In today’s data-driven world, safeguarding valuable information is of paramount importance. According to a report from IDC, they found that 79% of those surveyed who had activated a disaster response, 83% experienced data corruption from an attack. Organizations must implement effective backup solutions to protect against data loss and potential disasters, especially given the current state of cyber security. While many opt for third-party managed backup solutions, it is essential to understand the best practices and considerations involved in such partnerships.
Having a provider manage your backup processes may be advantageous for many organizations as they provide economies of scale and can introduce best practices that are maintained by highly skilled and trained engineers. Having a robust backup solution in place means that it follows the following best practices.
Backup Best Practices
Backup best practices encompass a set of guidelines to ensure the effectiveness, reliability, and security of data backup processes. If you cannot maintain the following best practices in house, you should seek to outsource your backup solution as a managed backup service (or backup as a service):
- Regular and Consistent Backups: Perform backups on a regular basis to ensure that critical data is protected. The frequency of backups should align with your recovery objectives and the rate at which your data changes.
- Implement GFS rotation: The Grandfather-Father-Son rotation scheme allows an organization to meet its compliance requirements for data retention. Where grandfather is the longest retention period, father is the medium retention period, and son is the shortest retention period. This typically looks like twelve monthly copies of data for the last twelve months (grandfather), four weekly copies of data for the last four weeks (father), and one daily copy of data for the last seven days (son).
- Test Backup and Recovery Processes: Regularly validate your backup system by performing recovery tests. This ensures that backups are working correctly and that the restoration process is effective. Test not only the backup of data but also the recovery of entire systems if necessary.
- Follow the 3-2-1 Backup Rule: Adhere to the 3-2-1 backup strategy, which means having at least three copies of your data, stored on two different media, with one copy stored off-site. This approach safeguards against various scenarios like hardware failure, human error, or natural disasters.
- Use Incremental and Differential Backups: To optimize backup performance and minimize storage requirements, employ incremental or differential backup methods. Incremental backups only store changes since the last backup, while differential backups store changes since the last full backup. This reduces the amount of data transferred and stored during each backup cycle.
- Apply Encryption: Encrypt your backup data to protect it from unauthorized access. Encryption should be applied during data transmission and storage to ensure confidentiality and integrity. Choose strong encryption algorithms and securely manage encryption keys.
- Verify Data Integrity: Regularly check the integrity of backed-up data to ensure it is not corrupted or compromised. Implement data integrity checks, such as hash verification, to detect any errors or tampering.
- Secure Backup Storage: Store backups in a secure location, whether it’s on-premises or off-site. Physical security measures, like access controls and environmental conditions, should be in place to prevent unauthorized access, theft, or damage.
- Maintain Backup Documentation: Document the backup processes, including schedules, configurations, and recovery procedures. This documentation serves as a reference for IT staff and ensures consistency in backup operations.
- Monitor and Audit Backup Processes: Implement monitoring and auditing mechanisms to track the success of backup operations, detect failures or anomalies, and resolve issues promptly. Regularly review logs and reports to ensure backups are running smoothly.
- Keep Backup Software and Systems Up-to-Date: Stay current with the latest updates, patches, and security fixes for your backup software and systems. Regularly updating your backup infrastructure helps protect against vulnerabilities and ensures compatibility with evolving technologies.
- Educate and Train Personnel: Provide training to employees involved in the backup process. Educate them on best practices, data protection policies, and the importance of following backup procedures correctly. This helps prevent errors and ensures everyone understands their roles and responsibilities.
Ownership and Control of a Backup Solution
The next critical piece of a managed backup solution is to understand who owns the backup solution. You of course own the data, but the hardware and software to back up that data is a very important element in the picture of a managed backup solution. The reason for this is due to several factors. If you own the hardware and software, then you are responsible for buying and keeping up to date with maintenance renewals, capacity planning, and the overall roadmap of the backup solution.
A managed services provider would come over the top and manage your hardware. This would be considered a co-managed backup solution. It may provide some cost efficiencies if you can negotiate a better deal with your hardware and software provider. However, it typically does require a large up-front expense and also has different tax implications.
Conversely if the managed services provider owns the hardware and software, then it is managed end-to-end. The business no longer manages hardware and software on their inventory report or their balance sheet.
Data Protection Concerns with 3rd Party Backup Providers
Entrusting data to a third party raises valid security concerns. It is vital to thoroughly assess the provider’s security measures, including robust encryption during transmission and storage, secure access controls, and compliance with relevant data protection regulations.
