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CLOUD (BaaS) Backup as a Service Options Fit for Your Needs Data loss can threaten the integrity of your business, especially if data is your
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How to Effectively Protect Your Data Using the 3-2-1-1-0 Golden Backup Rule
Mary Ann Labricciosa
About the author: As a Product Manager at Acronym, Mary Ann draws on over 20 years of B2B product management expertise, working collaboratively with cross-functional teams to achieve success.
In today’s data-driven world, where data volumes are growing exponentially, securing data and reinforcing backup strategies are critical for organizations of every size. Reliable data backup and recovery solutions not only mitigate risks but also strengthen business continuity plans, which are essential in safeguarding a company’s reputation, finances, and customer trust. Achieving robust data backup and recovery strategies demands careful planning, specialized expertise, and proactive measures.
The 3-2-1-1-0 Golden Backup Rule is widely regarded as a best practice in data protection. This strategic framework emphasizes maintaining multiple copies of data across diverse storage mediums, with at least one backup kept offline. Regular testing of backups is also recommended to ensure data can be accurately restored when needed.
Why is data protection critical
Data loss is a formidable challenge for organizations and can stem from various sources: hardware malfunctions, human error, cyber-attacks, and natural disasters. The rise in ransomware incidents globally – including notable cases in Canada – has further underscored the need for robust backup solutions. Recent data from the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security report highlights that Canada ranks among the top 10 countries targeted by ransomware, with approximately 67% of Canadian businesses reporting an attempted cyber-attack in the past year.
In the event of an attack, downtime can be extensive and costly. In Canada, the average cost of a data breach is approximately CAD$ 6.32 million in 2024, with a substantial portion attributed to lost business. According to Veeam, the average recovery time after a ransomware attack was 3.4 weeks in 2024 – equivalent to 136 business hours of downtime, enough time to fly from New York to Beijing seven times. That’s why a strong data backup strategy is essential to ensure operational continuity, enabling companies to recover swiftly after a breach, protect revenue streams, and uphold customer satisfaction.
Backup as a Service (BaaS) solutions offer a proactive approach to data protection by enabling secure off-site backups that ensure data availability and integrity despite potential threats. These solutions align seamlessly with the principles of the 3-2-1-1-0 Backup Rule.
Understanding the 3-2-1-1-0 Golden Backup Rule
This rule comprises five core components that work together to provide comprehensive data protection. Here’s a breakdown of best practices for the 3-2-1-1-0 Golden Backup Rule:
3 – Keep at least three copies of your data. Alongside production data, two backup copies should be secure, up-to-date, and readily accessible. This redundancy ensures that data can be recovered even if one copy is lost to circumstances like hardware failure, accidental deletion, cyber-attacks, or synchronization errors. If one copy is lost, there are still two more available.
2 – Store the copies on two different media types. Hard drives, solid-state drives (SSDs), and cloud storage are examples of different types of media. Diversifying storage media can help protect data against media-specific failures.
1 – Retain at least one backup copy offsite. Keeping at least one backup copy of your up-to-date data in a geographically separate location – such as cloud storage or a remote data centre – protects data from local incidents like theft, fires, floods, or other environmental threats. This practice is especially relevant in Canada, where severe weather events have intensified, underscoring the need for geographically dispersed backups.
1 – Maintain one copy offline or air-gapped. Having a backup isolated from external networks protects data from ransomware and other cyber threats. “Air-gap” refers to putting the backup copy on infrastructure that is not connected to any external network. This step helps to give companies greater control over access to their data and helps to inoculate against online threats.
0 – Ensure zero errors through regular verification. Routine checks of backup integrity and testing of restore functions are critical to maintaining accurate data. By doing so, organizations can confidently move forward if they need to restore their data. Testing should be done on a regular basis; this step is often overlooked or sometimes intentionally skipped in an effort to avoid egress fees when retrieving your data, but Canadian businesses that fail to verify their backups risk facing additional downtime during recovery.
Benefits of partnering with an ICT solution provider
Implementing the 3-2-1-1-0 Golden Backup Rule to these exacting standards can seem like a daunting task, but collaborating with a reputable Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provider simplifies the process. ICT providers bring technical expertise and resources, enhancing data protection measures and fortifying organizations against potential security breaches.
- Enhanced Redundancy and Diverse Storage Solutions. ICT providers deploy an array of storage solutions, including cloud services hosted in secure Canadian data centres, which comply with data residency requirements. They also offer robust offline storage options, ensuring data remains protected against accidental or malicious deletion.
- Cost Efficiency. By leveraging an ICT provider, businesses can avoid the high costs of in-house infrastructure, personnel, and ongoing maintenance. Their managed services often offer flexible packages that align with an organization’s budget, allowing even small and medium enterprises to benefit from enterprise-grade data protection.
- In-Depth Expertise and Technical Support. ICT providers bring specialized knowledge and support, minimizing downtime during data recovery. They stay abreast of emerging technologies, allowing Canadian companies to scale their backup and recovery strategies as their data protection needs evolve.
- Peace of Mind. With managed BaaS solutions, Canadian businesses can feel confident that their data is secure, accessible, and resilient against the risks of loss and downtime. Notably, choosing a Canadian-owned cloud solution not only bolsters security but also supports compliance with Canada’s privacy and data residency laws.
The 3-2-1-1-0 Golden Backup Rule provides a reliable, structured approach to data protection, offering a safeguard against a range of risks. Acronym’s Backup as a Service (BaaS) portfolio provides your organization with flexible, cost-effective backup options that eliminate the stress of managing infrastructure and egress fees. Our cloud repositories are Canadian-owned and operated, ensuring compliance with data residency requirements and providing local businesses with enhanced protection against cyber threats.
With the right backup strategy, Canadian businesses can protect their most valuable asset: their data. Learn more about how Acronym can support your organization’s data protection needs to ensure resilience in the face of unforeseen challenges.
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Product Summary
Veeam Cloud Connect
Complete cloud-based backup solution for virtual environments, combining on-premise and off-site data consolidation and backup.
About Acronym
Acronym Solutions Inc. is a full-service information and communications technology (ICT) company that provides a range of scalable and secure Network, Voice & Collaboration, Security, Cloud and Managed IT Solutions. We support Canadian businesses, large enterprises, service providers, healthcare providers, public-sector organizations and utilities. We leverage our extensive network expertise to design and build customized, fully scalable solutions to help our customers grow their businesses and realize their full potential. With more than 20 years’ experience managing the communications system that enables Ontario’s electrical grid, Acronym is uniquely positioned to understand the mission-critical needs of any business to deliver the innovative and reliable services that respond to the changing demands of businesses, and support rapid growth and digital transformation initiatives.