Online Data Backup

Software as a service (SaaS)-based online backup automatically copies data to another site via a secure connection, and allows for on-demand restoration by users. Often, online computer backup is a SaaS product deployed on an appliance or server at the company’s data center.

Online backup systems typically run on a schedule determined by the purchased level of service.

An organization can get started with online backup services in multiple ways. The initial online backup can stream over a network connection. Depending on the method used and the amount of data, the initial off-site backup could take days or weeks.

Cloud backup providers often offer a cloud seeding option for a customer’s first backup. Instead of doing the intital backup over the network — which can be time-consuming for large amounts of data — the provider sends a disk appliance to the customer, who places their backup data on the appliance. The customer then ships the appliance back to the provider, who copies the data to its own server. Subsequent customer backups only need to move changed blocks of data over the network.

By frequently or continuously backing up data remotely, the risk of data loss is significantly diminished. With a high-speed connection and a web browser interface, remote files and folders appear as they are stored externally.

Advantages and features of online backup services

Online data backup is a cost-effective alternative to on-premises tape and disk backup, which can take more time and labor. Tape and disk backup are also harder to scale, and are more prone to errors that can result in lost data.