You should also seek information on the provider’s data handling practices and access controls. Inquire about their employee access policies, background checks, and data access monitoring mechanisms. Robust access controls minimize the risk of unauthorized access to your data.
Also make sure you understand their insurance policy should anything happen. How much are they covered up to for the services they provide you? Are they compliant with their insurance policies requirements? You may want to understand their security posture and have a vendor due diligence checklist for them that includes various security related requirements.
Service Level Agreements for Managed Backup Services
Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with managed backup providers outline the terms and expectations of the backup service. Typically, SLAs specify the level of service, performance guarantees, and responsibilities of both the provider and the customer.
Key components of SLAs may include backup frequency, recovery time objectives (RTOs), recovery point objectives (RPOs), data availability guarantees, and support response times. SLAs also define the provider’s responsibilities for maintaining infrastructure availability, data security, and compliance.
The SLA should be tailored to meet the specific needs of the organization, ensuring clear and measurable targets for backup and recovery processes while providing a framework for ongoing monitoring and accountability.
- Backup Frequency: The SLA may specify the frequency at which backups will be performed, such as daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on the organization’s requirements.
- Recovery Time Objective (RTO): The SLA may define the maximum acceptable downtime in the event of a data loss or system failure. For example, it may state that the provider commits to recovering data and restoring services within a specified time frame, such as four hours or 24 hours.
- Recovery Point Objective (RPO): The SLA may specify the maximum acceptable data loss in the event of a recovery. It could state that the provider will ensure that backups are taken at regular intervals, such as every hour or every six hours, minimizing the amount of data that could be lost.
- Data Availability Guarantee: The SLA may include a commitment from the provider to ensure a certain level of data availability. For example, it may guarantee a minimum uptime percentage or specify the maximum allowable downtime per month or year.
- Support Response Times: The SLA may define the expected response times for support requests or incidents. It could specify that the provider will acknowledge and begin addressing issues within a certain timeframe, such as one hour or four hours, depending on the severity of the situation.
- Data Retention Period: The SLA may outline the duration for which backup copies will be retained by the provider. It could specify that backups will be stored for a specific timeframe, such as 30 days, 90 days, or even longer if required.
- Monitoring and Reporting: The SLA may include provisions for regular monitoring and reporting of backup activities and system performance. It could specify that the provider will provide regular reports on backup success rates, storage utilization, and any potential issues or trends identified.
These are just a few examples of the components that could be included in an SLA. The specific terms and details will vary based on the organization’s needs, the level of service being provided, and the negotiated agreement with the managed backup provider.
Cost Structure of Managed Backup Providers
The cost of a managed backup solution can vary depending on factors such as data volume, backup frequency, and storage duration. Pricing models may be based on storage capacity, bandwidth usage, or a combination of factors. Organizations should engage in detailed discussions with potential providers to gain clarity on how costs are structured.
Managed backup providers may have different cost structures depending on factors such as the level of service, storage requirements, data volume, and specific offerings. Here are a few examples of common cost structures for managed backup services:
Types of Fees Charged by Managed Backup Providers
- Flat Fee: Some providers offer a flat monthly or annual fee based on the agreed-upon level of service and storage capacity. This structure provides predictable costs, regardless of the amount of data being backed up or the frequency of backups.
- Tiered Pricing: Managed backup services may employ tiered pricing based on different levels of service or storage tiers. Each tier offers a specific set of features, such as backup frequency, retention periods, or support levels, with corresponding pricing for each tier.
- Pay-per-Use: With this model, the cost is determined by the volume of data being backed up and stored. The provider charges based on the amount of data stored or the data transfer or backup requests made by the customer. This approach allows for more flexible pricing based on actual usage.
- Storage Capacity-based: In this structure, the cost is determined by the amount of storage capacity allocated for backups. The provider charges based on the storage space required to store the backups, regardless of the frequency or volume of data being backed up.
- Additional Services/Add-Ons: Managed backup providers may offer additional services or add-ons beyond basic backup and recovery. These can include features like disaster recovery planning, testing, monitoring, or specialized data protection options. The cost for these additional services may be separate from the base backup service or included as part of a bundled package.
Conclusion
While third-party managed backup solutions offer valuable advantages in terms of expertise and infrastructure, organizations must approach them with caution. By adhering to best practices and considering the factors mentioned above, organizations can ensure the security and reliability of their data, safeguarding against potential losses and disruptions. It is imperative to continually review and update backup strategies to stay ahead in an ever-evolving digital landscape.