Enterprise backup solutions are a crucial security measure for organizations that want to protect themselves from extensive data loss. These solutions use software and hardware to transfer data from an organization’s primary storage medium to a secondary device, which allows organizations to recover mission-critical files during a ransomware attack, natural disaster, or other event.
Cloud-based enterprise recovery solutions provide better protection than storing backup files in onsite data centers. A dedicated enterprise backup solution can facilitate a faster infrastructure rebuild than other data storage practices, allowing businesses to resume normal operations rapidly. Information loss can directly risk an organization’s functions. Whether the data losses are negligible (archives, such as spreadsheets, documents, presentations, etc.) or very large (such as terabytes of entire databases, program repositories, computer images, multimedia files, etc.), the effects on a corporation can be disastrous.
Gartner defines Enterprise Backup and Recovery Software Solutions as:
“Enterprise backup and recovery software solutions are vendor-developed solutions designed to capture a point-in-time copy (backup) of enterprise workloads in on-premises, hybrid, multicloud, and SaaS environments. These solutions involve writing data to a secondary storage target with the intent of enabling data recovery in the event of loss. They are available in various forms, including software-only, hardware or virtualized appliance, or as a SaaS-based model, commonly known as backup as a service (BaaS).”
Challenges of Enterprise Backup and Recovery Solutions
Shrinking Backup Windows
Backup solutions that deliver exceptional performance without compromising application and system availability are becoming increasingly necessary as shrinking backup windows are becoming the norm. Additionally, evolving regulatory landscapes demand stricter compliance, burdening enterprise backup solutions.
Ransomware Threats
The surge in businesses relying on cloud technologies has encouraged hackers to target enterprise data via ransomware and other nefarious methods. Consequently, companies must invest in enterprise data backup solutions, serving as a crucial recourse in the face of successful cyberattacks. Best practices advocate deploying cloud backups alongside ransomware or disaster recovery plans to ensure uninterrupted business operations.
Data Protection in Cloud Environments
Data is no longer confined to traditional on-premises infrastructure. The rise of public, private, and hybrid cloud environments has introduced new complexities in data protection. Organizations need solutions that can seamlessly safeguard data across diverse cloud environments.
Fragmentation of Backup Solutions
Many organizations are hindered by using multiple siloed enterprise backup solutions, often acquired through organic growth or mergers and acquisitions. This fragmentation impedes data protection efforts and increases management overhead.
Surge in Data Volume
The proliferation of data-driven technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT), HPC, big data, video applications, and data-intensive applications, has resulted in an exponential surge in data volume. Organizations are grappling with the sheer scale of data they need to deduplicate, backup and restore.
Impact of Business Size on Enterprise Backup Solutions
Business size significantly influences enterprise backup and recovery solutions that address distinct data management and file backup challenges. These tailored solutions effectively mitigate threats to business continuity encountered by businesses of varying scales.
Large Enterprises
Large-scale enterprises, often operating across diverse locations, confront challenges such as data sprawl and data silos. These expansive teams utilize various applications for core tasks and collaborative efforts. Accordingly, the focus for large businesses should be on enterprise backup solutions capable of accommodating multi-cloud environments.
Small or Medium-Sized Businesses (SMBs)
Contrarily, small or medium-sized businesses (SMBs) primarily contend with the challenge of data deluge. Although these businesses might not rely on multiple data storage mediums, they invariably grapple with managing an influx of information surpassing their capacity.
Comprehensive Capabilities of Backup and Recovery Solutions
Essential Capabilities
A complete backup and recovery solution must possess indispensable capabilities that cater to diverse data environments and recovery needs:
- On-Premises and Cloud Data Backup: Capability to backup and recover data from on-premises data center infrastructure, covering operating systems, files, databases, virtual machines, and applications. Additionally, the ability to manage data stored in public cloud environments, including multi-cloud and hybrid architectures like Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS).
- Multiple Point-in-Time Copies: Creating and managing numerous point-in-time copies of backups to support resiliency, disaster recovery, and various other use cases.
- Customizable Backup Policies: Capability to assign and manage multiple backup and retention policies aligning with the organization’s recovery point objectives and recovery time objectives.
- Task Reporting: Reporting functionalities that track and communicate the success and failure of backup and recovery tasks.
Standard Capabilities
In addition to essential functionalities, standard capabilities define the baseline performance and operational features:
- Tiered Backup: Ability to store backup data across multiple targets, including public cloud, backup and recovery providers, and object storage.
