Best Cloud Backup Solutions

Data is backed up onto the cloud when users replicate their data so that it exists both on internal servers as well as the cloud. There are two ways that users might go about replicating their data, and in turn backing that data up onto the cloud.

• Continuous replication. This is the more common of the methods of data replication that cloud backup solutions offer. Solutions that employ this type of relocation make copies of a user's data any time that the data undergoes some kind of change. Organizations often employ this replication method because it makes it easy for them to keep the most up-to-date version of their data saved to the cloud.

• Scheduled replication. This method of replication is accomplished when users set the solution to copy the data at specific points in time. This is mostly employed by companies that do need their data to be up to date at all times.

There are typically only a couple of simple steps for users to follow when they want to remotely back up their data.

• Purchase the cloud backup service that you plan to use.

• Install and configure the cloud service so that it is properly connected to your IT infrastructure.
• Select those files that you want to back up.
• Select how often you would like the data to replicate and back up to the cloud servers.

Cloud backups are a better choice for backing up data than other methods for a number of reasons. These can include:

• Reduce the space being taken up on internal servers. The storage of data off site enables users to reserve space on internal servers. Instead of forcing them to keep their copied data at their physical place of work, businesses can opt to keep their data accessible, without using up onsite resources. Other methods cannot claim to conserve space to anywhere close to the same degree.

• More secure from potential disasters than data backed up on site. The remote servers that store data backed up from the cloud are insulated from threats that can harm an organization’s onsite architecture. Both physical and digital threats can potentially cause damage to an organization’s stored data. Data stored on the cloud is protected from threats that users may not even see coming. It is stored in a way that makes it harder for either accidental or malicious events to delete or corrupt critical data.
• Enables data to be easily stored in the long term. When data is stored in the cloud, it is much easier for users to store and sort than traditional backups that may be easily lost or damaged. The data is efficiently stored for long periods of time without raising a concern that it will be lost.

Data that is being stored via cloud backup storage is stored on remote servers that are separate from an organization’s physical architecture. These remote servers are accessible from any location that has access to an internet connection.

There are multiple methods that users can employ when they are looking to take advantage of cloud backup solutions or services. Two examples of cloud backup are:

• Back up directly to the public cloud server. This method enables users to utilize a public cloud service and manually input the data into the server.

• Back up to a service provider. This method involves the use of a cloud service-providing business. Users must utilize software provided by the company that they have hired to manage their data storage to upload their data to the data storage center.

Users that employ cloud backup can benefit in a myriad of ways. These can include:

• Reduction of costs by allowing existing architecture to be utilized. Users don’t need to buy new devices to facilitate the storage of their data. The beauty of cloud backup is that it can integrate with whatever system an organization is using to access and store their data. This means that users can protect their data without having to spend a fortune on new architecture. They can take what they have, back up the data, and access it when needed without racking up expenses.

• Increased peace of mind. Cloud backup makes it easy for users to quickly and reliably restore data that was lost. Even if somehow data is deleted, users can restore it whenever and wherever they deem necessary.
• High level of data security. Cloud backup solutions provide users with a high level of security, which enables organizations to safeguard their data from hackers and malware. They encrypt data both while it is being transferred and while it is being stored. This keeps the data from being accessed and read by those who are not authorized to do so. Additionally, the data is never present on something physical like a disk drive, which could be easily stolen by a bad actor.

Cloud backup solutions offer users access to a wide array of features. These features include:

• Storage space. This most basic feature of cloud backup solutions can vary from solution to solution. However, solutions will always have digital spaces that organizations can use to hold their copied data.

• Scalable storage. Solutions that offer scalable storage are highly flexible. They give users the ability to easily scale up the amount of storage that they have available to meet their organization’s changing needs. This could mean permanently scaling up the overall capacity of the backup or temporarily scaling it up to meet the needs of a particular project.
• Backup security. Backup security features can take a number of forms. Solutions can encrypt transferred and stored data using 256-bit encryption to make it impossible for hackers to read. They can also use a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Protection (TLS) to create many levels of security to stymie attempts to gain unauthorized access to the data.