How to Choose the Right Cloud-based Backup Service

No matter your size or your industry, doing business today means dealing with data. From your customer lists and contact information to the script that runs your website and the software that powers your employee desktops, there are few aspects of your operations that aren’t at least partially powered by electronic data.

And given that sheer amount of data, having some sort of backup plan isn’t just a smart idea—it’s an absolute necessity.

If you think your business isn’t big or tech-focused enough to have to worry about data loss, think again: According to a report by Verizon (via Entrepreneur), the loss of even a small amount of data—we’re talking fewer than 100 files—can cost a business as much as $35,000. And for enterprise-level companies, that expense could be in the millions, according to TechRepublic.

“Even a small amount of data lost can cost a business as much as $35,000.” Click To Tweet

And that’s just the cost of basic data recovery. Even a minor loss of data can trigger a chain reaction of additional expenses, which can potentially include:

• Cost of re-acquiring customers
• Rebuilding software and tech infrastructure
• Regulatory fines and penalties
• Potential drop in your credit rating
• Higher insurance premiums
• The need to hire additional staff for your recovery period
• PR efforts to repair your brand

These are not insignificant expenses. Added up, they can easily cause not just a rough patch for your business, but even its potential downfall. In other words, no organization can afford to ignore the importance of data backups—and cloud-based backup services are the most cost effective and business-friendly way to meet that goal.

Importance of Cloud-based Backup Services

Cloud-based backup has changed all of that, making the process of data backups easy, reliable and inexpensive.
Source: shutterstock.com.

Why are cloud-based backup services such a game changer? In the past, backing up your business’ data was a difficult, complex and expensive task, usually involving the relocation of physical hard drives or tape-based data sources to a third location. And because it was so difficult, there was a constant temptation to put it off another week or month—a risky game to play with your data on the line.

Beyond the sheer inconvenience of old-school data backups, there was also the matter of unreliability. Physical-based backups could more easily become corrupted or damaged. And, given the wide variety of data standards, there was also the chance that, in a time of crisis, the data you needed would be no longer compatible with your current system.

Cloud-based backup has changed all of that, making the process of data backups easy, reliable and inexpensive. And even if you don’t want to deal with the cloud yourself—an understandable preference for businesses not focused on technology—there’s a wide variety of third-party providers more than capable of reliably doing it on your behalf.

In fact, so prevalent have cloud-based backup services become that it might be a little hard to choose the right provider. With that in mind, here are six key considerations for choosing a cloud-based backup partner for your business.

6 Key Considerations for Choosing a Cloud-based Backup Service

There are many considerations when choosing a cloud-based backup service.
Source: www.shutterstock.com.

1. Longevity. First and foremost, is the company you’re partnering with for cloud-based backup services established and reliable? How long has it been in business? We strongly recommend choosing a partner that’s been providing data backup services for at least two decades to ensure they have the level of expertise needed to ensure data security.

2. Accessibility. Is the provider you’re considering based in the United States? Thanks to today’s widely available nature of cloud-based technology, there’s no longer any reason to entrust essential tech services like data backups to nearshore or offshore companies—particularly when it comes to security, where cross-border business involves additional levels of risk.

3. Reliability. Another key to establishing the reliability of a cloud-based backup service provider is making sure the company can guarantee the continuous uptime of its servers. If there’s no guarantee of at least 99.9% uptime—ideally dispersed across Windows and Linux servers to deliver assured performance—then your best bet is to keep looking.

Reliability is a key components of a cloud-based backup service to ensure continuous uptime of its servers.
Source: www.shutterstock.com.

4. Versatility. Speaking of dispersion across different types of servers, it should be noted that the most effective cloud-based backup service providers offer versatility in the technology they employ. We recommend seeking a partner that makes a point of being technology agnostic, so all the tech is guaranteed to be compatible with whatever hardware systems that you (and your customers) use.

5. Dispersion. Another key quality of your cloud-based backup partner is making sure it’s large enough to have data centers dispersed across multiple locations, and ideally in different parts of the country. This is essential for ensuring uptime in the event that a specific area is hit by a natural disaster or other disruptive event. It also helps ensure any specific hardware failure prevents widespread data loss.

6. Security. Finally—and perhaps most important—your cloud-based backup service should offer as many levels of security as possible. That means not only the technology being used—with such essentials as backups, firewall protection and high-level encryption—but also the policies regarding personnel with access to your information, including IT workers and contact center agents.

And of course, none of the above factors is going to convince you if the price isn’t right. At Working Solutions, we work hard to provide businesses of all types with the most important aspects of cloud-based backup services at a price point that’s friendly to even modest budgets.

If you’re interested in getting more details about how we can help you integrate cloud-based security into your operational model, we’re standing by to answer any questions.