What is Backup as a Service (BaaS) and How to Choose BaaS Providers

Data is an integral part of the digital age. Over the next five years up to 2025, global data creation is projected to grow to more than 180 zettabytes. As a result, effective data storage has been an important aspect for several companies. Due to its vulnerable and virtualized nature, data backup solutions have also taken center stage. In this article, we focus on Backup as a Service, the different BaaS providers, the benefits, and challenges of Backup as a Service solution, as well as how to enact the framework. So, let's get a clearer image of what Backup as a Service actually means.

What Is Backup as a Service (BaaS)?

Backup as a Service – or a BaaS solution - is the use of a third-party service to remotely store data. Rather than using on-premises IT infrastructure, a Backup as a Service provider will offer a centralized, secure, and online backup and data recovery solution. This service connects systems to a private, public, or hybrid cloud that is externally managed by the provider. Data stored are in the form of Data Lake and Data Warehouse. The data can be in the form of files, applications, databases and more.

We all know that backing up data is important, however, businesses and other organizations face a much greater threat when it comes to data safety. Cyber threats are constantly targeting places that do not have adequate data recovery solutions in place. The importance of Backup as a Service solutions lies primarily in the protection of data. Whether through natural disasters, errors, or cyber-attacks, effective data backup solutions can potentially save entire businesses. According to Statista, the global average cost per data breach was US$ 4.45 million in 2023.

Benefits of Backup as a Service (BaaS)

Data is growing fast and IT infrastructure is racing to keep up and maintain security, efficiency, and increased adoption. Businesses require scalable infrastructure that can be flexible yet watertight in terms of security. Backup as a Service is important for ensuring business continuity, compliance with data regulations, and robust cybersecurity. Naturally, the growth of this framework has a lot to do with the several Backup-as-a-Service benefits that companies can enjoy. These include:

• Enhanced and encrypted data security
• Improved efficiency and productivity
• Faster restoration and recovery of data
• Multiple levels of redundancy ensure data can never be lost
• Reduced downtime
• Better accessibility across remote locations
• Lower operational costs and labor fees with predictable pricing
• Elevated scalability and flexibility as your business grows
• Automatic data backup
• Ease of mind knowing your data is in expert hands

While the benefits of Backup as a Service can be tempting, you may be wondering how the framework works. Usually, a BaaS provider will secure and store data in a cloud platform that is managed by them. While the organization maintains exclusive and open access to the data itself, the management and maintenance are outsourced. Once you’ve signed up for the services you need, your data is automatically backed up and stored.

Now, with such a large system, there are going to be different categories. Backup as a Service solutions have different types depending on the customer’s needs. Generally, they fall into 3 categories of BaaS solutions:

1. Full Backup as a Service – This form of Backup as a Service is usually used at the start of your data backup journey and includes copying all the data to a secondary location at regular intervals. While it is the slowest option, it leads to faster recovery.
2. Differential Backup as a Service – This option backs up only copies of the files that have been changed since the last full backup. This means they are a lot faster and use less bandwidth.
3. Incremental Backup as a Service – An incremental backup stores all the files changed since the previous full, differential, or incremental backup. This type takes less time to complete than a full or differential backup.

Backup as a Service strategies can be used for organizations of all sizes - however, they show particular benefits for small and medium-sized businesses due to their affordability and flexibility. Some of the most common use cases for Backup as a Service include cloud adoption, business continuity, disaster recovery, data protection, and regulatory compliance. Looking forward, companies can now invest in Backup as a Service options from a variety of Backup as a Service providers – let’s explore those options a bit more.

Top Backup as a Service – BaaS Providers

As defined by Gartner, BaaS providers deliver data protection as a service by hosting the backup software and the primary backup repository in privately operated or public cloud data centers. While the customer is still responsible for implementing the backup policies and performing recovery tasks, the Backup as a Service provider will tend to daily maintenance and operations. Some of the key BaaS providers to take note of include the following platforms:

HPE

HPE - Hewlett Packard Enterprise - is an edge-to-cloud company that provides data solutions globally. The company offers various technology and product services, including HPE Backup and Recovery Service which was designed for hybrid and multi-cloud workloads. Delivered through HPE GreenLake, the platform allows customers to protect their workloads securely while eliminating the complexity of managing backup and recovery operations on-premises or in the cloud.

Sherweb

The Sherweb BaaS platform was designed using the Acronis solution to combine cloud expertise with powerful backup for maximum protection and efficiency. With multi-level encryption and versatile storage, this backup-as-a-service (BaaS) solution provides advanced cybersecurity and simplicity.

Cohesity

Additionally, Cohesity DataProtect is another modern Backup as a Service software that consolidates backup, recovery, and data management functions across physical, virtual, and cloud-based infrastructures. Cohesity and AWS teamed up to offer backup as a service that also provides choice and flexibility.

