5 Best Backup Solutions for MSPs in 2027

Managed service providers operate in a fundamentally different threat and business environment than their end clients. An MSP is not managing one backup environment. It is managing dozens or hundreds simultaneously, with varying infrastructure, different compliance requirements, and clients that hold the MSP accountable for recovery outcomes they cannot always control. Ransomware that compromises a single client environment through a shared management tool is not just one incident. It can cascade across every client on the platform.

What MSPs need from a backup solution is not the same as what a single enterprise needs. Multi-tenancy, low management overhead, rapid deployment across new client sites, and a pricing model that aligns with recurring revenue are as important as raw performance and immutability. This guide evaluates five solutions across the main categories MSPs operate in: immutable appliance storage, turnkey BCDR, all-in-one cyber protection, deduplication-focused storage, and cloud-native backup.

What MSPs need that standard enterprise vendors do not deliver

The most common mistake MSPs make when selecting a backup solution is applying enterprise procurement criteria: they evaluate on capacity, throughput, and deduplication ratios. Those metrics matter, but they miss the three characteristics that determine whether a backup platform actually works in a managed services model.

True multi-tenancy means client data is isolated at the platform level, not just at the backup application layer. If a compromise of one client environment could reach another client’s backup data, the platform has a fundamental gap. MSPs need client isolation enforced below the management plane.

Security accountability without security expertise means that the backup solution should not require the MSP to maintain deep security knowledge to keep it secure. Every hour an MSP spends hardening backup infrastructure is an hour not spent delivering billable services. Zero-trust architectures that are secure by default, not by configuration, directly reduce operational overhead.

Consumption-aligned economics means solution costs should scale with client count and data volume, not require large capital commitments for capacity that may not be used. MSPs that over-provision to avoid running out of space are subsidizing unused capacity. The best platforms offer consumption-based or per-unit pricing that lets MSPs pass costs through to clients with predictable margins.

At-a-glance comparison

Solution	Multi-tenancy	Pricing model	Avg. setup	Best MSP use case
Object First Ootbi	Per-device isolation	CapEx or Consumption	15 minutes	Veeam VCSP environments needing zero-trust immutable storage
Datto BCDR	Per-client appliance + portal	Hardware + per-device sub	Hours	Turnkey BCDR with instant local virtualization
Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud	Native multi-tenant	Per-seat monthly	Minutes	Full-service MSPs wanting backup + security in one platform
ExaGrid	Client-specific pools	CapEx	Hours	Multi-application environments with high dedup requirements
N-able Cove	Per-tenant dashboard	Per-device monthly (storage included)	Minutes	Lightweight cloud-first backup for servers + Microsoft 365

 

1. Object First Ootbi

Multi-tenancy: Ootbi uses per-device isolation: each client environment connects to dedicated storage through Veeam, with backup data separated at the appliance level. There is no shared namespace between clients, and Fleet Manager provides centralized visibility across all deployed Ootbi nodes from a single pane.

Management: Object First Fleet Manager aggregates capacity, health, and firmware status across every Ootbi in the MSP’s portfolio, whether deployed at client sites, regional offices, or a central MSP datacenter. 15-minute initial deployment keeps onboarding cost low for each new client.

Security: Absolute Immutability is enforced through three independent layers: S3 Object Lock at the protocol level, OS-layer block access disabled, and hardware-locked firmware. Even if a threat actor compromises the Veeam backup server with full administrative credentials, no software path exists to delete or modify locked backup data. ZTDR certified.

Pricing: Available in CapEx or Consumption acquisition models. The Consumption model aligns storage costs directly with client billing cycles and eliminates upfront capital barriers for adding new client sites.

Quick take: The strongest choice for MSPs running Veeam VCSP programs that need certified, zero-trust immutable storage with centralized fleet management and flexible acquisition options.

2. Datto BCDR

Multi-tenancy: Each client gets a dedicated Datto SIRIS or ALTO appliance on-site; all client environments are managed through the Datto Partner Portal, which provides per-client dashboards, alerts, and billing reporting in a single MSP-focused interface.

Recovery: Instant local virtualization allows MSPs to spin up a failed client server directly from the SIRIS appliance in minutes, without waiting for a cloud restore. Datto Cloud provides an automatic off-site copy, and cloud virtualization is available when the local appliance is also unavailable.

Management: Automated screenshot verification runs after every backup job and provides visual confirmation that the backup is bootable, without requiring the MSP to manually trigger recovery tests. Alerts escalate to the Partner Portal when verification fails.

Pricing: Hardware cost for the SIRIS appliance plus a per-device subscription that includes Datto Cloud storage. No separate cloud storage contract is needed, simplifying per-client cost calculation for MSPs billing on a per-device basis.

