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What Is Disaster Recovery In The Cloud?
Cloud disaster recovery refers to strategies and services employed by enterprises for backing up data, applications, and resources within their cloud environment.
Cloud disaster recovery (DR) technology safeguards corporate resources while ensuring business continuity. Enterprises can recover their data in case of a disaster from backup versions stored locally or cloud-based; one key advantage is automated processes that scale rapidly according to business requirements.
Cloud Disaster Recovery: Why Is It Important?
Uptime Institute recently conducted a survey revealing that 44% of organizations experienced major outages that significantly hindered their businesses, most often caused by power outages. Enterprises should implement an appropriate DR plan in such situations to quickly recover data when power fails while continuing normal operations as quickly as possible.
Disaster recovery (DR) solutions can ensure business continuity during system or network failure, including natural disasters and cyber-attacks. Traditional DR solutions tend to be expensive and complex as they rely heavily on resources on-site.
Cloud disaster recovery (DR) provides a more straightforward, less expensive solution. Cloud DR is often a SaaS offering that's easily scaled to meet any business need, featuring user-friendly interfaces that can be deployed rapidly for maximum flexibility and scalability. Cloud DR provides cost-efficient protection that offers flexibility and cost savings for any organization.
Cloud Disaster Recovery Vs. Traditional Disaster Recovery
In a traditional disaster recovery procedure, redundant copies of the data are stored in a second data center. These are the critical components of on-premises traditional data recovery.
- A Dedicated Facility: Is dedicated to all IT infrastructure, including staff and equipment.
- The Capacity of the Server: Designed for high performance and scalability.
- Internet and Bandwidth: To allow remote access to secondary data centers
- Network Infrastructure: Provides a reliable connection between the two data centers and ensures data availability.
There are several drawbacks to a traditional DR.
- Highly Complex: A local data recovery site is complex to monitor and manage.
- High Costs: Setting up and maintaining local sites can be expensive and time-consuming.
- Limited Scalability: To expand your site's server capacity, you must buy additional equipment. Expanding your local site can be expensive in terms of both time and money.
Cloud DR is a great way to solve these problems. How to:
- Cloud DR doesn't require a Site Local: Cloud does not need a site local. Use existing cloud resources to create a second site.
- Scalability: Cloud resources can be easily increased or decreased based on the demand. No equipment is required.
- Flexible Pricing: Cloud providers offer flexible pricing models, including on-demand pay-as-you-go resources and discounts for longer term commitments.
- Cloud DR for Quick Disaster Recovery: CloudDR allows you to restore your system in just a few minutes from anywhere, as long as you have an Internet connection.
- No Single Point of Failure: The cloud lets you store backup data across multiple geographical locations.Network infrastructure--cloud vendors continuously work to improve and secure their infrastructure, provide support and maintenance, and release updates as needed.
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How to Create a Cloud Disaster Recovery Plan
A cloud-based disaster-recovery plan usually involves three key steps: analysis, implementation, and testing.
The Analysis of the Problem
Your disaster recovery plan's analysis phase should include a risk assessment and an impact analysis of your current IT infrastructure. After identifying these risks, it is possible to identify disasters or vulnerabilities.
After collecting all this data, you can determine how well your infrastructure can meet these challenges and the Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) for your workloads.
Implementation
The implementation phase helps outline steps and technologies required to deal with disasters when they happen. Creating a plan that will help you respond quickly and implement the necessary measures is essential. Four key steps are involved in a DR deployment:
- Preparedness - A detailed plan that explains how to react during an event, with clear roles and responsibilities.
- Prevention - Measures to minimize potential threats. This includes employee training and regular updates.
- Response - Manual and automated measures to provide quick response in disasters.
- Recovery - Manual and automated methods to quickly restore data for regular operation.
Testing
You need to test and update your plan to ensure its viability regularly. You can ensure that your employees are adequately trained, and the plan is still relevant for your business.
You must also ensure that your automated and technological processes work correctly and are always ready for use. You can also use testing to identify gaps in your plan and make necessary updates.
Protecting Data Effortlessly
Our low-cost storage solutions can store up to 1.5 Petabytes of data. These appliances can easily be deployed remotely at remote sites where data can be saved directly via integrated tools.
