Migrating to cloud changes many facets of IT operations, including how backups are handled. Existing backup strategies may not fit the cloud environment. Here are five things to consider when you design your cloud backup strategy:
1. The cost of moving data out of cloud.
Even when you use cloud, the 3-2-1 backup rule is still a good idea: keep at least 3 copies of data on at least 2 types of data with at least 1 of them offsite. That means you’ll need to move data out of cloud, and there are costs associated with that. Cloud providers charge “data egress” fees for data moving out of the cloud or even to other regions. These fees may vary depending on the source and destination of the data and the type of transfer mechanism used.
2. The cost of storing backup data.
Whether the “offsite” location for the backup is another cloud provider or a company site, there will be storage costs to keep in mind. Cloud providers offer different storage tiers, and it’s important to select a lower-cost tier for backups that will be accessed infrequently. Similar judgments need to be made about the media used for on premises storage of backups.
3. Backups should be separated from other systems.
Because backups are the fallback for when primary copies of data are damaged, backups need to be highly protected against being damaged themselves. This means storing backups in isolation to protect them against accidental damage as well as keep them from being targeted by ransomware.
4. Aim for one backup solution across all platforms.
If your backup solution doesn’t work on all your platforms, switch to a backup product that does. It’s much easier to track and manage the backup process if you have a single tool that provides consistent procedures and a single console to oversee them in every environment. Also, don’t forget the reverse perspective: look for a backup tool that will let you restore from backups to any environment, regardless of where the backup was created.
5. Restores should be fast and flexible.
To minimize downtime from data loss, restoring data needs to be rapid. Tools should provide the flexibility to restore a single file or an entire system, and be simple to use in either approach.
VAST IT Services designs, implements, and supports backup and recovery procedures to meet business needs on premises or in the cloud. If you need to revamp your backup process and make it effective for cloud, contact VAST IT Services.
