Cloud-Powered Resilience

for 2026

Thought leadership research & content for managed service providers (MSPs) on how organizations want to utilize:

Backup as-a-Service (BaaS)
Disaster Recovery as-a-Service (DRaaS)
Cyber Resilience as-a-Service (CRaaS)

…and what they expect from their MSPs and ISVs.

Why cloud-powered resilience Matters

Data Protection Matters (DPM) is assessing how organizations are evolving their cloud-based backup, disaster recovery, and cyber resilience strategies through managed service providers (MSPs).

As consumption models shift toward BaaS, DRaaS, and cloud-delivered cyber recovery services, MSPs and ISVs need clear, unbiased insight into:

What customers are actually using today for backup, DR, and cyber resilience
What capabilities they expect in 2026 and 2027
Where sentiment is shifting between managed services and self-managed models
How vendor perception impacts buying decisions

This research is designed to provide independent market clarity — free from vendor bias — to support strategy, positioning, and thought leadership planning for 2026 and beyond.

What Topics are covered

The Cloud-Powered Resilience (CPR) survey will assess current and prospective subscribers of managed data protection services to understand how buying preferences and platform expectations are evolving. Key areas of focus include:

Which platforms organizations want to use BaaS and DRaaS for — and why
Interest in consuming cyber recovery or CRaaS services from the same provider as BaaS and DRaaS
Sentiment toward managed services vs. self-managed approaches using hyperscale storage
Preferences for first-party BaaS (delivered directly by software vendors) versus third-party BaaS (delivered by MSPs)

Challenges and planned changes for BaaS and DRaaS adoption in 2026
Perception of software vendors’ suitability for MSP-delivered BaaS and DRaaS
Preferred software stacks organizations want delivered through managed services

how you can engage

Fieldwork has begun! This project was co-sponsored between DPM and a limited number of MSPs and ISVs that include:

Managed Service Providers (MSPs)
Backup and disaster recovery software vendors (ISVs)
Cloud and hyperscale providers
Cyber integrators and consultants

Participating MSPs received private URLs to invite their own subscribers to participate in the survey and receive additional insights (without visibility into individual responses).

Software vendors had the opportunity to support their MSPs’ participation through MDF funding, with access to aggregated data relevant to their ecosystem.

wHY this research benefits the co-sponsors

Input into survey framing and key research areas
Early access to independent market data
Aggregate data cuts relevant to targetted segment
Private debrief sessions to support strategy and narrative positioning
Credible third-party insights for thought leadership and GTM planning
Optional subscriber participation for deeper ecosystem insight

This project delivers unbiased research that strengthens positioning without promotional framing.

when it is happening

Sponsorships Available through January 15, 2026
Survey Fieldwork Began: February 2026
Initial Data Available For Sponsor Debriefs: May 2026
First Public Publications: Summer 2026

Interested in Participating in cloud-powered Resilience Research?

It’s not too late! Survey fieldwork has already begun, but late-stage MSPs and ISVs still have the opportunity to co-sponsor the project to gain access to the data and the sponsors’ thought leadership assets (briefs, webinars, etc).

Sponsorship opportunities closing soon.

Contact DPM About Sponsorship

Or email directly to discuss participation

About Data Protection Matters

Data Protection Matters (DPM) delivers independent research and insight on backup, disaster recovery, and cyber resilience.

Led by industry analyst and speaker Jason Buffington, DPM helps vendors and service providers understand how organizations actually plan, buy, and operationalize resilience.