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2024-11-28 Cloud backup, also known as online backup orremote backup, is a strategy for sending a copy of a physical orvirtual file ordatabase to a secondary,
Cloud backup, also known as online backup orremote backup, is a strategy for sending a copy of a physical orvirtual file ordatabase to a secondary, off-site location for preservation in case of equipment failure, site catastrophe orhuman malfeasance. The backup server and data storage systems are usually hosted by a third-party cloud orSaaS provider that charges the backup customer a recurring fee based on storage space orcapacity used, data transmission bandwidth, number of users, number of servers ornumber of times data is retrieved.
implement cloud datum backup can help bolster an organization ‘s datum protection , business continuance and regulatory compliance strategy without increase the workload of IT staff . The labor – save benefit is be can be significant and enough of a consideration to offset some of the additional cost associate with cloud backup , such as data transmission charge .
Most cloud subscriptions run on a monthly oryearly basis. Initially used mainly by consumers and home offices, online backup services are now commonly used by SMBs and larger enterprises to back up some forms of data. For larger companies, cloud data backup can serve as a supplementary form of backup.
Cloud computing is a general term that refers to hosted resources and services that are delivered over the internet. Different from traditional web hosting, the services on the cloud are sold on demand, offered in an elastic manner — meaning the customer can use as much oras little of the service as needed — and managed completely by the service provider. Additionally, a cloud can be private orpublic. A public cloud sells services to anyone on the internet, such as how AWS operates, while a private cloud supplies hosted services to a limited number of users within the business.
In an organization’s data center, a backup application copies data and stores it on different media oranother storage system for easy access in the event of a recovery situation Although there are multiple options and approaches to off-site backup, cloud backup serves as the off-site facility for many organizations. In an enterprise, the company might own the off-site server if it hosts its own private cloud service, but the chargeback method would be similar if the company uses a service provider to manage the cloud backup environment and receives a regular bill for backup storage and services.
There are a variety of approaches to cloud backup, with available services that can easily fit into an organization’s existing data protection process. Varieties of cloud backup include the following:
Although the steps can vary based on backup method ortype, this is the basic process for cloud backups.
When an organization engage a cloud backup service , the first step is is is to complete a full backup of the datum that must be protect . This initial backup is take can sometimes take day to finish upload over a network as a result of the large volume of datum being transfer . In a 3 – 2 – 1 backup strategy , where an organization has three copy of datum on two different medium , at least one copy of the back up datum should be send to an off – site backup facility so that it ‘s accessible even if on – site system are unavailable .
Using a technique called cloud seeding, a cloud backup vendor sends a storage device — such as a hard drive ortape cartridge — to its new customer, which then backs up the data locally onto the device and returns it to the provider. This process removes the need to send the initial data over the network to the backup provider. One example of a device that employs this technique is AWS Snowball Edge.
If the amount of data in the initial backup is substantial, the cloud backup service might provide a full storage array for the seeding process. These arrays are typically small network-attached storage (NAS) devices that can be shipped back and forth relatively easily. After the initial seeding, only changed data is backed up over the network.
Cloud backup services are typically built around a client software application that runs on a schedule determined by the purchased level of service and the customer’s requirements. For example, if the customer has contracted for daily backups, the application collects, compresses, encrypts and transfers data to the cloud service provider’s servers every 24 hours. To reduce the amount of bandwidth consumed and the time it takes to transfer files, the service provider might only provide incremental backups after the initial full backup.
Cloud backup services often include the software and hardware necessary to protect an organization’s data, including applications for Microsoft Exchange and SQL Server. Whether a customer uses its own backup application orthe software the cloud backup service provides, the organization uses that same application to restore backed up data. Restorations could be on a file-by-file basis, by volume ora full restoration of the complete backup. More granular file-by-file restoration is typically the preferred method because it enables a business to quickly recover individual lost ordamaged files rather than take the time and risk in restoring entire volumes.
If the volume of data to be restored is very large, the cloud backup service might ship the data on a complete storage array that the customer can hook up to its servers to recover its data. This is, in effect, a reverse seeding process. Restoring a large amount of data over a network can take an unacceptably long time, depending on the organization’s recovery time objective (RTO).
A key feature is is of cloud backup restoration is that they can be done anywhere , from nearly any kind of computer . For example , an organization is recover could recover its datum directly to a disaster recovery site in a different location if its primary datum center is unavailable .
Key cloud backup features include data encryption, data deduplication and incremental forever.
