Securing your database by moving it to cloud storage is not as much of a hassle as it may seem. Organizations use cloud storage services to back up sensitive data and maximize their chances of recovery from an attack. Many companies are opting for cloud-based storage instead of storing data physically in a hard drive. The benefits of lower infrastructure cost, accessibility, and enhanced security make cloud backup very attractive for companies both small and large. Read on to learn why it is important to use cloud backup and see a comparison of the top three vendors to help you make your choice.
What Is Cloud Backup and Why Is It Important?
Cloud backup is a type of cloud storage solution that allows you to store and retrieve data from a distributed network. Companies use cloud backup solutions to automatically back up their data to a secure private or public cloud.
A common strategy involves sending a copy of the data over a public or private network to an off-site server, usually belonging to a third-party service provider. When choosing a database backup software solution, the most critical issue is its reliability.
Backing up data in the cloud allows you to restore the database with ease in the event of a disaster. According to the Boston Computing Network:
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93% of companies that lost their data center for longer than 10 days closed within one year of the disaster, with 60% closing at 6 months.
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34% of companies don’t test their tape backups, with 77% of those finding tape back-up failures.
Cloud backup systems operate around a client software application that runs the backups on a schedule chosen by the client. Most services offer twenty-four- or twelve-hour backup. If the customer sets the backup schedule to half-daily backups, for instance, the system collects, compresses, encrypts and transfers data to the cloud server every twelve hours. A common practice is to perform a full backup at the beginning of the service and complement it with incremental backups afterward.
The main advantages of storing the backup in the cloud relate to the recovery time and the security the cloud vendors offer:
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Recovery time ”cloud backups allow you to restore your database to function in a manner of minutes since it is already stored online.
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Security ”cloud backup services often leverage from security solutions, including applications for Exchange and SQL Server
Comparing AWS, Azure and Google Cloud Backup on Different Domains
Since cloud backups offer a cost-effective alternative to a data center, they are increasing in popularity. There are several cloud vendors trying to meet the growing demands of companies. Here we will compare the performance of the top three, Amazon Web services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Backup.
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
The pioneer in cloud computing, AWS offers over 140 services and growing. Amazon Backup Platform supports aggregating and collating vast amounts of data.
The key features of AWS Backup include:
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Centrally managed backups ”enabling visibility through a central backup console, simplifying management. You can use the console to backup, restore and set backup retention policies.
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Automated backup processes ”the platform offers a fully managed, solution. AWS Backup provides automated backup schedules based on policies set by the customer. You can apply backup policies to your resources by tagging them,
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Backup compliance ”encrypting the data in transit and at rest. The system consolidates backup logs, facilitating compliance audits.
A key service that integrates with AWS backup is Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3), a cloud-based object storage service provides developers with a scalable, fast and simple storage infrastructure. Through Amazon Glacier, it offers backup features such as:
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Cost-effective storage ”pricing for long-term backup and data archiving.
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Fast data retrieval ”from large scale databases.
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Secure and durable object storage ”in a Deep Archive class.
Alternatively, Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS) is used for storing persistent data from the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), a Virtual Machine (VM) service. It offers the following backup features:
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Automatic replication of volumes ”in the EBS Availability Zone, keeping the data safe on a file system whether the instance is active or not.
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Cost-effective incremental backups ”through EBS snapshots, which capture the recent changes on the device, minimizing duplication.
You can use the service adapted to your cloud environment, be it cloud-native, hybrid or on premises. First, in a cloud-native environment, AWS Backup integrates with other services such as Amazon EBS, Amazon DynamoDB, and AWS Storage Gateway, through the centralized console.
For hybrid environments, AWS Backup uses AWS Storage Gateway, which enables on-premises applications to use AWS cloud storage. You can apply the same backup policies to the AWS Cloud resources and to your on-premises data stored in the AWS Storage Gateway. Finally, for on-premises environments, you can back up your application data by storing it in AWS Storage Gateway volumes, which in turn are supported in the AWS Cloud.
Microsoft Azure
A cloud computing service offering enterprise-grade SPI (Software, Platform, and Infrastructure-as-a-Service) solutions. Azure provides the Microsoft background and Windows support for users, providing functionality for the entire production cycle.
Azure’s focus on hybrid cloud networks allows companies to migrate their data to the cloud while keeping their on-premise hardware. The key functions of Azure Backup services are:
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REST-based object storage
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Data lake for big data
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Queue storage for large volume workloads
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Backup built into the platform
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Backup support in one click
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Data encryption for long periods
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Multifactor authentication controls.
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Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) built into the platform.
Azure Site Recovery allows for a simple and fast set up. You only need to replicate an Azure Virtual Machine into another Azure region. The service also provides automatic recovery and recovery testing without compromising running workloads.
Google Cloud
Google offers secure analytics and cloud storage. While not as big a competitor as the previous two, Google’s platform has proven useful for small companies. It is especially attractive to startups because of its support of open source developments.
Google Cloud Platform (GCP) offers backup for objects, blobs, blocks, files and server content. Although there is not an official backup solution, the system offers a variety of services that can be customized for backup, for example:
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Persistent Disk ”provides snapshots for backup of block storage of virtual machines and containers.
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Coldline ”an option for cold storage of cloud archives. Data that is accessed maximum once per year.
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Nearline ”for warmer storage. That means, data that is accessed no more than once a month, useful for backup files.
Customers can integrate with third-party backup providers listed in the GCP partners page.
Which One Should You Choose?
All three cloud providers we covered in this article have strengths that help customers find the right solution for their organizations. Regarding their strengths, Microsoft Azure is user-friendly and being built in makes it easy to install. AWS Backup provides an automated centralized backup that can be attractive for companies with vast workloads. The main advantage of Google Cloud is to provide cost-effective backup features that can integrate with third-party backup solutions.
A good rule of thumb is to start by looking at what resources you use and your company requirements, since a good solution needs to fit your company like a glove. For example, a small startup looking for scalability and low-cost storage may consider Google Cloud Platform, while a larger company looking for automate large database workloads can look into AWS. For organizations working in a Microsoft Ecosystem, Azure could be the logical choice. What you choose will ultimately depend on your company goals and needs.