In this post, we’ll talk a little bit about cloud backup solution. About how cloud backup works? How to restore data from cloud backup? What methods can cloud backup be used for? What are the benefits of using cloud backup? Also we’ll talk a little bit about cloud backup solutions.
What’s Cloud Backup Solution?
Cloud backup (or cloud computer backup, or online backup, or remote backup) refers to the backing up of data to a cloud-based server. At its basic form, cloud backup allows organizations and individuals to store data from their computers in a cloud space rather than locally on a disk or network drive.
In fact, cloud backup is a strategy for sending a copy of a physical or virtual file or database to a secondary, off-site location for preservation in case of equipment failure or disaster. In other words, we can say that cloud backup is a type of off-site backup. The company might own the off-site server if it hosts its own cloud service, but such organizations are few. Many company uses a service provider to manage the cloud backup environment. Businesses are constantly exposed to the risk of data loss or corruption. So, data are strategic assets. More organizations are now choosing cloud-based platforms rather than design a physical DR (disaster recovery) site. Cloud backup is a very important component of modern DR process.
To set up a cloud backup process, the following steps must be followed:
- Purchasing cloud backup service.
- Installing the software within IT system. (on a server that connects to internet)
- Choosing which files, folders, and applications to back up.
Most cloud backup providers allow you to set a backup schedule, operate with backup files, control allocated bandwidth, and add new files if needed. In cloud backup solution, customers often back up and restore their data and apps using a web browser or a service provider’s control panel.
Source: searchdatabackup.techtarget.com and rackspace.com
What’s Cloud Storage Solution?
Cloud storage is a model of data storage in which the data can be accessed, managed, and stored in a remote cloud server via the Internet. Cloud storage is maintained and supported by a cloud storage provider. In cloud storage user’s data is available and accessible at any time. Cloud storage systems share the following characteristics:
- The cloud storage provider is fully responsible for the back-end support and maintenance of the application.
- The user can get direct access to cloud-based resources and enjoy the built-in services without involving the service provider.
- Cloud environments can be scaled up or down.
- Cloud-based resources can be accessed over the Internet at any time.
- One cloud environment can be shared by multiple users. It is called multi-tenant model.
Cloud storage services like Dropbox and OneDrive are good for storing files, photos and videos from your laptop to one centralized location – the cloud.
Cloud Storage vs. Cloud Backup
Difference between cloud storage and cloud backup lies within the purpose of storing data in the cloud. With cloud storage, the main purpose is to store files online so they can be accessible anytime and anywhere but main purpose of cloud backup that is to make sure files are safely copied and stored in case they are needed to restore servers due to an emergency.
Carbonite.com’s website explains very clearly the main differences between cloud storage and cloud backup: “
- Cloud storage is designed to supplement your hard drive space and makes it easier to access and edit files from different devices. Cloud backup is designed in a way that you can restore files in the event of data loss.
- With cloud storage you must manually select files you want to store in the cloud, while cloud backup services work automatically to save and sync files stored on your computer.
- Cloud backup providers are serious about keeping your data secure: Your files are usually encrypted both on transfer and on storage. But with most cloud storage services, files can only be encrypted on the server side, making the data transfer process less secure. “
Source: searchdatabackup.techtarget.com and solarwindsmsp.com
Varieties of Cloud Backup
- Backing up directly to the public cloud: This method entails writing data directly to cloud providers, such as AWS or Microsoft Azure. In this scenario, it is important that the backup software is capable of interfacing with the cloud’s storage service.
- Backing up to a service provider: In this method, an organization writes data to a cloud service provider that offers backup services in a managed data center. This method also supports specific commercially-available backup applications.
- Choosing a cloud-to-cloud (C2C) backup: This method is a cloud-to-cloud backup service. In other words, it is a service that copies data from one cloud to another cloud. A cloud-to-cloud backup service usually hosts the software that handles this process.
- Using online cloud backup systems: This method uses an appliance that facilitate backing up data to a cloud backup service and is all-in-one backup machine that include backup software and disk capacity along with the backup server. Many these appliances provide a seamless link to one or more cloud backup services or cloud providers. These appliances send most recent backup to the cloud backup provider but also at the same time retain it locally. This is very useful because it causes any required recoveries can be made from the local backup copy, at result saves time and transmission costs.
However, the backup strategy must also be clear. In general, there have been three major strategies for a long time:
- Full backups
- Incremental backups
- Differential backups
You can learn about these strategies in here.
Source: searchdatabackup.techtarget.com
Restoring a Cloud Backup
Cloud backup services run on schedule basis. For example, the application collects, compresses, encrypts and transfers data to the cloud service provider’s servers every 24 hours. So, during scheduled intervals, the cloud service will back up all files in the specified folders and store them remotely.
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. Also, you can select options to overwrite previous backups or create a new backup to ensure multiple redundancies in the event of data corruption. An excellent feature of cloud backup restorations is that they can be done anywhere. An organization could recover its data directly to a different physical site.
Source: searchdatabackup.techtarget.com
Cloud Backup Security
There are three main considerations in cloud backup technology: confidentiality, integrity and availability. Many cloud backup providers encrypt data throughout the process: at the original location, during transit and also at rest in the provider’s data center. Providers use usually SSL and TLS algorithms for encryption.
Most organizations prefer to hold their encryption keys, and providers should offer this option.
Benefits of Cloud Backup
We use cloud backup for these reasons:
- Safeguarding data and apps
- If there is an issue, you can solve the problem from anywhere and through your laptop or smartphone.
- Keeping data off-site provides an advanced level of security and data protection.
- Rapid data recovery
- Cost-Effective Storage
- Enterprise Encryption
- The backup process is completely automatic and It can also be scheduled.
- Third-party cloud storage is managed and maintained by a service provider, which reduces user (an organization or a person) workload.
- Cloud backup space can be easily scaled up or down depending on data volume.
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