Create a Game Plan to Implement Cloud Backup the Right Way
Optimize your backup initiative and mitigate the challenges of the cloud.
- Cloud adoption is frequently driven by hype rather than careful consideration of the best-fit solution.
- IT is frequently rushed into cloud adoption without appropriate planning.
- Organizations frequently lack appropriate strategies to deal with cloud-specific backup challenges.
- Insufficient planning for cloud backup can exacerbate problems rather than solving them, leading to poor estimates of the cost and effort involved, budget overruns, and failure to meet requirements.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- The cloud isn’t a magic bullet, but it tends to deliver the most value to organizations with specific use cases – frequently smaller organizations who are looking to avoid the cost of building or upgrading a data center.
- Cloud backup does not necessarily reduce backup costs so much as it moves them around. Cloud backup distributes costs over a longer term. Organizations need to compare the difference in CAPEX and OPEX to determine if making the move makes financial sense.
- The cloud can deliver a great deal of value for organizations who are looking to reduce the operational effort demanded by an existing tape library for second- or third-tier backups.
- Data security risks in some cases may be overstated, depending on what on-premises security is available. However, targeting backup to the cloud introduces other risks that need to be considered before implementation is given the green light.
Impact and Result
- Understand if cloud backup is the right solution for actual organizational needs.
- Make an informed decision about targeting backup to the cloud by considering the big picture TCO and effort level involved in adoption.
- Have a ready strategy to mitigate the most common challenges with cloud adoption projects.
- Develop a roadmap that lays out the required step-by-step to implement cloud backup.
Member Testimonials
After each Info-Tech experience, we ask our members to quantify the real-time savings, monetary impact, and project improvements our research helped them achieve. See our top member experiences for this blueprint and what our clients have to say.
7.0/10
Overall Impact
$14,949
Average $ Saved
50
Average Days Saved
Client
Experience
Impact
$ Saved
Days Saved
County Of Rockdale
Guided Implementation
10/10
$14,949
50
Dish Network
Guided Implementation
4/10
N/A
N/A
We didn't get a lot of guidance in this area
Agriculture Financial Services Corporation
Guided Implementation
10/10
$2,000
5
The conversation prevented that I waste more time for research in a one fits all cloud backup solution.
City Of Mesa
Guided Implementation
9/10
$30,731
5
Darryl was great at explaining the differences in the backup hardware and software solutions. He offered practical advice and first-hand knowledge... Read More
Seaboard Corporation
Guided Implementation
7/10
N/A
N/A
Agriculture Financial Services Corporation
Guided Implementation
10/10
$25,000
7
Timely call with the analyst, excellent knowledge. Worst part is speed of adoption of recommendations at AFSC.
Workshop: Create a Game Plan to Implement Cloud Backup the Right Way
Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.
