5 Things to Consider When Choosing a Backup Provider

Many users have found out the hard way that backing up and disaster recovery are not the same thing. Disaster recovery for data is not just about being able to retrieve the lost data. It is about:

1. Having the technology to create a full replica of your infrastructure in a secondary location
2. Being able to fail over your systems to that replica

Not all backup & disaster recovery providers are created equal. Here are five areas to consider.

1. SLAs (Service Level Agreement) 

• What sort of relevant experience does the provider have?
• Are they backing it with an SLA that suits you?
• Does the SLA meet your recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO)?
• Will the provider monitor your backups to be sure recovery would be successful if needed?

Do not take their word for it. Ask to speak to customers who have had an incident.

2. Pricing

Are you being offered different prices for different levels of service? Five-minute recovery is attractive, but it might be too expensive. Is there a cheaper option for recovery that is not as swift?

You need a provider with the right expertise who can also work within your budget. Time to restoration is one compromise you can offer in return for a lower price.

3. Integration With What You Are Already Using

To what extent can the provider work with your existing applications, virtual servers and databases?

4. Security

• How will the provider keep your backups safe?
• Will your data be encrypted at rest and in transit?
• What is the provider’s protocol in the event of a breach?

5. Incident Resolution

• If an incident does happen, whom will the provider be assigning to help?
• What are their procedures for responding to your crisis?
• What sort of staff will be assigned to make sure you are up and running as soon as possible?

Need advice on preparing for disasters? Give us a call at (616) 546-2691 or drop us a line here.

About the author

Worksighted Team

We are a team of over-enthusiastic people, ready to help our clients utilize technology to spur growth! We love technology and come to work every day eager to solve problems and find ways to impact our clients.