How to Choose a BaaS Provider

Having too many Backup as a Service solutions on the market can often confuse a company and make choosing the right one even more difficult. Finding the right data backup partner is an important decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly – after all, this company is holding one of your most valuable assets. The way to select the right BaaS option is to carefully consider several aspects before making your final choice. Follow these steps before leaping into the hands of any service provider:

When looking for a backup as a service provider, organizations should consider numerous features and abilities. An ideal BaaS option might include the following capabilities:

1. Consider Your Specific Needs and Requirements – Every business is different and as such, every business has different needs. Your company might value immediate data backups while another simply needs a disaster recovery plan. Try to figure out what your company is looking for in a backup solution and use that as a framework for making your choice.
2. Compare Features and Pricing from Different BaaS Providers – In the same way all businesses are different, all BaaS providers are different too. Try to get an idea of the different features that every candidate promotes and how they will help your company. Important elements of a backup service include deduplication, file sharing, continuous data protection, and guaranteed backups. Moreover, you need to assess the pricing of the backup service and whether it can fit your specific budget as well.
3. Read reviews and testimonials from other customers – The best way to know the truth about any service is to hear it directly from its clients. Be sure to go through reviews, testimonials, and feedback from previous and current customers before making your choice of a BaaS provider.

Now, once you’ve made up your mind on the Backup as a Service solution to use, you need to use it in the right way. Let’s explore some of the practices you can use to make the most of your BaaS provider.

Best Practices for Using Backup as a Service (BaaS)

While Backup as a Service prides itself on taking the responsibility off your shoulders, there are still ways that you can ensure that your backup solution is doing its job most efficiently and effectively. Some of the best practices for companies using a Backup as a Service solution include:

• Developing a backup plan that meets your business needs – While this might seem obvious, many customers overlook the specific needs of their own business. Your backup plan will cater to your needs and must be customized and thoroughly designed from inside your organization.
• Testing your backups regularly to ensure that they work properly – Erring on the side of caution is the best way to maintain reliable backup services. Regularly test your Backup as a Service solution by timing the recovery processes, testing file recovery after deletion or corruption, testing the backup capabilities remotely and testing the encryption on secure files.
• Educating employees on how to use BaaS and how to restore data – Your employees are key to ensuring that your data restoration and recovery process happens efficiently. Train your staff to react accordingly and quickly when data needs to be restored. Ensure that employees all have a strict protocol to follow to ensure business continuity.

Backup as a Service solutions may seem like a lifesaver for most companies who cannot invest in infrastructure on-premises. However, the framework does not come without its fair share of challenges as well.

Common Challenges of BaaS Solutions and How to Overcome Them

BaaS solutions are advantageous for many companies – big or small. While it is a popular solution, it does have its own set of challenges as well. We’ve listed out some of the most common BaaS challenges and how companies can work to overcome them for effective backup capabilities:

Costs of BaaS Solutions

While Backup as a Service is usually touted as an affordable backup solution, the pricing of different plans can vary dramatically according to the customer’s needs. A surefire way to combat exorbitant costs is to choose pay-as-you-go pricing plans or only backing up the most critical data to save on expanding.

Security of BaaS Solutions

As with any virtual infrastructure, data security is a heavy concern for most organizations. Storing and managing massive amounts of critical data comes with a list of security vulnerabilities. Invest in a BaaS provider that ensures robust and comprehensive security for your data. Ask about encryption, access control lists, remote backup, and role-based authentication to keep track of how securely your data is being handled.

Performance of BaaS Solutions

The backup process can be tedious and slow at times – especially for full backups. This affects performance, productivity, and continuity. If you need a faster-performing solution, use a BaaS provider with incremental or differential backups in place. This reduces bandwidth strain and speeds up the process.

For most companies, Backup as a Service has been incredibly helpful and has enhanced their businesses. Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the real-life examples of Backup as a Service in action.

The Future of Backup as a Service

The world is rapidly changing and data security, storage, and processing solutions are racing to stay ahead. Statista already noted that 91% of respondents stated that they used backups to protect their business databases. The public cloud revenue is also predicted to reach US$ 1,062.00 billion by 2028. Companies are not slowing down in any way and neither should their data backup solutions.

Backup as a Service is an integral part of any company’s plan to secure their data. Using the right BaaS provider is crucial to fulfilling your business’s specific needs and overcoming the challenges of implementing backups effectively. Sangfor is a leading provider of disaster recovery solutions that are integrated with world-class cybersecurity. Contact Sangfor today or visit www.sangfor.com for more information on how to succeed on your digital transformation journey.

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