The Complete Guide to Cloud Backups

75% of organisations put their data at risk due to negligent backup policies.

Cyber attacks are becoming more common, so it’s no wonder businesses are looking for more robust solutions to protect valuable data from hackers. The cloud is an increasingly attractive solution, as seen by the number of businesses using it—the cloud backup market size was valued at £4.5 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach £13.63 billion in the next five years.

Improved data accessibility, protection against ransomware and cost-effectiveness are among the most common reasons for companies to keep data backups on the cloud.

We’ll tell you everything you need to know about cloud backups so you can make an informed decision.

How Does the Cloud Work?

The cloud has so many applications and functions in the business world and our personal lives that it can seem confusing.

Essentially, the cloud is a network of servers that allows users to store data, run applications and other tasks through the internet. Use cases can be as simple as remote storage or as complicated as hosting a business’s entire IT infrastructure.

There are plenty of options when considering cloud services, broken down into 3 main categories:

• Public clouds share infrastructure amongst users. They’re the most common type of cloud used by businesses.
• Private clouds are custom-built environments. Compared to a public cloud, businesses get more control and options, but they often pay more for the privilege.
• Hybrid clouds combine public and private cloud environments, offering the best of both worlds. For instance, a business could host its applications in a public cloud but keep data backups in a private cloud that can only be accessed by authorised users.

Cloud providers like Amazon (Amazon Web Services) and Microsoft (Microsoft Azure) deliver enterprise-level computing power to businesses of all sizes, enabling them to leverage advanced infrastructure while only paying for the resources they use.

These providers also have the resources to implement data protection policies and advanced cyber security measures that help safeguard business data against growing threats. This makes cloud backups such an attractive option for businesses – robust security and backup solutions without the significant capital outlay that can occur with backups.

The Difference Between Disaster Recovery and Cloud Backup

Cloud backups are remote copies of business data. They’re an additional layer of security that means critical data can be restored if the primary data is compromised, damaged or lost. However, the backup can only be restored on existing hardware, which, depending on the amount of data, can take a long time.

Backups, including those using the cloud, are simplified versions of cloud disaster recovery. Keeping your company’s data on a remote server may not be enough to continue the daily operations after a catastrophic event. Hence, your company needs a plan that will allow it to bring its core systems online quickly.

A disaster recovery service prepares your business for the worst with a comprehensive strategy that protects core elements in the event of a natural disaster, data breach or other types of cyber attacks.

It’s also important to note that cloud storage and cloud backups are two separate services. Purchasing cloud storage enables a company to upload its documents to a remote server, whereas the cloud backup service includes scheduled or continuous replication of the company’s data.

Cloud backups and cloud disaster recovery strategies are both crucial in modern business, and engaging a reputable IT service provider helps you find the best solution to match the needs of your business.

Types of Cloud Backup Solutions

Traditional backup options involve creating copies of all documents and keeping them on local servers.

Even though this type of backup solution gives businesses control over how and where their data is stored, they need to invest in the necessary infrastructure, support staff and maintenance, which are often significant investments.

Cloud backups eliminate many of these costs and ensure businesses can access their data quickly. Most providers offer Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS)

Depending on their needs, companies can choose between these cloud backup types:

• Continuous backups – Tailored to meet the needs of businesses that want to update their backups in real-time, all documents in a company’s system are copied as soon as a change is detected.
• Scheduled backups – The provider creates copies of the documents at set intervals (such as daily or weekly) and stores them on the cloud. This backup solution is suitable for businesses that don’t need to back up their data instantly.

The Cloud Backup Process

Many of the businesses we speak to have concerns that the process is too complicated or that their data will be less secure because it’s stored by a third party. We assure them that cloud backups are simple and help them at every stage.

Here’s what you need to do to start backing up your company’s data on the cloud:

• Choose your cloud service – There are many options and service providers, so research and pick a solution that is safe, scalable and flexible. At AAG, we use Microsoft Azure, and have helped businesses of all sizes create robust backups using the service.
• Select data – Choosing the datasets you want to backup is the next step you need to take. Backing up larger datasets will usually cost more but ensures a more complete restoration if the primary data is compromised.
• Set up the backup frequency – You can choose how often you want your data backed up, either continuous or scheduled backups.
• Transfer data – When ready, proceed to copy the data onto the cloud.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Cloud Backups

Protection against cyber attacks is among the most significant advantages of cloud backups.

72% of businesses worldwide were victims of ransomware attacks in 2023, nearly 20% more than just five years ago.

Keeping copies of your company’s data on the cloud minimises the risk of cyber threats as data is often saved on multiple servers, so even if one server is down you can still access your files.

Let’s take a look at other benefits of cloud backups:

Scalability – You can use only the resources your company needs and increase the backup storage usage as your business grows.

Cost-effectiveness – Buying the hardware and finding the storage space for a traditional backup is expensive. Cloud backup services reduce your company’s costs by enabling you to keep your data on remote servers and by taking the management off your hands.

Data Availability – The data you back up on the cloud is available at all times to any of your company’s employees authorised to access it.

Still, cloud backup solutions aren’t ideal for all types of business.

Some companies deal with sensitive data that must be stored locally or within a specific geographic region. Data sovereignty laws can limit your cloud backup options as they might prevent your company from keeping data on servers located in certain parts of the world.

Other drawbacks of cloud backups include high bandwidth requirements and potential latency issues for continuous replication backups.

Implementing Cloud Backups into Your Operations

Backing up your company’s data is the cornerstone of your wider cloud disaster recovery strategy, but it shouldn’t be its only element.

Here at AAG, we’ve got years of experience helping businesses implement robust cloud backups into their daily operations. Every business is different, so we recommend the solutions that best fit their needs.

Here’s some general advice for backup best practices:

• Stick to the 3-2-1 rule – Data redundancy is the best way to ensure all your data is safe. The term refers to the practice of creating two or more copies of a company’s data and keeping them on separate servers or other media.
• Train your IT team – Like other cloud backup service providers, AAG can assist your team and help them master backup and recovery processes.
• Test everything – We’ll provide the support you need to ensure all backup and recovery procedures are functioning to help you prepare for the worst-case scenarios.
• Set up two-factor authentication – An additional safety layer that makes it more difficult for unauthorised users to access your company’s data.

Improving Business Performance with Cloud Backups

Keeping the data safe is paramount for all businesses, regardless of their size.

Cloud backups reduce the risks of cyber attacks and improve data accessibility, helping businesses maintain operations even in the face of disaster.

AAG can help you implement the right cloud backup strategy for your business that ensures the safety of your data and full compliance with the data sovereignty laws.

Our team of experienced professionals will guide you through the entire cloud backup process from start to finish and vouch for the safety of each bit of data you upload to the cloud. Contact us today to find out more about our cloud backup solutions.