Why Cloud Backup Alone is Not Enough

With the acceptance of cloud computing gaining steam due to its flexibility, affordability and accessibility, it’s important to know how the cloud should fit into your overall data protection strategy. While the cloud provides a cost-effective, added layer of data protection, it is just that, an added layer of protection. It should not be relied upon alone to protect the data that keeps your business running.

Cloud backup is a strategy for backing up data that involves storing backups offsite with a cloud service provider.

Why Cloud Backup is NOT Enough

When it comes to protecting your data, relying on any one single point of failure is simply a bad idea. Here are the top reasons why cloud backup alone is simply not enough.

1. Accessibility
   While the cloud touts the benefit of accessibility, if you are unable access the internet, guess what? You can’t access your backups. While it may just be a temporary outage, what if it’s a catastrophic event that wipes out the internet in your area for an unknown period of time? Or what if, you’re ready to restore your data from the cloud, and you realize it will take 2+ weeks to transfer all of your data over the internet? The reality is, time is money and you should consider how long your company can survive without mission-critical data.
   
   
2. Redundancy
   Your backup is only as good as your ability to recover from it. If you don’t have a redundant copy of your data, you are leaving your company vulnerable to data loss. It can also be said that local backup alone is not enough. Take the case of getting hit with one of the many ransomware viruses plaguing the internet, and your local storage device is connected to your network, your backup and your entire network would likely become encrypted. Similarly it should be clear that cloud backup alone is not a redundant backup solution.
   
   
3. Reliability
   The hard reality is that not every service provider survives indefinitely. What would happen to your data if your cloud storage company went out of business? You guessed it. Your data would likely be gone. Or in another scenario, your data could be taken over by a new, unknown company under a different set of terms. As much as we want to believe that the provider we choose will be there for us reliably for the long haul, are you willing to bet the future of your own company on it?
   
   
4. Compliance
   If you, the customer, are ultimately responsible for the security and compliance of data stored in the cloud, how comfortable are you putting your trust in a third-party provider offering cloud backup services? For highly regulated industries, the hefty fines associated with non-compliance simply don’t warrant the risk, especially if this is your sole source for data protection.

In the event of a disaster, having a geographically redundant backup of your data stored at an offsite location (cloud or otherwise) reduces your risk of data loss. BUT, it should not be the only source of data protection. Follow the 3-2-1 Backup Strategy and test your backups regularly to ensure that your data is restorable.