MSPs need to rethink backup defense

COMMENTARY: MSPs are under more pressure because customers now expect help with AI, cybersecurity, backup, recovery, and overloaded IT environments. At the same time, ransomware attacks are getting harder to handle because attackers are using AI and are going after backup systems, too. Regular backups are no longer enough. If attackers can delete, change, or encrypt the backups, the customer may still be stuck paying a ransom. MSPs need better ransomware recovery plans, and immutable backup storage helps protect customer data from attackers, and it can also give MSPs a new service to package and sell.

The technology landscape in 2026 is almost unrecognizable from the pre-AI era, and MSPs are at the forefront of it all. They’re expected to be up to date on all the latest technologies and challenges, servicing their customers while simultaneously wading through a flood of vendor communications to identify and effectively implement the best solutions. On top of all that, customers are demanding more support on AI, a services-driven approach, and help in managing increasingly disperse, and overloaded environments. MSPs have had to adapt their business models and offerings accordingly.

A significant part of that evolution requires MSPs to deliver modern ransomware defense. It’s a nearly impossible task. Cybercriminals now use AI to attack organizations with massively increased speed, scale, and automation, turning data concerns into an urgent concern in recent years. Almost 90% of IT and security professionals say AI-powered cyberattacks have made them more concerned about the safety of their organization’s data, and 62% believe AI will make it more likely their company will need to pay a ransom in the next two or three years.

To address this, a new solution is gaining traction among MSPs as a way to build profitable practices and protect their own critical data: immutable backup storage. At DataServ and Object First, we partnered to bring immutable storage into the folds of the MSP model. Here’s what we found out.

What is immutable storage?

Immutable backup storage acts like a digital vault that keeps the data locked inside. Once data is stored, no one can modify it or delete it.  That may sound like an obvious no-brainer, but far too many backup storage systems still allow for data to be overwritten by a backup or storage admin, vendor, or – in the worst-case scenario – attacker. Given what AI is capable of these days in terms of deepfakes, you cannot assume anyone trying to access backup data is who they say they are. Therefore, no one – not even the most privileged admin – should be able to make any changes to the data.

It’s a simple but impactful concept, especially given 96% of ransomware attacks actively target backups. It ensures that should the worst happen and data is lost – from a ransomware attack, insider threat, or just human error – there is always a copy of the company’s mission-critical data in the immutable vault, ready to be recovered no matter what.

Case study: How a niche technology transformed one MSP’s business model

At DataServ, we’ve seen firsthand how ransomware attacks compromise customer data. As this threat continues to rise, we knew that we needed to shore up our own data center to ensure the data we manage and store for customers remained 100% secure. We couldn’t risk a situation where our own data center was attacked, and customer data was lost, with serious reputational and financial repercussions. We work with schools, municipalities, and mission-critical organizations, which makes the data we house especially sensitive and high-value for attackers.

The result of implementing immutable backup storage in our own datacenter wasn’t just peace of mind; it was 300% faster backups and two-to-three times faster recovery speeds. We immediately recognized that this technology had the potential to be transformative to our business as an external offering as well, given the market is desperate for solutions that provide ransomware defense simply and cheaply. We started recommending immutable backup storage to our customers and were able to successfully build a new revenue stream that runs with minimal oversight from our support staff.

This journey started as a search for better in-house backup security, but it evolved into a transformation of our entire service offering. 

AI is a catalyst for a lot of change in the market, and to stay relevant, MSPs must undergo a similar transformation to update their models and keep pace with new customer demands. In our experience, immutable backup storage is an emerging offering to address customer concerns around advanced cybersecurity threats and differentiate MSPs in a competitive market.

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