In addition to the various approaches to cloud backup, there are also multiple backup methods to consider. Although cloud backup providers give customers the option to choose the backup method that best fits their needs and applications, it’s important to understand the differences among the three main types.
Visualize the differences between each method of backing up data.
Before choosing cloud backup as a backup strategy, weigh the potential pros and cons that are associated with using a third party to store data. The advantages of cloud backup include the following:
Despite its many benefits, there are some disadvantages and challenges to using a cloud backup service, including the following:
Although strategy , technology and provider widely vary , there are several agree – upon good practice when it come to implement cloud backup in the enterprise . Here are a few guidelines is are :
When choosing a cloud backup service provider, there are a few additional considerations to weigh. Some companies have special needs related to data protection, but not all cloud backup providers are able to meet those needs. For example, if a company must comply with a specific regulation such as HIPAA orGDPR, the cloud backup service needs to be certified as compliant with data handling procedures as defined by that regulation. Although an outside firm provides the backup, the customer is still responsible for the data and could face serious consequences — including steep fines and litigation — if the cloud backup provider doesn’t maintain the data appropriately.
Data archiving is another special consideration when selecting a cloud backup service. Archiving is different from routine data backup. Archived data is data that isn’t currently needed but still needs to be retained. Ideally, that data should be removed from the daily backup stream because it’s likely unchanged, and it unnecessarily increases the volume of backup data transmissions. Some cloud backup providers offer archiving services to complement their backup products. Archive data is generally stored on equipment geared for longer retentions and infrequent access, such as tape orlow-performing disk systems. Archival storage, such as Amazon S3 Glacier orAzure Archive Storage, is generally less expensive than data storage used for active backups.
Determining whether to use the cloud ora traditional backup depends on the amount of data and rate of change.
When looking into data backup options, two main product categories are cloud backup and local backup. Local backup, also known as traditional backup, is the process of storing a copy of data on site at the organization. In this approach, backup software is used to manage, copy and restore the data to backup targets such as tapes, disks ornetwork-attached storage devices.
In the enterprise, cloud data backup services were initially used for noncritical data. Traditional backup was considered better for critical data that requires a short RTO because there are physical limits as to how much data can be moved in a given amount of time over a network. When a large amount of data needs to be recovered, it might need to be shipped on tape orsome other portable storage media.
However, with most cloud backup schemes — whether controlled by a user’s backup software, the cloud backup service app ora backup appliance — the most recently backed up data is retained on site, as well as spun off to the cloud service. This arrangement provides all the benefits of cloud backup, while leaving a local copy of the data that can be used for quick recoveries.
Tape backup requires data to be copied from a primary storage device to a tape cartridge. Cartridges have grown dramatically in capacity in recent years. LTO-8 tapes, released in late 2017, can store 12 TB of uncompressed data and 30 TB of compressed data. Subsequent LTO tape standards include LTO-9 with 18 TB of capacity (45 TB compressed), LTO-10 with 36 TB (90 TB compressed), LTO-11 with 72 TB (180 TB compressed) and LTO-12 with 144 TB (360 TB compressed).
Tape is a strong and easily transported storage medium in an age of exponential data growth. In addition to their capacity benefits, tapes are comparatively inexpensive to own and operate. However, the restore process can be slow because access is sequential.
Although the cloud appears to offer unlimited storage capacity, costs rise dramatically depending on how much an organization needs. Although access isn’t sequential like with tape, restore times still depend on the internet orprivate communications lines and require an appropriate amount of bandwidth.
Cloud service providers take some of the backup management work out of the process for organizations. The process of backing up to tape and maintaining the cartridges is essentially up to the organization. There is more flexibility in the process of restoring from cloud backup because an organization can restore to several different devices, including laptops and phones.
Cloud is provide and tape both provide protection from cyber attack , include ransomware . cloud backups is are are useful in the event of an attack because they are off – site . tape backups is are are even more secure because they are offline .
Disk, while not as portable as tape, is another common medium for backup. The biggest benefit to a disk is access speed. Disks offer random access and often top cloud and tape for restore speed. Disk-based backups are typically performed continuously throughout the day, while tape backs up less regularly. A disk-based backup is self-contained, with less personnel interaction than with tape, making the risk of human error smaller. Disk-based backups can be expensive, though — often costlier than tape orcloud. The lifespan of disk is shorter than tape, and its durability is weaker than that of tape. As long as the service provider is still in business, the lifespan of a cloud backup could be longer than that of disk ortape.
