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Remote or Online Backup Services (RBS) provide a process for transferring electronic files to an alternate location for storage so that they are available to you in the event you experience a business interruption event that results in the loss of some or all of your internal data.
There are many benefits of this type of service. However, the individual benefit or degree of its application is dictated by the service itself. Not all remote backup services are created equal. They may all seem the same from an initial perspective, but when you analyze it, you will find significant differences between them. Use this as a guide to establish what is important to you, your organization; and be sure to select a service that suits you, the consumer. I hope you never have to fall back on your investment, but if that’s the case, you’ll be glad you took a little time to do your research. The last thing you need when faced with a business interruption event is to know that what you thought was fixed doesn’t meet the needs of your recovery plan. By then, it’s too late and the costs to your business are mounting rapidly.
Benefits and differences
In general, an accepted global benefit for RBS is the reduction in operational expenses required to manage and operate more traditional backup solutions. It is more profitable. This is, of course, if your company only trusts RBS to protect its data. Although I believe that RBS is more advantageous and reliable from a continuity perspective than other solutions, nothing is 100% effective. There are flaws in every process. My recommendation to all my clients is that they use RBS as a second level of protection for their organization. Optical or tape backup is useless when consumed in the same fire that destroys your physical presence, and let’s face it, few “properly” transport their backups off-site on a regular basis. You are probably wondering; Why not just adopt off-site manual transport instead of investing in RBS? Good question. Let’s keep saying that brings up a whole new set of risks that are beyond the scope of this article. I’ll write that next, I promise. If you can’t wait, call me and we can talk about it.
So, let’s break down the differences you should be aware of so you can do your research and find an RBS solution that’s right for you.
encryption
This is important and can be quite confusing. Some RBS providers have it, most don’t. You need encryption if you are going to store sensitive or critical information on someone else’s server. Remember, no matter what they say, the provider can see your files on the other side. If they are not encrypted, you could be exposed to HIPAA or PIPEDA violations that can result in lawsuits, fines, bad press, loss of customers, or even the loss of your business.
Some RBS providers claim that your files are encrypted when in fact your files are on their server in a readable format. What they mean is that your files are only encrypted during the transfer between you and them. It is exactly the same as submitting information through a form through a secure website. You know, the web pages with the little padlock at the bottom of the browser? Your online bank would have it. This type of encryption does not protect your files from being viewed by them, so be careful.
There are also many different types of encryption. The strongest algorithm that is publicly available, to my knowledge, and at the time of this writing, is 448-bit Blowfish. That’s nearly double the encryption banks use today. Online providers will use all kinds of different encryption technologies. The lower the bitrate, the easier it is to crack. Beware of vendors not telling you what they use, as they may be using their own proprietary format. If I build my own encryption algorithm, it wouldn’t be hard for me to build something on it to universally decrypt files that use it. Really think about encryption, as the lack of it can expose your business to tremendous risk. Especially if you don’t know the service provider you are dealing with. If you knew them, you could at least get them to sign a confidentiality statement to limit their liability.
To lease
Where is your data stored? Is it in a secure data center or is it in someone’s base? Are you in Canada or somewhere else? Be careful when dealing with a foreign company that advertises a Canadian physical presence. Most of their offices are focused on marketing and sales, while their data center is elsewhere. You may think your data is on Canadian soil when it’s actually being backed up in a data center in New York. There is also talk of proposed legislation that will limit Canadian data to Canadian storage facilities. The last thing you should do is switch providers when you’ve already spent time and money backing up significant amounts of data to a foreign provider.
That brings me to another point on location, how will you get your data back in case you need it? When dealing with small amounts of data, this is not a big problem; however, large amounts of data can present significant concerns. If you lose your data, you are likely to face other associated issues such as alternate locations, hardware, and software. What good is all that without the data to drive the business? Depending on the amount of data, the download could take a significant amount of time, even weeks, depending on your connectivity and other variables. Make sure your RBS provider has some alternative means of sending your data to you based on your recovery time objective (RTO). Better yet, choose a local RBS provider who can manually retrieve your data, deliver it to you, and manage the data restoration process while your attention is elsewhere. Every second of downtime can be detrimental to your business.
Managed services
How much does the RBS provider help you with? If you’re technically inclined, you may be able to set up your RBS backup processes correctly, so a service that features downloadable software and a help file may be all you need. However, just because you’re successful with backing up your data doesn’t mean you’re backing up all the right data that you’ll need to recover. In most circumstances you will need more than “work files”. I recommend at least involving your trusted IT specialist and key staff just to make sure you have everything covered.
On the other hand, there are some RBS providers that provide full managed services. This typically includes some form of risk assessment and needs analysis that is used to identify all requirements. To top it off, they typically set up the service and make sure everything runs smoothly. They are usually local services that physically meet with clients though; it is not uncommon for this to be done remotely. The key point in all of this is that if you don’t know what you’re doing, find a professional who does. If you lose a critical component, you can compromise your recovery and fall victim to what you were trying to prevent in the first place.
Choose a service that suits your needs and habits. Some RBS services are automated, while others require manual intervention to start. I generally recommend an automated process as we all forget things or adjust our priorities in case things come up. Also, with some services, you need to verify or monitor your own backups. It worked? Are the files there? It’s all up to you to find out. On the other hand, some RBS providers monitor scheduled backups to make sure they are successful. You may receive daily email notices to keep you informed. These types of providers will step in right away if something goes wrong to make sure you are protected. It’s all up to you with how much involvement or lack of involvement you want with these processes. Make sure you choose a provider that suits your needs, as the service is less effective if you don’t. Of course, with most business services, the less you get involved, the more expensive the service will be. That is why there is such a price range on the market. Although not true in all circumstances, the cheaper it is, the less it does for you. There are many variations available, so find one that suits you. Many even offer trials so you can try them out before you hang up your hat.
Support for
Few consider support services until they are needed, which can lead to frustrating experiences, especially when your business is at risk. Make sure you know all the means you have to communicate with your provider and test them before committing to their service. We can plan all we want, but this Murphy guy always brings his part into the equation. You have to be prepared to face anything and having support available is essential. Beware of vendors who only provide email support with no means listed to call them directly. If they list numbers, test them out to see if you can really get their support. Some outsource to foreign countries. Protect yourself and make sure you’ve partnered with an organization that will be there when you need it. Consider time zone differences if 24/7 support is not provided. Even if so, what are the regular hours of operation and how easy is it to get past the hours? How many staff will be available? These are all variables that could mean the difference between getting through your business and being consumed by a business interruption scenario.