Using Cloud-based service to store data offsite is something we are very familiar with today. This useful process quickly became a part of almost every company. If you are considering to purchase offsite backup for your purposes, it is essential that we go over pros and cons, so you know what to expect.
As you will see, there are much more advantages than disadvantages, but it is still a good idea to familiarize yourself with everything. No one wants unpleasant surprises when it comes to running their business!
Pros of offsite backup
It is crucial that we stay updated with the progress of software technology. Implementing new solutions will help us manage our business more easily. With that in mind, let’s check out how to utilize advantages of offsite backup, and make it work for us!
An easy way to retrieve data
The first thing that comes to my mind when talking about offsite backup is how it’s easy to retrieve lost data. Whenever I have a USB or a hard drive that is corrupted, I always start thinking what’s on it. Did I just lose something that was important for me? If you store your data on the Cloud, you won’t have to think about it anymore.
Many people are running online businesses, and you might be one of them. When it comes to updates on your website, it is essential to backup everything, because you never know what might go wrong.
Use less space onsite
Another advantage of using offsite backup is that you have more space left onsite. That results in a faster connection for you and your clients.
No equipment to maintain
Having a physical data storage means that you have to maintain your hardware. If you have a large company, that would require more IT people and more money. When it comes to Cloud storage, there is no hardware to maintain. That also means that your IT guys will have more time to work on more important issues.
Scalability
Have you ever had a message on your computer that the hard drive is full, and it cannot store any more data? If you are a human being, the answer would be yes. With offsite backup such as Cloud storage, you won’t have to worry about that anymore. Whenever you need more space, you can always purchase it and use it. And the best of all, if you don’t need it any longer you can return it. That means that you can scale the online storage to suit your needs.
It is simple and cheap
If you wish to set up offsite backup storage, it can be done in a matter of minutes. You simply register, choose a plan you need, and that is all. On another hand, if you would decide to use physical data storage, you would need to rent a room, purchase all the hardware, and hire someone to set it up. That could require months of work and a lot more money.
Customer Support is at your disposal at all times
Whether you need help with choosing the plan or setting up your storage, customer support is at your disposal at all times.
For example, when I started working with WordPress, the number one priority for me was to find someone that could help me manage everything. I didn’t know much about it and I felt lost at times. After some research, I found wpfullcare.com, which made everything much easier.
When it comes to the Cloud services, you won’t even have to search for support. They are already there!
Cons of offsite backup
It is time to look at some disadvantages of an offsite backup. While there are plenty of reasons to purchase and use these services, let’s look at what are the negative sides of it.
It requires an internet connection
The number one issue with offsite backup is that it requires that you are connected to the internet. A hard drive or a USB is easier to use in this situation because you can use them offline. Sure, I must agree that internet outage is usually fixed quickly, especially when it comes to running a business. However, you should be aware of what could happen.
You have less control over it
The level of control is dictated by the provider you choose. It also depends on the plan you purchase, as they are not the same. This can be a bit difficult if you don’t know what your requirements are.
It requires training
While you have support at your disposal, you will have to spend some time to learn how to manage your offsite backup. The way it works is that you decide how to store your data. It is not technically programming, but you must set up the rules for storing data, which can be confusing in the beginning. But it gets easier as you learn.
Managing billing and the size of the storage
When using offsite backup, it is easy to go over your financial limit. Not only that, but it is easy to purchase more storage that you actually need. It requires some time and effort to properly manage your billings and choose the exact amount of the space you need.
Migration is not easy
If you decide to transfer all your data from physical storage to the offsite backup storage, the migration will not be easy. You have to move terabytes of data, and set up everything, and that takes a lot of time. In the end, you can find out that the way offsite backup operates is actually different than your previous storage. In that case, you will have to get used to it.
Summary
As you can see, offsite backup has many pros and cons. Overall, there are much more advantages, and I highly recommend it to everyone. Sure, there are some occasional hiccups, but they fade in front of everything else that is positive and good about offsite storage.
