Hybrid Cloud Backups

Definition

What to Know About Hybrid Cloud Backups?

Hybrid cloud adoption is growing as organizations combine on-prem systems with cloud platforms to manage data more efficiently. For IT teams responsible for protecting critical workloads, this approach supports a balance between recovery speed, cost-effectiveness, and resilience.

Businesses today run applications across many environments. A hybrid cloud backup strategy supports this reality by storing data both locally and in the cloud, helping meet different recovery and compliance needs.

Using both on-prem and cloud storage options gives organizations more control over where and how they protect data. It also supports faster recovery times for operational systems and helps with long-term data retention.

Hybrid Cloud Backup Essentials

Hybrid cloud backup is the process of storing backup data in both on-premises infrastructure and cloud storage. This two-tiered approach supports fast local recovery while also providing off-site protection through scalable cloud storage services.

Enterprises often choose hybrid cloud backup to avoid relying solely on either on-prem or cloud environments. Local backups can be used for quick restores during daily operations, while cloud backups serve long-term retention needs and provide geographic diversity to help reduce risk.

Components

Key Components of a Hybrid Cloud Backup

Importance

Importance of Hybrid Cloud Backup for Data Security

Hybrid cloud backup supports operational resilience by storing data in both on-prem and off-site environments. This setup helps reduce downtime and allows faster recovery after outages or cyber events.

Organizations often need to meet different compliance requirements for data stored locally vs. in the cloud. Hybrid backup supports this by keeping regulated data on-prem while archiving other workloads in cloud storage. Tools that apply policy-as-code can help classify and route data based on location or sensitivity, which helps reduce manual errors and streamline audits.

Off-site copies stored in the cloud help reduce the impact of ransomware by isolating data from production systems. These backups remain out of reach when attackers compromise internal networks. When used with air-gapped or immutable storage, hybrid backups can provide a clean recovery point if primary systems are affected.

Encryption and access controls are necessary to protect data across hybrid environments. Data in transit should use TLS, and storage at rest should follow encryption standards like AES-256. Role-based access paired with multi-factor authentication limits who can read, write, or restore backup data, which helps reduce the risk of internal misuse or unauthorized access.

Comparison

Comparison of Hybrid Backup Security Measures

Hybrid Cloud Backup Compared to Other Strategies

Hybrid cloud backup gives organizations a way to manage data across both local and cloud environments without relying on a single method. Unlike fully on-prem or fully cloud models, hybrid strategies help meet specific needs for performance, compliance, and cost control.

An on-premises–only backup setup offers fast recovery for local systems but often requires high capital investment and ongoing maintenance. Cloud-only models reduce infrastructure costs and scale easily, but restoring large datasets can be slower due to bandwidth limits and egress charges. This can impact recovery when working with large files like video repositories or transactional archives.

Some teams hesitate to commit to public cloud storage due to concerns about regulatory requirements and vendor lock-in. Hybrid models allow data to be stored on-prem when needed for compliance, while using cloud storage for less-sensitive workloads or longer-term retention. This helps organizations stay within data residency policies while using cloud platforms to reduce storage overhead.

Comparison of Backup Strategies

Evaluating the Right Backup Strategy for Your Organization

You should consider a number of factors as you are deciding what backup solution is best for your organization.

Assess workload types. Identify which applications require fast recovery and which can handle longer restore times. Group data based on urgency and business impact.

Review compliance requirements. Map regulatory policies by region or business unit. Use this to decide which data stays on-prem and which can be backed up to cloud storage.

Analyze network capabilities. Measure available bandwidth for daily backups and large-scale recovery. Consider how long it would take to restore critical data from cloud storage.

Model total cost of ownership. Compare on-prem infrastructure costs with cloud expenses like storage tiers, egress fees, and API usage. Include long-term retention requirements.

Define recovery objectives. Set clear RPO and RTO targets for each workload. Design the backup architecture to meet those targets without overcommitting resources.

Use tools that support both environments. Choose platforms that manage data across cloud and on-prem through a unified interface. Look for options that automate backup policies and monitor performance.

Test and validate. Perform recovery tests using both local and cloud backups. Measure restore times and adjust configurations to match business needs.

How to Configure Your Hybrid Cloud Backup

Identify workloads: Group applications and data by priority, compliance needs, and recovery timelines.

Select storage locations: Choose on-prem storage for local recovery and a trusted cloud provider for offsite retention.

Define retention rules: Set clear timelines for how long to keep local vs. cloud backups.

Configure network settings: Use secure and reliable connections between cloud and on-prem systems.

Apply encryption: Protect data in transit and at rest using standard encryption methods.

Control access: Limit who can modify or recover data using identity-based policies.

Automate backups: Use tools to create automated backup schedules based on workload type or data changes.

Review logs and reports: Use monitoring tools to track backup performance and troubleshoot issues.

Advantages

Key Advantages of Hybrid Cloud Backup

Each part of the hybrid model serves a specific function. Local backups support fast recovery, while cloud storage adds durability, long-term retention, and geographic diversity.

Best Practices to Maximize Value of Hybrid Cloud

Segment by use case: Keep frequently accessed data on-prem and move older or less critical data to cloud storage.

