Question 1

What is backup as a service?

Accepted Answer

BaaS is a SaaS-delivered solution that provides data protection and business continuity capabilities. Copies of primary, application, or on-premises data are stored in the cloud and are maintained in a usable form that enables faster recovery following a disruptive event. Data copies are verified for integrity and, in most cases, kept in immutable, air-gapped locations which are decoupled and separate from company networks. This isolation keeps backup copies out of the wrong hands and safe from accidental and malicious accidents. BaaS solutions can protect a range of workloads – with most vendors protecting SaaS or cloud application data. A more comprehensive BaaS solution will cover a range of workloads both on-premises and in the cloud. For protection of on-premises workloads, a resilient BaaS solution would enable making two copies of the data, one for faster onsite recovery and the other for sending to a secure airgapped cloud storage location. Companies today are using the cloud for a safe backup repository to leverage its scalability, security, and compliance capabilities.

Question 2

What is backup as a service, and how does it work?

Accepted Answer

As noted earlier, BaaS solutions seek to reduce management overhead, while protecting against data loss. BaaS solutions help companies prepare to quickly return the business to normal conditions whether facing accidental deletion, data corruption, or ransomware attack. Prudent planning calls for solutions which enable for fast recovery of data, and the flexibility to rapidly restore backup copies whether kept onsite or in private/public cloud locations. Businesses need clear BaaS plans with details on the backup/restore processes, frequency and types of backup, testing and validating procedures, and protocols for data restoration and business continuity. During the entire lifecycle, special attention is needed to ensure robust security and adherence to regulatory requirements. Types of backup managed by a backup as a service solution include: Full backup performs a complete copy of all data, or all content, on the devices designated as part of the backup process. This backup is performed at the start of implementing a backup policy. Incremental backup only copies the data that has changed since the last full backup job. A differential backup backs up all the data that has changed since the last full backup. In addition to outlining backup frequencies, the backup policies and procedures should also include the recovery point objective (RPO) metric, which defines how far back the data will be restored. The RPO value places demands on the systems involved requiring more resources for shorter RPOs. A robust BaaS strategy can include: Clarity of procedures and schedules that outline the frequencies of backups and clarify the ownership and responsibilities for each process. Choice of backup options to satisfy the needs of organizations in terms of the timing and frequency of backups. Redundancy of backup copies to ensure fast recovery with nearby copy and airgap protected second copy for other occasions, including malicious attacks. Protection of data copies and data by encrypting data in flight and at rest. Security with hardened, multi-layered controls to prevent unwarranted access and the lateral movement or loss of data. In addition, Backup as a Service can be purchased by a company as a SaaS-delivered solution for which they manage the day-to-day backup operations. Alternately, a Managed Service Provider can offer backup as a service as a fully-managed, white glove offering that includes additional services like support, or backup job operations and management.

Question 3

Why is backup as a service important?

Accepted Answer

The amount of data created daily is staggering, and all of it must be stored and protected against loss. By 2025, it is estimated that 463 exabytes of data will be created each day.1 Users rightfully expect to have the data they need accessible and available around the clock. With a robust backup policy, businesses can back up and restore their data and protect it from potential loss. In addition, because it does not require management and maintenance of the backup infrastructure, a BaaS solution can significantly reduce management costs and time spent, while reducing on-premises IT footprint. Malicious disruptions. Data theft and backup deletions by cybercriminals increased by 400% since the start of the pandemic.2 The cost of a data breach in the US increased 46% in 2020 compared to 2019, reaching an average cost of 8.64M. But not all attacks are external. It’s estimated that sixty-three percent (63%) of successful attacks come from, or are caused by or triggered by, internal users.4 The impact of data breaches extends beyond the economic costs and has a long tail effect that extends for months after the disruptive event. Unintended disruption. Unintended data loss is inevitable. From data corruption, to application failure, to accidental user or admin error, businesses of all sizes must properly prepare for outages and data deletion events. Without a reliable data protection BaaS strategy in place, many businesses would suffer loss of vital data and extended disruptions and disaster recovery times. In short, BaaS is your best option for keeping the engines of your business running and brings them back to life faster in the event of an outage.

Question 4

Does Metallic offer backup as a service?

Accepted Answer

Yes! The Metallic Backup as a Service solution supports a wide range of data backup and protection services, including cloud backup that gives customers numerous options for storage and archiving data. Metallic’s BaaS supports file and object storage, databases, VMs, Kubernetes, endpoints, Microsoft 365 and Salesforce. The Metallic solution offers a 360-degree view and total protection of your data from cloud-native to on-premises, and your other diverse environments.

Backup as a Service (BaaS)

Backup as a Service (BaaS)

VM Backup