Cloud Backup Misconceptions and Their Truth

Debunking Myths About a Secure, Cost-Effective Backup-Method

Cloud backup is an essential component of modern data protection, but misconceptions still prevent organizations from taking full advantage of its benefits. Many small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are reluctant to adopt cloud backup due to misinformation, leaving them vulnerable to data loss. As a Managed Service Provider (MSP), addressing these misconceptions can help your customers make informed decisions about protecting their data and increasing their ability to recover from any type of data loss.

Want to ensure your business data is protected? Download our free eBook: Leverage Cloud Backup for Maximum Protection.

Let's debunk common cloud backup myths and reveal the truth behind them.

Content

• Misconception #1: Cloud Backup is Too Expensive
• Misconception #2: Cloud Backup Replaces Local Backups
• Misconception #3: Data in the Cloud is Not Secure
• Misconception #4: Cloud Backup is Slow and Unreliable
• Misconception #5: Cloud Backup Means Losing Control Over Data
• Misconception #6: Cloud Storage and Cloud Backup are the Same
• Misconception #7: Tapes are Better than the Cloud for Offsite Backup
• Educating Your Clients on Cloud Backup

Misconception #1: Cloud Backup Is Too Expensive

The Truth: While there is a cost to cloud backup, it is more cost effective than traditional on-premises solutions.

When comparing an on-premises option, many businesses only look at the upfront cost of cloud storage and overlook ongoing expenses such as hardware maintenance, physical security, and ongoing IT management...and let's not forget any certifications that may be required depending on the business's industry. Cloud backup eliminates many of these costs while providing secure, scalable storage options that grow with your business. Just don't forget to check for hidden fees like egress charges or retrieval policies and avoid them at all costs (pun intended).

Remember, in the long term, investing in a well-designed cloud backup strategy will be far cheaper than the costs of data loss or business outages.

Misconception #2: Cloud Backup Replaces Local Backups

The Truth: While cloud backup helps ensure recoverability from local disasters such as floods or fires, creating local backups is still an important part of a complete backup strategy. For example, restoring from local devices can provide significant speed benefits, especially when dealing with large amounts of data.

Let's not forget that many industry regulations and insurance requirements require companies to have a local backup in addition to an offsite copy of their data. That's where the 3-2-1 backup rule comes in - keeping three copies of data on two different media, with one copy stored offsite. By following this rule, businesses can

• Instantly recover data from the local backup.
• Access their cloud backup if the local copy is destroyed or otherwise inaccessible.

Misconception #3: Data in the Cloud is Not Secure

The Truth: Cloud backup providers implement stringent security measures to protect stored data and ensure compliance with industry regulations. In many cases, cloud storage is more secure than on-premises solutions because reputable providers invest heavily in security infrastructure that individual companies may not be able to afford. In addition, backup solutions that support cloud backups provide additional security with encryption in transit and at rest, and store your data in a proprietary format so that bad actors cannot access the information.

Let's not forget that many industry regulations and insurance requirements require companies to have a local backup in addition to an offsite copy of their data. That's where the 3-2-1 backup rule comes in - keeping three copies of data on two different media, with one copy stored offsite. By following this rule, businesses can

Misconception #4: Cloud Backup is Slow and Unreliable

The Truth: The speed and reliability of cloud backup depends on several factors, including Internet bandwidth, backup configurations, and infrastructure. With advanced technologies such as incremental forever backups, organizations can significantly reduce the time it takes to backup and restore data. In addition, hybrid backup solutions allow data to be backed up first to a local storage device, such as network-attached storage (NAS), and then transferred to the cloud, ensuring quick access to current data while maintaining an offsite copy for disaster recovery.

Both of these features also help keep cloud storage costs in check by reducing storage requirements not only for the cloud but also for local backup media, and by enabling an organization to perform backups more frequently, reducing the risk and amount of potentially lost data (Recovery Point Objective - RPO).

Misconception #5: Cloud Backup Means Losing Control Over Data

The Truth: With a reputable cloud backup solution, businesses maintain complete control over their data. Advanced backup solutions come with their own cloud storage option, allowing businesses to set retention policies, determine access controls, and ensure compliance with industry-specific regulations.

For even more control, backup solutions that offer a Hybrid Backup option allow businesses to keep local copies in addition to the offsite version that benefits from the security and scalability of the cloud. This also protects them from being unable to recover data, i.e., if the Internet connection is lost.

Misconception #6: Cloud Storage and Cloud Backup are the Same

The Truth: Cloud storage services (such as Google Drive or OneDrive) are often confused with cloud backup, but they serve different purposes. Cloud storage services allow users to sync and share files, improving collaboration and reducing friction, while cloud backup is designed to provide automated, comprehensive protection against data loss, cyberattacks, and system failures. A true cloud backup solution provides versioning, encryption, and easy recovery of lost or corrupted files.

Misconception #7: Tapes are Better than the Cloud for Offsite Backup

The Truth: Cloud storage is more efficient than removable media for offsite backup. Compared to removable media, cloud backup is foolproof. Our support team hears all the time about missing tapes or RDX cartridges that haven't been changed in months, rendering any backup useless (and we're sure you've seen this in the past, too). Once scheduled, cloud backups are completely automatic, and nothing needs to be touched by anyone, reducing the risk of forgetting to change the tape and eliminating the need to move the media offsite to a secure location.

Educating Your Clients on Cloud Backup

As an MSP, helping your customers understand the realities of cloud backup is critical to ensuring they make informed decisions about their data protection strategies. By dispelling these myths, you can empower them to adopt solutions that increase security, improve disaster recovery preparedness, and optimize costs.

For a deeper dive into cloud backup best practices and strategies, download our full eBook: Leverage Cloud Backup for Maximum Protection.