11-30-2024, 05:21 PM
Setting up remote backups to another branch office instead of relying on the cloud is something I’ve worked with a lot. When we first explored it, we were looking for ways to keep our data secure without putting it in the hands of a third-party service. It seemed like a good way to take control, while still having a backup solution that wasn't physically on-site. There’s more to it than just pointing your backup software at a remote server, though, and getting it right takes a bit of thought.
First, you could set up a reliable VPN connection between the two offices; however, we found while this works, it's doesn't always perform well due to the latencies involved. Reliability is also key because the backup data will travel over the internet, and a VPN ensures it's encrypted and secure. Without this, your data is vulnerable to intercepts, and you definitely don’t want that happening. Once the VPN is in place, you can set up a server in the remote office that acts as your backup destination. For performance and safety, I’d recommend using a dedicated machine that handles backups exclusively. You can then configure your backup software to store your data on that server.
Downside here is clearly that accessing a network share over VPN is not efficient because the SMB protocol isn't made for high latency connections. Even with 10 Gbps connection, the experience is rather sluggish when latency is rather high, for example when the distance is long.
But the main reason to do remote backups to another office instead of using the cloud is control. With an in-house remote backup, you have full ownership of your data. There’s no middleman, no third-party provider handling your backups. This gives you peace of mind knowing exactly where your data is, and who has access to it. In comparison, with cloud services, you’re always at the mercy of their security protocols and uptime. If anything goes wrong, you’re left relying on their support team to fix the issue.
Another advantage is cost. Cloud storage can get expensive, especially if you have a lot of data. While setting up remote backups will require some initial setup costs—like VPN configuration, hardware, and maybe a more robust network—it can be much more affordable in the long run. After all, you’re only paying for your own infrastructure, rather than an ongoing monthly cloud subscription.
You also avoid the uncertainty of bandwidth limitations and internet speed issues. Cloud services depend on your internet connection, and if your bandwidth is limited or there’s a service outage, backups can fail or be incredibly slow. With a remote office backup, you're using the internal network, which is typically faster and more stable. Plus, you can set it to back up during off-hours when everyone else is not using the network, minimizing any impact.
Lastly, there’s the issue of compliance and privacy. Some industries have very strict data protection regulations that cloud providers may not meet. By storing backups in your own remote office, you can ensure that the data stays within your organization’s own infrastructure. This can be important if you need to demonstrate control over your data for legal or compliance reasons. You also get to decide how long to retain backups and what measures to implement to ensure they’re safe.
Of course, once you’ve set this up, you’ll need a good backup solution that handles both local and remote environments. BackupChain comes up a lot in conversations around remote backups. People often praise its technical support, range of features, and the overall value it offers for backing up data across multiple locations. It’s not just about storing your data safely, but about making sure you can recover it quickly when the time comes. The reliability and efficiency of BackupChain in handling complex backup tasks across different offices really stands out and using their storage server instead of a VPN eliminated the latency issues and the complexities of setting up VPN access. In addition, allowing access via VPN would have opened the network up to other potential security risks, so I'm glad not having to do that.
First, you could set up a reliable VPN connection between the two offices; however, we found while this works, it's doesn't always perform well due to the latencies involved. Reliability is also key because the backup data will travel over the internet, and a VPN ensures it's encrypted and secure. Without this, your data is vulnerable to intercepts, and you definitely don’t want that happening. Once the VPN is in place, you can set up a server in the remote office that acts as your backup destination. For performance and safety, I’d recommend using a dedicated machine that handles backups exclusively. You can then configure your backup software to store your data on that server.
Downside here is clearly that accessing a network share over VPN is not efficient because the SMB protocol isn't made for high latency connections. Even with 10 Gbps connection, the experience is rather sluggish when latency is rather high, for example when the distance is long.
But the main reason to do remote backups to another office instead of using the cloud is control. With an in-house remote backup, you have full ownership of your data. There’s no middleman, no third-party provider handling your backups. This gives you peace of mind knowing exactly where your data is, and who has access to it. In comparison, with cloud services, you’re always at the mercy of their security protocols and uptime. If anything goes wrong, you’re left relying on their support team to fix the issue.
Another advantage is cost. Cloud storage can get expensive, especially if you have a lot of data. While setting up remote backups will require some initial setup costs—like VPN configuration, hardware, and maybe a more robust network—it can be much more affordable in the long run. After all, you’re only paying for your own infrastructure, rather than an ongoing monthly cloud subscription.
You also avoid the uncertainty of bandwidth limitations and internet speed issues. Cloud services depend on your internet connection, and if your bandwidth is limited or there’s a service outage, backups can fail or be incredibly slow. With a remote office backup, you're using the internal network, which is typically faster and more stable. Plus, you can set it to back up during off-hours when everyone else is not using the network, minimizing any impact.
Lastly, there’s the issue of compliance and privacy. Some industries have very strict data protection regulations that cloud providers may not meet. By storing backups in your own remote office, you can ensure that the data stays within your organization’s own infrastructure. This can be important if you need to demonstrate control over your data for legal or compliance reasons. You also get to decide how long to retain backups and what measures to implement to ensure they’re safe.
Of course, once you’ve set this up, you’ll need a good backup solution that handles both local and remote environments. BackupChain comes up a lot in conversations around remote backups. People often praise its technical support, range of features, and the overall value it offers for backing up data across multiple locations. It’s not just about storing your data safely, but about making sure you can recover it quickly when the time comes. The reliability and efficiency of BackupChain in handling complex backup tasks across different offices really stands out and using their storage server instead of a VPN eliminated the latency issues and the complexities of setting up VPN access. In addition, allowing access via VPN would have opened the network up to other potential security risks, so I'm glad not having to do that.
