Backupify Launches Enhanced Backup and Recovery Features for Google Apps
April 04, 2013
By Erin Harrison, Executive Editor, Cloud Computing
When it comes to risks of data loss such as user error, malicious attacks or corruption and overwriting by third-party apps, most businesses are not adequately protecting their cloud data.
In fact, Rachel Dines of Forrester (News - Alert) Research recently wrote a report called “Master the Eight Disruptors That Will Transform Business Technology Resiliency in 2013,” one of which was cloud-to-cloud backup.
“There are only three cloud-to-cloud vendors listed in her report,” noted Backupify (News - Alert) CEO Rob May. “So this problem and the solutions to solve the problem are only just now starting to emerge to mainstream conversation about backup and data loss.”
Backupify, which provides cloud-to-cloud backup and recovery solutions for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications, has launched an enhanced set of backup and recovery features to support its offering for enterprise-level organizations on Google (News - Alert) Apps.
The “Spring Release for Google Apps” includes new tools designed to provide more efficient ways for administrators and end users to manage their backups within the complex internal structure of larger organizations.
Essentially, Backupify’s platform is designed to ensure that companies always have a secure second copy of their data that is easily restored, which the company has done from the initial release of Backupify for Google Apps.
“This in and of itself prevents the risk of losing data,” May explained in an interview with TMCnet. “However, these new features fall along two lines, the first is enhancing our product which includes restoring and export with folder hierarchy and importantly making all per user plans unlimited storage. As the amount of data grows we want to make sure our customers are able to have control and protection on all that data and not be limited by storage quotas.”
“Second,” he said, “is addressing the enterprise customers who have specific needs regarding retention, responding to eDiscovery requests and internal policies regarding maintaining copies of their data.”
Data loss in the cloud is vastly different from other types of data loss in terms of the implications it has on businesses.
“When data is lost out of a SaaS (News - Alert) service, you are subject to the backup policy and customer support of the SaaS provider. So for example, Salesforce explicitly states that if you need them to recovery your data it will take a minimum of 15 business days and $10,000,” May said. “This recovery period would not be sufficient for most companies. Therefore, Salesforce recommends exporting data weekly or using a third-party backup like Backupify. Most companies are only keeping one copy of the data, and that resides inside the SaaS service.”
The new release also serves as a reminder to larger organizations about the need for better backup solutions due to the growing issue of data loss in the cloud.
“Most people are shocked at the number of organizations that have lost data from a cloud SaaS application,” said Dick Csaplar, senior research analyst at Aberdeen (News - Alert) Group, whose recent report found that one in three companies using SaaS experienced data loss. “People overwrite each other’s data, applications conflict and there are always stories of unhappy workers purposefully deleting their data on the way out the door. Organizations need to ensure that this just can’t happen. A backup plan is critical.”
Following its winter release launched last December, the new version of Backupify for Google Apps includes additional features such as the following data recovery and admin controls:
- Full Domain Export allows administrators to download a full copy of their entire domain. Whether responding to eDiscovery requests or satisfying internal requirements with an on-premise copy, the full domain export is a simple way to have your entire domain exported in a consumable format.
- Configurable Data Retention provides administrators with the ability to set a customized email retention period. This feature allows customers to respond to specific legal retention requirements or internal archiving policies.
- Batch Import of Users gives administrators the flexibility to upload lists of users without the need to pick and choose individuals.
- Restore and Export Folder Hierarchy allows users to keep their organizational structure intact when restoring or exporting an entire account.
- Google Sites Restore gives both end users and administrators the ability to restore items back to their Google Sites accounts.
Backupify for Google Apps is available for larger organizations through two plans. The Enterprise Edition is $4 per month per user, which requires a minimum of 25 seats and includes unlimited storage. The Enterprise Plus Edition backs up an unlimited amount of users with up to one terabyte of data for $990 per month, with the option to buy additional storage as needed.
Edited by Braden Becker