Choose Your Cloud Wisely: How MSPs Can Ensure Affordable Disaster Recovery with Predictable Costs

When customers call on a managed service provider (MSP) to provide disaster recovery (DR), they’re battling chaos. Whether the need for DR is due to a ransomware attack, employee error, or natural disaster, a well-prepared MSP will quickly restore order to their customer’s world.

However, not all MSPs are ready to step up and be a calming influence. When an MSP has chosen a hyperscale public cloud to manage their DR, they are adding to the uncertainty. That’s because depending on hyperscale cloud infrastructure for DR introduces new variables that can make this crucial process costly and unpredictable.

MSPs need their DR systems to be the exact opposite when disaster strikes. The ideal DR infrastructure is affordable and provides MSPs with predictable costs every step of the way. With these reliable resources on call, an MSP can activate a disaster recovery process with complete confidence. They’ll not only be providing their customers with maximum data protection, but also doing what’s best for their own business.

Containing DR Costs

When MSPs are using hyperscale cloud platforms for DR, their costs can add up quickly. An MSP may face tens of thousands of dollars in fees for a single disaster recovery, especially those involving demanding workloads.

This becomes clear when you take a closer look at just one aspect of a DR operation lasting 30 days (the average duration for Datto MSPs). Running one virtual machine (VM) on hyperscale cloud to support a small to medium-sized business (SMB) Microsoft Exchange server with a mailbox role may include the following costs:

VM – $1,200-2,400

Storage – $300-600

Egress – $10-1,000

Direct-to-tech support – 5-10% of the total

Total for one server: $1,600-$4,400

While a typical DR is one month, these intensive operations can extend far beyond that. Running an Exchange server in the cloud has been known to last up to four months, totaling $17,000+ on a hyperscale cloud platform.

MSPs can avoid tens of thousands of dollars in DR costs by choosing an all-in-one BCDR solution. For example, Datto SIRIS includes cloud storage and DR for even the most demanding workloads. Purpose-built for MSPs, SIRIS saves MSPs money when the time comes to manage a mission-critical DR for their SMB customers.

Just as important, the subscription model of SIRIS keeps costs predictable. Everything an MSP needs for DR is included in one flat fee, including all DR procedures and the Datto Cloud, DR testing and backup storage.

Another DR solution may seem more affordable on the surface, but a closer look reveals higher costs and hard-to-predict pricing. For example, other software-based solutions still depend on hyperscale public clouds, causing MSPs to incur large VM, storage, and egress fees that can be wide-ranging when disaster strikes.

There are no egress fees or hosting fees with Datto SIRIS, just an all-in-one subscription for consistent billing, no matter how intensive the DR. It’s an approach that saves MSPs tens of thousands of dollars during disaster recovery, even when working with the most demanding workloads.

Optimized for MSPs

With its industry-leading security features and backup to the immutable Datto Cloud, SIRIS already stood out to MSPs. Now its DR capabilities are even stronger with the addition of DR Optimized Nodes. Designed strictly for the intensive demands of DR, these high-performance computing nodes meet the elevated needs for cloud-based workloads that MSPs must run in case of a disaster.

When DR is needed, MSPs must rise above the confusion that their customers are experiencing. Performing the DR operation with hyperscale cloud platforms only adds to the havoc with their expensive and unpredictable fees. MSPs can help restore order with a solution that’s purpose built for MSPs, one with a flat-fee subscription model that eliminates hidden costs by including a dedicated cloud for DR and backup, plus hardware, software, storage and technical support.

SIRIS is the all-in-one solution that makes DR predictable for MSPs, so they can always know their margins and consistently grow their business. To learn more about SIRIS, schedule a demo.