Test recovery regularly: Run restore tests from both cloud and on-prem locations to confirm backup integrity and recovery speed.

Review cost structure quarterly: Track cloud storage usage and adjust data retention policies to avoid unnecessary spend.

Use immutable storage for key workloads: Store sensitive backup data using immutable cloud storage to help reduce the impact of ransomware.

Distribute across regions: Replicate backup data across different geographic cloud regions to reduce risk from localized outages.

Summary Table of Key Hybrid Cloud Advantages

Case Study: Illinois State University Transforms Data Protection with Hybrid Cloud

Illinois State University (ISU) successfully modernized its data protection strategy by migrating off-site backup and disaster recovery to AWS. This strategic move allowed the university to decommission its physical off-site data center while maintaining robust protection for critical academic and administrative data.

ISU implemented Commvault Cloud HyperScale X to manage its hybrid cloud environment, creating a seamless experience across on-premises and cloud systems. “We chose Commvault Cloud HyperScale X because we’ve been very satisfied and comfortable with the Commvault solution,” explained Devin Carlson, Assistant Director of Infrastructure Operations. “We have a lot of confidence and faith in the service.”

The university’s IT team now operates as if everything remains in data centers without changing protection processes or policies. This consistency streamlines operations while adding cloud benefits. Their hybrid approach enables:

Rapid disaster recovery: If a catastrophic event occurs, ISU can shift workloads to Amazon EC2 within minutes, dramatically improving business continuity capabilities.

Flexible storage options: The university backs up on-premises data to tiered AWS storage services (S3, Glacier, and Deep Glacier Archive), optimizing costs based on recovery needs.

Comprehensive protection: The solution extends beyond on-premises backups to protect cloud instances while maintaining existing management practices and SLAs.

Advanced security: Built-in protection against malware and ransomware includes a security dashboard, anomaly detection, advanced reporting, and the ability to manage air-gapped and immutable backup copies.

Craig Jackson, executive director of technology infrastructure & research computing at ISU, highlighted the business continuity benefits: “HyperScale X and the build-out to the cloud give us some great business continuity and [distaster recovery] planning. If something catastrophic happens, if we need to spin up some [virtual machines] and do restores, now our backups are in the cloud, as opposed to having to move all that data across the wire before making services available.”

The transition to a hybrid cloud model delivered significant operational and financial benefits for ISU:

• Reduced administrative overhead by replacing physical maintenance with cloud management.
• Decreased data center footprint with associated power and cooling cost savings.
• Minimized storage requirements through deduplication, resulting in substantial AWS S3 cost savings.
• Enabled self-service access for departments while maintaining central IT control.
• Freed IT resources to focus on strategic initiatives like the Game Design Program and campus research data protection.

As ISU adopts more AWS services, its hybrid cloud backup strategy provides the flexibility to protect new workloads automatically. Jackson summarized the experience: “We’ve been happy with Commvault for so long, it’s kind of expected that the software can do any sort of data manipulation, migration, and protection that we’d need. We’ve never really run into a scenario that Commvault can’t do what we need or ask of it.”

How Commvault Enhances Hybrid Cloud Backup

Commvault offers a unified platform that manages data protection across on-prem, cloud, and SaaS environments. This gives IT teams a single place to manage backup, recovery, and data movement, reducing the need for multiple tools or manual processes.

Policy-based automation helps align backup operations with business priorities. Organizations can define rules that move data between local and cloud storage based on retention needs, workload activity, or regulatory requirements. This approach reduces manual tasks and helps maintain consistency across environments.

Commvault provides features like rapid recovery for critical workloads, cloud orchestration for disaster recovery, and deduplication to reduce storage usage. These capabilities support faster response during incidents while helping control infrastructure costs at scale.

Implementation Guide

Step-by-Step Implementation Guide: Deploying Commvault for Hybrid Cloud Backup

Identify workloads: Use Commvault’s tools to discover and classify data across cloud and on-prem systems.

Set protection policies: Define RPOs, RTOs, and retention schedules based on workload type and business impact.

Connect storage targets: Configure on-prem storage systems and cloud services like Azure Blob or AWS S3.

Automate backup schedules: Use policy templates to apply consistent backup timing and retention across systems.

Enable deduplication and encryption: Reduce data volume with deduplication and apply AES-256 encryption for security.

Configure disaster recovery workflows: Set up orchestrated recovery plans for critical workloads in the cloud.

Monitor activity: Use dashboards to track backup success, capacity usage, and restore performance.

Test recoveries: Run scheduled restore tests to confirm data can be recovered within required timeframes.

Commvault supports data protection strategies that align with AWS’ shared responsibility model and other cloud frameworks. Its platform helps reduce complexity while giving organizations flexibility to manage hybrid cloud backup based on their operational and compliance needs.

Organizations need a reliable way to protect data across hybrid environments while maintaining control and flexibility. With the right tools and strategy, hybrid cloud backup helps reduce risk while supporting faster recovery when incidents occur.

Commvault understands these challenges and offers solutions to help you protect critical workloads, automate data movement, and meet compliance requirements across your hybrid environment.
Request a demo to see how we can help strengthen your data protection strategy.

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