Backup has always been critical, but it can be so complex that many organizations forgo it or do it poorly. The cloud changes all that, automatically protecting all of your data and holding it safely when or if you need it.
Developing a Killer Cloud Backup Service
Cloud backup sounds simple, but not all client environments are straightforward. Very small customers can make do with one level of backup that goes to the cloud. More complex approaches create a richer backup solution that offers speedier, easier restores and far more safety for the data. And that means MSPs are selling richer, more-expensive backup solutions that blend on-premises and cloud backup and storage.
Think about the 3-2-1 rule for backup. For safety and speedy access to date, there should be three copies of data stored on two different types of media and one copy stored offsite. Preferably, this is replicated to keep synchronization across all copies.
For service providers, this translates to the following.
| Good ($) | Better ($$) | Best ($$$) |
| Local | Local | Local |
| Network | Network | Network |
| Cloud | Cloud | |
| Disaster Recovery |
The locally stored data is faster when it comes to restores as it moves across the LAN, which has a far higher speed than across a WAN to the cloud. The cloud, however, holds the backups that can be easily accessed and automates the backup process so all relevant servers and endpoints are protected.
Compliance, Confidentiality and Safety through Encryption
Keeping data confidential is critical to keeping it out of the hands of competitors and hackers, and it is essential for compliance. MSPs can help by restricting client data to only the parties that require access to that information. Typically, this includes encrypting data so only those with the decryption key have access to view it.
For compliance, data must be encrypted on an end-to-end basis and encrypted at rest. Look for a cloud backup solution that provides secure data access storage and transfer with AES-256 or other strong encryption.
The Importance of Integrity
A great cloud backup solution ensures that data is correct and has not been modified or corrupted, thus rendering the information useless. An example of integrity would be file-versioning, which is included in most cloud-based services as a means to roll back data in the event that the current iteration of the file becomes lost or damaged.
The Art of Availability
Cloud backup excels at data availability, and involves the data being accessible to users as needed. Similar to how larger websites host their content on multiple services in the event that one server fails, the secondary web server will serve the required website in the absence of the primary webserver. Data backups may fail from time to time, due to the internet cutting out and not making a connection to a cloud-based service. So, when this occurs, a backup for the backup, so to speak, would fill the gap and still keep data protected from loss.
Why Kaseya Cloud Backup for VSA?
Despite the advantages of cloud backup, for many IT shops and MSPs, it is not just an either/or choice between on-premises or cloud backup and recovery. There are times when you want an on-premises approach, times when you want to back up to the cloud, and times when you want to do both.
That is why Kaseya has offers Kaseya Cloud Backup, powered by Acronis. With Kaseya Cloud Backup, you can back up and recover every machine you manage on-premises or to the cloud – all from one place.
With Kaseya Cloud Backup you can back up anything and everything ― servers, workstations, disk images, files, folders, and more.
VSA Cloud Backup offers benefits to IT departments and service providers alike. Managed services providers can increase their service portfolio by offer multiple flavors backup and recovery to current and new clients – and have the added value of integrated security and management. This rich solution makes it easy to set and meet SLAs for backup windows as well as speed and freshness of recovery. For IT, you’ll feel safe that all critical is backed and available in the cloud.
Here are three main attributes:
1. Fast and Flexible Disaster Recovery
Recovery is fast and flexible whether you’ve backed up entire machines to ISO to recover them instantly (including all VMs) or backed up volumes, directories, and individual files for more specific, efficient protection. Mix and match to provide cost-effective, protective services that meet all your needs or the needs of your clients.
2. Store Backups on Your Cloud or Ours
Store your backups to local storage, network storage, your own cloud storage and/or competitively priced cloud storage available through Kaseya Cloud Backup. If you choose the offsite backup through Kaseya’s cloud, you will not have to lift a finger to support or manage the infrastructure.
3. The Power of Integration with VSA by Kaseya
By leveraging the power of VSA by Kaseya with Kaseya Cloud Backup, you can quickly define backup policies by organization, machine group, or device type. Create as many policies as you need to simplify managing the backup requirements of the entire set of infrastructures under your control, and ensure you are meeting all compliance procedures. Changes in standard policy procedures can be applied to multiple machines and environments with a few simple clicks enabling your sys admins and technicians to spend more time on strategic projects vs. manually running and rechecking backup processes.
Simple, comprehensive dashboards, alerting systems, and flexible reports mean that you and your staff always have real-time insight into the status of all backup activities.