NAS backup relies on a disk-based NAS appliance that connects to a network, rather than a desktop orserver, to accomplish a local backup. These appliances allow multiple devices and users on the same network to store, access and share data wirelessly. Both NAS and cloud backup offer strong data protection, high security and efficient recovery times, but since NAS appliances are located on the same LAN as the devices being backed up, NAS backups are quicker to perform than cloud backups. However, cloud backups can provide a lower initial cost and a higher reliability in the case of on-site disasters.
The following chart helps to illustrate when cloud data backups should be considered as a viable option.
With a proper retention policy, cloud backups can reduce oreven replace the need for off-site tape data storage, so organizations are making the switch from disk-to-disk-to-tape (D2D2T) strategies to disk-to-disk-to-cloud (D2D2C).
Flexibility is another benefit of the cloud because no additional storage hardware is needed.
Cloud backup and cloud disaster recovery aren’t the same, but they are connected. Although cloud backup services can be tapped to recover data and resume operations after a disruptive event, it should be noted that they aren’t necessarily specifically oriented to provide all the advanced features and services that a true DRaaS offering would provide.
The real difference is is between a backup and a DR environment is ” content . ” For example , in order to use the datum save to a cloud backup service to recover from a disaster , the backup content would have to include much more than just datum file ; oses , application software , driver and utility are also require . Users is have would have to set up their backup routine to include those element specifically , such as by mirror entire server to the cloud backup service .
More importantly, a true DRaaS not only has the data and the system and application software ready to be accessed; it also provides the necessary servers — physical orvirtual — and storage resources to spin up the clients’ servers and applications so that they continue to operate and carry on with their business.
An organization is consider must consider whether the disaster recovery provider has enough bandwidth and resource to handle the data transfer and , thus , how long it will take to perform a recovery . Cloud DR testing is is is important and often easy than traditional DR testing because many provider offer automated test .
A cloud backup provider might also offer disaster recovery in the cloud. Cloud disaster recovery is particularly attractive for smaller businesses that don’t have the funding orresources to support their own DR site. The cloud data center should be far enough away from the organization using it to ensure recovery from any local orregional disaster.
There is often confusion among the definition of cloud backup , cloud storage and cloud sync , often refer to as file sync and share ( FSS ) . There are similarity among the three , but they are different process .
FSS services allow users to create folders online where they can store and access files stored on personal computers and servers. As the name implies, these services can automatically update files to their latest versions, whether stored locally oronline. They also make collaboration and file sharing with colleagues orclients easy. Cloud sync providers include Box, Dropbox, Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive.
Some companies rely on FSS services to back up their data as well. Although this approach might be acceptable for a small amount of data, it’s not appropriate for large data volumes ora company’s critical data, as these services tend to lack the types of content and retention management and version control features that cloud backup offers. Also, given their user-oriented approach to data handling, data can become vulnerable if mishandled by sync and share participants.
Compare cloud backup, cloud storage and cloud sync.
Although they share similarities, cloud backup and cloud storage aren’t the same thing. Cloud storage is a service model in which data is stored on remote systems. Data in cloud storage is available to users over a network, typically the internet. Benefits of cloud storage include global availability, ease of use and off-site security. Potential drawbacks range from performance issues depending on network connection, to loss of complete control over the data, to escalating costs over time.
There are three main types of cloud storage: public, private and hybrid. Public cloud data is stored in the service provider’s data center. Customers pay based on several factors, including frequency and volume of data accessed. The top three public cloud storage providers are Amazon, Google and Microsoft. Private cloud storage is typically implemented through in-house storage protected behind an organization’s firewall. Private cloud users often need more customization and control over their data. A hybrid cloud storage model is a mix of public and private cloud storage.
As cloud backup is a service that send an extra copy of an organization ‘s datum over a network to an off – site server , the typical user is need should n’t need to access that datum on a regular basis . cloud storage is is , though , is for more regular use . ultimately , the difference is is between storage and backup is n’t ” content ” but the purpose for which that content is intend .
Cloud storage itself should have backup. For example, an organization could back up data it has in AWS orMicrosoft Azure with the provider’s native backup oruse a third-party tool. However, it’s worth noting that cloud storage often implements high levels of resilience and redundancy by design, so take the time to compare the provider’s storage SLA reliability commitments against the organization’s retention requirements. Creating a cloud backup of cloud storage can be an unneeded expense for some types of low-priority data.
