With its incredible efficiency, adaptability and affordability combined with the ease of operation, cloud computing has made life a lot easier, and has emerged as the most dependable solution for protecting volumes of confidential information.
Before you choose your cloud data backup service provider, have a look at attributes advised by Alex H. who is Web Marketing specialist at Showroom Logic for figuring out your needs better:
Security of sensitive information
The security of data tops the priority list of every commercial organization. The alarming cyber-crime statistics demand ultra-sophisticated, foolproof technological measures for protecting your business information.
Here are a number of essential points to look for:
- SSL or Secure Socket Layer
- A minimum of 256-bit encryption throughout the times of transit as well as rest
- Ruling out the possibilities of ‘back-door’ entry for viewing information
- Only authorized employees of the company should be permitted access
In addition to these factors, ensure that you settle for a cloud data backup service provider offering strong compliance for safeguarding your financial information. Seek a data protection partner with accreditation, and compliant with the industry specific regulatory requirements.
Versatility for supporting scalability
Does your data backup partner possess a substantial degree of flexibility to accommodate the growing needs of your business? Almost every large-scale organization witnesses an exponential rate of data expansion, so your vendor must offer scalable solutions for effectively dealing with the rising demands.
Before signing up with any particular service provider, take into account the nature of your enterprise, volume of stored information, along with the total number of devices and users, and try to determine whether your vendor is competent enough to assist you in conducting your business operations smoothly.
Net capacity of storage and features offered
Due to the varying nature of businesses, data backup service providers offer a wide range of options when it comes to the total storage capacity. Since your expenditure would be directly proportional to the net amount of storage space provided, it is highly recommended that you evaluate your storage requirements well in advance in order to avoid spending more unnecessarily.
For locating your ideal service provider, pay attention to the key features offered such as:
- Hassle-free uploading and downloading
- File searching and synching
- Remote access
- Multiple versions of stored data
Reliability and authenticity of services
Read online reviews and take into account client references for locating a service provider of stable repute with a solid financial base to survive in the market in the long run. Learn about their services, the solutions offered, and their commitment levels from their customers. It would be safe to stick to companies that have been in business for quite some time.
Uptime considerations for heightening accessibility
One of the most significant factors regarding data backup, ‘uptime’ figures indicate the availability of your data in your hour of need. Keep an eye on the tiers assigned to each service provider (for instance, Tier 1 represents 99.671% availability, while that of Tier 4 is 99.995%). Higher tiers are associated with temperature control and other advanced power potentials for enhancing accessibility.
Recovery plans for dealing with catastrophe
Natural calamities, cyber-attacks and other such highly unpredictable events certainly call for an infallible disaster recovery plan for preventing irreparable damage to your business. Check whether your vendor is adept in dealing with such situations and can provide multi-location backup services, for restoring your files as early as possible.
Cost effective and user-friendly alternatives
Most cloud data backup service providers have transparent tariff rates with clear specifications. Depending on your personal choice, you can select an annual or a monthly plan. A number of providers impose a ceiling on the total volume of data uploaded. You would be required to pay additional charges upon exceeding the limit. The rest charge fixed monthly fees, irrespective of the quantity of information transmitted to their servers. Certain companies have restrictions on the number of devices which can be backed up. Despite the steeper costs, a shared backup might suit your business needs better. This is more relevant in the cases of larger organizations.
Research well to hit on the most user-friendly services, where software configuration is characterized by a perfect blend of simplicity and efficacy, allowing you to manage your backup with minimum fuss.
Online support for troubleshooting
During critical times, numerous challenges might be encountered while restoring your files. Apart from providing comprehensive online tutorials for clients, ensure that your vendor offers adequate customer support and trained representatives are available over phone, mail or chat round the clock for diligently responding to your queries.
Frequency and extent of backup
Since information is being updated 24X7, it is really crucial to ascertain the frequency of data backup being offered by your vendor. From hourly, monthly or exclusively customized backup frequencies, to the system of backing up files or synching them, there are great variations in the backup strategies of service providers, so you got to choose the one that best suits your business type.
Ensure that your service provider is well-equipped to back up laptops and apps, besides PCs and servers. De-duplication technologies boost performance levels apart from lowering costs and reducing the data footprint of your company.
Terms of contract
Prior to making a decision, make sure that you go through the stated terms and conditions of the contract thoroughly for steering clear of any confusion. Do keep in mind that ‘vendor lock-ins’ render it quite grueling to switch to a separate vendor, when required by your expanding business.
Fortunately, a number of data protection service providers offer a brief trial period which you can easily avail for determining how it works for your organization. By conducting a test, you can assess the degree of efficiency, and the span of time required to recover all your information before disaster strikes.
