All about outsourced backup: definition, advantages and comparative solutions

SMEs, start-ups, major groups: all companies are concerned by IT backup. What about outsourced backup?

If you want to reduce the risk of data loss to zero and preserve your company's information capital, this is a solution worth considering.

We explain what outsourced backup is, its advantages and the different solutions on the market.

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What is outsourced backup?

Outsourced backup: definition

Outsourced backup involves a company entrusting all or part of the backup process to a service provider, who will manage the storage of its computer data in data centres external to the company. This is also known as facilities management.

The service provider duplicates, encrypts and secures the data on the company's information system, with the aim of eThe service provider duplicates, encrypts and secures the data on the company's information system, with the aim of preventing the loss of files or loss of access to the information system, even temporarily, as well as the costs associated with restoring them.

The company therefore has an up-to-date copy of all its data, whether sensitive or not, on a secure remote server.

There are two types of outsourced physical backup, and professional online backup:

• the external hard disk at the service provider's premises
• FTP export, where the backup is sent manually to a remote server,
• NAS hosted in a third-party data centre that meets high security standards,
• back-up in the cloud.

How outsourced backup works

But how exactly does outsourced backup work?

1. Files on your local network are copied to one or more remote servers;
2. The encrypted data travels via the Internet to be stored on the service provider's servers;
3. Backups are either scheduled to be carried out at a fixed frequency or in real time;
4. An automatic connection and synchronisation are set up between the user company's various workstations and the service provider's web server.

💡 One of the recommendations is to keep three copies, on at least two different media, with a backup on an off-site location in addition. This is the 3-2-1 rule.

The different types of outsourced backup

1. Full backup

Also known as full back-up, this consists of backing up all your data. This method should be carried out on a one-off basis, as it can be time-consuming and tedious depending on the amount of company data to be backed up.

💡 It is also generally not advisable to modify data at the same time, as this can disrupt the backup process.

2. Full synthetic backup

Also known as full synthetic is a faster complete backup of your data. It identifies and backs up only the changes that have taken place, without unnecessarily backing up what has already been backed up.

3. Incremental backup

Also known as incremental back-up, incremental backup consists of backing up only the data that has changed since the previous backup.

Quick to carry out, it allows regular backups to be made without impacting business.

💡 One of the most effective strategies is to perform a weekly full backup and a daily incremental backup.

4. Differential backup

Unlike the incremental backup, the differential backup or differential back up backs up data that has changed since the previous full backup.

As time passes, the number of new data items to be backed up increases, making the process less agile and fluid than incremental backup.

Different storage formats

These different types of backup may use a different storage format:

• file mode: each time a file is modified, the entire file is backed up again;
• Block mode: this divides a file into several blocks, so that only the block affected by the change is backed up;
• object mode: the file is broken down into distinct sections called objects, each backed up on a different machine.

The advantages of outsourced backup

1. Restores data in the event of loss

The main advantage of outsourced backup is its ability to protect against all types of incident:

• computer virus infections
• hardware failure
• theft
• deletion by mistake
• human accident (spilled liquid),
• malicious acts (former employee),
• cybercrime (hacking, ransom demands),
• electrical surges,
• disasters (floods, fires, etc.).

👉 These can wipe out your precious data in the blink of an eye, and your entire business can come to a temporary or even permanent halt, with negative consequences.

2. Ensure business continuity

By backing up and restoring your data in a matter of hours or days, depending on your data and your service provider, you limit the downtime of your platform and the suspension of your business.

This means

• Reduced financial losses,
• and a guarantee of reliability and trust among your customers.

3. Secure your data

By entrusting your data to a trusted service provider, they are safe because they are encrypted. This has the advantage of thwarting a malicious attack intent on stealing the data, since it is unreadable.

In addition, as the data is sometimes on different servers, it is impossible to exploit them.

4. Automate backup

With outsourced backup, there's no need to think about making regular back-ups as and when you need them, because they're fully automated.

Outsourced backup solutions: comparison

Here are a few important points to check before choosing your service provider:

• the level of protection for your data, depending on the location of the servers (it's best to choose a server subject to European or French law) ;
• confidentiality: you need to make sure that the service provider cannot access your information to use it for commercial purposes;
• reversibility of your data: the service provider must undertake to return your data to you in full if the contract is terminated.

To compare the different solutions directly, go to our comparison table of outsourced backup solutions.

BeBackup

BeBackup has the advantage of giving customers, from very small businesses to large groups, freedom in their choice of data hosting:

• locally, thanks to an integrated replication mechanism,
• on its own servers (in data centres),
• or on the servers of an IT outsourcer.

The data, encrypted at source, is compressed and protected against piracy, and corporate customers can restore it independently if necessary.

The strengths of BeBackup :

• a modular hosting offering to help IT outsourcers start up or add to their server infrastructure with little investment,
• a high-performance "client-server" solution where the server performs intelligent tasks, such as exchanging fingerprints to optimise transfers,
• optimising bandwidth for customers with low-speed connections.

Beemo Data Safe Restore

Beemo Data Safe Restore works exclusively with approved IT service providers and resellers, and through them offers very small businesses and SMEs :

• security, confidentiality and integrity of backed-up data (encrypted, compressed),
• data restoration and 24/7 monitoring,
• task management and automated updates.

Several offers:

• Beemo2Beemo, for outsourced backup in-house, outside the cloud, with a Beemo box at each of your sites;
• Beemo2Cloud, a solution offering three levels of backup for maximum security, whatever the company and whatever the volume of data to be stored;
• BeeHive, a package that enables Beemo-certified service providers to cater specifically for very small businesses, with remote backup that does not require a box.

Nuabee (UCover)

UCover by Nuabee protects companies' data and information systems, using the full synthetic backup method to back up its customers' servers. The data is then encrypted and stored in the Orange Business Services Cloud, in French data centres.

It offers :

• 3 levels of server protection (cloud backup, cloud backup with restart test and DRP protection),
• a team that monitors backups and carries out tests without impacting business,
• very fast data restoration times.

Key benefits :

• its Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) is comprehensive and fully automated,
• adapted to the architectures of SMEs and ETIs at affordable prices,
• certified by the TRUXT label, which guarantees continuity and security of services.

Oxibox

Oxibox ensures the synchronisation of backed-up data between its local server and protected datacentres located in France, to eliminate any risk of data loss and ensure the confidentiality of your information.
The solution includes :

• independent programming of backup frequency,
• definition of the source of the data to be backed up: cloud, heterogeneous network, remote sites.

Oxibox highlights :

• 8 million euros of insurance against data loss,
• guaranteed 100% restoration, quickly and without interruption,
• Backup of up to several petabytes of data,
• complete real-time traceability of all backup processes.

Comparison table

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The importance of outsourced backups

As we have seen, doing without an outsourced backup solution at a time when cyber-attacks are at an all-time high is almost unconscionable. Your data is your most precious asset, and the majority of companies that lose it never recover.

To choose the outsourced backup provider best suited to your business, take the time to determine your needs and specifics, depending on the degree of sensitivity or volume of your data, your information system and your budget.

And what about you? Have you set up an outsourced backup system? If so, which one? If not, why?