SaaS Data Backup: Protecting Your Data In SaaS Environments

With the advent of technology, one of the most enterprise-friendly innovations developed is SaaS data backup apps like Google Apps and Microsoft Office 365. These apps have fundamentally changed how many businesses operate, enabling companies to adopt flexible work practices and reduce IT costs.

While storing data in cloud applications is far safer than storing data on most on-premise storage systems, it’s not enough.

Unfortunately, many SaaS providers offer businesses a false sense of security that their data is properly backed up and can be retrieved in an emergency.

However, in reality, SaaS application providers offer very limited data protection in terms of cloud backup and restoration capabilities, often failing to meet the needs and desires of businesses.

In this article, we’ll look into SaaS data backup and outline the three common ways businesses lose their cloud data.

But first, what is SaaS Data Backup?

Software as a Service (SaaS) data backup is a technology that creates copies of a SaaS product’s data and stores it in the cloud. 

Many SaaS data backup solutions have features relevant to the software they are backing up. For example, SaaS backup software that integrates with email systems will include data archiving and secure storage features. 

Here are several features common in most backup software: 

  • Data restoration
  • SaaS product integration
  • Malware protection
  • Data encryption
  • Insider threat protection

Read More: Scammer Check: An Expert Guide to Avoiding Online Security Threats

How SaaS Apps Implement Data Protection

Here’s a quick look at how your data protection is supported in Google Apps and Office 365, two of the most popular SaaS apps available.

Google Apps

Google offers high availability (HA) infrastructure with erasure code and multiple replicas in multiple locations, so your data will still be accessible in hardware failure incidents.

However, it does not offer native backup capabilities for Google Groups or Sites data.

Microsoft Office 365

The infrastructure of Office 365 is not unified, which means the backup capabilities for the components differ depending on the application.

Its backup measures include local flash copies, data encryption, offline remote backup, and near real-time replication to a data centre.

Using SaaS relieves business owners of the worries and costs associated with maintaining in-house infrastructure.

However, it also means that they are responsible for backing up their own data.

In an era when data is vital to a business’s success, business owners can’t afford to get this wrong.

Finding a trustworthy partner to provide SaaS data protection must be at the top of every organisation’s list.

Read More: Top 5 Reasons Why Every Business Needs SaaS Backup

3 Common Ways Businesses Lose Their Cloud Data

1. Human Error

The single leading cause of data loss in the cloud is user error. Employees may accidentally delete contacts, data, emails and more that are essential to the business.

However, data loss caused by human error is not always caused by a business’s employees.

Some of the most catastrophic errors can be made by the business’s IT management, such as:

2. Hackers

As more organisations move to the cloud, cybercriminals are adopting new tactics, methods and procedures to steal their data. 

Though the cloud is physically more secure, its ease of use has led to an increase in new applications and databases with complex configurations that are difficult to manage and monitor.

As a result, cybercriminals can easily slip into a business’s networks, resulting in compromised data and compliance failures. Moreover, failing to protect valuable data could cost companies their bottom line and reputation.

3. Malicious Insider Activity

Despite companies implementing data backup security measures, malicious insider activities (both on-premises and on cloud IT infrastructures) are challenging to prevent. 

Malicious insiders are employees who maliciously and intentionally abuse their access to a business’s networks. They generally steal information for financial or personal gain. 

Examples include former employees who hold a grudge against their previous employer or an opportunistic employee who sells the business’s private data to a competitor.

Read More: Understanding RPO and RTO to Better Strategise Disaster Recovery

Invest in the Right Backup Solution Today

Losing confidential data is a nightmare for businesses, especially when their data is fuelling their operations. Although cloud applications are more resistant to data loss than conventional, on-premise solutions, they are far from immune to irreparable loss of data. 

Adopting a SaaS data protection strategy to keep data safe in the cloud is a great place to start. Still, the best solution is to turn to a third-party backup and recovery provider who can ensure your cloud data is safe and secure, like Aegis.

Aegis Cloud Universal Backup (CUB) is a cloud backup service that integrates with existing backup software to provide off-site data backup with unlimited disaster recovery resources.

From high-bandwidth file synchronisation to detailed database failover options, we ensure you can easily recover your data in the event of an emergency.

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