Small-business solution providers are ditching backup tapes due to their cost and manual processes, which can be risky for companies without on-site IT personnel. Matthew Mosteller, owner of Vashon IT, shared a cautionary tale of a construction firm that almost went out of business after losing data stored on tapes.
Doug Chandler from IDC predicts that small businesses will increasingly turn to storage as a service, as they already trust third parties with various business data. New players in the small-business backup space, like eFolder and SOS Online Backup, are offering secure online backup services for solution providers to resell.
John Williams, founder of eFolder, emphasizes the importance of data security with 256-bit AES and RSA encryption. Partnering with eFolder allows solution providers to offer online backup services with flexible revenue-sharing models.
Steve Harper from Network Management Group praises eFolder’s technology and channel commitment, highlighting the ease of setup and use. Vashon IT also partners with eFolder for hosted data storage, citing the low startup costs and good margins.
SOS Online Backup is aiming to recruit 1,000 U.S. small-business solution providers in the next year, offering continuous live backup and revenue-sharing options. Vembu Technologies from India is also entering the U.S. market with backup software for home and small businesses, providing quick and easy data backup solutions for partners.
Overall, the shift away from traditional backup tapes towards secure online backup services reflects the evolving needs of small businesses in today’s digital landscape.