Why SaaS Applications Are Not A Backup Solution

Did you know that one third of SaaS users report losing data in the cloud. Storing data in cloud applications is far safer than storing data on on-premise storage systems, but "safe" does not equal "invulnerable". 

Low Data Protection

We have seen that the single leading cause of data loss in the cloud is end user error. Intentional deletion by disgruntled employee, hackers, and external app errors are some other culprits that can lead to company data loss. 

When data loss occurs, it is likely not the fault of the SaaS apps but with a cloud to cloud backup solution, organizations can ensure that their data is being backed up with out limit of point-in-time. 

Take for example, backup measures for Microsoft 365. This application includes local flash copies, encrypted, offline remote backup, and near real-time replication to a data center, Overall, the infrastructure of Microsoft 365 is not unified within all apps. This means that the backup capabilities for the components differ depending on the application. 

Learn 8 things to ask every backup & disaster recovery provider.

Lengthy Data Recovery Process

Provided that data is lost due to human error, malicious attacks, and other reasons, organizations need to think about data recovery options that do not solely rely on the SaaS application itself. It can cost your business thousands of dollars to restore lost data and can prevent you from running day-to-day operations. 

For example, when using a Google app like Google Drive, once an admin deletes any data, the files stay in the trash folder for 30 days. However once an admin deletes an user account all data is irretrievable. 

With a cloud-to-cloud backup solution, cloud data is available whenever its needed. This can ensure that businesses safely and securely restore any historical data without relying on the service provider. Moreover, if malware strikes a system, users can restore data from a point-in-time before the data was hacked without compromise. 

High Data Recovery Limitations

Recovering data can become a long, tedious process with a lot of manual workloads. To make things worse, recovering data through native apps is very limiting- not only in how far back you can restore data but in what you have control over. 

Take for example, Salesforce, where only 3 months of data is recoverable. In this application deleted data goes to a recycle bin and is sent to the "isDeleted" API query. Any data that you wish to recover must be manually imported back into Salesforce. 

As a solution to this issue, we have seen organizations opt for Datto Backupify. where businesses can backup all data without having to delete previous versions. With this solution, data can easily be recovered from last week, last month, or last year. 

Unstable Data Recovery Time

Recovery time is extremely crucial for all businesses that depend on their SaaS applications to run their operations. For example, Salesforce can take up to 15 days minimum to recover any type of data in which during that time frame your business may suffer from being unable to run any type of operations or generate revenue. 

With a cloud-to cloud backup solution, data can be restored directly into the app within minutes without the need to overwrite any previous versions. This will help stabilize recovery time and ensure that your business can continue operating effectively.