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Data backup expertise ensures business continuity and offers support for disaster recovery (DR). Avoiding downtime, maintaining data security and integrity, and keeping data stores available and accessible are all valuable functions to any organization.
Data backup is the easiest and most cost-effective way to secure an organization’s data. Backup professionals ensure timely and reliable access to this secured data, protecting against data breaches, accidental deletion, or corruption.
As the data backup market grows, skilled backup professionals are becoming more in demand, with companies more likely to offer greater compensation for those with more specialized backup experience and certifications:
The market for jobs in data backup
In 2021, the global data backup and recovery market was worth an estimated $9.69 billion. With the increasing importance of digital data, cloud service adoption, and the rising risk of data breaches and interruptions, the demand for skilled data backup professionals is significant.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for database administrators and architects is a field growing at a rate of 8%, with 13,200 additional positions expected between 2020 and 2030.
Data backup careers are a subset of the cybersecurity market that is calling for an increase in skilled professionals by 33% with over 57% of organizations currently impacted by a lack of available talent.
Data backup job types
For individuals interested in working with data backup and recovery, there are several possible career paths to choose from:
| Position | Focus |
| Data protection manager | Maintain secure databases, including data backup configuration and monitoring |
| Data protection engineer |
Ensure data is stored securely Maintain and test infrastructures used to generate and store data Ensure data is in a format that can be analyzed and queried as needed |
| Backup administrator |
Manage secure storage of data Maintain storage hardware, including external hard drives Configure and maintain storage systems and resources Coordinate on-site, off-site, and cloud-based storage solutions |
| Database administrator |
Support, monitor, manage, configure, install, and maintain database servers Perform database backup and recovery tasks |
| Database analyst |
Manage and maintain databases Plan, coordinate, and implement data backup and recovery procedures |
| Business continuity analyst | Recommend and review data backup and recovery strategies |
| Cloud data engineer | Design and support cloud-based data storage solutions, including data backup and recovery procedures |
| Cloud database engineer |
Ensure database backup and recovery procedures follow industry standards and best practices Perform database administration tasks including backup configuration, testing, and validation |
| Data architect |
Identify the specific data integrity, security, availability, backup, and recovery needs of an organization Provide supports to an organization’s data strategy Evaluate, negotiate for, and recommend products and tools best suited to manage and protect an organization’s data |
Data backup experience
Many organizations have adopted enterprise-level backup and recovery solutions, making it a good choice to obtain training and knowledge in the requisite platforms beyond more generalized philosophies and best practices.
A few of the most sought after skill sets include:
- Dell EMC Data Protection Suite
- Veritas NetBackup
- Veritas Backup Exec
- Barracuda Backup
- Arcserve Backup
- Arcserve ShadowProtect
- HPE Data Protection
- IBM FlashSystem Cyber Vault
- Commvault Backup & Recovery
Many organizations also choose to engage cloud backup services as a way of managing costs while scaling as required or to maintain off-site storage for the preservation of data in the case of equipment failure or other catastrophic events.
Being familiar with the most popular cloud backup and storage services, understanding how to configure and manage them, and being prepared to offer recommendations is of considerable value to employers.
A few of the most popular enterprise cloud backup services include:
Data backup education
As with most specialized information technology careers, data backup professionals are often best served by a bachelor’s degree in computer science or information science.
It is valuable to supplement data backup education with experience, and additional training courses in system administration and disaster recovery like those offered by Coursera and Pluralsight.
Data backup certifications
Certifications to support data backup skills give employers confidence. A few of the most widely recognized and respected choices include:
- Associate Business Continuity Professional (ABCP)
- Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP)
- Certified Functional Continuity Professional (CFCP)
- Master Business Continuity Professional (MBCP)
- Dell Associate — Information Storage and Information
- HPE Master ASE — Advanced Server Solutions Architect
Data backup job openings
Many employers are currently recruiting for data backup professionals, including:
- Systems engineer — Backup and data protection specialist
- Product owner — Storage and backup
- Manager services backup and recovery
- Backup and data protection consultant
- Information security analyst
- Backup and recovery engineer
- Backup ops — System administrator
- Backup engineer
- Senior systems engineer — Data and systems backups
- Backup and recovery administrator
- IT specialist —Business continuity and disaster recovery specialist
- Storage architect
- Storage services advisor
- Data storage engineer
Data backup salaries
The median annual salaries estimated by Glassdoor for a selection of data backup-related positions are outlined in the following table:
| Position | Median Salary |
| Data protection manager | $95,946 |
| Data protection engineer | $109,717 |
| Backup administrator | $91,641 |
| Database administrator | $103,776 |
| Database analyst | $98,793 |
| Business continuity analyst | $102,780 |
| Cloud data engineer | $116,702 |
| Data architect | $135,071 |
Conclusions
Having a comprehensive and reliable data backup solution enables organizations to recover from unplanned events or disasters. Beyond having a copy of all important information, data backups need to also provide security and stability with respect for governance and applicable regulations.
Responsible data backup procedures can prevent upset customers, maintain compliance and regulatory standards, and protect against damage to an organization’s reputation.
