Best cloud backup and recovery tips: A primer on cloud data backup

Cloud backup tip #1

Cloud backup best practices: A tutorial on evaluating cloud backup services: Cloud backup services are now considered by many to be the way to back up moderate (less than 1 TB) amounts of data, including backing up your data at home. The challenge is that a new cloud backup vendor seems to pop up every day. How does one select a service from among so many vendors? Which of the cloud backup vendors is right for your data backup and recovery environment? In this tutorial, by backup expert W. Curtis Preston, learn about cloud data backup strategies for enterprises.

Cloud backup tip #2

Get the right service-level agreement with cloud backup services: There are a number of items that must be taken into consideration before entering into an agreement with a cloud data backup service provider. In this tip, read about what should be on your checklist when you talk to a cloud backup provider, and most importantly, some of the major items that should be addressed in a cloud backup service-level agreement with your new cloud backup service.

Cloud backup tip #3

Data security concerns with cloud backup technology: Everyone seems to be on the online backup bandwagon. It's convenient, it requires little effort, and it'll ensure you get those backups completed and offsite once and for all. Cloud data backup offers a lot of value, however, there are downsides you absolutely need to be aware of. There's too high a price to pay to bury your head in the sand over something so important. Learn about important data security concerns with cloud backup in this tip by security expert Kevin Beaver.

Cloud backup tip #4

IBM and Verizon look to draw large firms to cloud data backup: IBM Corp. and Verizon Business are looking to draw large enterprises to cloud data backup by combining Verizon's virtual private network (VPN) services with IBM's cloud data backup client software. The two companies claim that using Verizon's VPN rather than the public Internet to transport backup data will ease concerns about the security and performance of cloud data storage at the high end. In this news article, learn about IBM and Verizon's cloud backup service.

Cloud backup tip #5

Cloud data backup management: Users see new options for cloud storage administration: Management isn't always the No. 1 concern that comes to mind when storage and backup administrators are considering cloud data backup. One of the reasons that companies outsource their data backups to cloud data backup service providers is to offload the burden of monitoring, maintaining and supporting the backup infrastructure. But, tracking key metrics can be helpful, and users are seeing improving options, depending on their cloud backup services.

Managing cloud backup often starts with a Web-based graphical user interface (GUI) that provides a single-pane or dashboard view showing such information as which data backups were successful, where the files are located and how much space was consumed. Users also generally get basic backup reporting capabilities and can keep tabs on billing and costs. In this article, learn all about cloud backup management.

Editor's tip: For even more information on cloud backup and recovery, bookmark our special section on cloud backup tips, news, trends and tutorials.