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What is ransomware? How does it work? Why is it spreading? When it comes to cybersecurity, these are a few of the top questions that individuals, businesses, and governments have about this global cybersecurity threat.The most frightening fact about ransomware attacks is that you never know who the next victim will be or when and it could be you. And in todays digital world, preventing ransomware attacks can literally mean the difference between life and death.In this article, I will define what ransomware is and how it works. I will uncover who is responsible for creating and spreading it. I will look at current trends and statistics behind ransomware attacks as well as examples. We will end by examining best-practices for preventing ransomware.What is Ransomware?What is ransomware? Ransomware is defined as a type of malware that encrypts victims files or folders. In order to decrypt the files and folders locked by ransomware, victims must pay a ransom to their attacker. In certain cases, victims can be locked out of applications and entire IT systems causing a significant disruption to their business or organization. Whats more, ransomware can spread from file-to-file and user-to-user.Ransomware payments granting access to a secret key range from hundreds of dollars to thousands or even hundreds of thousands. These payments are typically made in the form of cryptocurrency payments. This includes privacy coins that are relatively untraceable such as Monero, ZCash, Verge, Dash, and others. In some cases, it may be Bitcoin payments, but it is well known that Bitcoin itself is now traceable unless using a cryptocurrency mixer (tumbler).How Do You Know If You Have Ransomware?How do you know if you are the victim of ransomware? You may not know until it is too late, and your files and folders are infected. However, you will know once it is obvious that your system has been infiltrated by ransomware.In the typical scenario, a ransomware victim will try to open a file on their computer. They will receive a disturbing pop-up that tells them that their system has been encrypted and locked. Within the pop-up, there will be instructions for paying the ransom and accessing a secret key to decrypt the file. There is usually a countdown timer for making the payment to the attacker.How Does Ransomware Work?There are quite a few ways that ransomware can gain access to your computers and systems. However, the most common delivery method is phishing spam. This is where attachments are sent to the victims email, masquerading as a trustworthy document or file. As soon as you click, open, and download a file, the ransomware creates a backdoor to gain control of your computer and files.Another method, which is more complex, exploits security holes to infect computers without having to trick the user into installing the ransomware. The best example of this type of ransomware is NotPetya.There are a few courses that the malware may take while inside your computer. The most common action is of course to encrypt some or all of the victims files. However, other types of ransomware include doxware and leakware. This is where the attacker threatens to expose or publicize sensitive data on your hard drive unless the ransom is paid. This is far more complex and far less common than standard ransomware attacks.Who Are Targets for Ransomware Attacks?Are you a ransomware target? Hackers often attack victims that they feel are the most vulnerable to an attack and inclined to pay a ransom quickly. The majority of ransomware attacks seem to be targeted at schools and universities, government agencies, local governments, financial and healthcare industries. It is often the businesses and organizations that need immediate access to their files and systems.Its important to note that everyone is a potential target of ransomware. Just because you may not fit the categories mentioned above, does not mean that you will not be the next victim. There are some types of ransomware that spread automatically and indiscriminately attack victims over the internet.Are Ransomware Attacks Increasing or Decreasing?Are ransomware attacks increasing or decreasing? The simple answer is yes. According to a recent study, ransomware attacks have grown significantly over 2020 as hackers and cybercriminals look to cash in on new security vulnerabilities created by remote working and the pandemic.The daily number of global ransomware attacks have increased by 50% over the past three months from July to October. Another startling fact is that the number of ransomware attacks in the United States has almost doubled. More ransomware attacks can be expected as adoption for remote working increases.What Happens if You Get Ransomware?What should you do if your computer is infected with ransomware? Is there anything you can do other than paying the ransom? Here are a few quick steps to eliminate ransomware from your computer.Reboot your computer right away.Run a scan of your system with antimalware software if you have it.Purchase and install antimalware software if you do not have it.Try restoring your computer to a previous restore point.Keep in mind that most ransomware is sophisticated and cannot be removed using this method.How to Avoid Ransomware?How can you and your colleagues avoid ransomware attacks? There are several defensive actions that you can take to help limit your risk. Most of these measures are great cybersecurity practices and can help prevent other types of hacking attacks and data breaches.Maintaining Operating System (OS) It is critical