Cyber Resilience for MSPs: Getting the Most from Your Backup Solution

A comprehensive backup strategy for managed service providers (MSPs) needs to be simple, repeatable, and cost effective. This strategy plays a crucial role in bolstering cyber resilience. We can break it down into three constituent parts: a backup layer, a storage layer, and an administrative layer, which, combined represent the storage, the means of sending data to that storage, and the architecture pinning it all together. MSPs can adjust the knobs across these elements to customize a safe, reliable backup solution for clients.  

Copying critical data: the backup layer 

A backup layer is responsible for moving data from your system to a safe backup location. While it remains a relatively simple task, and there are many providers out there to choose from, we recommend a few key elements to a good backup solution for MSPs:   

• Seamless connectivity: Make sure your backup solution works with all the systems you use day-to-day so it can back up the most critical data, especially unstructured data. Commonly these will take the form of documents, spreadsheets, and emails. So, if you use Microsoft 365 for these things, look for a backup provider that integrates with M365. It’s also important that your backup be compatible with your storage layer, but more on that later.  

• Customizable granularity: Configuring backups is part art, part science. You want to capture all the most crucial data and only some of the non-crucial data. The right backup provider will give you the tools to create a backup plan that works best for what you value most and supports all the ways you work.  

Provider spotlight: Veeam 

Veeam is the industry’s leading choice for backup, and it’s not hard to see why. The stalwart is capable of backing up physical and virtual workloads as well as SaaS, Kubernetes, and Microsoft 365 environments. There are endless customization options to accommodate any style of backup you can imagine from partial to full snapshots and everything in between. 

Securing the vault: the storage layer 

Your storage layer is where your data will live after your backup sends it off for safekeeping. There are several approaches to backup storage, but generally speaking you want to keep your second backup and your primary copy in separate places, lest a single power surge or other localized issue wipe out everything. As you explore storage providers, here are a couple things to look for when deciding:   

• Scalability – Choose storage that will grow with your business. You never want to be forced into a corner due to sub-par storage. How long you’ll keep a backup is up to you, but planning for longevity never hurt. Opt for storage that won’t hamper your clients’ data growth; as their data grows, so will your business.  

• Immutability – Immutable storage means data cannot be altered or deleted until the end of a set period. When you make an immutable backup, your data is air gapped for the ultimate protection against cyber threats like ransomware which are predicated on the encryption (read: altering) and deletion of data.  

• Ease of use – The hyperscale clouds offer customizable plans across many tiers, and with those tiers come complex pricing and unpredictable fee structures to factor in. Select a provider that helps to keep total cost of ownership low and allows accurate forecasting abilities. 

How our combined solution shines: 

Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage is flexible enough to handle any workload. Compatible with most backup providers (including Veeam), our bottomless cloud storage won’t ever leave you with capacity woes. We also offer immutability features at the bucket and object level at no additional cost, making data protection an easy addition to a diverse array of client workloads.  

Activating through mission control: the administration layer 

Your administration layer is what ties everything together. Probax is the command center for billing, provisioning and more — a single pane of glass to take on all the challenges of MSP backup. Here are a few capabilities to seek out when assessing this layer:  

• Intelligence: If your admin layer is the central nervous system of your operation, it should be smart enough to keep it running. Your admin layer should be proactive in keeping you aware of backup best practices and help to reduce inefficiencies. The smarter it is, the better you’ll be at keeping things humming.  

• Simplicity: Look for an easy-to-use backup management platform that simplifies Veeam, delivering centralized management across all backups, allowing for quicker responses and more proactive strategies. The simpler it is, the more operationally efficient your business will be. 

• Automation: A good backup policy is one you can repeat over and over, giving your clients the most up-to-date snapshot to restore from. Make sure your administration layer offers a scheduling function for set-and-forget workflow management, and look for advanced monitoring, automatic reporting, and enhanced ransomware protection to take additional tasks off your plate. It should be able to automatically provision and deploy Veeam solutions with a simple click. 

Provider Spotlight: Probax MSP Backup 

Developed for MSPs serving small-to-medium sized businesses (SMBs), Probax MSP Backup simplifies the enterprise-grade power of Veeam Data Platform and seamlessly integrates it with the performance, scalability and value of Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage. 
 
This is the “easy button” for SMB MSPs. With MSP Backup, Veeam Partners can easily safeguard physical, virtual, public cloud and Microsoft 365 workloads with comprehensive multi-client visibility, granular control and time-saving automation. 

Find your easy button 

Simplify your business processes and drive revenue growth with the combined solution of Wasabi, Veeam, and Probax. Combining backup, storage, and administration layers, this all-in-one solution creates robust backup capabilities for MSPs. For a more in-depth look at the solution, register for our upcoming webinar.