What is backup as a service (BaaS)?

In a world where data never stops growing exponentially—not even for a millisecond—it’s hardly surprising that many IT companies are struggling with data backup. More and more, the process is becoming challenging, expensive, and a real drain on time better spent.

Backup as a service (BaaS), AKA online backup services or cloud backup, is a way of storing data in the cloud. Rather than utilizing the services of a centralized, on-premises IT department to perform your backup duties, BaaS connects your system to a remote cloud, leaving the management of required backup and recovery infrastructure, software, and support services to an external service provider.

Why is backup important?

Data can be jeopardized in many ways: user error, hackers, sync issues, or malicious insiders—to name a few. However, coupling software as a service (SaaS) applications with a BaaS backup and recovery solution can easily avoid anxiety-inducing data loss.

Many of the same companies who once struggled with on-premises data backup processes are witnessing how cost-efficient and secure cloud adoption can be. They also have more time and money to spend on business-critical activities.

Data backup as a service can solve your time, cost, and operational challenges by supporting the following:

• Business continuity and disaster recovery: If data is lost or deleted for any reason, backups are readily available and easily located. Thanks to multiple levels of redundancy, your BaaS keeps multiple copies of your data in separate locations. The more levels of redundancy, the better because each level further protects your data against loss or potential corruption. With built-in encryption, archiving, and rapid recovery, BaaS should accompany all business continuity plans as an element of disaster recovery services.
• Compliance regulations: Not all BaaS providers are created equal. Choosing a BaaS provider that tailors their specific risk profile to your compliance program is important, helping you meet the requirements of ever-increasing regulatory scrutiny. While most BaaS providers are conscientious about ensuring they comply with regulations, asking for your BaaS provider’s compliance certifications never hurts. This can also make passing compliance audits a lot more straightforward.
• Cybersecurity best practices: In the data backup world, security is among the top priorities. As such, BaaS solution vendors take cybersecurity concerns extremely seriously, providing users with numerous types of capabilities, from encryption to identity and access management needs. These high levels of security are generally understood as unprecedentedly reliable, even in the face of strict data storage and transfer compliances.

Why MSPs should offer BaaS

There has never been a better time to be a managed service provider (MSP) with the right solutions! Offering cyber-resilient BaaS is a smart idea for many reasons, including but not limited to:

• Cost savings: As mentioned, when using BaaS, building and maintaining costly local storage infrastructure is unnecessary. Additionally, using backup as a service allows MSPs to eliminate lengthy CapEx buying cycles and switch to OpEx subscription pricing. Plus, given the fact that there’s a growing demand—and indeed, an expectation—for providers to offer cyber security services, BaaS represents a revenue opportunity, extra revenue, without much extra work.
• Scalability & convenience: BaaS is infinitely scalable—no matter how fast your data grows, these services grow in tandem. It’s also extraordinarily convenient, allowing you to manage as many computers and servers as you need from one device. Additionally, since you don’t own the infrastructure, the solutions provider maintains and manages the hardware. BaaS lets you concentrate on more valuable work without worrying about losing data.

Backup tools to consider

Every self-respecting backup system must include processes to prevent ransomware and malware-infected files from contaminating backup storage. A BaaS worth its salt is much more than a remote file copy function.

Here are a few options to consider when choosing a BaaS provider:

Veeam

Partnering with a Veeam provider for backup as a service and disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS) grants you access to experts, reduces the complexity of day-to-day IT operations, and speeds up your time-to-value.

Acronis

Acronis offers a package of systems for endpoints, including a patch manager, an anti-malware system, and a backup service. This is the only cyber protection solution that natively integrates cybersecurity and data protection.

N-able

N-able Cove Data Protection‘s cloud-first, SaaS architecture neutralizes ransomware while vastly cutting costs, over-complicated processes, and maintenance needs. It can be used for recovery, replication, or migration and offers secure, mirrored storage space.

HI GIO BaaS

Our current HI GIO BaaS harnesses Veeam’s backup, recovery, and data management proficiency and capabilities. We provide BaaS for all enterprises who need to protect their data in cloud environments, on-premises virtualization environments, and physical servers with a comprehensive backup solution. This solution can back up multiple platforms such as Centos, RedHat, Ubuntu, Windows, etc.

Find more information via HI GIO BaaS