Want A Cloud Backup For Your Server? What To Consider With Your Internet Provider

With everything moving to the cloud these days, it may make sense to back up your server offsite by putting it into the cloud.  However, no matter how much research you do into cloud backup services, you need to also think about your internet service provider. Here are some things to consider when selecting your ISP.

Upload Speeds

The biggest bottleneck you are going to run into with a cloud backup is upload speeds.  Most internet providers put a cap on upload speeds that is much lower than the speeds you can download at.  

For example, you may have a 100 megabit connection, but upload speeds are capped at 10 megabits. By using an online calculator, you can easily calculate that it would take a little over 9 days to transfer 1 terabyte of data at those speeds.

If this is an acceptable upload speed, then you should not have any problems. However, it may not be acceptable. You need to reach out to your internet service provider to see how much faster you can make your upload speeds.

Bandwidth Caps

The other potential issue you'll run into with backing up a server to the cloud is your monthly bandwidth cap.  Many residential plans limit how much data you can upload and download in a single month. This cap may be something as small as a single terabyte of data, which you can use up in as little as 9 days in the previous example.

Do your research and find out what your bandwidth caps are, and if you have them, how you can increase the cap. It is common for business internet accounts to not have a bandwidth cap on them, but it will come at a premium price.

Fiber Options

Check to see if fiber internet is available in your area if you are not finding the plans that you need.  It is common for fiber internet plans to have speeds as fast as a gigabit, and to not cap the upload or download speeds. This makes it easier to upload an entire server to the cloud for a backup solution.  It is the best way to ensure that all of your data is safe, because with slow upload speeds, it may take weeks for changes to be backed up to the cloud.

Check with local internet providers for more information on what will work for your cloud backup needs.