness of the Solution
The service should offer a holistic approach, encompassing all critical data types and sources within your organisation. This includes databases, applications, and end-user data.
Recovery Time Objective (RTO)
Assess the service’s ability to restore operations within an acceptable timeframe after data loss. The RTO should align with your business continuity plans.
Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
Determine the maximum age of files that must be recovered from backup storage for normal operations to resume. A lower RPO minimises data loss.
Security and Compliance
Ensure the service adheres to industry standards and regulations, such as GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI-DSS. Encryption of data in transit and at rest is a must.
Scalability
The service should accommodate your organisation’s growth, allowing for increased storage and more complex recovery scenarios without significant cost spikes.
Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
Scrutinise the SLA for guaranteed uptime, support response times, and compensation for service failures.
Testing and Reporting
Regular testing of the backup and recovery process is vital. The service should provide detailed reports on backup status and recovery drill results.
Cost Structure
Evaluate the pricing model for transparency and predictability. Consider the total cost of ownership, including any hidden fees for data retrieval or additional storage.
Vendor Reputation and Support
Research the service provider’s track record and customer support capabilities. Peer reviews and case studies can offer valuable insights.
Ease of Use
The service interface should be intuitive, simplifying the management of backup and recovery operations for your IT team.
Industries benefiting from data backup and recovery services
A wide range of industries can benefit from the introduction of a robust data backup and recovery service.
Financial institutions, healthcare providers, educational establishments, legal firms, and e-commerce platforms are particularly reliant on such services.
They are particularly important with regard to safeguarding sensitive data and maintaining operational continuity.
Though there are others, some of the leading services currently on the market include:
Industry-leading data backup and recovery services
- Veeam Backup & Replication
- Acronis Cyber Backup
- Commvault Complete Backup & Recovery
- Veritas NetBackup
- Datto SIRIS
- Rubrik Cloud Data Management
- Carbonite Data Protection
- IBM Spectrum Protect
- Arcserve Unified Data Protection
- Dell EMC Data Protection Suite
- Cohesity DataProtect
- Zerto IT Resilience Platform
- Unitrends Recovery Series Backup Appliances
- Altaro VM Backup
- Barracuda Backup
Latest technological advancements in data backup and recovery services
The landscape of data backup and recovery services is continually evolving, with recent advancements focusing on enhancing speed, reliability, and integration.
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning are being leveraged to predict and prevent data loss events
- Blockchain technology is emerging as a means to secure backup data and ensure its integrity.
- Adoption of Cloud-native technologies facilitates more agile and scalable backup solutions, with multi-cloud and hybrid-cloud environments becoming increasingly prevalent.
Data backup and recovery services: Our conclusion
Selecting the right data backup and recovery service is a nuanced process that requires careful consideration of your organisation’s specific needs and objectives.
By prioritising the elements outlined in this guide, you can ensure that your data remains protected and recoverable, enabling your business to withstand and quickly recover from unforeseen data loss events.
References
- Veeam: https://www.veeam.com/
- Acronis: https://www.acronis.com/
- Commvault: https://www.commvault.com/
- Veritas: https://www.veritas.com/
- Datto: https://www.datto.com/
- Rubrik: https://www.rubrik.com/
- Carbonite: https://www.carbonite.com/
- IBM: https://www.ibm.com/
- Arcserve: https://www.arcserve.com/
- Dell EMC: https://www.delltechnologies.com/
- Cohesity: https://www.cohesity.com/
- Zerto: https://www.zerto.com/
- Unitrends: https://www.unitrends.com/
- Altaro: https://www.altaro.com/
- Barracuda: https://www.barracuda.com/
