SaaS (Software as a Service) is a revolution in the licensing and usage structure of software services.
Unlike a license purchased for the one-time installation of software or an application in the systems, in the SaaS systems, the users are paying as per the use, and this is a common phenomenon across Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or many other clouds computing service offerings.
Related: Microsoft 365 Periodic Table (2022 Updated)
The SaaS service model of software comes with multiple user benefits and features. This includes SLAs (service level agreements) ensuring service quality, measures for uptime, assurance for business continuity plans, etc.
The reality in the case of the SLAs detailed is about how the service providers are assuring SaaS backup measures.
The general perception about the data backup related assurances in the SaaS services is reading that the services will be available with maximum uptime and that all the services of SaaS are backed up.
If the services from one server are down, the backup servers are up and running, and the business continuity plans can be robust.
However, the challenge that SaaS do not notice is that the SaaS backup is available with the cloud solutions for the applications and their maintenance, but there is hardly any data backup for user level data backup in the user systems.
In simple terms, in any instance of a security breach or disaster scenario wherein a SaaS application servers are have a technical issue, there is a data backup for the application system, and in a quick turnaround time, the application is made available again.
But the service contract does not guarantee data backup or security for the consumer’s user level data from the application.
Now the question arises why we need data backup when we are using the SaaS applications, and everything is managed over the cloud solutions in the SaaS environment.
There are many reasons why one needs to be attentive and should consider SaaS backup. Here are some intrinsic reasons why businesses must consider SaaS data backup.
Human Error
Every SaaS application has certain provisions and flexibility for the users to manage their data as preferred.
In an illustrative scenario, when a user has the customer’s information in a CRM module and during an attempt to edit a customer data, rather than deleting one record, accidentally might click on all record delete.
In the absence of a proper data backup, all your customer data vanishes in seconds.
As a client, you will be lucky if the SaaS backup service providers might have any data backup for customer data.
Else, they are not obligated to provide any user level data backup as per SLAs.
The same logic can apply to cloud-based data management. If there happens to be a human error because of which the data backup from the cloud drive is deleted, the scope of retrieving it can be challenging.
One of the prime reasons why consumers need an additional cloud based data backup solution apart from the SaaS backup is to have a professional data backup for their user level data generated.
Intrusion and Intended Damages
The other critical aspect is about the intrusions and intended damages.
While the human errors attributed to the data backup issue are genuine and unintentional, there could be some intentional attempts to breach the data and erase the data records.
While in the common business application systems this might appear unrealistic, there are many reported data breaches, wherein the businesses have observed purposeful deletion of records or damage to the data from the internal users too.
In such conditions, the challenge remains a big threat, as more critical data could be erased, and it might be challenging to retrieve the records if there are not adequate data backup systems for the SaaS data backup.
Ineffective Data Management Plans
Realizing the importance of data backup, in many large corporations and SMBs, one resourceful attempt is to take data backup periodically into an external drive and store them securely.
This process is also carried out as part of the data archive process.
However, the challenge in this kind of data backup is that the information in the SaaS backup only periodically and not in an automated scenario.
Thus, if the backup is taken last month and any interruption in the current scenario, all the latest records are compromised which can hamper business.
Ransomware Attacks
The other critical reason for the SaaS backup systems and data backup is the ransomware attacks prevailing as a critical threat.
When the business systems are under cyber-attack, extortion is a challenging scenario.
Having the right kind of SaaS backup solutions ensures that the data is backed up on a remote location even on a real-time basis, or as on hourly backup kind of systems.
This can be configured for SaaS software data and to have a data backup for user level information. Thus, the damage in retrieving the data and ensuring the systems are up and running can be simpler with SaaS data backups.
Let’s understand how some of the comprehensive service providers in cyber security services offer SaaS data backup as an integral solution.
In the SaaS backup features offered, the clients can choose the frequency of data backup, and accordingly, the system shall back up all the data from the SaaS applications too.
Be it business applications, email, or cloud storage, all the requisite data is backed up by SaaS backup solutions like Acronis cloud backup.
Despite that, some naysayers argue about a too pessimistic approach, and multiple sets of data backup options, one simple fact as prevention is better than cure stand priority.
Preventing any scenario wherein users repent for not backing up the data from SaaS applications can be mitigated and there is always the confidence and scope for retrieval of data from the systems.
For more information on the SaaS backup features and how Acronis backup can be a resourceful solution for the cyber security process and SaaS backup, reach out to the Exabytes Malaysia customer support team.
The Exabytes Malaysia sales professionals and specialists would be more than happy to provide guidance on what would be the best SaaS backup plan for a business, and how one can get maximum benefits from the selected plan of SaaS backup solutions.
Related topics:
Acronis Cloud Backup for Microsoft 365
