The Growing Trend of Data Protection as a Service

June 11, 2018

As business needs grow, so does the level of service required to operate in a technology-driven world. Due to the increased growth in cloud services’ popularity, many businesses are looking to enhance their hosted services to give them access to better benefits such as higher scalability, management, and recovery options.

To better meet their client’s needs, many cloud storage and data security companies are developing “data protection as a service” models. That lets cloud storage providers to monetize and streamline their data protection approaches. Clients get a clear assurance that their data stays safe.

DPaaS also buys something less tangible: peace of mind. Where the service genuinely improves security, it also lifts how customers perceive the company.

What is Data Protection as a Service?

Data protection as a service, or DPaaS, is a group of cloud-delivered services sold on subscription. It protects your data assets. It also strengthens network security and recovery.

DPaaS has many uses. Most often it closes network vulnerabilities and prevents data loss from human error. Paired with other network security tools, DPaaS delivers much better efficiency, security and performance.

DPaaS leads the industry because it layers multiple layers of physical and remote redundancy over crucial data. Those layers then back each other up. For businesses that require completely uninterrupted access to their essential data and applications, the functionality offered by DPaaS is indispensable.

What Types of Services does DPaaS Include?

DPaaS offers three main types of services that currently are the most sought after options for businesses. The three differ in how they are built and sold. The end result is the same: better efficiency, security and performance.

The three components work on slightly different principles. Used together, they optimize reliability and data protection. Businesses that need complete data integrity should treat DPaaS as one comprehensive strategy.

As more companies move online, DPaaS and similar technologies only grow in importance. Hundreds of companies already use DPaaS. In the future, we can expect DPaaS to become the norm in the world of data protection.

BaaS: Backup as a Service

The first of these is Backup-as-a-Service or BaaS. BaaS gives you software that backs up over the internet, so you can recover data quickly. The subscription model means BaaS is continually maintained, updated and improved.

The applications for backup as a service are virtually universal. Every sector understands the appeal of a dependable backup utility. It can prevent substantial financial and intellectual losses, which makes it an attractive service.

For companies that require complete integrity for their data, the services provided by BaaS are absolutely crucial. Hospitals, police departments and other essential services rely on BaaS. Their data stays secure whatever the circumstances, including human error.

DRaaS: Disaster Recovery as a Service

The second service that falls under DPaaS is Disaster-recovery-as-a-services or DRaaS. DRaaS stores entire servers, machines and applications in the cloud. In a crisis, you restore everything to its pre-disaster state.

DRaaS is a last resort for organizations that need unfailing access to data under difficult conditions. It appeals most to companies working in unstable environments, where unpredictable events are hard to avoid.

Even without those constraints, reliably retrieving lost data is an attractive capability. Use in those contexts is usually limited. Still, accidents happen in every environment, so DRaaS is a sensible way to prepare.

STaaS: Storage as a Service

The third DPaaS service is Storage as a Service, or STaaS. It runs on-premises rather than backing up to a cloud server. It copies data to a local destination such as a physical disk, so the business always holds a physical copy.

DPaaS brings all of these services into one solution. You can back up your data, recover it after a disaster, and keep on-premises storage. STaaS differs from DRaaS because it focuses on offline redundancy rather than online.

Despite those differences, storage as a service remains crucial to many data protection strategies. Additionally, many corporate and private users have taken up STaaS protections too. Online content creators are one example. They back up recorded content against channel shutdowns or suspensions.

DPaaS: A New Trend for Businesses?

Most businesses already use some cloud-based data protection, so the trend is easy to understand. Two factors drive that reliance: disaster recovery and cost-efficiency.

DPaaS gives businesses an affordable route to backup, storage, and disaster recovery options. That level of cost efficiency simply did not exist before. By pricing those services affordably, DPaaS gives businesses the tools they need to succeed.

As technology advances, DPaaS will become more accessible, since the systems underpinning it keep getting more efficient. At this rate, DPaaS could become the industry standard when it comes to data protection and security. For companies looking to maintain their bottom line, this is great news!