that you have you make sure that your OS is up-to-date and that all security patches are installed. This will help make certain that there are fewer vulnerabilities to exploit.IT Security Training Education IT security training, education, and procedures are perhaps one of the most important steps to preventing an attack. Make sure that your colleagues know not to install software or provide administrative privileges if they are unsure exactly what it is and who it is from.Antivirus Software Having antivirus software to scan incoming emails and attachments can block and provide warnings to users. It can also prevent unauthorized applications from executing through security procedures. Top Anti-Virus Software includes Bitdefender Antivirus, Norton AntiVirus, and Kaspersky Anti-Virus.Desktop as a Service (DaaS) For businesses and organizations that want additional control over their users, a cloud-based DaaS can help by providing centralized management and security. Cloud DaaS solutions include Dizzion Managed DaaS, AWS Workspaces, and Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop.Offsite Backup Backing up your files, folders, and applications on a computer or server are important for disaster recovery and business continuity. This does not prevent attacks, but it may allow for continued operations. Cloud DRaaS solutions include Rackspace DR Managed Backup, TierPoint DRaaS, Expedient DRaaS.Ransomware ExamplesDid you know that ransomware has been around since the 1990s? Here is a list of a few of the most recognizable ransomware attacks and versions out there today.CryptoLocker (2013) Infected up to 500,000 MachinesWannaCry Spread Autonomously from Computer to ComputerSamSam (2015) Targets Healthcare IndustryLocky (2016) Attacks Banking Software DridexLethalLocker (2017) Locks Android Home Screens on Mobile DevicesWysiwye (2017) Scans the Web for Open Remote Desktop AccessCerber (2017) Takes Advantage of Microsoft VulnerabilitiesGrndCrab Most Successful Ransomware in History. Netted $2 Billion DollarsThanos (2020) Ransomware as a Service (RaaS). Skips Most Anti-Ransomware Methods.Conclusion: No One is Safe from RansomwareIt can be easy to overlook cybersecurity threats like ransomware with the mindset that it will never happen to you. If you maintain the motto that no one is safe from ransomware, you will take the actions necessary to prevent it, shore up vulnerabilities, and limit your risk.Ransomware is not going to go away. It is not going to become easier to detect and prevent. As antimalware companies release new products, hackers create new tools to get around detection and prevention. The financial incentive is just too great to ignore for the skilled hacker and programmers that build and distribute ransomware.The best approach to preventing ransomware attacks is to stay vigilant. That means making sure that your OS is up-to-date and patched, your colleagues understand the threat and you have the right cybersecurity procedures and checks in place.Want to learn more about cybersecurity hardening. Contact me to learn more about scheduling a free consultation with a cybersecurity expert at Datacenters.com. Our trained experts can provide you with penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, education, and training. They can help provide security monitoring services and software.

My interview today is with Brett Tyrell, the Director of National Data Center Cleaning Sales at Pegasus.Pegasus helps data center operators across the U.S. keep their facilities clean and contamination-free. Expertly trained specialists clean all types of environments, ranging from call centers and NOCs to web hosting, colocation, and hyperscale data center facilities.Lets get started.[Bob] Tell me a little bit about the company, history, and your role with the company?[Brett]Pegasus began in 1969 as a full-service janitorial firm serving the Southern California business community and has evolved into the premier nation-wide facility services company with more than 1,000 employees serving over 300 facilities.Pegasus recognized the growth and unique cleaning needs of companies operating in critical environments and extended its cleaning solutions by specializing inData Center Cleaning.We have a unique record of success and longevity in the cleaning industry. This, combined with a depth of experience and wide geographic coverage, means we can meet all critical environment facility needs.Pegasus has worked with over 100 data centers, including the biggest most recognizable private and public data center providers in the industry in several counties of Los Angeles, and San Diego, and throughout California, as well as New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and even Canada.My role at Pegasus is the Director of National Data Center Cleaning Sales and I help companies identify which cleaning needs are best suited for their specific data center environment.[Bob] What does Pegasus offer in terms of products and services?[Brett]Pegasus Data Center Cleaning Services helps major data center operators across the U.S. keep their facilities clean and contamination-free. Expertly trained specialists clean all types of environments, ranging from call centers and command centers to web hosting, data processing, colocation, and telecom facilities. Pegasus expertly trained and supervised technicians pride themselves on time and in uniform.You wont ever have to wait on Pegasus to be on the job, wasting your valuable time and money. We believe in getting it right the first time, so you dont have to worry about extensive or unnecessary downtime.We leverage innovative technology and advanced cleaning processes and skilled professionals to ensure that your data center environment exceeds the industrys highest standards for contamination control, maintenance, and safety.Specialty data center cleaning services include:General cleaningSubfloor equipment surface cleaningSubfloor sealing and encapsulationEnvironmental sampling and reportingDisaster recovery cleaningAnti-static floor care and monitoring[Bob] Tell us more about the industry? Wheres it going?