All businesses, regardless of size, are at high risk of disasters, including natural calamities and cyberattacks. These threats to business continuity can cause operational disruptions that lead to financial losses and reputational damage. While there are measures to prevent some of these risks, it’s equally essential to have preparations in place to recover from the worst-case scenarios. Two noteworthy examples of these preparations include Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS) and Disaster-Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS).
But which service best suits your business? To help you decide, we’ll explore how these options protect your data and what sets them apart.
Backup-as-a-Service
BaaS is a cloud-based solution that lets you back up your important data to an off-site server managed by a third-party provider. With BaaS, you select which data and files need to be backed up, then the provider makes and maintains consistent copies you can use to restore your systems.
The appeal of BaaS is its simplicity and low cost. Since BaaS focuses solely on storing data, it is generally cheaper than more advanced business continuity solutions. However, when a disaster strikes, the responsibility of restoring your infrastructure falls on your shoulders.
Disaster-Recovery-as-a-Service
DRaaS takes things a step further. In addition to data backups, DRaaS providers use data replication to create a copy of your entire system, including applications, data, and infrastructure. This ensures that everything can be rapidly restored in case of a disaster.
DRaaS is particularly useful for businesses that cannot afford extended downtime, such as eCommerce companies or healthcare organizations. It provides near-instant recovery, supporting business continuity even during significant disruptions. That said, such extensive and fast-acting recovery often comes with a higher price tag.
Comparing BaaS and DRaaS
While both services aim to protect your data, they differ in three critical ways.
Methodology
BaaS utilizes an encrypted private network to securely back up data over the internet. BaaS is a cost-efficient option, especially if your risk assessments indicate that sudden, drastic outages are unlikely. But if a disaster does occur, restoration is manual and requires you to reinstate your infrastructure yourself.
DRaaS, on the other hand, uses replication technology to synchronize your system with the cloud. This automated process allows the service to bring the latest copy of your system online quickly when downtime occurs.
Costs
BaaS is generally more affordable upfront, making it ideal for smaller companies where some downtime is acceptable. It’s a low-cost option that focuses on long-term data storage rather than immediate availability.
DRaaS is more expensive but offers rapid recovery of critical data and applications, reducing potential losses from prolonged downtime. If your business can’t afford to be offline for long, consider investing in DRaaS.
Recovery time
BaaS can take longer to restore since it doesn’t offer a secondary infrastructure solution. Recovery times can range from hours to even days. In contrast, DRaaS offers much faster recovery times, measured in seconds to minutes. For businesses where every minute counts, DRaaS provides the speed and efficiency needed to maintain continuity.
Which service best suits your business?
Choosing between BaaS and DRaaS depends on various factors, including your business’s specific needs, infrastructure complexity, and budget.
When to choose BaaS
- Easily reassembled infrastructure: If your infrastructure can be quickly rebuilt, BaaS may be sufficient.
- Infrequent data access: If your business doesn’t require constant access to data, then BaaS is ideal.
- Budget constraints: BaaS is a cost-effective solution for companies looking to minimize their spending.
- In-house expertise: If you have a disaster recovery specialist on staff, you can manage the restoration process effectively.
When to choose DRaaS
- Complex infrastructure: DRaaS is suitable for businesses with intricate systems that are difficult to reassemble.
- Constant data access: DRaaS is essential for companies such as eCommerce businesses that rely on 24/7 access to applications and data.
- Rapid data growth: If your data is growing rapidly, DRaaS can scale to meet your needs.
- Generalist staff: With DRaaS, providers manage the entire recovery process, making this strategy ideal for businesses without specialized IT staff.
- Willingness to invest: If you can afford the higher costs, DRaaS offers superior protection and quicker recovery times.
Both BaaS and DRaaS have their strengths and shortcomings, and in some cases, the ideal solution is a combination of both. For example, you can use DRaaS to preserve and restore data and applications essential to daily operations while relying on BaaS to protect your long-term critical business data.
By understanding the significant differences between these two options and evaluating your organization’s needs, you can make an informed decision to safeguard your data and maintain the resilience of your business during disasters.
Visit the Liberty Center One website to explore our range of data protection solutions, or get in touch with us directly.