Majority of US Small Businesses Do not Use Automated Service for Backup in Cloud

The majority of U.S. small businesses are not backing up data in the cloud with the support of a professional and automated backup service, as evidenced by survey data from Clutch, a B2B ratings and reviews firm.

Backup services, such as Mozy and Carbonite, automate the transfer of files to the cloud to safeguard against user error and negligence.

Nearly 70% of small businesses instead use a provider such as Google Drive or Dropbox to backup files and data in the cloud. This may be due to overconfidence and the rare need for backups, says Mark Estes, regional director of sales, Qubolehttps://www.qubole.com/.

However, data loss does occur and if the user wasn’t utilizing an automated service and forgot to manually back it up, then there are no further options.

“Mozy and Carbonite help with the human problem of actually backing up,” Estes said. “If I put a file in Dropbox, it’s going to be there. If I don’t back it up, then Dropbox can’t help me with that …“

The Clutch report is designed to help SMBs that are considering adopting cloud storage and provide them with solution options that are suited for their particular needs. The report includes several key questions that a small business should ask internally before moving to cloud storage, such as “When is the best time to adopt?” and “What benefits are you looking for?“

Over 25% of survey respondents said that they began using their cloud storage services in the past year. Experts agree that this trend will likely grow and continue.

“It’s … just a natural maturing of the product,” said Jacob Ackerman, CEO, SkyLink Data and Horizon Businesses Services. “Once technology starts invading the personal lives of non-IT people in business, the technology is more accepted. It takes a level of acceptance and a level of comfort. People are comfortable with it now.”

Furthermore, respondents listed ‘improved access to data’ as the primary benefit of using a cloud storage platform. Experts attribute this to a variety of factors, including a reduction in IT staffing since the recession, a levelling of costs, and the growing popularity of remote work.

However, experts warn that, despite cloud storage’s many touted benefits, there are still some instances where it isn’t right for your small business.

The survey is the 2nd annual iteration of Clutch’s Small Business Cloud Storage Survey, and included 293 SMBs who use cloud storage services. All businesses have 2-500 employees.

Complete article