As another option, a hybrid setup allows quick local access while keeping backup copies in the cloud in case of disasters.
Here are a few tips to make the most out of cloud-based disaster recovery plans. This article details how cloud environments can support disaster recovery workflows and create personalized plans in the cloud that fit all your individual needs.
Cloud Disaster Recovery
Cloud Disaster Recovery is using cloud resources to restore data and infrastructure to a working state. Three basic methods are available to utilize the cloud for disaster recovery.
Cloud Disaster Recovery
First, you can use the cloud to store your backups and then retrieve them after a disaster. Cloud-based disaster recovery is a great way to benefit from the affordable data storage cloud providers offer. This approach simplifies backups because you can store all your data in one place within the cloud.
Cloud disaster recovery is only effective if you can access your local IT system when disaster strikes. You won't be able to recover your data if your servers or storage media are disrupted due to an event that caused data loss, such as a flood, fire, or impact on your local data center.
Disaster Recovery to the Cloud
The second method of disaster recovery in the cloud is to back up data locally, then restore it to virtual machines or databases running on a cloud platform. This eliminates the requirement for on-site physical infrastructure available after a disaster. Instead, You can quickly restore data into virtual environments that run in the cloud.
If you keep your data backups locally, they may get destroyed in a local disaster.
Cloud-to-Cloud Disaster Recovery
By storing your backups in the cloud and recovering them in the cloud simultaneously, you can get the best of both worlds. This approach allows you to create virtual machines in the cloud and populate these with your data stored in cloud backups in case of an on-premises disaster.
This strategy will separate your backup data and your backup infrastructure from the local data center. It may speed up disaster recovery because, in general, it takes less time to transfer data between a cloud environment and on-premises environments or vice versa. This is because the networks that are part of the cloud provide much higher bandwidth than the public Internet, which connects the cloud with external environments.
Disaster recovery on the cloud will cost you the highest amount, as it is required to keep the backup storage and infrastructure within the cloud.
Cloud Disaster Recovery Configuration
You can reduce the cost of disaster recovery in the cloud by selecting a configuration that best suits your budget and needs. Four basic options are available, each catering to different RTO/RPO requirements.
Simple Backup and Recovery
Cloud disaster recovery is the most straightforward configuration. Back up your data on-premises to the cloud and restore it when needed. The most straightforward and least expensive approach is to use this method. It's essential to determine whether or not you can move data from your cloud environment quickly to on-premises to meet RTO/RPO requirements.
Pilot Light
In a "pilot-light" configuration, you set up your backup infrastructure in the cloud (VMs, databases, and whatever else you may need) but turn it off until needed. This approach is cost-effective because most cloud service providers do not charge for resources that are not in use.
Warm Standby
You can also use warm standby if you are on a tighter budget. Warm standby allows you to set up and run a cloud backup anytime. So there's no need to spend time setting it up. You can meet RPO/RTO requirements by using warm standby.
Multi-Site
You may choose a cloud configuration with multiple sites for disaster recovery if you can meet your RTO/RPO needs. This approach allows you to keep backup copies in several cloud zones. You can perform disaster recovery if you keep redundant copies of your infrastructure up and running. This configuration is also the most expensive.
Cloud Disaster Recovery Planning
You should consider several factors when deciding on the right plan to recover from disasters in the cloud.
- RPO/RTO: For how long will your company be able to operate with usually working systems? Cloud-based disaster recovery is more likely needed if you require data restoration quickly.
- Cloud Disaster Recovery Plan: Your cloud recovery plan will be more complex the more you invest. With more financial resources, you can take advantage of warm standby and multi-site configurations for disaster recovery. These will provide faster recovery at a higher price.
- Administration: As you create your cloud disaster recovery plan, consider how long it will take to manage all the resources and environments you want to use. As you develop your cloud disaster-recovery plan, consider how much administration time your team has to spare.
Read More: Utilizing Cloud Computing for Disaster Recovery Solutions
Cloud Disaster Recovery: Building an Effective Solution
You can create a disaster recovery cloud solution that meets your specific needs by combining all the above mentioned components. Three basic steps are required.