- Integration with Immutable Storage: Integration with immutable storage targets or vendor-specific immutable storage to enhance data security.
- Disaster and Ransomware Orchestration: Orchestrating testing and recovery processes for disaster and ransomware scenarios.
- Centralized Management Console: A centralized console for managing a distributed backup solution infrastructure.
Optional Advanced Capabilities
Advanced functionalities, though optional, can significantly augment the utility and scope of a backup and recovery solution:
- Expanded Data Use Cases: Capability to extend backup data usage to support data discovery, compliance, copy data management, test/development, and e-discovery.
- Workload Protection: Extending protection to various workloads such as containers, object storage, remote branch offices, and endpoints.
- Ransomware Detection and Prevention: Vendor-provided or integrated capabilities for ransomware detection and malware prevention.
- Immutable Data Vaults and Recovery Environments: Provision of immutable data vaults or isolated recovery environments to enhance data security.
- Bare-Metal Recovery: Capability to perform bare-metal recovery for comprehensive restoration of systems.
Enterprise Backup and Recovery Software Solutions Leaders
Dell Technologies
Expertise of Dell Technologies in Enterprise Backup and Recovery Solutions
Dell Technologies showcases a robust array of backup and recovery solutions. Its suite, including PowerProtect Data Manager, PowerProtect Cyber Recovery, CyberSense, Dell NetWorker, Dell Avamar, and Dell APEX Backup Services, alongside the PowerProtect DP series and PowerProtect DD series appliances, caters to a diverse clientele, predominantly comprising large enterprises. Dell has notably expanded the capabilities of PowerProtect Data Manager over the past year. Notable enhancements encompass Microsoft Distributed File System backup and recovery, file-level recovery for Dynamic NAS Protection, and robust support for PowerProtect Cloud Snapshot Manager with Google Cloud. Recent offerings such as PowerProtect Data Manager Appliance (DM5500), PowerProtect Cyber for Azure and Google, and CyberSense for AWS underscore Dell’s commitment to innovation and adaptability.
Rubrik
Rubrik’s comprehensive portfolio features Rubrik Security Cloud, covering various backup solutions, advanced data security, and recovery options. Primarily serving large enterprises across diverse geographic locations, Rubrik has actively enhanced its offerings during the evaluation period. These enhancements include introducing a machine learning model for ransomware detection, expanded support for ransomware detection within Nutanix and Microsoft hypervisors, and improved recovery capabilities for VMware environments. The Data Security Command Center also bolsters overall security posture access while offering threat containment mechanisms for isolating malware within backups.
Rubrik’s Operational Strengths
Rubrik showcases innovation in its strategy, pricing models, and product packaging, expanding its security-centric backup and recovery offerings. This includes implementing user-tiered pricing for Microsoft 365 and streamlining product packages. Within its suite, Rubrik excels in safeguarding backup systems and data against cyber threats, integrating robust measures such as anomaly detection and efficient recovery features to combat ransomware. Rubrik’s scalable solutions and exceptional customer support consistently attract significant adoption within the enterprise realm, frequently displacing various competitive solutions.
Veeam
Veeam offers an extensive backup portfolio centered around the Veeam Data Platform. This platform encompasses Veeam Backup & Replication, Veeam ONE, and Veeam Recovery Orchestrator. With a geographically diversified operational landscape, it caters to clients across the enterprise, midmarket, and SMB segments. Veeam has released 24 product updates in the past year, including Veeam v12, introducing features like direct-to-object storage, Azure immutability, enhanced NAS protection, and deeper integration with Kasten. Moreover, Veeam has introduced new pricing packages that combine various Data Platform products.
Veeam’s Core Competencies
- Loyal Customer Base: Veeam’s sustained expansion and retention within its customer base, coupled with active engagement in user group communities like Veeam Community, underscore a remarkable level of customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Hybrid and Multicloud Support: The Veeam Data Platform ensures a seamless recovery experience across major public cloud providers, offering a cohesive approach for hybrid, multi-cloud, and cross-cloud recovery, specifically tailored for frequently utilized workloads.
- Extensive Partner Network: Accessible through a global network of authorized partners, Veeam’s offerings span a broad spectrum, encompassing resellers, alliances, implementation partners, and Managed Service Providers (MSPs). This expansive network enhances the accessibility and availability of Veeam’s solutions worldwide.
