What is Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS)?

Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS), also known as online backup service or cloud backup, is an offsite data storing method through a service vendor. A service vendor regularly backs up data storage, like files, folders, or even entire hard drives, to a secure remote data center over a network connection.

BaaS protects your information, including business and personal data, from the risk of loss from unforeseen events, such as natural disaster, human error, hacking, etc.

Furthermore, BaaS allows you to connect to a private, public or hybrid cloud that is managed by a 3^rd party service provider. This saves you from the need to perform your own backup on-premises through a centralized IT department.

BaaS has many benefits other than removing the concern about day-to-day upkeep or infrastructure costs. Let’s explore these advantages.

How Does BaaS Work?

First, you purchase and sign up for a backup service. Then, you select those services which you need to back up. If you’re working with office applications, you may consider Microsoft Office 365 back up with Exchange Online or OneDrive for Business.

Making these selections automatically backs up your selected data.

Why is BaaS Important?

As every business owner worth his salt knows, data is the new oil. Companies that lose critical data often go out of business within 6 months of the loss. Clearly, data loss is a key concern for companies.

Human error, natural disaster, hacking, sync issues or spying are just a handful of threats to data integrity. Luckily, a complete BaaS backup and disaster recovery solution addresses software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers that don’t guarantee a complete and quick restoration of lost data.

Advantages of BaaS

Advantages when signing up for BaaS include:

Safety:

With regular data backups through BaaS, you are less susceptible to the usual threats of hackers, human errors, and natural disasters. In fact, BaaS encrypts stored data, which mitigates many associated risks.

Affordability:

Signing up with a 3^rd party BaaS provider helps you avoid other on-premises or in-house, or offsite backup and disaster recovery solution costs. This includes hefty infrastructure, tape drivers, servers, hardware and software, media transportation to remote location, IT labor and other costs.

Convenience:

BaaS offers one of the most convenient backup and disaster recovery solutions. Because it is automated, information saves in real-time. This eliminates cumbersome labeling, saving or tracking of data. As a result, BaaS provides a safe and reliable solution that allows you to focus on business-critical functions.

Multiple Levels of Redundancy:

Multiple levels of redundancy ensure that backups are easily located and available in the case of lost or deleted data.  In fact, multiple levels of redundancy means copies of data storage across independent locations. This serves as another safeguard to easily access a backup of your data.

What BaaS Means for You?

So, we’ve established that BaaS offers an attractive, reliable and easy backup and disaster recovery solution. The following questions are worth considering when choosing the right BaaS provider for your enterprise.

Offering:

What will I be able to back up and at which levels of RTO and RPO granularity (supported platforms and apps)? Does the service offer disaster recovery as well? It is worth looking into the extent of service offerings.

Ability to Transfer:

Can I transfer my data across platforms? This may include moving to a different physical platform, either cloud-to-cloud, cloud-to-on-premises, or to another service provider.

Security:

How will my data be secured and safe from malicious attackers? Source encryption may offer better security for the data owner in some cases. However, it may be difficult to move data out from a service provider if vendor-provided encryption is in place.

Reporting and Service:

Does the vendor offer strong service level agreements? What are the consequences if service levels are not met? Additionally, how does the vendor report on backup failures or successes? Is the vendor compliant to security standards? What are my escalation options?

Costs:

What and how will I be charged? For instance, is the service cost based on terabytes stored, or number of objects protected, or on some other basis? Are there any additional costs, for example, for system restores?

Answers to these questions will help you choose a BaaS provider that meets your specific requirements. Also, be sure to ask them for their certifications for meeting and adhering to security standards.

The Whole Picture:

Without a doubt, BaaS is a great option for data security and protection for business owners with even a single segment of their business online. Not only does it provide clients with the ability to backup and recover their data in unforeseen disasters, it also secures data from prying eyes.

The cloud-based BaaS also ensures your data protection from regional disasters or power outages. Moreover, you can choose to backup your data with multi-level redundancy across locations for ready restoration.

This is crucial for seamless business operations to minimize downtime risk and productivity loss.  Clearly, a BaaS provider subscription addresses data breach or loss concerns. Indeed, it provides a reliable, automated data backup as well as disaster recovery method.

Contact Us

Percento is a Professional IT Consulting, Implementation and Management firm.  To find out how we can help your organization, please contact one of our friendly sales representatives. We will review of your system and a comprehensive (No Obligation) proposal of services. Call today toll-free at 800.614-7886 [Austin | Dallas | Houston | League City | Sugar Land | The Woodlands  | San Antonio] or email us at sales@percentotech.com