StorageCraft Survey: Businesses Struggling with Data Backup, Recovery

Many businesses lack confidence in their current data-recovery implementation, and an alarming number of them are unable to increase the frequency of data backup due to the size of data growth and limitations in their backup infrastructure.

That’s according to a new survey of more than 500 U.S. IT decision makers conducted by StorageCraft, the data backup and disaster-recovery provider. More than half of respondents are not confident that their organizations’ IT infrastructures can perform instant data recovery in the event of a failure. Also, nearly half of all organizations are struggling with data growth and believe it is going to get worse.

StorageCraft’s Douglas Brockett

Douglas Brockett, StorageCraft’s president, tells Channel Partners that IT decision makers can’t rely on their infrastructure and are not confident of recovery, which is something the channel can “latch on to and help build more robust environments.”

“It’s important and an opportunity for channel partners to talk with customers about how they define success versus did you backup your system today,” he said. “This is a value sell and scope to providing additional consulting, solutions and services — and work with them on a strategic business continuity plan.”

Small and large companies have the same problem, but it manifests differently depending on the size of the business, Brockett said.

“Large business needs skills,” he said. “Small business need ease of use and affordability. This is an important opportunity for all levels of partner from the MSP through VAR.”

Larger organizations are struggling the most, according to the survey. Among businesses with more than $500 million in revenue, more than half (51 percent) reported that they are struggling with data growth and believe it will only get worse. Moreover, 51 percent know they would benefit from more frequent data backup, but are unable to do so because their existing IT infrastructure doesn’t allow it.

“Clearly the traditional architecture of backup isn’t giving the performance needed with high volume/density data,” Brockett said. “Customers need to spin up in a couple of minutes. This represents an important opportunity for the channel, again in terms of being a strategic, value-added partner. Channel partners should be asking ‘what is your RTO.’  It’s hard to appreciate the value of backup; the moment of recovery is where the value happens and is key to a good sale.”

Early this year, StorageCraft acquired Exablox, expanding its data management portfolio.