There are no doubt hundreds of backup vendors, offering you various types of backup and recovery methods.  How do you know which offers the best solution for your customers, and that makes the best business sense as part of your managed services offering?

There are three key components that can make a significant difference, ranging from technology must-haves for the business continuity of the MSPs customers to the relationship the MSP has with its vendor. 

1. Backup Essentials

Thousands of vendors can perform the backup of files.  But is that enough?  Does it ensure a successful recovery of critical data should something happen, be it power outage or virus?  And did you remember to save the most important files?  Did you test the backup to know that it works, and will be effective come crunch time?

It’s essential today to implement a multi-faceted backup solution, to ensure full data protection for businesses and for the MSP to confirm its expertise in the solution it chooses to provide. Three backup essentials are:

• Image-Based Backup: When disaster happens you can’t “go back in time” to make sure that all critical data is secure and backed up.  It needs to be done prior to a disaster.  With image-based backup entire systems are backed up. Taking it one step further is the process in which the image-based backups are taken.  When image-based backups are saved as VMDK (Virtual Machine Disk) files it makes for near instant virtualization, both locally and off-site.  

• Hybrid Cloud-Based Model: A staggering 20% of businesses don’t store backup data off-site. And of those that do, 53% are shipping tape backups off-site.¹  Because tape is a manual process it is fraught with human mishaps, making the validity of the off-site backups questionable. While it’s imperative to have redundant backups in secure locations, the method of getting them to the redundant locations is just as important.  Using instant off-site virtualization in a secure hybrid cloud-based model is the more preferred and reliable.

• Testing and Proof of Backup: What good’s a backup if it’s not current or valid?  Certainly it’s no good for the customer, and no good for the MSP if they’re blamed.  A must for an essential backup plan is one that includes automated testing and proof of backup.  It provides peace of mind for both MSP and their customers.  Datto’s Screenshot Backup Verification™ is a comprehensive and automated way to confirm the validity and content of backups. It’s scary to think that only 50% of businesses backup of their servers weekly and another 32% of IT execs do not test their backups.²  Don’t let this happen under your watch.

2. Predictable Cloud Billing

Research shows that a main reason a business may be apprehensive of cloud-based backup and storage is that cloud pricing is difficult to understand.  43% have indicated the need for more transparent pricing. ³  A major advantage of the Datto cloud is that Datto built it, and it is structured specifically for the Channel, from bandwidth, speed and security, to pricing. 

Datto established Time-Based Retention as a means to bill based on set time-frames versus trying to guess how many gigabytes a customer may need. It’s much easier for both the MSP and the customer.

3.   A Genuine Partnership

Now it’s time to put technology aside.  Think of technology as the core of your solution, and partnership as the bow that ties it altogether.  Because when disaster happens, and it will, you want to be partnered with a vendor who is there to support you, not benefit from the disaster.

As a Partner, regardless of tier or level, Datto will not charge for a Disaster Recovery service and support and Datto will not charge for a replacement device.  What’s more, technical support is available 24/7/365. 

The best way to see these three differentiators in action is with a free demo.  Email demo@dattobackup.com or call 888-294-6312 to schedule one today.  If you prefer to remain anonymous check out our ongoing Webinar series at http://dattobackup.com/upcoming-webinars/

Sources: 1) IOUCC 2) GFI 3) EMA

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