Ari Novikoff, Vice President of Sales at Macirum, discusses why backing up via the cloud simply won’t cut it anymore.

3-2-1 backup: why cloud is not enough for your business

The cloud is set to continue to underpin business innovation for years to come and has emerged as an outlet for backup solutions in the market.

Having an off-site copy of assets in the cloud can bring increased accessibility when it comes to file management. But is it as secure as we think?

And considering the growing pressure on disaster recovery from regulatory compliance, cyber threats, and downtime costs, is it really the best approach for ensuring true business resilience?

An array of security flaws continues to plague cloud networks, which, if left unattended, can lead to detrimental consequences for protecting sensitive data.

Unsurprisingly, cloud resources remain at the top of the list of targets by cybercriminals, with Thales revealing SaaS applications (31%), cloud storage (30%) and cloud management infrastructure (26%) to be the main categories of cyber-attack being practised.

Additionally, research from Check Point, detailing security issues and threats in the cloud, revealed that 94% of businesses are concerned about their ability to keep cloud data properly protected – demonstrating the uphill battle often involved in ensuring cloud security.

Whether utilising a full (complete backup of all data), differential (all changes of files since the last full backup), or incremental (only the changes from the last backup of any type) approach, the speed of data recovery and maintaining control over where your data resides are crucial factors often overlooked in cloud-only strategies.

With this in mind, how do businesses achieve true business resilience? The answer may lie in less glamorous but time-proven backup methods.

While cloud solutions dominate many headlines, some backup solution providers prioritise traditional approaches, recognising their enduring value in providing reliable, controllable and robust data protection with faster recovery times and guaranteed data sovereignty.

Balancing backup tradition and innovation

On-premises backup infrastructure, while perhaps less discussed than cloud alternatives, offers distinct advantages that make it a cornerstone of many enterprise backup strategies.

This isn’t about resisting change – it’s about acknowledging that some proven methods remain highly effective in today’s complex IT environment.

The key advantage of on-premises backup lies in its ability to provide organisations with direct control over their data and recovery processes.

When critical systems go down, every minute of downtime can cost thousands in lost productivity and revenue.

According to the latest research by Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) in 2024, the average cost of unplanned IT downtime is now $14,056 per minute, making rapid and reliable backup recovery not just a luxury, but a business imperative.

This is where on-site backup solutions prove their worth, enabling rapid recovery of large data volumes without the bandwidth limitations and potential bottlenecks associated with cloud downloads.

This capability helps organisations achieve more aggressive Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) – metrics that are increasingly critical in today’s always-on business environment.

Data sovereignty has also emerged as a major concern, particularly with new regulations like NIS2 in Europe.

Organisations must now be able to demonstrate precise knowledge and control over where their data resides at all times.

On-premises backup provides this clarity and control by default, simplifying compliance and reducing regulatory risks.

This isn’t to suggest that cloud backup has no place in modern data protection strategies.

The reality is that cloud solutions may be well-suited for certain types of businesses, particularly those with smaller data volumes or specific operational models.

However, it’s crucial to recognise that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to backup – what works perfectly for one organisation might present significant challenges for another.

Regardless of which backup methods an organisation chooses, the most robust approach follows the time-tested 3-2-1 backup strategy: maintaining three copies of your data, stored on two different types of media, with one copy kept offsite.

This proven methodology provides a strong foundation for protection against both system failures and physical disasters.

How to optimise a 3-2-1 approach

Adhering to the 3-2-1 rule eliminates single points of failure, helping to keep vital assets intact in the face of external cyberattacks and internal supplier threats, as highlighted by the Crowdstrike incident.

This foundational approach ensures organisations maintain control over their data while building in the redundancy needed for true business resilience.

While cloud storage can serve as an off-site repository within a 3-2-1 strategy, a more secure approach is to implement air-gapped backup systems – where copies are completely isolated from the network.

This isolation provides the highest level of protection against cyber threats that specifically target backup infrastructure.

Regular integrity testing of these copies and having a clear recovery plan are essential components of a comprehensive backup strategy.

It’s important to note that the 3-2-1 protocol should be viewed as the baseline for effective backup and recovery.

Beyond simply implementing multiple storage locations, organisations should consider backup solutions that offer comprehensive disk imaging capabilities, instant disaster recovery options and encrypted backup protection – essential features for maintaining business continuity in today’s demanding digital landscape.

The foundation of real business resilience

While cloud backup solutions will continue to have their place in the market, the mounting evidence suggests that organisations seeking true business resilience should look beyond the cloud-first hype.

The combination of faster recovery times, greater control, enhanced security through air-gapping and guaranteed data sovereignty makes traditional on-premises backup approaches, particularly within a 3-2-1 strategy, the more robust choice for organisations serious about protecting their critical assets.

As cyber threats continue to evolve and regulatory requirements tighten, the ability to maintain direct control over backup infrastructure isn’t just an advantage – it’s increasingly becoming a necessity.

Backing up with the right solution partner

Partnering with a specialised backup solution can significantly maximise the potential of a 3-2-1 approach.

Look for solutions that deliver rapid recovery times and resumable imaging to ensure backups complete successfully every time.

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