If a customer's backup fails, your customer can lose everything (personnel data, customer information, etc.), unless, of course, you’re avoiding a single point of failure with a multi-cloud backup solution. And if that’s the case, you’re in good hands.
In this day and age, where everyone is a target for cybercriminals, multi-cloud backup is the way to go for MSPs and their customers for a variety of reasons. By using a multi-cloud backup solution, you can significantly reduce the risk of data loss (which saves you from unnecessary headaches down the road, including the possibility of a customer suing you). Another benefit of multi-cloud backup is you can recover a customer’s files more quickly when a backup fails.
If you’re not yet convinced that multi-cloud backup is the way to go, keep reading. There’s a lot more for you to consider.
Further reading Hybrid Cloud Backup: All You Need to Know
Never put your eggs in one basket
There’s usually a huge risk for MSPs when they rely on a single cloud provider for backing up customer data. Simply put: Things happen.
Just like with anything else in life, when it comes to storing customer data, never put your eggs in one basket. Information can be deleted by accident or overwritten, for example.
Then, there’s the issue of malicious activity, which is increasing at an alarming rate (just ask Interpol). Cybercriminals are constantly trying to infiltrate networks and systems to gather data for nefarious means, disrupt business activity, and generate large paydays for themselves and their affiliates.
Diversifying data storage increases the likelihood of your customers being protected from the ever-evolving IT threat landscape.
Further reading Public vs Private Cloud Storage vs Vendor Cloud for Backup
Provides an additional layer of security
Storing your client’s data on one cloud is too risky for an MSP operating in today’s changing threat landscape. Without a doubt, cyberattacks are on the rise. One of the biggest security headaches this year has been ransomware, which, of course, blocks access to data unless a ransom is paid. Especially in this case, when you don't properly protect data by using a multi-cloud strategy, cybercriminals can (and oftentimes do) get the better of your clients.
Remember: There’s nothing more valuable to your clients than their data. Using a multi-cloud backup strategy is typically the best way to ensure client data is protected from cyberattacks, no matter the type. The worst thing you can say to a client is you lost data and cannot retrieve it.
But there are times when a client doesn’t want to retrieve data often, and that’s where multi-cloud backup also comes in handy.
Further reading Backup Best Practices In Ransomware Protection Strategy
Keep some data in the archive tiers
Not all data is equal. Some data is accessed more frequently, for example. Cloud storage vendors typically offer different access tiers to provide cost-effective options to their customers. MSPs looking to reduce costs for their customers should consider a cloud storage vendor with an archive tier.
MSPs typically keep a long-term or secondary backup, and compliance data in an archive tier, which keeps data offline. Even though the archive tier is typically cheaper, the tier’s retrieval costs are the highest. Keeping cold data in archive tiers makes the most sense.
Depending on what your customers need, multi-cloud backup may be the right choice for you and your customers. Assisting them with picking and choosing the right clouds for their data elevates the level of your importance. Use a multi-cloud backup to protect you and them, and provide additional options.
