Clearing the Myth: Why the Cloud is Not a Backup

Clearing the Myth: Why the Cloud is Not a Backup

The term cloud backup is often misunderstood. Many businesses believe that using cloud services like Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox is sufficient to protect their data.

However, relying solely on these services could leave your business exposed to significant risks. Cloud backup and cloud storage are not the same, and treating them as interchangeable can lead to data loss and potential business disruption.

In this article, we’ll explain the difference between cloud storage and backup and offer insights on how to properly protect your data.

Cloud Storage vs Backup: Understanding the Difference

At first glance, cloud storage services seem like a great backup solution. They allow users to save data remotely, access it from any device, and share it easily with team members.

But while these services are great for accessibility and collaboration, they are not designed to safeguard data during accidental deletion, cyberattacks, or system failures.

Cloud storage is primarily about convenience:

  • It syncs your files across devices, making it easy to access them anywhere.
  • It allows for collaboration by letting multiple users work on shared documents.

Meanwhile, cloud backup is fundamentally different. Backup solutions focus on:

  • Data redundancy: Ensuring multiple copies of your files are available.
  • Versioning: Allowing you to retrieve older versions of files, protecting against accidental changes or deletions.
  • Disaster recovery: Offering a safeguard if your data is corrupted or lost due to a system failure.

Read More: Cloud Backup vs Cloud Storage: What’s the Difference?

The Limitations of Cloud Storage for Backup Purposes

Despite its advantages, cloud storage lacks the robust protection needed for complete data security. Below are the main limitations:

Read More: Data Security for Cloud Computing: What Malaysian Businesses Should Know

1.      Human Error

Firstly, accidental file deletions and overwriting are common issues in everyday business operations.

In cloud storage, if a file is deleted or overwritten, those changes may sync across all connected devices, resulting in permanent loss unless a separate backup exists.

2.      Cyber Threats

Additionally, cloud storage services, while often secure, are not immune to cyberattacks. Ransomware, malware, or unauthorised access could compromise your entire cloud environment.

If a malicious actor gets access to your account, they can delete files or lock you out, and the synchronisation across devices may make data recovery difficult without a dedicated backup solution.

Read More: Ransomware in Malaysia: Looking From A Legal Perspective

3.      Retention Policies

Many cloud storage services have limited data retention policies. For example, once a file is deleted, it may only be recoverable briefly before permanently removing it from the system. This puts businesses at risk if they need to recover data beyond that time frame.

Read More: Key Strategies for Business Data Privacy in Cloud Computing

What Makes a True Cloud Backup Solution

To ensure the security and integrity of your data, it’s essential to implement a true backup solution.

Unlike cloud storage, a dedicated backup solution focuses on creating multiple, secure copies of your data at regular intervals, allowing for easy recovery.

Here are the features that distinguish a true cloud backup service:

  • Redundancy: Multiple copies of your data are stored in different locations, so if one copy is lost or compromised, another can be retrieved.
  • Versioning: These online backup services often allow you to keep several versions of your files. If you accidentally change or delete a file, you can “go back in time” to recover an earlier version.
  • Off-Site Storage: Backups are stored separately from your primary working environment, ensuring that if a system failure or natural disaster occurs, your data remains intact and recoverable.

Why Cloud Backup is Essential for Business Continuity

Why Cloud Backup is Essential for Business Continuity

For businesses, data is the lifeblood of operations, and losing it can have disastrous consequences.

In fact, a University of Texas study by Christens and Schkade showed that 50% of businesses that suffer significant data loss close within two years. This statistic shows the importance of having a reliable backup solution.

1.      Business Continuity

Having a dedicated backup solution ensures that your business can quickly recover and continue operations with little disruption in the event of a hardware failure, system crash, or cyberattack.

2.      Disaster Recovery

Furthermore, online backup solutions specifically help businesses recover from data loss, whether caused by an internal error or a large-scale disaster.

With a well-executed disaster recovery plan, you can recover your data and continue with normal operations with minimal downtime.

3.      Compliance and Security

Many industries have strict regulations regarding data protection. Cloud backup solutions ensure that businesses remain compliant by securely storing data and making it easily retrievable in case of audits or security breaches.

Read More: A Complete Guide to Internal Data Breaches & Leaks in Malaysia

Combining Cloud Storage and Cloud Backup

While cloud storage is useful for everyday file access and collaboration, the best way to ensure comprehensive data protection is to combine it with a cloud backup solution.

Cloud storage is ideal for syncing and accessing files from multiple devices. It offers flexibility in daily operations, making file sharing and collaboration seamless.

Moreover, online backup provides long-term data protection, ensuring that your business-critical files are safe from deletion, corruption, and disaster. By consistently backing up your data, you can safeguard it from both human error and external threats.

Together, cloud storage and backup solutions provide a balanced approach that ensures both accessibility and security.

Read More: Top 8 Data Migration Strategies for An Effective Transfer in Malaysia

Aegis, Keeping Your Cloud Backup Safe

To conclude, it’s a common misconception to think that cloud storage is enough to keep your data safe. However, cloud backup and storage serve very different purposes.

While cloud storage provides easy access and syncing capabilities, it lacks the comprehensive data protection a true backup solution offers.

At Aegis, we understand the importance of protecting your business’s valuable data. With over a decade of experience, we offer reliable cloud backup services tailored to meet your business needs.

Don’t leave your data vulnerable—get in touch with Aegis today to learn more about our cost-effective backup solutions.

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