[Brett]We are currently seeing more and more colocation facilities as these businesses are outsourcing the power and space to have coverage all over the world. This is a growing industry and the more facilities being opened will mean more opportunities for the data center cleaning industry to grow.[Bob] What are you seeing in the market? What are some trends in your space?[Brett]The industry has been booming across the United States for the last five years or so. Most companies these days are moving their on-site critical environment/data centers to colocation or the cloud.Were seeing strong demand from the colocation and hyperscale data center providers that are building new facilities or expanding existing ones. Data center cleaning plays an important role during the initial buildout and construction as well as ongoing maintenance of the facility.In terms of areas where we are seeing the most demand for our data center cleaning services, Phoenix, Northern Virginia, Denver, Los Angeles, Bay Area, Silicon Valley, Dallas, Houston, and Oklahoma City have all been very strong. We work with many of the leading colo providers, hyperscalers, and data center construction companies in the US.[Bob] Why Pegasus? What sets you apart from your peers?[Brett] Pegasus is an employee-owned company that takes pride in our employees and customer service levels.We have our data center front line employees trained to the cleaning standards set by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) when it comes to cleaning these critical environments. Our ISO certification is ISO 9001:2015. With the seasoned staff members and our extensive hands-on and video training, we provide our team training that is above our competition.[Bob] What locations and markets do you offer your services in?[Brett]Pegasushas an HQ in San Diego, but we have focused and committed to going to where our customers need us to be.We currently cover all of the United States and parts of Canada. Most of our data center cleaning opportunities have been on the West Coast and Midwest at this stage. We have a few companies that would like us to expand into the east coast and there are thoughts of potentially starting up a new location to have these areas covered.

For the past decade, the data center industry has received a lot of attention relating to power consumption and inefficiencies, energy sources, and carbon footprint. After all, its well-known that data centers are one of the largest consumers of electricity in the world.Thats not all, the societal focus on climate change and natural disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and droughts have only compounded the importance of the issue. The result? A sense of urgency by nearly all organizations to review, innovate, and change their power sources and energy management practices.How have data centers responded? Many have met the challenge head-on working to reducing consumption, increasing efficiency, and exploring renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydropower. The data center is changing. Its companies like Amazons AWS, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Oracle, IBM, and Alibaba that are leading the charge and setting new standards for the industry.In this article, Ill present a few stats on the data center industry and power consumption. Ill also look at the opportunities that exist in the industry and how a data center energy audit and assessment can be used to improve efficiency in the data center.Data Centers Power ConsumptionHow many data centers are there in the world? According to a report by Statista, there are approximately 7.2 million data centers worldwide. Experts predicted that the number of data centers would increase with technology advancements and adoption. However, the opposite occurred. The total number of data centers has declined by 1.3 million since 2015 when the number of data centers totaled 8.5 million.What about data center power consumption? According to an article published in2017, USdata centers consumed more than 90 billion (kWh) of electricity. How much power is that? Its the equivalent of 34 massive coal-powered plants generating 500 megawatts (MW) each. Globally, data center power consumption amounted to about 416 tera-watts (TWh), or roughly three percent of all electricity generated on the planet.Furthermore, the growth rate of data center power consumption has also not grown as quickly as anticipated. Total data center power consumption has grown by 6% since 2010. During that same time period, data center compute instances increased by 550%. Why? Servers, storage devices, network infrastructure, and other IT hardware that operate within the data center are more efficient now than ever before. Datacenter operators are also doing a better job with efficiency gains.However, theres still a need for continuous improvement and innovation as it relates to data center power consumption and efficiency.Data Center Energy Audits AssessmentsWhere to start? Youre ready. Youve decided to explore available options but are unsure where to start. Does it make sense to