Choose the Approach
Decide which cloud-based disaster management approach you will use. Cloud-to-cloud recovery may be your best option if you have the budget. You can also choose only to do disaster recovery in the cloud.
Choose the Cloud Vendor
You'll have to choose the right cloud platform for your disaster recovery services, no matter what parts you decide to host there. This article needs to be able to cover this subject in detail. Still, our article on choosing a provider will provide helpful information.
The Best Cloud Disaster Recovery Solutions
Acronis
Acronis offers solutions for backup, disaster recovery, and secure access. Acronis also protects data in any environment, including cloud, mobile, physical, and virtual. Acronis' flagship product Acronis True Image offers backup, storage, and restoration features. The demands for IT archiving, disaster recovery, and backup are met by Acronis Disaster Recovery as a Service Solutions (DRaaS).
Axcient
Axcient offers cloud-based data recovery and disaster recovery to companies of any size. Axcient Fusion's Disaster Recovery as a Service product can replicate all of an organization's data centers in the cloud. Fusion allows users to restore and access data on any device. Users can also failover their IT systems and virtualize a business using a deduplicated version. It was designed to be run in the cloud, offering RTOs of one hour and eight hours.
Carbonite
Carbonite provides cloud-based and hybrid solutions to small and medium businesses. Carbonite also offers end-to-end data protection solutions, including high availability, workload migration, endpoint security, and endpoint protection. Carbonite Recover is a Disaster Recovery as a Service solution that allows customers to pay as needed.
Druva
Druva provides data management and protection for the cloud age. Druva's cloud platform, built on AWS, is a service that gives enterprises access to scalable and autonomous data resilience. Customers of Druva can save money by eliminating hardware and capacity planning and software management. It is also the only provider to offer a cloud-native Software as a Service solution for backups and disaster recoveries.
Evolve IP
Cloud services are provided by Evolve IP. The company provides cloud services such IP Telephony, Unified Communications, Contact Centers, Virtual Servers, Virtual Desks, Disaster Recovery, and so on. The self-service disaster recovery and cloud backup capabilities of the Evolve IP Disaster Recovery as a Service suite (DRaaS) are completely controlled. This demonstrates a solid relationship with top catastrophe recovery businesses.
Expedient
Cloud, colocation, and Data Center Infrastructure as a Service provider Expedient. The vendor delivers its DRaaS solutions hosted in its data centers and as a separate Service to users who host their production workloads on-prem or at other locations with On-Site private cloud appliances. Expedient is a part of an 11-data-center countrywide network. Virtualization, cloud computing, remote backups, equipment management, and storage area networking are available. Disaster recovery is also offered. Expedient offers its services to various enterprises, such as commercial, educational, and government organizations.
Flexible
Flexential offers cloud-based IT infrastructure services, including private network and managed services. Data storage in the cloud and managed security are other critical capabilities. Flexential operates 40 data centers in 15 different states across the U.S.A., Canada, and The Netherlands. Recovery Cloud is the company's Disaster Recovery as a Service solution (DRaaS). It allows users to recover business-critical apps in case of a catastrophe. The user can create their custom recovery solution by choosing from the multiple recovery levels.
IBM
IBM provides a wide range of consulting and technology services. The vendor offers predictive analytics, systems management, software development, and Disaster Recovery as a Service. IBM's DRaaS continuously replicates data, critical systems, and infrastructure. The vendor also offers managed services for recovering business-critical applications, systems, data, and processes in various environments.
iland
The iland cloud service provider is an international company. This vendor provides secure, compliant, and safe hosting services for infrastructure as a Service(IaaS), Backup as a Service(BaaS), or Disaster Recovery as a Service. iland offers cloud services through its data centers in the Americas and Europe. It also has centers in Australia and Asia. Over the last year, iland added new managed services.
Infrascale
Infrascale created the world's first cloud-based data protection system that allows users to failover, recover, or restore applications, sites, systems, and data at the touch of a single button. This provider protects over one million devices and serves over 50,000 clients worldwide. Infrascale's Disaster Recovery as a Service solution (DRaaS) allows users to select how to failover their system. The vendor aims to eliminate downtimes and data losses when recovering after a disaster.
