Cloud backup services – how do you select the best option?

Many organizations decide to benefit from cloud solutions, but still not every company chooses to work 100% in the cloud. Those that don’t must make plans to protect their information by creating data backup. If you also need this, you should learn more about cloud backup services. Read our article for more info.

You may be wondering why you even need to backup your server in the cloud. Well, your business information can be lost or destroyed as the result of a natural disaster, equipment failure or an accident (for example, a fire in your data center). A wise person always protects their business data. Having a backup allows you to efficiently handle any potential crisis that may occur.

Server cloud backup – what is it and why does your company need it?

Server cloud backup solutions are a type of cloud service for business. Backup services may cover all the company’s data or only some chosen files. Copies of the company’s data and applications can be stored in the cloud (so in another location than your data center). This way, you can easily retrieve essential business information in case your data center is destroyed or your equipment fails. Information stored in backup is regularly updated, so the state of your data in the  cloud reflects the current state of your locally stored data. Clients can usually access their backups from a web browser or their service provider’s dedicated control panel.

What are the advantages of leveraging cloud server backup solutions?

There are many reasons to backup your business information to the cloud:

1. Data safety – cloud service providers know well the potential risks to your data, and over the years, they’ve come up with complex strategies for ensuring the safety of your data. Many copies of your business information are probably stored in the cloud, so it will be safe regardless of possible accidents in any of your data centers.
2. Enhanced security – cloud services are protected from hackers with advanced cybersecurity solutions. Methods such as encryption, multistep authentication and AI-based cybersecurity systems will keep your data safe from attackers.
3. Fast disaster recovery – many backup service vendors provide their customers with instant access to stored data. This enables companies to carry out their duties as if nothing happened. And of course, you can access business data from any device and from any place.

So, is cloud backup the right service for you?

How do you choose the right cloud backup service?

As with most cloud solutions, backup services are mostly available in several options defined by the amount of space you need. You should know, though, that the capacity of the cloud backup storage is not the only difference. Cloud service vendors use different techniques when it comes to data management or security – you should look for the one that will best suit your needs. 

Backup cloud storage

You can back up all your files and applications in the cloud, or decide to secure only the most essential information. As a matter of fact, there are many cloud services that give you unlimited storage and for many businesses that is the best choice. 

Cloud backup pricing

Cloud backup solutions come in many pricing models. The first approach that cloud services providers take is offering packages with different storage capacities – you pick how much space you require and pay accordingly. There are also vendors that don’t do this, and offer one price for unlimited backup services. The third and last option is customized services – you contact the vendor, who creates an offer based on your individual needs.

Cloud backup security

Each cloud organization uses some cybersecurity solutions to protect their customers’ data, but of course they differ in terms of the security approach. There are various ways to ensure the safety of one’s business information. Check which verification and encryption techniques your potential provider is using. 

Best cloud backup – examples

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular cloud backup service providers. Compare their offers and see which one suits you best.

1. Dropbox

You surely know Dropbox, which offers cloud services for both individual customers and companies. Dropbox provides companies with an unlimited storage option, so you can easily scale your backup solutions if your company’s requirements grow. The basic plan starts with quite a big capacity of 5 TB, which should be more than enough for small and many medium companies. 

Dropbox syncs data automatically. Dropbox Business server cloud backup comes with 256-bit AES and SSL/TLS encryption. This allows business users to grant and manage user permissions, also offering file-locking and watermarking to ensure your data security. 

Dropbox offers a lot of useful features and business tools for their users. If you select this option, you will gain more business flexibility and security. 

2. IDrive

IDrive’s cloud backup service offers packages with large storage capacity and many available features. It supports a variety of devices – PCs running on many operating systems, Macs, iOS, and Android. IDrive backup vendors provide you with the flexibility to better manage your backup. You can easily choose which files should be stored and backed up in the cloud and which should be saved locally. 

Once you select and store data in the cloud, it can be accessed quickly through a web interface, and then synced with your devices (computers or mobiles) in order to update files efficiently. You can use IDrive Express to quickly back up or restore your system via a physically shipped drive.

A business user can create subaccounts to give other users access to storage space and track their activity using a web-based management console. There is no two-factor authentication though, and this is one of the most common security solutions nowadays.

3. NordLocker

NordLocker is certainly the best cloud based server backup for those who put data security first. It deploys the modern-day Argon2, AES256, and ECC encryption protocols (with XChaCha20, EdDSA and Poly1305 appreciated by users). The company follows a “zero knowledge” policy, which means that no one but you can decrypt your data (not even NordLocker – the service provider). Only you, if you use your recovery code, can see your business information. 

It has a free package (but with only 3 GB of storage space). Otherwise, you are provided with two offers – 500 GB or 2 TB, which should be enough for any small or medium company. Paid backup services also include 24/7 priority support for business users. 

This solution is easy to use and performative (in terms of encrypting files). Your business data will be backed up automatically. It does not provide you with many other, additional features, though. 

4. Actifio GO

Actifio GO for Google Cloud is an enterprise class SaaS cloud-based backup and disaster recovery solution. You should consider it if you deal with massive amounts of business data. It offers reliable and powerful solutions for protecting data and hybrid workloads. 

Actifio GO is a nice option for big companies that require advanced backup services. Actifio GO supports such workloads as Compute Engine, VMware, SAP Hana, Oracle and many others. With such a solution, companies can minimize compute power, bandwidth and storage requirements, which enables them to reduce expenses. 

iDrive

When looking for the best cloud storage for business in 2023, you should also consider less known brands’ offers. iDrive can offer you up to 12.5 TB of cloud storage (5 GB for free). There is, however, a small disadvantage of choosing their cloud storage – you can only upload files smaller than 2 GB. Still, this may be quite a good option for small companies and those that don’t deal with heavy files (like high quality photos, videos or large datasets).

This cloud storage platform also comes with extra tools for reporting, ensures end-to-end encryption and offers two-factor authentication. A significant benefit is also 24/7 user support.

SpiderOak

This is the choice for those who value security above all else. Its cloud storage comes with end-to-end encryption and adopts a zero-knowledge policy for processing data – that means that even SpiderOak can’t access your data once you upload it to its storage. Your business secrets are safe with this company.

There are many cloud-based backup providers. We can help you find the best cloud backup for your company. Contact us to learn more about the available solutions.