start with a data center energy audit and power assessment? What does that entail? It depends on who you ask.There are several different types of audits and assessments to consider. They include a walkthrough audit, comprehensive audit, and investment-grade audit. Based on your needs, you may have to hire one or more companies or consultants to help with your project. Companies like AppSmart Energy can help point you in the right direction as to where to start first.Get a Free Data Center Energy Audit1) Walk-Through Energy AuditWalk-through energy audits are the least expensive and time-consuming. However, they can quickly identify the low hanging fruit for improving data center efficiency. This is a good starting point and includes general readings and measurements for the following:PowerLighting LevelsThermal AnalysisIn most cases, an auditor will walk through the facility. They will also review energy data for the past 1-2 years to determine baseline energy usage, trends, costs, and potential savings. From this point, an auditor conducting a walk-through energy audit may recommend a more comprehensive audit.2) Comprehensive Energy AuditThis is the standard when it comes to data center energy audits and assessments. A comprehensive energy audit involves collecting data on a facility for three or more years. This includes a detailed investigation into the data center electricity and power utilization.A letter of authorization (LOA) will most likely need to be granted to the auditor by the company. This is used to collect detailed records on the following:Electricity RatesElectricity SourcesPower Usage RecordsInventoriesContracts3) Investment Grade Energy AuditIf you want the best and do not want to leave any energy-saving stone unturned, an investment-grade audit is going to be your best bet. With an investment-grade audit, auditors will examine your data centers energy usage and footprint over the past three or more years.Electricity RatesElectricity SourcesPower Usage RecordsContactsEnergy DesignEnergy ModelingCost-Savings AnalysisUnlike the comprehensive audit, an investment-grade audit includes detailed energy models based on designs to illustrate the impacts of energy efficiency projects at the facility.An investment-grade energy audit gives you a clear path to the anticipated ROI for investments in power system upgrades and other efficiency improvements. It is by far the most expensive of the three types of facility energy audits.Get a Free Data Center Energy AuditAssessing Data Center Energy UsageIs theres a difference between audits and assessments? Yes, assessments typically start where the audit left off. And as mentioned earlier, the amount of data collected depends on the type of audit being performed.Its common for data centers to undergo a comprehensive audit that examines three years or more of existing energy usage data. An energy efficiency model may start to form from the data collection alone. However, an auditor must visit the site to document energy-efficient actions that may need to be taken. This includes assessing areas such as:Electrical Power ChainHVAC SystemsAir Management SystemsOn-Site Energy GenerationIndoor Outdoor LightingHardware SoftwareWhats the final product? You will receive an energy audit and assessment report that examines the current cost of running the data center versus the projected cost after energy efficiency actions are implemented. It includes specific steps to lower your energy costs.While its true that data center efficiency implementations can be costly in the beginning, case studies have shown that they can ultimately save millions in data center operational costs over the long run.Energy Credits Renewable CertificatesDeregulated Energy MarketsFor those operating in deregulated energy markets, opportunities exist to lock-in or reduce electricity rates at a low price per kWh. And because electricity rates have a large impact on profitability, data center owners and operators can use energy markets to hedge against future price increases by utility providers.Renewable Energy CertificatesIn addition to purchasing energy credits and maintaining predictable electricity rates, data center owners and operators can also look to renewable energy credits as a way of offsetting their fossil fuel demand and carbon footprint.Renewable energy credits allow companies to purchase and invest in green energy-producing power sources such as solar energy, wind power, hydropower, and more. This is very positive for brand awareness and recognition. It can help with attracting customers and talent.Learn More About Renewable Energy CertificatesConclusion: Data Center Audits Assessments Where Cost Savings Doing the Right Thing Go Hand-in-HandIf youre a data center owner or operator reading this, youre probably focused on growing your business, expanding your facilities, and entering new markets. But youre also thinking about going green, sourcing renewables, and focusing on improving data center power efficiency.In this article, we covered the basics of data center power consumption, energy audits, and assessments. We looked at the three types of audits walk-through audits, conventional audits, and investment-grade energy audits. We also looked at the difference between an audit and an assessment.There is no way to cover all the details in a single article. Want to learn more about data center energy audits and assessment? Contact me to learn more about our free audit and assessment services. Theyre perfect if you currently own and operate data centers or if youre looking to invest in an existing data center facility.

