There are a lot of options for DevOps tools. The dev environment in which you work will point you toward specific options. And for those that work within the Salesforce development environment, there are native Salesforce options for some of the most important DevOps tools.
Salesforce data backup is an essential aspect of a full DevOps strategy.
Backing up your system data helps in a variety of ways. When it comes to choosing a provider of this essential service, Salesforce developers might think going with the native Salesforce backup tool is the best option.
Just because something makes sense on paper doesn’t mean it’s the most effective or best solution. The native Salesforce data backup tool might be okay for much smaller development operations, but it doesn’t provide the breadth of benefits that can be seen from utilizing a third-party data backup tool.
Why is that? Which aspects of the Salesforce data backup tool can be improved upon? Why would a DevOps team look elsewhere for a Salesforce data backup solution?
Here are 6 reasons you should look outside Salesforce itself for a data backup tool:
1. Salesforce’s Native Solution Isn’t Comprehensive
Salesforce has become a leader in their field, for good reason. They’ve designed a powerful interface that provides a variety of benefits for their users. However, there is one main point that remains true: Salesforce was designed as a CRM and not a development environment.
Salesforce’s data backup solution is not their only product, it is an add-on. A third-party backup tool will have devoted dedicated attention to creating the best solution possible.
The result of Salesforce’s data backup efforts is an expensive tool that doesn’t operate as quickly as many of its competitors. In fact, they even stopped offering their own backup solution in 2020, only to reintroduce it earlier this year. This gap in coverage shows Salesforce redirected their attention away from backup services only to rejoin later.
They know that it’s important to backup Salesforce data, but their efforts have simply fallen short when compared to the other options out there.
2. Data Loss Events are Unfortunately Common
The importance of a reliable Salesforce data backup tool is apparent when you consider the prevalence of data loss events. These costly incidents can come from a variety of sources:
- User error
- Software corruption
- Hardware failure
- Cyberattacks
- Theft
Data loss comes in many forms, which also means it can come from a variety of sources. The effects of data loss will always be harsh no matter the source.
Loss of operations, redundant tasks, a damaged reputation, and regulatory fines can all result from such an event. Salesforce data backup tools that enable quick recovery mitigates these negative effects. Unfortunately, Salesforce’s native option isn’t known for its ability to operate quickly.
Time is money in the case of data loss events—a minute of downtime can cost a company as much as $11,600. Finding a third-party data backup tool that can quickly get your system back to operations can save your company a lot of time and money.
3. Must Pair Salesforce Data Backup with Restore Capabilities
Backing up your Salesforce data and metadata is only the first step in a proper disaster recovery strategy. You must also have the ability to move the backed-up data into your live environment and restore operations.
Salesforce’s native data backup tool does not include recovery capabilities.
You are going to have to pair your backup strategy with a recovery tool, regardless of who you choose for a backup tool. Combining various tools can become complicated. Some won’t share the same interface which can lead to errors.
Find a third-party Salesforce data backup tool like Vault that facilitates both backing up the data as well as reintroducing it into your live environment.
4. Complete Data Security Requires Backup Solutions
A data security strategy is going to have many aspects that work together toward a common goal. This could include access controls, secure hosting, consistently high-quality code. Every aspect of your data security plan will factor into your overall success in avoiding data loss events and hacks, as well as your ability to recover should these unfortunate circumstances occur. And of course, all of this will also factor into your ability to remain compliant with government regulations.
Salesforce data backup tools play an important role in a comprehensive data security strategy. A third-party solution can be better customized to fit your needs.
We’ve discussed why it’s essential to keep a reliable Salesforce data backup. The native Salesforce solution simply doesn’t provide the scale and quality of service your company needs to adequately address everyday data security risks.
5. Adaptability and Usability Are Essential
The functionality of your DevOps tools is just as important as the offered capabilities. What’s the point in using powerful software if it’s difficult to use? All potential benefits go out the window if your team isn’t able to quickly and easily operate the functions.
Unfortunately, Salesforce’s native backup tool isn’t known for its ease of use. Finding a third-party backup tool allows you to find one your team members will be comfortable with.
Flexibility is also a necessity for data backup tools. There are many customizations that can be made to your Salesforce instance and you need to be sure your backup tool is able to cover all of the different aspects.
Metadata, for instance, is often overlooked when it comes to backing up system data. Finding a Salesforce data backup tool that not only addresses metadata, but also functions in a variety of environments, will provide the greatest returns.
6. Integration with DevOps Tools
Just how your data security strategy will include the efforts of a variety of tools and considerations, your DevOps strategy will also involve the coordination of multiple tools. DevOps is aimed at producing the best applications and updates in a streamlined and optimized way. However, recent trends have introduced security measures throughout the pipeline—known as DevSecOps.
A reliable data backup and recovery solution is an essential aspect of a complete DevSecOps strategy.
We mentioned how you need to integrate a recovery solution into your backup solution. The same works for the rest of your DevOps tooling. A singular platform that provides all the data security and development tools will yield the greatest results. Salesforce’s native backup solution simply can’t fulfill that requirement.
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FAQs
A data recovery service moves data from a backup repository back into the live environment as a means of fixing issues after a data loss event.
Utilizing a third-party Salesforce data backup and recovery tool ensures you are covered after a data loss event.
Salesforce offers a native backup solution but it isn’t as effective as a dedicated data backup and recovery tool from a third-party provider like AutoRABIT.
