Combining local disks and cloud storage locations is a common pattern for a small business backup strategy. A available backup on a local disk translates into very fast recovery time, as the local network allows for much higher bandwidth. A remote backup on a cloud storage location insulates your business data from disaster, malware, and other problems that arise.

NAS devices are an affordable on-site storage location for backups. Leveraging an on-site NAS ensures a large dedicated storage pool and high bandwidth for your backups. Transferring those backups to the cloud as an offline process allows you to avoid touching the original source multiple times.

Disk remains the most common storage media, and tape continues to make strides in speed and storage capacity. With a local disk, you can quickly back up your environment and have the backups available for fast restore. Using a tape library for offsite storage enables you to store your backups in a safe location (like a security deposit box or a third-party storage locker) that –unlike the cloud–you have physical access to.