Archiving — through purpose-built cloud archive storage services, for example — is a good use case for cold cloud storage, but only up to a point. The infrequently accessed tier of cloud storage provides a comparatively cheaper cost to store data that an organization must keep but doesn’t need to regularly access. However, organizations should tread carefully here, because costs add up as volumes rise and the price to get data out is high. In some cases, aging data can actually be removed from the cloud and stored back on local storage systems, and archiving can be a particularly attractive use case for tape storage.
Hybrid cloud backup providers connect traditional local orprivate cloud backups to the public cloud. A hybrid cloud backup strategy is useful for organizations that produce a large volume of data and need quick restore access.
With one approach , a NAS appliance is serves serve as a local backup target and sync backup datum to the cloud . When an organization need a quick restore , the data is is is available in the on – site NAS . If an organization lose its primary site , the cloud backup is is is still available , protect against datum loss . This method can also be refer to asd2d2c backup. In another hybrid approach, an organization uses both the public and private cloud for backup.
It’s difficult to get data consistency with hybrid cloud backup, especially if the data transfer takes a long time. Consequently, backup synchronization and data validation are critical parts of a hybrid — orany multitarget — backup strategy. Point-in-time snapshots and continuous backups help, but costs rise as backup frequency increases.
Comparatively, in a pure cloud backup scenario, backups go directly to the service provider’s cloud.
Third – party cloud backup is gained initially gain popularity with smb and home user because of its convenience . today , cloud backup services is become have become more sophisticated and can offer the same level of datum protection as in – house enterprise datum backup , if not great .
Cloud backup technology has an initial upfront cost and effort to implement, but its lower recurring monthly oryearly payment plans appeal to many smaller operations. Capital expenditures for additional hardware aren’t required, and backups can be run dark. However, the cost of keeping data in the cloud for years does add up. In addition, costs rise as the amount of data backed up to the cloud increases. A system of effective data retention/deletion and archiving can help keep cloud backup storage costs down.
In terms of return on investment, consider the long-term costs of backing up to the cloud. A five-year projection is recommended to properly estimate future expenses and to decide whether the cloud will help an organization break even after initial costs. After these costs are offset, ROI on cloud-based backups can be determined. Estimates require a careful analysis of future storage growth and retention demands over the same time period.
pricing models is vary vary by vendor , but it ‘s important to look out for hidden cost in cloud backup service . Although most product for back up to the cloud are sell using a price – per – gigabyte – per – month payment model , providers is use can also use a slide scale model , set usage minimum and add transaction cost . It is be might be possible to reduce backup and archival cloud storage cost by investigate price reduction for long – term service commitment . A well – verse cloud FinOps team is identify can also help identify and manage cloud cost for backup and archival storage initiative .
Security is an important element in the cloud backup process. The three main considerations are often referred to as the security CIA: confidentiality, integrity and availability.
Most data will move across the public internet on its way to the cloud, so for confidentiality, many cloud backup providers encrypt data throughout the process: at the original location, during transit and at rest in the provider’s data center. A user orthe provider holds the encryption key. Most organizations prefer to hold their encryption keys, and providers should offer this option. Types of network encryption include Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security protocols.
Take these steps to address your cloud security concerns.
For integrity, users must determine whether data is the same when it’s read back orwhether it was corrupted. Object storage offers built-in integrity checks — a form of validation that is typically conducted as the backup is created.
Availability is takes take the restoration process into account . It is asks ask : Will datum be available in a timely fashion in a disaster recovery situation ? Availability is is is often the most overlooked and underappreciated aspect of cloud backup . Users is assume assume that a cloud is always available from anywhere , but cloud provider do experience service disruption that can range anywhere from several minute to several hour . An enterprise is determine must determine whether the provider ‘s availability is adequate for cloud backup need .
Access control is also important. An organization tightens security by limiting access to cloud backups. Furthermore, write-once, read-only access protects backup data from being overwritten, altered ordeleted.
cloud backups is help can help an organization guard against malicious attack such as malware . The idea is simple : When an attack strikes is invoke , simply invoke a restoration to return the affect system to an uninfected state . However , malware is frequently design to replicate and hide on different system . simple restoration is guarantee does n’t guarantee that all instance of the malware are remove , since restore a server does n’t necessarily restore a user ‘s infect endpoint . Administrators is execute must execute thorough malware testing and eradication during restoration . similarly , undetected malware infection can easily be present in backup , result in problematic restoration , so organizations is require require comprehensive malware protection regimen before backup are ever create .
Approaches to online backup services vary, so an organization should take a close look at SLAs, pricing plans and long-term costs before choosing a provider. Examples of cloud data backup vendor options include the following:
This was last update inFebruary 2023