What Assurances Do I Need to Look For to Ensure a Reliable Cloud Backup Service?

You and your company will need to do some homework to ensure your cloud backup service provider will meet your business needs.

Basic questions include:

• How long has the service provider been in business?
• Is the service provider implementing the latest encryption standards?
• Do they currently provide backup services to companies that are similar to yours in terms of vertical market, size and scope?

Each industry has its own language and depending on your compliance requirements, your cloud backup service provider should be familiar with relevant industry terminology and standards that impact your business.

Service Level Agreement

One of the most common methods of ensuring that your expectations are met is through a strong Service Level Agreement (SLA). This document will outline your desired operational levels and describe the consequences if the SLA is not met. Your SLA should also provide you with the assurance that your cloud backup service provider is a credible, trusted business partner who holds certifications that enable you to maintain compliance requirements.

Along with an SLA, your chosen service provider should make allowances for a termination agreement. Not unlike cell phone companies, a cloud backup service provider that locks you into a long-term contract has less motivation to offer high levels of customer support than a vendor that must face periodic service renewals. There is no reason your company should feel trapped or locked in to an agreement with any cloud backup service provider.

Flexible Cloud Services

It is also important to note that a cloud backup service provider should provide your company with the flexibility to move from a private or hybrid cloud to a public cloud deployment should your business needs change over time. At RenovoData, we provide our customers with tiers of data storage depending on their individual needs. Remember, you own and control your data, the cloud backup service provider is only the custodian of that data. Therefore, the service provider is obligated to provide reasonable access to your data with assistance to migrate your data elsewhere should the need arise. We can look to the banking industry for an example: if you want to move your money from one bank to another, there is no lock-in and (usually) no penalty for moving your assets elsewhere. The same circumstances should apply to your cloud backup service provider. It really is a “no-brainer”.