Module 1: Evaluate the business case for targeting backup at the cloud
The Purpose
- Understand how cloud backup will affect backup and recovery processes
- Determine backup and recovery objectives
- Assess the value proposition of cloud backup
Key Benefits Achieved
- A high-level understanding of the benefits of moving to cloud backup
- A best-fit analysis of cloud backup in comparison to organizational needs
Activities
Outputs
Document stakeholder goals for cloud backup
- Documented stakeholder goals
Document present backup processes
- Current backup process diagrams
Document ideal backup processes
- Ideal backup process diagram
Review typical benefits of cloud backup
Module 2: Identify candidate data sets and assess opportunities and readiness
The Purpose
- Identify candidate data sets for cloud-based backup
- Determine RPOs and RTOs for candidate data sets
- Identify potential value specific to each data set for targeting backup at the cloud
- Evaluate organizational readiness for targeting backup at the cloud
Key Benefits Achieved
- Documented recovery objectives
- Recommendations for cloud backup based on actual organizational needs and readiness
Activities
Outputs
Document candidate data sets
- Validated list of candidate data sets
Determine recovery point and recovery time objectives for candidate data sets
- Specific RPOs and RTOs for core data sets
Identify potential value of cloud-based backup for candidate data sets
- An assessment of the value of cloud backup for data sets
Discuss the risk and value of cloud-based backup versus an on-premises solution
- A tool-based recommendation for moving backups to the cloud
Evaluate organizational readiness for cloud backup
Identify data sets to move to the cloud
Module 3: Mitigate the challenges of backing up to the cloud
The Purpose
- Understand different cloud provider models and their specific risks
- Identification of how cloud backup will affect IT infrastructure and personnel
- Strategize ways to mitigate the most common challenges of implementing cloud backup
- Understand the client/vendor relationship in cloud backup
- Understand the affect of cloud backup on data security
Key Benefits Achieved
- Verified best-fit cloud provider model for organizational needs
- Verified strategy for meeting the most common challenges for cloud-based backup
- A strong understanding of how cloud backup will change IT
- Strategies for approaching vendors to ensure a strong footing in negotiations and clear expectations for the client/vendor relationship
Activities
Outputs
Discuss the impact of cloud backup on infrastructure and IT environment
- Cloud risk assessment
Create a cloud backup risk contingency plan
- Documented contingency strategies for probabe risks
Document compliance and security regulations
- Negotiation strategies for dealing with vendors
Identify client and vendor responsibilities for cloud backup
- A committed go/no-go decision on the value of cloud backup weighted against the effort of implementation
Discuss and document the impact of cloud backup on IT roles and responsibilities
Compile a list of implementation intiatives
Evaluate the financial case for cloud backup
Module 4: Build a cloud backup implementation roadmap
The Purpose
- Create a road map for implementing cloud backup
Key Benefits Achieved
- Determine any remaining gaps between the present state and the ideal state for cloud backup
- Understand the steps and time frame for implementing cloud backup
- Allocate roles and responsibilities for the implementation intitiative
- A validated implementation road map
Activities
Outputs
Perform a gap analysis to generate a list of implementation intiatives
- A validated gap analysis
Prioritize cloud backup initiatives
- A prioritized list of cloud backup initiatives
Assess risks and dependencies for critical implementation initiatives
- Documented dependencies and risks associated with implementation tasks
Assign ownership over implementation tasks
- A roadmap for targeting backups at the cloud
Determine road map time frame and structure
Populate the roadmap with cloud backup initiatives
About Info-Tech
Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.
We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
What Is a Blueprint?
A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.
Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.
Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst
Get the help you need in this 1-phase advisory process. You'll receive 4 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.
- Call 1: Evaluate the business case for cloud backup
Start your project off on the right foot. Discuss the value of the cloud and identify realistic objectives for your backup environment implementation. Determine whether the cloud is the solution to achieve them.
- Call 2: Identify candidate data sets for cloud backup and assess opportunities and readiness
Identify candidate data sets for cloud backup. Determine RPOs and RTOs for candidate data sets. Discuss the potential value of the cloud for your candidate data sets. Evaluate organizational readiness for targeting backup at the cloud. Pinpoint best-fit data sets.
- Call 3: Mitigate the challenges of backing up the cloud
Select the cloud provider model that best fits your needs. Identify probably risks and estimate their likelihood. Develop a contingency plan for likely challenges. Evaluate the financial argument for – or against – cloud backup.
- Call 4: Build a roadmap to your cloud backup implementation
Perform a gap analysis to determine implementation initiatives. Construct a roadmap for your cloud backup implementation.
Contributors
- International Facilities Management Association
- American Health Care Association
- 3 additional organizations contributed information to assist with the development of this solution set. Due to the sensitivity of the information, they requested confidentiality.
- 150 individual professionals contributed information that assisted with the development of this solution set.
Modernize Enterprise Storage
Establish an Effective Data Protection Plan
Create a Game Plan to Implement Cloud Backup the Right Way
Understand the Difference Between Backups and Archives
Enterprise Storage Solution Considerations
Align Backups With Your Data Protection Requirements
