Welcome to your Friday morning Coffee break with us here at Cobry. If you haven't been here before, this is the time of the week where you learn as we do about all things Cloud, Google Workspace or Cobry! This week, we are focussing on Google Workspace Backup Solutions. Many people dangerously assume that their data is automatically backed up if they are on the cloud. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Why is being on the cloud not enough?

Put simply, a backup is a duplicate copy of something. Therefore, although safe and secure, having your data on the Cloud is not a backup solution, as there is only one copy. This means that your organisational data is vulnerable to human error such as deletion or misuse.

“But the Google Bin retains deleted items for 30 days!” we hear you say. That's right! However, if deleted prematurely from the bin, your data will be completely removed from Google’s servers, leaving you without the chance to rectify the mistake. Additionally, it is often the case that organisations don't notice missing data until long after 30 days. By which point, it's too late.

Additionally, should your organisational data fall victim to malware, it would be extremely costly, or perhaps impossible, to recover the data which is stored only in one location on the cloud. 

Google Vault

"Ok, so we need to have a copy of our data, that makes sense. But is that not what Google Vault is for?” No - this is a common misconception amongst Google Workspace users. Google Vault is a great Workspace App in which data can be easily retained, searched for and exported. Vault is designed to help organisations meet eDiscovery and data compliance requirements imposed on them by governing bodies. An important distinction to make is that Google Vault does not have a recovery function. This means that if data is deleted from Vault, there is no way of recovering it. To further understand the uses for Google Vault and how it differs from backup, check out its blog. 

Data Backup Solutions

Hopefully by now you have realised that by simply being on the cloud, your data is not backed up. So, which backup solution do Cobry recommend? 

We partner with Afi, a Cloud to Cloud data backup tool which integrates with Google Workspace. Afi leverages AI to automate data protection and as such, has established itself as one of the most reliable and modern backup solutions on the market. By using Afi, your organisational data is backed up multiple times per day. Additionally, any deleted data can be quickly and easily restored to your Workspace account thanks to Afi’s exceptional search capabilities. If you’d like to learn more about Afi and how it protects your data, check out our Afi - Everything you Need to Know guide.

What makes a good Data Backup solution?

Providing our clients with the best services and solutions is our number one priority. That means thoroughly assessing all options in the market when it comes to 3rd party tools. There are four parameters that determine the quality and efficacy of a backup solution. They are: backup speed, restoration period, ease of use and the backup partner scheme. 

Data Backup Speed

A good backup provider will have settings in place that ensure backups are completed quickly. For example, Afi performs block backups which means that whenever a backup is run, it is only new or edited data that is backed up. Therefore, Backups are completed quicker and more efficiently.

Restoration Period

We define a quality backup solution as one that has a quick restoration period. This means minimal time between a file being identified as missing and it being restored back into the user's account. This is important in order to reduce disruption for our clients and allow you to work with your important data as quickly as possible. 

Ease of Use

An easy-to-use backup solution is also important in order to be able to use the tool quickly and easily. Thus, we searched the market for a backup solution which was both effective and user-friendly.

Partner Scheme

Finally, a good partner scheme was essential in our choice. This was to ensure the ability to communicate quickly and effectively with the backup provider, in order to service our clients at the highest possible standard. 

Through our investigation, we decided that Afi met, and exceeded, all of these parameters. Since partnering with Afi, together we have provided many clients with an exceptional backup solution and have prevented data loss. 

So, why backup? 

In sum, choosing a backup solution such as Afi is a preventative measure which safeguards your organisational data from mistakes or misuse. By investing a small amount in a backup solution, you are budgeting for the protection of your data, rather than the cost of its recovery. As our Managing Director Colin points out:

“ A basic principle in running a business is to manage and mitigate risk. The cost of putting a backup solution in place to mitigate the risk of data loss is absolutely minimal compared to the cost of recovering your data without one.” 

If you’d like our support in getting started with Afi, please get in touch.