Why is it important to backup cloud data?

So, you’ve moved your data to a cloud service, or you’ve decided to sign up and use an online software platform. Therefore, the data protection responsibilities, such as backups, lie with the cloud provider, right? Well, no! Regardless of what cloud service you are using, you should always remember that protecting your data is your responsibility, and just because data sits in a cloud service doesn’t mean it isn’t subject to traditional security risks.  

Here are a few reasons why backups of cloud data are important. 

Guarding against data loss 

Despite the general reliability of cloud platforms, data loss can still occur for several reasons, such as accidental deletion, software glitches, hardware failures, or cyberattacks. Regularly backing up your cloud data creates a mechanism to restore it when needed. 

 

Protecting against security threats 

Cyberattacks continue to threaten businesses of all sizes, with ransomware, phishing, and data breaches becoming increasingly common. Having a backup in place allows data to be recovered, which can mitigate the financial and reputational damage caused. 

Retaining control of your data 

Cloud service providers have stringent security measures, but entrusting your data to their platforms means giving up some control. By maintaining backups, you retain control, allowing you to restore it when needed. 

 

Regulatory Compliance 

Many businesses are subject to legal frameworks that govern data protection and retention. A backup of cloud data is essential for compliance with these regulations. 

Preserving peace of mind 

Backups offer peace of mind, knowing that your important data is securely backed up and recoverable if needed. 

What do I do about it? 

Understand that cloud providers have elements of high availability built into their underlying IT infrastructure, but by no means should they be trusted as a means of backup and recovery for data protection. For example, there are tools within the Microsoft 365 platform, such as the Recovery Bin, that can be used (to an extent) to recover missing files, but these are not backup and recovery tools either. These tools won’t necessarily protect data if the cloud provider’s data centre where your data is located has a critical failure or ever becomes the subject of a ransomware attack. Here are a few key items you should consider. 

• At a minimum, you should use the available vendor cloud backup tools. These are often not enabled by default but cover many applications and services but often have fees associated with them. 

• Discuss with the vendor and understand how they keep your data protected and whether they have backup options available. Some cloud software providers include backups as part of their service offerings. Still, you should know how these are configured and where your backup data is stored. 

• Backup data should be encrypted to prevent unauthorised access. Encryption makes data unreadable to anyone who doesn’t have the right ‘key’ to open it. 
  

• Backups should be automated and scheduled to run regularly. This keeps them reliable and consistent. 
  

• The backups should be stored in a different region (area of the world) and, ideally, on a different cloud vendor platform. This mitigates the risk of data loss due to local disasters or issues with a specific cloud provider. Some services may not be able to be backed up outside of the vendor due to technical limitations, but the cloud landscape changes rapidly based on customer demand, so keep an eye out for new features and opportunities. 

• Test backup and recovery procedures. You always want to be sure you can recover data. Integrate the backup strategies into your overall disaster recovery plans. 

• Document the backup policies and procedures. When using multiple cloud services, it can be hard to track where things are and what backups are in place. 

• Monitor backups regularly and identify any problems or issues. 

There is no one answer to all, but accurately assessing the risks and choosing a suitable backup strategy will ensure that you won’t be shocked when the need to recover your data arises. Most importantly, understand that the onus is on the customer to keep the data protected and always reach out to a professional for further guidance if needed. 

If you found this article helpful, you may also be interested in exploring What are the pros and cons of Cloud Computing? to learn more about the benefits and challenges of leveraging cloud technologies.