Quick take: The dominant choice for MSPs who prioritize rapid local disaster recovery and want a turnkey appliance that includes cloud storage in the subscription. Strong within the Kaseya ecosystem.

3. Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud

Multi-tenancy: Built from the ground up for MSPs: native multi-tenant management console provides per-client dashboards, usage reporting, and billing. White-label options allow MSPs to present the platform under their own brand.

Management: Acronis Advanced Management Pack enables remote deployment, patch management, and endpoint monitoring from the same console as backup. Consolidating backup and endpoint security under one agent and one console reduces tool sprawl for MSP teams managing many clients.

Security: Acronis Active Protection uses AI-based behavioral analysis to detect ransomware in real time and stop it before backup data is encrypted. Backup copies stored in Acronis Cloud are immutable by default, providing both pre-attack prevention and post-attack recovery from the same platform.

Pricing: Per-seat monthly subscription with cloud storage included. MSPs can add or remove client licenses monthly without annual commitments, aligning with the fluid nature of MSP client rosters.

Quick take: The clearest choice for full-service MSPs wanting to consolidate backup, endpoint protection, and patch management under a single vendor with native multi-tenancy and white-label capability.

4. ExaGrid

Multi-tenancy: ExaGrid supports client-specific retention pools within a shared appliance, with separate administrative access per pool. Logical isolation per client is enforced without deploying dedicated hardware for each, making it practical for MSPs managing many small-to-medium client environments from a central facility.

Management: ExaGrid’s scale-out cluster design allows nodes to be added as client count grows without disrupting existing backups. Per-pool capacity reporting and alerting make it straightforward to monitor utilization across the full client base from a single appliance management view.

Security: Retention Time-Lock creates a time-delayed deletion barrier enforced at the storage system level: even a fully compromised admin account cannot delete backup data before the configured retention period expires. This is particularly valuable in MSP environments where administrative credentials may be shared across client management tasks.

Compatibility: Native integrations with Veeam, Commvault, Veritas NetBackup, and other major backup applications make ExaGrid suitable for MSPs managing heterogeneous client environments without standardizing on a single backup platform.

Quick take: Best for MSPs supporting enterprise clients with mixed backup platforms and high deduplication requirements, where time-lock immutability and broad application compatibility matter most.

5. N-able Cove Data Protection

Multi-tenancy: N-able Cove provides a per-tenant TotalControl dashboard that isolates each client’s backup data and reporting. MSPs manage all client environments from a single N-able console, with per-client storage usage, recovery point status, and alert history visible without switching contexts.

Coverage: Cove backs up Windows and Linux servers, workstations, and Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams) under a single per-device license. This breadth eliminates the need for a separate Microsoft 365 backup tool, simplifying both the technology stack and client billing.

Management: Direct-to-cloud architecture eliminates local appliance deployment and maintenance entirely: backups go straight to N-able’s cloud infrastructure, reducing the MSP’s on-premises footprint for client backup. Recovery Testing automates backup verification with screenshot-based proof of recoverability after each job.

Pricing: Per-device monthly subscription with cloud storage included in the price. Zero hardware cost enables MSPs to onboard new clients with no upfront investment, making Cove particularly attractive for MSPs managing many small clients across distributed locations.

Quick take: Best for MSPs who want a lightweight, cloud-first backup solution that covers servers and Microsoft 365 in a single platform with no appliance overhead and no separate cloud storage contract.

Building a profitable MSP backup stack

The five solutions above serve different MSP operating models, and the right choice depends on the type of client environments the MSP manages and where it wants to invest operationally.

MSPs running Veeam VCSP programs need immutable storage that their clients’ Veeam environments can target directly. Object First Ootbi is purpose-built for this role: 15-minute deployment, Fleet Manager visibility, and Absolute Immutability that protects backup data even if the Veeam server is fully compromised.

MSPs whose value proposition centers on business continuity and rapid recovery will find Datto BCDR the most operationally efficient choice. Instant local virtualization, automated screenshot verification, and included cloud storage make it the benchmark in the BCDR appliance category.

Full-service MSPs consolidating backup and endpoint security will prefer Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud. The tradeoff is that backup data resides in Acronis cloud infrastructure rather than MSP-controlled hardware, which some clients with strict data sovereignty requirements will not accept.

MSPs managing enterprise clients across heterogeneous backup platforms, or building a central backup facility for large clients, should evaluate ExaGrid. Broad application compatibility and time-lock immutability address both the technical diversity and the security requirements of that segment.

For MSPs focused on SMB clients across many distributed locations, N-able Cove offers the lowest operational overhead: no hardware to deploy, Microsoft 365 coverage included, and cloud storage bundled in a single per-device monthly price. It integrates naturally with the N-able RMM ecosystem, which many SMB-focused MSPs already run.