Veritas
Veritas provides an extensive backup product portfolio comprising NetBackup, NetBackup Appliances, Backup Exec, and an array of Veritas Alta cloud offerings like Alta View, Alta BaaS, Alta Data Protection, Alta Recovery Vault, and Alta SaaS Protection. With operations spanning diverse geographical regions, Veritas predominantly serves large enterprises while maintaining a presence in the mid-market. Over the past 12 months, Veritas introduced its Alta cloud offerings, encompassing a cloud-based SaaS control plane, BaaS, and expanded support for SaaS applications like Salesforce and Google Workspace within NetBackup, incorporating support for 13 new database PaaS workloads, isolated recovery on Flex Scale appliances, NAS malware scanning, and GCP immutability.
Cohesity
Cohesity boasts a comprehensive backup product portfolio that includes Data Protect and Backup as a Service (BaaS) termed Data Protect delivered as a service. Operating across North America, Western Europe, and Asia/Pacific regions, Cohesity primarily serves clients within the upper midmarket and enterprise segments. During the assessment period, it unveiled FortKnox, a vendor-managed cloud vault storage that integrates threat detection and data classification capabilities in a new solution, DataHawk. Further expansions involved database integrations within Data Protect, broadening SAP coverage, and extending support to PostgreSQL and Couchbase. Additionally, an OEM partnership with IBM was announced, incorporating Cohesity’s data protection into IBM’s Storage Defender solution.
Cohesity’s Key Elements
- Unified and Streamlined Management: Cohesity Helios, functioning as a SaaS-based control plane, offers centralized and intuitive administrative capabilities, ensuring uniform management across its entire backup product suite.
- Multicloud BaaS and Storage Options: Cohesity’s Data Protect is delivered as a service, and Fort Knox products allow customers to select from multiple cloud storage locations, including AWS and Azure, for their data plane storage needs.
- Security Alliance Strategy: Cohesity actively collaborates with multiple vendors in the security market through its Data Security Alliance. This initiative aims to foster collaborative solutions and integrated products to address customers’ data security and resilience concerns comprehensively.
Commvault
Commvault presents a diverse portfolio encompassing Commvault Backup & Recovery, Commvault Disaster Recovery, Commvault HyperScale X, Metallic SaaS portfolio and Metallic ThreatWise. With operations spread across various geographical regions, Commvault primarily serves large enterprises. It introduced several enhancements throughout the evaluation period, including support for MongoDB Atlas, Hyper-V Live Recovery, Couchbase, Amazon VPC Protection, and a malware scanning capability during backup content recovery. Notably, within its Metallic offering, Commvault expanded support for Azure databases—SQL Server, Cosmos DB, MariaDB, MySQL, and PostgreSQL—alongside enabling self-service restores for Exchange Online and OneDrive.
Commvault Metallic ensures comprehensive coverage across SaaS, multi-cloud, on-premises, and endpoints, enhanced by OCI protection, BYOOCI storage, and novel features like Metallic File/Object Archive and Metallic ThreatWise. Meanwhile, Commvault Backup & Recovery software offers broad capabilities across on-premises, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments, supporting major public clouds—Azure, AWS, GCP, and OCI. With competitive per-VM pricing, Commvault enables broader access to enterprise-grade features, expanding its market reach and accessibility.
FAQs
1. What are enterprise backup solutions, and why are they important?
Enterprise backup solutions are software and hardware tools that transfer data from an organization’s primary storage to a secondary device. They play a vital role in protecting businesses from extensive data loss during events like ransomware attacks or natural disasters by allowing the recovery of critical files.
2. Why are cloud-based backup solutions preferred over onsite data centers?
Cloud-based recovery solutions offer better protection compared to storing backup files onsite. They enable faster infrastructure rebuilds, ensuring rapid resumption of operations. Cloud solutions mitigate risks associated with data loss, a critical threat to an organization’s functions.
3. How do enterprise backup solutions cater to businesses of different sizes?
The impact of business size on backup solutions is significant. Large enterprises often face data sprawl challenges and require solutions accommodating multi-cloud environments. In contrast, small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) manage data deluge and need scalable cloud backup solutions, especially during rapid growth phases.
4. What are the essential capabilities of a robust backup and recovery solution?
Key capabilities include backing up data from on-premises and cloud environments, creating multiple point-in-time copies for resiliency, defining customizable backup policies, task reporting, and seamless management through centralized consoles.
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