Backup: Part 3 — Cloud Storage for Small Businesses (Backblaze and Russian Services)

Cloud storage is the easiest way to meet the “3-2-1” rule requirement for an off-site copy.

Why cloud backups are convenient

• Off-site storage. Copies are stored in the provider’s data center and will be preserved even if something happens to the office.
• Easy to set up. Many services offer clients that make backups automatically and do not require deep technical knowledge.
• Pay by usage. You pay for the actual used space and can increase it as needed.
• Automation. After setup, backups are created on a schedule without human intervention.
• Accessibility. You can restore data from anywhere with an internet connection.

Backblaze

Backblaze is an American company known for inexpensive backup services. It has two main products.

Backblaze Computer Backup

• Purpose. Backup of individual computers on Windows and macOS.
• Terms. Unlimited capacity; price — $99 per year per computer. The client automatically copies user files, excluding the operating system and installed applications.
• Advantages. Simplicity: after installation the client works without intervention.
• Limitations. Linux is not supported; network drives and NAS cannot be backed up. This product is not intended for servers.

Backblaze B2 Cloud Storage

• Purpose. Object storage compatible with the Amazon S3 API. Suitable for server, website, database, and NAS backups; Synology, QNAP, and TrueNAS can upload backups to B2 using built-in tools.
• Terms. $6.95 per terabyte per month, first 10 GB free. Downloading data is free up to three times the stored data volume per month; beyond that — $0.01 per gigabyte.
• Advantages. Low storage price and S3 compatibility: B2 works with many backup programs, for example restic, rclone, or Duplicati.
• Limitations. There is no native automatic backup client: third-party software and configuration are required.

Limitations for Russian companies

You cannot pay Backblaze and other foreign cloud services with a Russian bank card: since March 2022, Visa and Mastercard cards from Russian banks do not work abroad. In addition, if backups contain clients’ personal data, storing them abroad is considered cross-border transfer, which must be notified to Roskomnadzor in advance, and the primary databases with data of Russian citizens must be located in Russia. For such data it is simpler to choose a Russian provider.

Russian S3-compatible storages

• Yandex Object Storage (Yandex Cloud) — storage in Russian data centers, several storage classes, including cold storage for infrequently used backups.
• VK Object Storage (VK Cloud, formerly Mail.ru Cloud Solutions) — payment for storage volume and outgoing traffic, incoming traffic is free.
• Selectel S3 — standard and cold storage, incoming traffic is not charged.

Standard storage from Russian providers costs around 1–2.5 rubles per gigabyte per month; cold storage is cheaper. Check exact prices on providers’ websites: they change.

Foreign storages

• Amazon S3 — the industry standard, but harder to master and generally more expensive for small volumes.
• Google Cloud Storage — Google’s storage with similar capabilities.
• DigitalOcean Spaces — a simpler S3-compatible storage popular with developers.

They are subject to the same payment and personal data restrictions as Backblaze.

How to choose a service

• Price. Compare storage and outgoing traffic costs: restoring a large amount of data will cost primarily for traffic.
• Convenience. Evaluate how easy it is to configure and automate backups.
• Storage location. Important for compliance with personal data laws and for recovery speed.
• Encryption. Data should be encrypted in transit and at rest; the safest approach is to encrypt backups on your side before sending them to the cloud.
• Protection against deletion. Support for immutable objects (Object Lock) and versioning will prevent ransomware or an attacker from erasing backups.
• Support. Availability of qualified technical support.

Cloud storage closes the most vulnerable gap in backups — the lack of an off-site copy. Set it up before you need to restore data.