Wasabi: A Cost-Effective Option for Storing Your Backups in the Cloud

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When it comes to backing up your business-critical data, choosing the right cloud storage provider is crucial. With data storage demands increasing, many companies are seeking affordable yet reliable solutions. Wasabi has emerged as a strong contender, particularly for businesses looking for a cost-effective alternative to big players like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud.

In this article, we’ll explore how Wasabi compares to AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, discuss how easy it is to set up with Veeam, and explain how cloud storage fits into the well-known 3-2-1 backup rule.

Wasabi vs. AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud: What’s the Difference?

When comparing Wasabi with cloud giants like AWS, Azure, and GCP, one of the most striking differences is cost. Wasabi offers predictable, affordable pricing with no hidden fees, while AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud often charge for data egress, API requests, and other usage-related factors. Let’s break this down:

• Wasabi: Wasabi’s pricing model is simple and affordable. You pay a flat fee for storage with no charges for egress or API requests. This makes it a predictable and budget-friendly solution.
• AWS S3: AWS charges based on a combination of storage, data transfer, and request costs. While S3 is reliable and highly scalable, these extra costs can quickly add up, especially when dealing with large amounts of data or frequent access.
• Microsoft Azure Blob Storage: Azure follows a similar model to AWS, charging for storage, data transfer, and operations like reading or writing data. Azure offers strong integration with other Microsoft services, but cost unpredictability remains a concern.
• Google Cloud Storage: Google Cloud offers scalable and secure storage, but like AWS and Azure, it charges for operations and data retrieval, making it more expensive over time.

The following chart shows the yearly costs for storing 1 PB on Wasabi, compared with the three major cloud service providers.

This chart assumes list pricing and 20% data egress per month. Of course, in the real world, significant discounts are offered when storing such large amounts of data, but this applies to all providers, including Wasabi.

When it comes to performance, Wasabi delivers comparable speeds to these major providers. What sets it apart is its low-cost, high-performance offering without compromising on security or reliability.

Seamless Integration with Veeam

Setting up Wasabi as a cloud storage provider for your backup infrastructure is incredibly simple, especially when using Veeam. Veeam provides native integration with Wasabi, allowing you to set up backup repositories with minimal effort. Whether you are planning to use Wasabi as a capacity tier in a Scale Out Backup Repository or perform backups directly to object storage, configuration is straight-forward.

One of the key advantages of using Wasabi with Veeam is the ability to perform Instant VM Recovery™ directly from Wasabi storage. This means you can spin up a virtual machine in minutes without needing to first download files on-premises, saving you time and resources. For businesses requiring rapid recovery in disaster recovery (DR) scenarios, this feature is invaluable.

Veeam’s integration with Wasabi also ensures that backup copies are easily stored offsite, complying with best practices for disaster recovery and data protection.

The Role of Cloud Object Storage in the 3-2-1 Backup Rule

The 3-2-1 rule is a time-tested best practice for data protection:

• Keep 3 copies of your data.
• Store it on 2 different media types (e.g., local storage and cloud).
• Maintain 1 offsite backup.

Cloud object storage, like that offered by Wasabi, plays a critical role in fulfilling this rule. By storing backups offsite in the cloud, you ensure redundancy in the event of a local disaster. Wasabi's cost-efficient and highly secure object storage is perfect for companies aiming to follow the 3-2-1 rule without overspending.

Moreover, Wasabi provides 11 nines (99.999999999%) of data durability, ensuring that your backups are safeguarded against corruption or loss. This level of durability, combined with its compatibility with Veeam, makes Wasabi an excellent choice for offsite backups.

What are the Disadvantages of Wasabi

While Wasabi does offer free egress, their policy states the total egress in a month should not exceed the total storage volume. So while this should not be a concern if you are using their storage for backups, it might not be a good fit for use cases where frequent download of files is needed.

Another limitation is their 90-day minimum retention policy. This means if you upload a file and delete it immediately after, you will still be charged for the storage used by that file until the 90 days minimum retention elapses. This, of course, does not apply to files that have been stored for more than 90 days.

Conclusion

When it comes to cloud storage for backups, Wasabi offers a compelling alternative to AWS, Azure, and GCP. With predictable pricing, no egress fees, and seamless integration with Veeam, Wasabi is not only affordable but also highly efficient. Businesses that need reliable, offsite cloud storage can leverage Wasabi’s scalability and performance while following the 3-2-1 backup rule with ease.

By integrating Wasabi into your Veeam infrastructure, you’ll be able to take advantage of advanced features like Instant VM Recovery directly from the cloud, ensuring that your data is both secure and readily accessible when you need it most.

For any business looking to optimize backup storage costs without compromising on quality, Wasabi is a cloud storage solution worth considering.