Bob Daly, vice president of managed services, FalconStor Software says cloud backups are essential Cloud computing is a persuasive model for many organizations, especially for those with remote offices or for SME businesses looking for cost-effective technology offerings.  Analysts predict significant growth and use of the cloud for data storage; however, SMBs and start-ups are more likely to adopt these services into their IT infrastructures than large enterprises.

In part this is due to the cost of infrastructure and to concerns regarding the security of this data.  Using the cloud, SMBs can change IT costs from capital expenditure into operating expenditure.  These companies are also turning to the cloud as a cost-effective method for data protection and disaster recovery (DR) services.

DR and business continuity are key to the success of any company, ensuring continuous operations under any circumstance.  Employees at remote or branch offices (ROBO) must be able to access business-critical applications and data, regardless of what is happening at HQ.  By using the cloud to store and protect data, companies not only reduce the cost of infrastructure, applications and overall business processes, but also gain affordable, reliable data protection that keeps applications available to employees 24/7.  Cloud backup and DR makes this vital IT function available as a service to all SMBs and ROBO sites with the simplicity and precision of turning on an Internet connection, and at reasonable cost.

Several companies offer cloud-based data backup services to SMBs and enterprises, but not all are comparable.  SMBs and ROBOs need services beyond simple protection of employees’ files on individual computers; they require a service that will backup up this data and provide full system disk images of every business critical application and server such as ERP, Exchange servers, Web server, payroll, etc.  This full-service DR and backup solution will grow and scale with the organization, may also be extended to larger enterprises, and can be used within both public and private cloud infrastructures.

Nonetheless, IT faces a number of challenges in using cloud storage services for data backup and DR, in particular:

• Mobility: information transfer to and from the cloud
• Availability: assuring optimal business continuity
• Scalability: allowing the customer to pay only for what is needed but to expand instantly
• Data validation: ensuring the integrity of data in the cloud at all times
• Security: preventing unauthorized access or sharing
• Economics: reducing expenditure without compromising on quality of service

Managed services providers (MSPs) are meeting the challenge of providing viable cloud storage by working with vendors to build a foundation on which to create service offerings.  Through their partnerships, their service platform is built on three key points: a fully virtualized storage infrastructure, a scalable file system and a compelling application that responds to customer requirements – such as backup and DR.  Any service platform must be able to provide immediate verification of backed-up and replicated data to each customer, at any time.  It must also reduce a customer’s IT workloads and provide a guarantee or SLA agreement that data may be recovered at any time.

An ideal cloud backup and DR service provides the following key elements:

• Replication of all protected systems with the frequency of updated backups and snapshots set by the customer for each system, allowing the customer to determine recovery point objective settings.
• Implementation of WAN optimization technologies between the customer site and the cloud
• Full site, system, disk and file recovery via a completely customer self-service portal
• Full testing of DR capabilities at periodic intervals
• Fast SLA-based data recovery. No data, file or system disk should take more than 30 minutes to recover.
• Data validation through the use of automated or user-initiated protocol.

Choice and flexibility are critical decision criteria for customers, with costs and reliable availability also playing a role in the decision making process.  Cloud-based MSPs must build an established foundation of partnership and services before they are able to effectively offer customers high-quality cloud backup and DR services.