AWS Backup
AWS Backup is a fully managed backup service that centralizes and automates data protection across AWS services. Define backup policies and monitor compliance.
What is Backup? (Simple Explanation)
Backup is an AWS service in the Storage category. AWS Backup is a fully managed backup service that centralizes and automates data protection across AWS services.
When Would You Use Backup?
- Centralized backup policy management
- Cross-region backup copies for DR
- Compliance backup retention enforcement
- Ransomware protection with immutable backups
- Multi-account backup governance
Who Uses Backup?
From startups to enterprises, Backup powers:
What Makes Backup Powerful
Backup Pricing & Free Tier
Free Tier: 5GB Standard storage, 20,000 GET requests, 2,000 PUT requests (12 months). After that, ~$0.023/GB/month.
Backup Best Practices
- 1Block all public access by default (never grant s3:* to *)
- 2Enable versioning and MFA delete on critical buckets
- 3Use lifecycle policies to automatically tier to Glacier after 90 days
- 4Encrypt at rest with SSE-KMS (not SSE-S3)
- 5Enable S3 Access Logs or CloudTrail data events for audit trail
Getting Started with Backup in 5 Minutes
- 1Open the AWS Console and navigate to Backup
- 2Click "Create bucket" or "Create file system"
- 3Name your resource (globally unique for S3) and choose a region
- 4Configure public access settings (block all public access by default) and click "Create"
Backup CLI Quick Reference
2 production-ready commands. Full CLI Library (225+ services) →
aws backup list-backup-plans --query 'BackupPlansList[*].{ID:BackupPlanId,Name:BackupPlanName}' --output tableList all backup plansaws backup list-recovery-points-by-backup-vault --backup-vault-name Default --query 'RecoveryPoints[*].{ARN:RecoveryPointArn,Resource:ResourceArn,Status:Status,Created:CreationDate}'List recovery points in the default vaultPros & Cons of Backup
Pros
- Policy-based backup scheduling with retention rules
- Cross-region and cross-account backup copies
- Vault Lock for WORM (immutable backups)
- Backup Audit Manager for compliance reporting
- AWS Organizations integration for multi-account
Cons
- ✕Storage costs compound over time — data tends to grow, not shrink
- ✕Cross-region replication adds latency and egress costs
- ✕Inexperienced users can accidentally expose data publicly (misconfigured bucket policies)
Backup vs Alternatives
Backup vs S3
Choose Backup for Centralized backup policy management and Cross-region backup copies for DR. It excels at policy-based backup scheduling with retention rules.
Choose S3 as an alternative when your requirements differ. Each service in the Storage category serves different architectural patterns.
Services That Work with Backup
Backup is rarely used alone. It is typically combined with:
Compliance & Security
How AWS Backup fits into major compliance standards. Browse all 41 frameworks →
Backup configuration is audited by CIS Benchmarks v1.5–v3.0 for secure cloud defaults.
NIST 800-53Backup access controls, encryption, and audit logging map to NIST 800-53 AC, SC, and AU control families.
PCI DSS 4.0Backup encryption, access control, and logging support PCI DSS for cardholder data environments.
SOC 2Backup security, availability, and confidentiality controls evaluated under SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria.
ISO 27001Backup configuration and monitoring controls map to ISO 27001 Annex A information security management.
Frequently Asked Questions About Backup
What is AWS Backup?
AWS Backup is a fully managed backup service that centralizes and automates data protection across AWS services. Define backup policies and monitor compliance.
What is Backup used for?
Backup is commonly used for: Centralized backup policy management; Cross-region backup copies for DR; Compliance backup retention enforcement; Ransomware protection with immutable backups; Multi-account backup governance. It's a core service in the storage category of AWS.
Is Backup free?
Free Tier: 5GB Standard storage, 20,000 GET requests, 2,000 PUT requests (12 months). After that, ~$0.023/GB/month.
What are the key features of Backup?
Backup's most important capabilities include: Policy-based backup scheduling with retention rules. Cross-region and cross-account backup copies. Vault Lock for WORM (immutable backups). Backup Audit Manager for compliance reporting. AWS Organizations integration for multi-account. Each of these is designed to help teams centralized backup policy management.
How does Backup compare to alternatives?
Backup competes with both AWS-native alternatives (S3, EBS, RDS) and third-party equivalents. The right choice depends on your specific requirements for scalability, cost, and operational overhead. See the comparisons section below for detailed guidance.
Which compliance frameworks apply to Backup?
CIS AWS v3.0: Backup configuration is audited by CIS Benchmarks v1.5–v3.0 for secure cloud defaults. NIST 800-53: Backup access controls, encryption, and audit logging map to NIST 800-53 AC, SC, and AU control families. PCI DSS 4.0: Backup encryption, access control, and logging support PCI DSS for cardholder data environments. SOC 2: Backup security, availability, and confidentiality controls evaluated under SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria. ISO 27001: Backup configuration and monitoring controls map to ISO 27001 Annex A information security management.
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