How Backup Vendors Hide The True Cost of Managed Backup

Just like our MSP partners, we’re always working to spread the word about the value of data protection through a reliable backup. For the NovaBACKUP team, that means working with IT providers to deploy our Managed Backup solution so that they can help clients remain secure against the latest threats. New MSPs usually come to us as they are moving away from a different backup solution and their reasons for leaving are varied. There is however a trend we've seen from backup vendors who all showcase attractive pricing. Not everyone can be the best-cost leader in Managed Backup, however, meaning that many backup vendors bury additional expenses deep within their pricing structures, or elsewhere in the solution. Today we bring you some of the ways our team has witnessed managed backup vendors present the investment costs of their solutions less than accurately.

Restrictive Licensing Plans

MSPs are willing to spend for as much cloud storage as clients need, but not for unused or unnecessary buckets of storage. We commonly see backup vendors forcing storage-bucket-only plans upon MSPs that take up valuable financial resources that could be better spent on infrastructure or elsewhere. NovaBACKUP MSPs enjoy a simple, transparent licensing structure.

How Data Storage is Billed

Speaking of paying for what you use, even that may be left open to interpretation. Always read the fine print of your contract to verify whether you're paying for cloud storage utilized pre- or post-compression. Anyone with common sense would prefer to pay after the data has been compressed, but this is not always the case. Shock is an understatement for MSPs when that first bill arrives.

Proprietary Hardware Requirements

Let's imagine that you're comparing the costs of hosting client data yourself versus having someone else host it. You factor in the hardware costs of your preferred storage devices and hardware, and later find out that it it won't meet your backup vendor’s requirements. Proprietary devices that must be purchased from the backup vendor can also be problematic as they often can only be serviced by the manufacturer.

Additional Costs Per Feature

Cost predictability is important for MSPs. However, we still see many backup vendors charge extra for protecting SQL databases, business applications, and virtual machines. How can businesses anticipate the additional expense of these features until you actually need them? NovaBACKUP believes in all-inclusive solutions to take the surprise out of protecting a client's critical data.

Local and Cloud Backup

Some MSPs opt for cloud-backup-only solutions and later come to realize that local backup is still a necessity. Not all local backup solutions were created equal, however. When closely examined, it's clear that many local backup features may have been implemented as more of an afterthought. Additionally, some vendors have even been known to charge for local backup based on storage to your own storage devices.

White Labeling

IT providers should be able to deliver services that reinforce their own brand and promote their business. While this service is offered by many, it's not safe to assume that it's without cost. With assistance from our backup experts. NovaBACKUP Cloud for MSPs offers the option of customizing the appearance of your managed backup services as they are delivered to your customers.

Deployment and Support Costs

It’s difficult to estimate exactly how much time will be required to properly deploy and support a solution. There are times when underestimating the resources required can drastically affect your investment. NovaBACKUP support is based in the US where you work with high-level network engineers, many of whom come directly from the MSP industry. When selecting your backup solution it's critically important to verify who will be supporting your technologies and from what part of the world.

HIPAA Compliance Efforts

Everyone claims their solutions can be used to achieve compliance. Indeed, how a solution is deployed, integrated, and supported is a determining factor in compliance. This requires a vendor who has deep knowledge of the industry and governmental requirements. Not enough technology vendors are dedicating resources toward specialized compliance training and certification. NovaBACKUP has received the Seal of Compliance verification from the Compliancy Group, ensuring that every effort has been made to follow strict privacy regulations.

The straightforward, transparent nature of our pricing is something we’re proud of at NovaBACKUP. We're dedicated to providing MSP partners, with a powerful backup solution with the flexibility to be configured to match how an IT provider offers their services. We invite you to speak with the NovaBACKUP Managed Backup team for a complimentary backup health check.

Would you like to view our recent webinar about costs to consider when choosing a backup vendor? Watch it here.