InterVision
InterVision purchased Disaster Recovery as a Service provider Bluelock in 2018. The vendor offers infrastructure as a Service tool, specializing in disaster recovery and cloud computing. InterVision offers Virtual Cloud Computing via IaaS. Users can subscribe for the computing, storage, and bandwidth they need. Bluelock Solutions can also protect sensitive data in complex environments and support them. InterVision offers solutions for on-premises, private and public clouds.
Microsoft
Microsoft is an international company that develops and manufactures software products and services, licenses them, and provides support and sales. Microsoft Azure offers enterprise-level tools, such as virtual machines, storage in the cloud, applications, and backups to the cloud. Azure Site Recovery, Microsoft's Disaster Recovery as a Service solution (DRaaS), covers Linux, Windows, HyperV virtual machines, and physical servers.
NTT Communications
NTT Communications offers managed infrastructure services backed up by an extensive global infrastructure. The infrastructure includes Tier-1 networks in over 190 different countries. The DRaaS service from the provider offers flexible disaster recovery testing and a web-based secure control panel that provides real-time insight into servers and networks. Cloud Recovery, a service from NTT Communications, protects businesses by replicating operating systems, apps, and data to an NTT replica cloud environment in real-time.
Quorum
Instant backups can be a great benefit to small and medium businesses. Vendor offers a variety of hybrid cloud solutions and appliances. Quorum OnQ, the company's flagship solution, is available in 3 different versions that can be mixed and matched in any manner. The product is built on the "High Availability Everywhere" architecture of the company. The architecture is flexible and allows cloud, local, or remote configurations.
Recovery Point
Recovery Point provides integrated solutions to ensure business continuity and disaster recovery. It also offers data protection. The provider also places a high priority on cloud-based business resilience services. Recovery Point provides a variety of services, such as Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS), off-site tape storage, managed hosting and subscription-based service for hot, cold, or work sites. It also provides services to commercial clients as well as state and local governments and federal secure agencies. Recovery Point's DRaaS is able to support hybrid solutions that are tailored for any need. Gartner included Recovery Point's DRaaS in its 2020 Market Guide.
StorageCraft
StorageCraft provides backup, disaster recovery and business continuity products for laptops and desktops. StorageCraft provides data migration and protection solutions. StorageCraft aims to improve enterprise security and stability, reduce downtimes, as well as decrease the amount of time that systems are unavailable. StorageCraft is a company that sells data protection and restoration tools through value-added channels and partners. StorageCraft also provides scale-out storage, data replication, data recovery and integrated data security.
Sungard Availability Services
Sungard Availability Services offers disaster recovery software, managed IT service, and business continuity. Disaster Recovery as a service is a scalable hybrid system solution. Sungard AS's recovery services are divided into four main categories: Cloud recovery, Data protection, Workspace recovery and Recovery Management. The company has recovery sites in North America and Canada as well as the United Kingdom and Western Europe.
TierPoint
TierPoint helps clients deploy disaster recovery, connected data centers, and cloud solutions as part of business continuity plans. TierPoint Disaster Recovery as a service combines virtualization, replication, cloud and other technologies in order to provide a solution with all critical data and applications features. Vendor also boasts over 40 datacenters in 20 countries and 8 multi-tenant cloud pods. The network connects them all. TierPoint provides a variety of cloud solutions including hybrid and hyper-scale clouds. TierPoint has raised $320 million in early 2020 via a private equity investment round.
Untrends
Unitrends provides enterprise backup and continuity of software and hardware. Unitrends provides a range of recovery products that are channel-driven. Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS), a vendor solution, includes compliance testing. The vendor compares recovery test results with RPOs/RTOs. Unitrends Appliances for Recovery Series also provide replication, orchestration and automated recovery. Unitrends was recently acquired by the IT management solution provider Kaseya.
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Conclusion
In an era where interruptions are more frequent, businesses must be prepared to recover quickly from unexpected events. Cloud-based disaster recovery solutions are an alternative to traditional methods, offering cost-effectiveness and scalability. They also offer rapid recovery. Cloud-based solutions for disaster recovery can improve resilience, protect assets and ensure business continuity. There are many things you need to take into consideration when creating a cloud-based disaster recovery system.
