The Downside to Veeam

When choosing a business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) solution, many small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) see quotes for Veeam that appear less expensive than those for other solutions. But here’s the reality: those savings come with higher risk, more maintenance, and weaker protection.  

Here’s the thing: Veeam and BCDR are not the same thing.

Veeam and BCDR (Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery) are related but distinct concepts: 

• Veeam is a software tool primarily focused on data backup and recovery. 

• BCDR is a broader business strategy that includes backups plus all the systems, processes, and safeguards required to ensure your business keeps running during and after disruptive events. 

Veeam can be a component within a BCDR plan, but it is not, by itself, a full BCDR solution. And for SMBs, that distinction makes all the difference. 

Why Veeam Isn’t What It Seems

1. Extremely High Maintenance = Human Error

Veeam isn’t “plug-and-play.” It requires constant oversight, patching, and management by internal staff or your IT provider. Each added step introduces room for human error, a leading cause of downtime. In fact, research shows that nearly 70% of business outages are linked to human mistakes. A true BCDR solution reduces this risk with automated updates and validation.

2. Known Attacked and Targeted Backup Solution

Because of its market share and architecture, Veeam has become a favorite target for ransomware groups. Often because it’s not configured securely or patched timely going hand in hand with reason #1. (Human Error) In fact, CISA has added Veeam’s deserialization vulnerability (CVE‑2024‑40711) to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, flagged as actively used in ransomware campaigns. Cybersecurity sources like The Record and Cybersecurity Dive confirm this flaw was exploited by ransomware groups even weeks after patch release. Meanwhile, Veeam’s own security communications underline that delays in applying patches drastically increase risk, since attackers often reverse-engineer updates to exploit unpatched systems.

3. Lack of Quality Control and Validation of Data

Veeam backups rely heavily on proper setup and ongoing monitoring. If backup jobs aren’t tested or validated, you may not realize your data is incomplete or corrupted until you actually need it. Modern BCDR solutions automatically validate backups and use independent recovery points (self-contained restore images) so you know recovery will work before you need it.

4. Questionable Security of Cloud Storage

With Veeam, your backups typically live in storage you provision yourself, like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. But how secure are those buckets? Misconfigurations are common, and cloud storage breaches are one of the top causes of data exposure incidents each year. Unless encryption and security settings are managed meticulously, your backups could be exposed without you even knowing.

By contrast, true BCDR solutions encrypt backups by default and are maintained by the provider, removing guesswork and reducing the risk of accidental exposure. 

5. Hidden Costs Add Up

Veeam licensing may look cheaper on paper, but the real costs add up quickly:

• IT labor to patch and maintain 
• Downtime risk from failed backups or ransomware exploits 
• Additional cloud storage bills (AWS/Azure/Google Cloud) 
• Time lost validating and testing backups 

A true BCDR solution wraps all of this into one predictable cost, without the surprises and overall reduced business risk. 

Veeam vs. True Business Continuity (Comparison Table) 

The stakes are high: downtime, compliance failures, and ransomware costs can devastate a small business. What might look like a cheaper upfront costs with Veeam can quickly become more expensive when you factor in labor, patching, downtime, and security risk. 

The Bottom Line 

When comparing BCDR solutions, don’t just look at the license fee. Look at overall risk, security, resilience, and recovery speed. 

• Veeam may seem cheaper upfront, but it’s higher risk, higher maintenance, and comes with hidden costs. 

• True BCDR solutions are fully managed, automated, secure, and designed specifically for SMB needs. 

For SMBs, the choice is clear: protecting your data and ensuring business continuity requires more than just backup software, it requires a true business continuity solution. 

About Teknologize

Teknologize is a SOC 2 Type II accredited Managed IT and Cybersecurity provider serving small to mid-sized businesses across Washington and Oregon. We deliver full-service Managed IT Support, Co-Managed IT Support, advanced Cybersecurity Solutions, and IT Compliance Services for regulated industries, including Healthcare, Financial Institutions, the Utilities Sector, Manufacturing, and Professional Services.

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