Bare metal servers are very similar todedicated serversin that they are both single-tenant machines. This type of machine provides users with total access to the hardware. It is possible to have such access as single-tenant machines do not use ahypervisor layer- layers that create a virtual machine (VM) and place it on the server. To eliminate the requirement for layers, the operating system is loaded straight onto the server. This direct loading results in some of the most high-performance servers on the market.With bare metal servers, there is an ability to configure the processor, memory (unshared), and storage. VMs do not have the same ability because the providers control the hardware.Both these servers provide users with stable performance because the hardware is powering their applications and web hosting solely. The critical difference between bare metal and a dedicated server boils down to how flexible the contract is and the quality of the hardware.You get high-spec processors, RAM, NVMe solid-state drives, and other hardware products with bare metal servers. Dedicated servers do not come with these high-end capabilities.As for contracts, bare-metal servers give you a more flexible billing option. You only pay for the time you use them, and they even have a pay-by-the-hour option.Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)IaaS is a cloud-based service operating in a distributed environment. This environment is made up of multi-tenant virtual servers.Build Your Cloud Servers With Datacenters.comBy using an IaaS, a business can negate the need to own and manage servers. They rent the capability from a cloud-based service provider.Renting resources rather than owning them means that a company can maintain strict control of costs, paying for only what they need. There is no cost for installation, configuration, and management. Once you pay for the service, it is available to use, and the provider looks after the rest. When you opt for IaaS, your business can access their virtual server without owning the hardware.IaaS or Bare Metal Cloud?Bare metal servers are a subset of IaaS, but they offer different service levels, although they share the same cloud characteristic. IaaS is utilizing virtual resources, as do bare metal servers that use dedicated servers.With both IaaS and bare metal servers, you can use the operating system and apps of your choosing. The difference between the two is that IaaS does not afford you any infrastructure control. It is the provider who manages infrastructure, with your business being limited within the restrictions of a virtual environment.On the other hand, bare metal servers allow your business to configure a dedicated server in the fashion you choose. It gives you control to install VMs and hypervisors as you wish.Bare Metal Servers Working in the CloudWith a cloud-based host, you have access to a private area with the same access you would have in a public environment. The difference is that you have more control of the virtual machines and how they perform. Also, as the servers are dedicated, you will not experience any resource restrictions. Instead, you will enjoy the full capacity of processing that a virtual server cannot give you.Another benefit is that you will have control over the server regarding any compliance measures you need to adhere to. If you have high-intensity business in terms of server capacity, such as streaming or gaming, this solution will be a good fit for you.Bare Metal Cloud Server BenefitsCosts vs. CapitalFor IT solutions, you have two options as to how you buy serverspurchasing them so that you are the owner, which involves a capital outlay, or renting server capacity on an ongoing basis. The latter option is paid as part of your operating costs.Making a capital purchase is risky in the IT environment, as you dont know how your business or the environment will change in the following few years. This uncertainty can lead to you purchasing the wrong hardware or specifications.With an IaaS, you have flexibility in your operational costs, and you will always have updated hardware and applications. You will also be able to keep hold of your capital with this option.Build Your Cloud Servers With Datacenters.comIncreased PerformanceBare metal servers allow you to customize your hardware to meet the needs of your business. To do this, you will not have the same overhead as you would with a VM. You will also have access to increased processing power because there is no requirement for a hypervisor. On top of this, there is no impact on other tenants workloads.Hybrid DeploymentBare metal servers can be used if there is to be any hybridization in the cloud. In such a case, they can be used to protect sensitive data or intensive workloads. Such instances would be expected in mobile gaming, for example. A bare metal server would act as the centerpiece of such an infrastructure. You would also have the capability of shifting your workloads between several connected environments with this model.Lower Transfer Costs For Big DataKeeping your costs low when you have intensive workloads is critical, so you need a solution that can provide this as well as high performance. A bare metal server offers you a more cost-effective solution to your data transfer, reducing your bandwidth and transfer costs.Having a managed service with a hyper-scale cloud provider is often less costly than a single-tenant solution. However, they do not always keep your operational costs low. The reason is that cloud providers usually charge more for traffic and bandwidth, whereas bare metal plans minimize your overhead.If you use software that can optimize or leverage hardware features, using bare metal will optimize your cloud costs. They will also help improve your density or performance by allowing custom configurations. You can optimize infrastructure to individual features so that it matches your performance needs. This optimization will enable you to achieve more with costs.Dedicated Resources - Bare Metal vs VMsAs previously mentioned, having bare metal and dedicated hardware offers you an advantage. Dedicated