How SaaS Applications and Cloud Data Backups Weaved Together

Do you know how SaaS applications work? Software as a Service (aka SaaS) eliminates the dependency on local machine installations. Additionally, it doesn’t occupy local storage and is primarily dependent on internet availability (some features are still available offline) to provide you with handy features, functionality, and access to important data on the go.

How do they work like this? SaaS applications are based on the principles of cloud computing. In order to reduce machine-based limitations, the cloud has emerged as a more useful way to build applications that are not machine-dependent, are accessible anywhere, and keep everything in cloud storage.

Is your data safe with SaaS apps?

Precisely speaking every feature that you are using, data that is being sent to SaaS applications, everything is secure at third-party storage space, encrypted, and well maintained. Unlike SaaP (Software as a Product) where you host the software on your local computer. But does that mean your data is safe as well? Secure and not vulnerable?

Isn’t it the SaaS app’s responsibility to keep data backups? 

No, it might be a feature of a SaaS app to offer you data security, but no SaaS app provider will guarantee you that all of your data will always be there. Why? Here are some reasons where you may lose data:

Machines are intelligent, humans aren’t (all the time)! 

Humans can make mistakes, deliberate or unintentional ones! So if you mistakenly removed your saved contacts and you do not have any backup, your SaaS app provider won’t be able to provide you with anything. It’s not their responsibility anyway.

Coding or program errors 

In the end, behind the intelligent piece of software, it’s just lines of code, and they may go wrong. There are evitable examples where we have seen services going down due to programming errors. If any data is deleted from the cloud (due to any programming errors or coding failure), there is no coming back without your own data backup sets. Though, several SaaS development companies now implement integration modules of automatic regular data backup with third-party storage providers like Dropbox, Google Drive and more.

Hacking attempts

Though strict data security and safety techniques are there, yet we have also witnessed many big giants struggling with clever hackers, and if the SaaS app is hacked, your access is removed then you will be left with no data in your hands. Everything is gone and is never coming back.

Criminal or illegitimate attempt! 

Machines cannot distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate access to the system. Any deletion request is considered legal as long as accessed by the registered users so anyone can go ahead and delete the important bits of information. If you do not have the backup, it will be gone forever. 

There are a number of service providers who can take care of data backups from SaaS apps in a professional and organized manner. So, just go ahead and find a reliable data backup service and make sure you are always on safe hands.

Author:
Azman Nabi is Head of Growth at Webisoft.com - a SaaS & web app development agency. He loves to write about SaaS businesses and growth marketing. He has also contributed to several media outlets like Startup Grind and SAP.