servers mean there is no sharing of storage, connection, or bandwidth. It also affords better privacy and security as your data is confined from other tenants.An environment such as this is beneficial for businesses that hold personal data or a high volume of data, requiring predictable and constant resources. It provides a higher level of processing than VMs as well as improved performance.For massive databases, game servers, rendering, software development, data analytics, transcoding, website hosting, machine learning, artificial intelligence, or planning application services, dedicated servers are an excellent solution. If your requirements are data-heavy, a dedicated server is a choice to make.In a virtual environment, there are instances when you could experience the noisy neighbor. This situation arises when VMs are competing for resources. Having dedicated hardware will provide you with the same ability to scale, the same flexibility and efficiency as VM clouds, but with none of the hassle of sharing resources.Dedicated servers can be configured to your needs, such as RAM requirements, processor, amount of storage, etc. The power of a dedicated server ranges from moderate to high, and they come with huge memories, allowing you to make your dedicated server as powerful as you need. The customized configuration also allows you to use any bare metal OS you want, adding your choices control panels and software.Compliance and Cloud SecurityBare metal servers address compliance and security issues better than VMs because it provides a single-tenant environment. Bare metal servers will provide you with an improved application and data performance while maintaining high-level security.When there is no virtualization, there is no overhead for a hypervisor, so the performance benefits. Most virtual environments and cloud solutions come with security risks. You have no security concerns on a single-tenant platform because all the resources are allocated to one user.Virtual environments can also suffer security issues if stringent industry regulations bound you. Understanding these regulations is essential to providing adequate protection to sensitive data. With bare metal servers, you have a solution that is configurable to regulated workloads.Performance Benefits For Your BusinessIf your company is large or expanding and you have large data requirements, you will benefit from bare metal servers. Private clouds are also advantageous for companies requiring enhanced security for their data, such as law or medical firms.Bare Metal Cloud - Running ContainersIf you need to run containers, bare metal clouds can provide this capability. Deploying containers is an alternative to installing VMs on the server.Containers require less overhead than virtual machines, and this is because they can isolate applications from wherever theyre being run. So, rather than a hefty VM, you have the option to install just what you require to run the application in the container. The remainder of the guest operating system can be done away with.The IT industry trend is veering away from VMs, with containers becoming the more popular option because they are so efficient. Newer VMs have to copy an OS along with its configuration, whereas containers have bespoke processes, network stacks, and file systems virtualized atop of a host OS or VM. Containers use less memory because they use identical libraries and share the OS kernel.Cloud-Native Infrastructure and ApplicationsDeploying Kubernetes was the old industry trend for deploying cloud-native infrastructure, but this involved some complexity. To make things simpler, bare metal cloud-native architecture is now being used, and this is referred to as Kubernetes bare metal. With this solution, there is no need for a virtualization layer in the cloud.Cloud-native applications get deployed into a container directly onto the bare metal cloud. As a result, you have less overhead, save costs, and fewer bottlenecks because there is no requirement for a guest OS, and network implementation is simplified.The Uniqueness of Bare Metal ManagementWith a bare metal provider, you will have command-line interfaces and cloud management interface consoles. They also offer automated API-driven servers and streamlined activities, including DNS setup, rebooting servers, upgrading network storage, and access/identify access management.As well as this, bare metal providers give you RBAC (Role-based Access Control ) and 2-factor authentication, which allows you to adjust security settings. Your system administrator can use these to conduct a reset power cycle. This action is not possible on a VM cloud.Recovery, Back-up, and RestoringBare metals back-up and restore lets your IT people recreate from scratch using a different system. This facility ensures that your business can recover from a catastrophic physical or natural disasters such as fire or flood.The restore and recovery solutions are automated and require little human input. This automation makes them fast and simple to set up.Disaster recovery in a cloud environment is quicker than manual back-up systems, and it is virtually error-free. Recovery will save your IT staff time as they would otherwise have to back-up other systems due to the catastrophic failure.Various recovery solutions are backed-up incrementally, and this saves on bandwidth and storage space. Using snapshots, you can recover the latest back-up of your data from any previous point that is available.If you were ever to be in the situation where you needed to restore data from an off-site back-up, having a local back-up is recommended. A local back-up would ensure data availability, and having a cloud recovery solution achieves this in minutes.Using a secure cloud to store your data comes with several advantages, the first of which is that your data is held in a purpose-built facility. These facilities are equipped with advanced security systems. They will also provide you with a third-party center for back-up and recovery. All of these facilities enable you to harness speed rather than relying on global internet traffic.